Tuesday, December 02, 2008

CBS Sports Blog Poll Ballot – I Voted For Oklahoma!

I’ll skip giving you a team by team breakdown this week because well...I want to spend my time explaining why I moved Oklahoma past Texas this week since it is the hottest topic in college football. I understand that the debate won’t be settled with this post and for that reason I won’t beleaguer the point but I will say that it was a difficult decision.

First let me acknowledge that Texas did beat Oklahoma on October 11th in the Cotton Bowl. However, let me also acknowledge that Texas lost to Texas Tech on November 1st creating the conundrum of three one loss teams who are all ranked in the Top 7 of the BCS. As you know the Sooners in turn pounded the Red Raiders 65-21 on just two weeks ago. Just to make sure you are following, Texas beat Oklahoma who beat Texas Tech who beat Texas and they all have an 11-1 record. I didn’t but into the head-to-head because it just doesn’t provide a solution. Instead I went with the entire resume of a season and not just one of 12 weekends of football.

When you look at the top 14 teams in this week’s BCS standings Oklahoma owns a 4-1 record with wins against Texas Tech, TCU, Cincinnati and Oklahoma State and of course the loss to Texas. Texas is 2-1 with wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and a loss to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have an equal 2-1 record with wins over Texas and Oklahoma State and the loss to the Sooners. When you step back and look at it you’ll see that Oklahoma played 5 of the Top 14 teams in the country with Texas and Texas Tech only played 3. Tougher schedule and better record go to the Sooners.

In addition Oklahoma beat an Oklahoma State team on the road by 20 and the Longhorns only beat them at home by 4. In fact, of the three teams Oklahoma is the only one to get a win over a ranked team on the road. Texas blew their chance in Lubbock and Texas Tech was blown out in their opportunity in Norman.

I realize that this formula won’t satisfy all but it works for me and at the end of the day I really can live with it. Now on to my ballot.

RankTeamDelta
1Alabama --
2Florida --
3Oklahoma 1
4Texas 1
5Utah --
6Southern Cal --
7Boise State --
8Penn State --
9Texas Tech --
10Ohio State 2
11Ball State 2
12Oklahoma State 2
13TCU 2
14Cincinnati 2
15Georgia Tech 5
16Brigham Young 2
17Boston College 4
18Georgia 7
19Michigan State --
20Mississippi 3
21Nebraska 4
22Missouri 8
23Oregon 3
24Northwestern --
25Pittsburgh 1

Dropped Out: Oregon State (#17), Florida State (#22).