Second Verse, Same as the First

Las Vegas Sports Consultants released its weekly poll today, and there's not much movement from the preseason version. The top nine teams remain the same. Not surprisingly, Alabama's blowout win over Clemson had the biggest impact on this week's rankings. The Tigers dropped from 10 to 17. Interestingly, even though the Crimson Tide made the highest debut of the week, checking in at 22, the oddsmakers kept 'Bama five spots below Clemson.

The poll's notes on South Carolina indicate that handicappers dropped the Gamecocks from 16 to 16 because head coach Steve Spurrier was refusing to make Chris Smelley the starter at quarterback. Have to think today's news that Smelley will get the start this week would change the oddsmakers' collective opinion.