South Eastern Conference (SEC) Poll Domination

I spent some time out of state and am glad to be back home again. What a week of football!

Once again, the mighty South Eastern Conference (SEC), dominates the polls. Three of the top 4 in both the AP and Coaches Polls belong to Florida, Alabama and LSU.

After a week of upsets where 4 teams in the top ten fell, the polls are still mystifying even to the casual observer. There are many questions left to be answered and I will address some of the obvious ones.

Do any of you feel there is an undercurrent of bias against the SEC?

Auburn 4-0, unranked. What is up with this? Auburn manned up and handled Va Tech 41-30. Va Tech escaped Liberty University and East Carolina and then was man-handled by Auburn. Last week, at home in the rain, Va Tech rained on the Miami Hurricanes. The pollsters rewarded Va Tech with a number 6 ranking in a big week of upsets while ignoring a 4-0 team that beat Va Tech (3-1). I just don't get the logic.

South Carolina 3-1, unranked. What does it take to impress the pollsters? You might ask what the 'Cocks have done this year. The 'Cocks have beaten two ranked teams and yet, remain unranked? The 'Cocks started the season by knocking off then number 21 NC State (3-1), a team that many thought would compete for the national championship. The Gamecocks then lost a thriller to number 23 Georgia. Go Dawgs! In their third game, the 'Cocks easily handled Florida Atlantic. Last week, the Gamecocks upended number 4 Ole Miss. I ask you, where is the love?

Rather than praise South Carolina for their victory, the TV personalities and pundits immediately denounced Ole Miss as not being a true #4 team worthy of their ranking. Where were these same pundits when #5 Penn State fell to an unranked Iowa again, and #6 California was blown out by the Ducks of Oregon, 42-3? A 3-1 Oregon team beats #6 Cal and is rewarded with an AP ranking at #16 and a #25 ranking by the Coaches Poll. A very deserving previously unranked Iowa squad (4-0), was rewarded with an AP ranking at #13 and a Coaches Poll ranking at #17. I cannot help wondering why two deserving SEC teams were left out of the mix.

Then there is the Big East, a much aligned conference with two 4-0 teams. Cincinnati with an AP rank of #10 and Coaches rank at #11, is an exciting team to watch. These guys have character and play great ball. South Florida, knocked off #18 Florida State in Tallahassee and is another deserving 4-0 squad that remains unranked.

Wisconsin is another fine program at 4-0. unranked. Does Wisconsin play more cupcakes than Ohio State, Michigan or Penn State? Wisconsin is a solid team that goes bowling every year. Where is the respect?

The Broncos of Boise State are #5 in both polls and are proof that we need a playoff in place of the BCS. I'm convinced that these guys can play good ball with anyone and that any team can lose on any given game day.

It is time to settle the championship on the field of play rather than in some arbitrary popularity poll.

SEC INJURY REPORTS

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Tim Tebow

Coach Urban Meyer said Monday that his star quarterback was feeling better and eating well two days after sustaining a concussion at Kentucky. Although Tebow still has "a little bit of a headache," Meyer hopes he will be able to play when the top-ranked Gators (4-0) return to the field Oct. 10 at LSU.

"I think so, but I don't know that," Meyer said.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner was put through a battery of tests Monday and was scheduled for more Tuesday, Meyer said. Meyer said he did not know what grade concussion Tebow has.

"Tim's doing good," Meyer said. "All the tests are coming back positive and I'm going to leave it up to the medical staff to update you guys because I don't want to give you information I don't know. But he's doing good. I talk to him all the time. Feeling better."



TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Dont'a Hightower

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Hightower(torn ACL), a sophomore was an immediate starter a year ago.

The versatile Hightower was a force on the run but Saban also called him the team's best pass rusher. He lined up at defensive end at times.

"I don't know that you can replace a guy that does all the things that he did," Saban said.

Hightower was injured when Arkansas guard Mitch Petris went low on a legal cut block, and his helmet banged into the linebacker's knee.

McClain didn't take issue with the block, but doesn't like the fact that it is allowed.

"It's legal. You can't say that it was a dirty play on the guy," McClain said. "But for me just being a linebacker, I would rather the guy just come and try to block me man to man. I hate that guys cut, but it is a part of the game. It's something that we practice. "

Hightower had 16 tackles, four of them for a loss, and was credited with a sack and two quarterback hurries.

"He's a force in the middle and when he gets on the edge, he wreaks havoc," McClain said. "It's hard for people to stop him, period.




AP and Coaches Polls

AP Top 25
Rk Team Points
1 Florida (55) 1490
2 Texas (1) 1420
3 Alabama (3) 1400
4 LSU 1225
5 Boise State 1203
6 Virginia Tech 1190
7 USC 998
8 Oklahoma 979
9 Ohio State 957
10 Cincinnati 946
11 TCU 896
12 Houston 844
13 Iowa 788
14 Oklahoma State 591
15 Penn State 470
16 Oregon 462
17 Miami (FL) 452
18 Kansas 418
18 Georgia 418
20 Brigham Young 349
21 Mississippi 340
22 Michigan 271
23 Nebraska 256
24 California 206
25 Georgia Tech 185

Others receiving votes:
Missouri 175, Auburn 171, South Carolina 154, South Florida 145, UCLA 41, Utah 25, Wisconsin 20, Notre Dame 7, Arizona State 4, North Carolina 2, Stanford 2.


Coaches Top 25
Rk Team Points
1 Florida (58) 1474
2 Texas (1) 1410
3 Alabama 1364
4 LSU 1226
5 Boise State 1144
6 Virginia Tech 1091
7 USC 1081
8 Oklahoma 1055
9 Ohio State 1036
10 TCU 928
11 Cincinnati 848
12 Oklahoma State 665
13 Penn State 627
14 Georgia 616
15 Houston 539
16 Kansas 508
17 Iowa 462
18 Mississippi 424
19 California 356
20 Michigan 304
21 Miami (FL) 298
21 Brigham Young 298
23 Missouri 295
24 Nebraska 242
25 Oregon 198
Others receiving votes:
Georgia Tech 186, South Florida 117, Auburn 103, South Carolina 92, Wisconsin 53, Utah 40, UCLA 27, Notre Dame 23, Stanford 20, North Carolina State 8, North Carolina 7, Florida State 4, Minnesota 2, Arizona 2, Rutgers 1, Texas A&M 1.




BCS CONFERENCES (Number of Teams Undefeated)

SEC--------4
Big-12-----4
Big 10-----3
Big East---2
PAC-10-----1
ACC--------0