Polling - Week 15: Stop the insanity
No. 2, no question. (Photo courtesy: USA Today Sports)
My ballot for this week's poll on Crystal Ball Run:
CrystalBallRun.com Power Rankings Ballot – Week 15
1. FSU
2. Ohio State
3. Auburn
4. Alabama
5. Missouri
6. Oklahoma State
7. Michigan State
8. Northern Illinois
9. Baylor
10. Central Florida
Just missed the cut: Louisville, Arizona State, Stanford, South Carolina
Notes:
*The arguments for vaulting any team with a loss ahead of two undefeated teams from major conferences ring incredibly hollow to me. History has shown that it is monumentally difficult for a college football team to make it through a season without losing. Ignoring that to preserve the opportunity for a conference - not a team - to chase its eighth straight national championship? Get out of here with nonsense.
*Having said that, if Florida State (ha) or Ohio State stumble this weekend, the winner of Auburn-Missouri is clearly next in line.
*Why Alabama over Mizzou? The resumes are so close, but I rate an incredible loss on the road to Auburn as better than an incredible loss at home to South Carolina. Beat Auburn, of course, and the Mizzou can remove all doubt.
*I suspect that if Oklahoma State hadn't lost to West Virginia, the Pokes would have dropped one somewhere else. Even so, that inexplicable loss looks even more devastating now as an undefeated OSU would likely be No. 2 behind FSU.
*For everyone who can't wait for the playoff to eliminate all this chaos, assume the favorites in this weekend's notable games – Ohio St., Florida St., Auburn, Oklahoma St., Northern Illinois – all win. Who would get left out if the playoff started this season?