We are honored once again this year to be invited to be a voter in the College Football BlogPoll Top 25. This year the poll is sponsored by our friends over at SB Nation.
The BlogPoll is made up of a collection of 102 voters (bloggers) who represent schools from across the country from all conferences. Our own Walking on Sunshine will be casting the RazorBloggers ballot and posting it here each week throughout the season for discussion. And, as always, your commentary can impact our weekly rankings.
No doubt, Alabama has enough returning players to deserve the top spot for now, but if their retooled defense sputters early, we won’t hesitate to move them south. Boise State‘s Labor Day showdown against top 10 Virginia Tech should be the best game during Week 1. The Bloggers land Arkansas #18 to start the season.
You can see the complete BlogPoll over at SBNation.com. So, without further ado, here’s the RBN preseason ballot:
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | 14-0 | 1 | Tide deserving until we see retooled defense. |
| 2 | Ohio St. | 11-2 | 5 | Vince Young won a NC as a Jr. Can Terrelle Pryor? |
| 3 | Boise St. | 14-0 | 4 | 20 starters return including stud QB Kellen Moore. |
| 4 | TCU | 12-1 | 6 | They’re back…MWC Champ Frogs getting respect. |
| 5 | Florida | 13-1 | 3 | Tebow-less Gators reload with QB John Brantley. |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 8-5 | NR | Injury plagued in ’09, Sooners stocked for ’10 run. |
| 7 | North Carolina | 8-5 | NR | UNC’s defense is nasty; loaded with NFL talent. |
| 8 | Virginia Tech | 10-3 | 10 | Opening ‘W’ vs. Boise St could vault VT to the top. |
| 9 | Nebraska | 10-4 | 14 | HC Pelini leads NU through final Big 12 campaign. |
| 10 | Iowa | 11-2 | 7 | Could win Big 10; tough as nails on defense. |
| 11 | Texas | 13-1 | 2 | Horns weak running attack could spell trouble. |
| 12 | Miami, Fla. | 9-4 | 19 | Canes QB Jacory Harris an early Heisman favorite. |
| 13 | Arkansas | 8-5 | NR | A split vs. UGA-Bama could get Hogs to Atlanta. |
| 14 | Oregon | 10-3 | 11 | Pac-10 fav despite USC, Cal, Oregon St. on road. |
| 15 | Auburn | 8-5 | NR | QB Cam Newton – SEC Newcommer of Year? |
| 16 | Georgia | 8-5 | NR | Best O-line in country will help Frosh QB Murray. |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 10-3 | 16 | 10 starters back on ‘O’ give UW shot at Big 10. |
| 18 | South Carolina | 7-6 | NR | East is there for the taking; The Visor’s best team. |
| 19 | West Virginia | 9-4 | 25 | Explosive offense led by tiny RB Noel Devine. |
| 20 | USC | 9-4 | 22 | Trojans might be higher, but have little to play for. |
| 21 | Florida St. | 7-6 | NR | Healthy QB Ponder makes Jimbo Fisher smile. |
| 22 | Stanford | 8-5 | NR | Harbaugh likes his chances with QB named Luck. |
| 23 | LSU | 9-4 | 17 | Lester’s last year down on the Bayou? |
| 24 | Penn St. | 11-2 | 9 | Tough schedule, new QB land JoePa lower in ’10. |
| 25 | Houston | 10-4 | NR | Cougars explosive; QB Keenum (44 TDs in ’09) |
| Others considered: Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Oregon St., Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Texas A&M, Boston College, Michigan St., UCF, California, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, South Florida, Navy, BYU, Tulsa, Clemson, Missouri, Middle Tennessee, Notre Dame, Connecticut, Washington. | ||||
Your header says '18' but your poll says '13'. Guess which I like better…;^)
Ha. We've got 'em #13 in our ballot. In the overall poll, the Hogs come in at #18.
Good to see our friends over at Hog Database are voters in the poll this year. They have the Hogs at #14. We've got to stuff that ballot box!
http://www.hogdb.com/2010/08/22/arkansas-razorbac…
I'm liking a single digit, say #7. That has as much merit as any of these other numbers.
It's never too early to start demanding a playoff system.
I think you have to pick Alabama number one, but they will lose 2 or 3. They are not quite as good or as hungry as they were last year. Boise State will get crushed by Virginia Tech. It is too bad they and TCU played each other at the end of last year and we didn't get to see how they stack up to the big boys; neither belong in the top 10. Iowa played over their heads last year and won some close ones that they could have easily lost. They will lose 3 or 4 games. On the other hand, move Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida State up in the poll. That's my 2 cents worth.
NY, nice take. We like Georgia and South Carolina more than the poll at large does. I think Boise will hold their own and them some and beat Virginia Tech. Their experience and returning starters gives them the edge. Plus, you gotta think that this is one of only three games (Oregon St., Nevada) on their schedule that will give them any trouble. They should be ready to play, despite going cross country to play.
Boise St. at #3 is nothing short of mind-boggling. They have proven nothing among the other quality BCS teams to be ranked so high.
It is a slap in the face to teams like Alabama and Florida, who play some of the toughest shedules year in and year out for a chance to play in the NT game. I couldn't care less how many starters Boise returns.
Someone please tell me what top notch defense couldn't stop Kellen Moore last season? Oh yeah, I forgot, TCU. That other team that doesn't play anyone throughout the year. (lols!)
