Is it your conference?
If so, then all SEC, Pac-10, and Big 12 teams will top our list. ACC and Big East schools are right behind, with Conference USA a distant third.
Is it your quality wins?
If quality wins are the sole indicator, then at this point in the season we have to remove quite a few "power" teams, including Oklahoma, Boston College, and definitely Ohio State.
When you're No. 3 in the land and your laundry list of cupcake opponents includes Youngstown State, Akron, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Purdue, you can hardly call yourself a powerhouse.
As a writer, I've gotten quite a bit of flak for putting Oregon so high on my list.
Admittedly, I went there and love the school, but I'm not delusional. Three ESPN analysts have Oregon in the top five, and they're one of the top rushing schools in the nation.
If quality wins are the primary determinant, the rankings need to be shaken up.
Is it your margin of victory?
I don't buy it.
Take Florida, for example. They barely beat Ole Miss in Oxford, but destroyed Tennessee 59-20. Then they lost to Auburn on a field goal, yet nearly beat the consensus No. 1 team a week later.
So please don't give me the whole "but they barely beat so-and-so" argument.
Big deal—they got the victory. End of story.
With all this in mind, I've come up with the "real" POWER rankings as of today, October 10, 2007.
I'll most likely be criticized and ridiculed—but if my thinking is correct, this is the true order.
1. LSU
Quality wins over Florida, South Carolina, and Virgina Tech. There's no doubt about it—these guys are the best. When you're undefeated and have three wins over top-12 teams in the first half of the season, you deserve No. 1.
No argument there.
2. California
Beat Tennessee 45-31 and went into Autzen to win a very close game. Got lucky in the end because Nate Longshore was hurt—if that game goes to OT, Oregon wins.
Also went into Colorado State and won. Very little argument that Cal deserves to be No. 2.
3. University of South Florida
If you don't think they're third-best in the nation, something's wrong with you.
We see West Virginia, whom USF beat, in the Top 10. Injuries and conditions be darned, USF won the game. End of story.
Auburn took down Florida, and USF took down Auburn. Oh, Auburn is a different team!
In three weeks? Gimme a break.
USF took the week off against FAU—
8 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Smith J. Howard about 1 year ago
Hey Mark, I know I was one of those who gave you slack about Oregon last week. I like this article much much better. Not because of where Oregon is or where so and so team is, but because of the clarity. I like the explanation of the "powerhouse" term as well as your thoughts about your top teams. Good read.
p.s. - did you have a formula? just curious...
-R.H.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Yeah and FAU nearly beat USF.
USF was lucky to walk away with the W there.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
If i recall:
"Is it your margin of victory?
I don't buy it.
Take Florida for example. They barely beat Ole Miss in Oxford, but destroyed Tennessee 59-20. Then they lost to Auburn on a field goal, yet nearly beat the consensus number one team a week later.
So please don't give me the whole "but they barely beat so and so."
Big deal they got the victory. End of story."
You obvsiouly didnt read the whole article. this went for all teams not jus for florida. if you look at the record of USF it still shows USF as 5-0. so a "W" is a W. i thik its prety impressive how USF can play like crap and still pull out the "W".
just my thoughts.
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Josh Lee about 1 year ago
I will have to strongly agree with your analysis of what makes a college football team a "power team." Your rankings of your top 5 are quite controversial. I did you writing that you knew you would be ridiculed, but still, even though I disagree with your exclusion of Ohio St. Buckeyes. I also think that the Tigers should not even be considered Top 5 until they play Oklahoma this Saturday. I can't even believe I'm saying that because I am a Mizzou Tigers fanatic. But I think this weekend will put some questions at rest of who is actually "worthy" of being called a power team.
I think Ohio St. Buckeyes vs Missouri Tigers would be an exciting matchup by the way...results are unimaginable right now to me. Too bad it'll never happen.
DJ
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
hey mark, if ur saying that a win is a win with florida, then why isnt a win a WIN with ohio state, they havenot faced that good of teams, but they demolihed them unlike florida who barley a cupcake team! come on u make no sence at all, u have south florida at 3 are u kinding me!? they had a lucky win over west virgina because pat white got hurt, and they almost lost to florida atlantic, and who has Missuri faced? NO ONE, exactly, they have had just as an easy schedule as osu or boston college, and purdue who osu faced and gorgia tech, who bc faced are just as good if not better than nebraska! Oregon has faced no one too, the were tested against cal, and they lost, they failed!? end of story.
mac g.
respond back at bigmac45241@aol.com
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Leon Wynn about 1 year ago
To the last anonymous: Repeat 4th Grade English. It took me longer to decipher your comment than to read all the other comments combined! I still am not quite sure what your point/opinion is..or if there is one at all.
"Oregon has faced no one too, the were tested against cal, and they lost, they failed!?"
So the #2 team in the nation is not defined as being "someone"....?
If keeping the #2 team in the nation trailing until the fourth quarter is not an accomplishment, then I don't know what is. Perhaps flying or breathing fire would meet your standards?
I agree with you that OSU has "demolihed" its weaker opponents, but I am not sure if I can agree with you that "florida who barley a cupcake team!"
Are you saying that Florida is a cupcake team? Or are you saying that LSU is? Either way, you're wrong.
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Josh Lee about 1 year ago
Just wanted to ditto the comment by Leon
that last anonymous person...use dictionary.com and use real words and construct real sentences
DJ
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Josh Lee about 1 year ago
I'm all for the Missouri Tigers! I think this weekend will be the biggest test.
DJ
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