BlogPoll Round Table #2

I took the first round table off because until the season actually started I didn’t have anything constructive to say. Now that we’ve moved beyond college football’s kick-off there’s plenty to talk about.

This week’s round table is being hosted at hey jenny slater and while I have absolutely no idea who Jenny Slater is the questions make for great conversation. You’ll definitely want to head over there to read how other college football bloggers are responding.

1. By the end of the season, some previously unheralded teams' bandwagons will be so full they'll be having to bump passengers and offer them free vouchers and first-class upgrades; others will have emptied out in a big way. On whose bandwagon are you already scrambling to save a seat? Conversely, which team's bandwagon is being driven by Toonces the Driving Cat, prompting you to leap off now before it careens over a cliff to its fiery death below?

Opening week games can tell you a lot about a team. Most of the major conferences schedule sub par teams in order to see what they look like hitting someone other than their own scrubs. You have those teams who fall flat on their face (Michigan), teams that strike panic and fear in the hearts of their fans causing many sleepless nights (Texas), and then the teams who prove that yes they could actually name their score.

It’s the teams that show that they have the ability to score what they want that you want to take notice of. The reason being is that this is Division I football that we are talking about and posting Play Station like numbers in offensive yards and in points proves two things about the team.

1. They are talented! superior athletes are exactly that, superior! When teams score at will on the opposition they not only show that they just have superior athletes but that they have them at every position. That is what makes them a dangerous football team.

2. They are prepared! Never underestimate the power of being prepared. When a lesser team is able to hang around with a top tier team or even upset them it is mostly because of lack of preparation.

For these reasons I’m jumping on the Hawaii bandwagon! Not only are the Warriors deeply talented they are also well coached and prepared. Coming from the same conference that gave us BCS Buster Boise State last season look for Hawaii to do the same this season.

When it comes to jumping off a bandwagon Michigan is going to be the people’s choice but I was never on that wagon so I can’t jump off. Instead I’m bailing from the Auburn bandwagon. The Tigers had to pull off some fourth quarter magic to separate themselves from Kansas State and anyone who knows anything about Big 12 North football will tell you that doesn’t bode well for the Tigers future.

2. What do you think was opening weekend's biggest mirage -- either a "big win" over a team that isn't really as good as everyone thinks, or an embarrassing loss (or embarrassingly close win) that won't seem quite as embarrassing by season's end?

I think that people are making too much of the narrow victory for the Texas Longhorns over Arkansas State. We knew going into the season that the Longhorn defense would be down this year but it was the sloppy play of the offense that has people worried. Decent coaching (I’ll never accuse Mack Brown of being anything more than just a decent coach) can fix sloppy play and that is what I expect to see happen in Austin. The Longhorns will still be a player in the Big 12!

3. Compared to how you felt Friday night, how do you feel now about your team's chances this season? I'm not just talking about your impressions of your own team -- also take into account their prospects relative to this year's opponents, whom you've also gotten a little more acquainted with after this past weekend's action.

Walking out of the stadium Saturday night I felt ecstatic about the possibilities for Oklahoma this season. After the first game is way too soon to begin talking BCS Championship for any team but as far as the conference goes I feel like right now the Big 12 belongs to the Sooners.

There are some good offenses out there in the conference but I don’t know that there is a defense out there who can stop OU’s offense.

4. Looking at how those future opponents performed this past weekend, which developments are you most excited about? Which of your opponents' performances have you a little worried?

Nothing in the Big 12 South caught me off guard except for the 79 points that OU put up against North Texas. Oklahoma State showed that they still aren’t ready for the big time by getting handled by Georgia. Texas struggled against Arkansas State and Texas A&M actually trailed Montana State at one point.

I think that I may have underestimated Nebraska a little. The only way that the Huskers and Sooners would mix it up this season would be in the Big 12 Championship game but if they did it looks like a stronger Nebraska team.

5. There are now 32 bowls in D-IA football, meaning 64 bowl teams, meaning any given team now stands a better-then-50-percent chance of going to a bowl. To get that number under 50 percent, we'd have to eliminate three bowls. Which ones would you get rid of?

The New Orleans Bowl – Any bowl game with an automatic tie in to the Sunbelt Conference is doomed anyway.

The Humanitarian Bowl – The main attraction to this game is Smurf Turf and that’s it. It’s played in the middle of nowhere and the weather is always horrible.

The Rose Bowl – Yeah, that’s right I said Rose Bowl, the “Granddaddy of them all.” Here’s the problem with the Rose Bowl. They don’t want to play with anyone else! They don’t like the BCS system but want the BCS money and they don’t want any other teams other than the Big 10 or Pac 10 playing. Well, I say let’s let them have it! The game only sells out when it’s a Big 10/Pac 10 match-up and even then people seem to be more interested in the events leading up to the game instead of the game itself.

Here’s what needs to happen. The Big 10 and the Pac 10 need to combine to form a super conference, keeping each conference intact as a division, and play their conference championship game in Pasadena. Then Cotton Bowl could move to Jerry World in Arlington, Texas and jump into the BCS mix.

6. And finally, in 50 words or less, how happy are you that it's finally football season again?

Too excited! So much so that I got very little work done last week and drove my family completely nuts Friday night and Saturday morning.