I'm surprised that folks on this board aren't calling out Florida. They lost 80% of their offense, half their defense and they are at #5? I understand you almost have to go with Bama at #1 (even though they lost all their defense), but Florida is the odd one here.
I personally have no issue with BSU and TCU ranked high. They've proven they can compete with the big boys in the BCS based on their performances in the bowls the last few years. It's obvious they have no competition in their conferences, and they have either won or competed well outside of conference play.
The North Carolina ranking is strange – unranked to #7? Wow.
I agree with soupd on the NC ranking. And they have distractions with NCAA investigations going on. I also agree with folks on 'Bama. You have to rank them #1 but I smile every time I see them on their reality show on ESPN or being interviewed. They have gotten 9 months of love and now its time to play football again. Mentally, I just don't believe they can be as hungry as they were a year ago. Last year, I hoped we'd beat them. This year I believe we will beat them and more importantly I think our players believe. Reading the articles this morning, I am concerned with our running backs.
Great input guys. We may have overshot North Carolina some, but we really like the defense Butch Davis has assembled, and I think QB T.J. Yates and the offense will be more productive in 2010. Keep your eyes on how they fare vs. LSU in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game during Labor Day weekend. That will be a good measuring stick right off the bat for both teams.
The early season game I'm interested in the most is Penn St. vs. Alabama in Tuscaloosa. My fear is that the Nittany Lions will take away our potential glory.
I want the Tide to be undefeated and ranked #1 when they travel to Fayetteville. Hopefully, the Hogs will be 4-0 as well going into that ballgame.
Could you imagine the excitement throughout the entire state of Arkansas going into that game?
GO HOGS GO, BABY!!!!!
Good observation Gonzo. A lot depends on which team takes the game more seriously. Remember how Sabin stunk it up against Utah. However 'Bama is playing at home, so Sabin can't afford to be too complacent (I presume that but winning the national title gets you a lots of rope.) In that vein, everyone is looking at Boise State and VA Tech as an early estimation of Boise and/or the ACC. Beamer's at home too and has a lot to lose with this one. Boise will be going for the homerun. My take is that both Utah and Boise have snuck up on their ranked opponents. I would be willing to bet that Oregon was too overconfident before their loss to Boise ('Bama too with Utah). I'll also bet those two teams will not be overlooked by their opponents coaching staffs again. LSU vs NC is also a big one which will tell us something about the ACC. LSU is generally ranked below Arkansas or at the same ranking, but there are a lot of questions especially at QB. LSU usually has a very stout defense so I expect a low scoring game.** As an LSU alum it saddens me to say this but if NC wins I think it will tell us more about the state of things at Baton Rouge than with the SEC. Miles is still running on PR petrol left over from the Sabin era.
In Wally's column today he reported that Eulis TX High has a game with Shiloh Christian. Last year Eulis played a Utah high school at Jerry World which was televised and they hammered them. Eulis' forte are big, strong Samoan and Black players. For Shiloh to have a chance they have really got to get an aerial circus going before they get worn down. Make the Samoacks play catchup. I have mentioned here about Nutt's possible entrance into future recruiting of Samoans regarding his handling of Masioli. I have to wonder if Jerry Jones, with this high school matchup, is trying to do the Razorback's a favor recruiting-wise. Jerry's a big Hog supporter and maybe he's pushing the Razorbacks with Eulis. Just a thought. Wally also implied that Kane Webb (whose doing an article on Malett) was one of the best writers in America. Wally must have had his tongue stuck in his cheek, smoking something, or is sucking up for whatever reason. Wally as literary critic?
**The SEC is most noted for it's linemen: quality, size and speed. It's the yardstick for all other football teams. Last year after the A & M game the Dallas Morning News attributed the A & M loss to the fact that the Aggies, for the first time, had to face an SEC line. Oddly, one publication, looking at NFL first round QB selections found, to his great surprise, that the SEC led by far. In the scribes' minds, SEC QBs were not on their radar mainly because of the offensive emphasis on running. Interestingly, with the exception of the Manning brothers, SEC QBs have not made any substantial impact in recent years on the NFL. Not true for linemen. If Mallet has anywhere near the year predicted he will be the most sought after 1st round QB pick in draft. He and Petrino may change the landscape somewhat of the SEC being a lineman's league.
I'm with you Gonzo – anyone remember the last time the Hogs played a #1 in Fayetteville?
Yep, and I'm guessing that our odds to win the game with Alabama would be about 42-11!
That was a great game, Owasso. I remember the Horns were coming off a blowout win of previously #1 ranked OU just one week earlier.
The obviously came into the game way too over-confident. Gary Anderson and Billy Ray Smith literally torn 'em a new one that day.
No one in Austin, America, or even Arkansas, thought the hogs had a chance that day, no one besides Lou Holtz that is. He finally came to understand the Arkansas-Texas game. It's as if he was saying, "Oh, is this what you want?"
My favorite will always be Holtz and Kevin Scanlon in the Rock. What a great game. The city was on cloud nine all night and the next day, week.
The early year of Broyles/Matthews, Lou Holtz, and now, Bobby Petrino. Our years in the wilderness are coming to a wonderful end, finally. Enjoy every minute, every season. It is finally our time again.