Week 4 Blogpoll: Pretty Colors

By Trev Alberts
formerly of ESPN.com

Nothing like a few displays of offensive firepower to really right the rankings. Lots of teams impressed the Trev with their domination, and a few more got kicked to the curb for showing their football mortality.

1. Southern Cal
2. LSU
3. Oklahoma
   
4. West Virginia
5. Florida
   
6. Texas
   
7. Ohio State
   
8. Oregon
   
9. California
   
10. Wisconsin
11. South Carolina
12. Clemson
13. Alabama
    
14. Penn State
    
15. Virginia Tech
    
16. Rutgers
17. South Florida
18. Georgia
19. Louisville
    
20. Boston College
    
21. Texas A&M
    
22. Hawaii
23. Nebraska
    
24. Kentucky
25. Missouri
    

The breakdown:

The top 5: USC, LSU, Oklahoma, WfnVU, Florida-
Hear that in the distance? That is the diesel-powered hum of offensive chainsaws, whining in the cold, dark night. This group is hands-down the teams you DO NOT want to be playing anytime soon. USC and LSU are tearing through opponents with a kind of verve, yeah, you heard me, freaking VERVE, that is simply unmatched. Ask VTech or Nebraska how their expectations have been rocked as colse games on paper became prime-time depantsings. OU comes in 3rd with its ability to just plain roll, putting them above WVU on defensive merit. Florida could also be 3rd, and could be even higher very soon, if they humble the rest of the SEC like they humbled the Vols.

The next 5: Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, Cal, Wisconsin-
The enigma that are the Texas Longhorns gets banished to the next 5 for their lack of gravitas. Ohio State may be overranked here, on the count that they don't really play anyone until a couple of games in Big Ten country. Oregon and Cal are the only teams right now with a realistic shot at USC, and I place them firmly in the sandwich of taking Wisconsin's defense, but not Ohio State's....I don't have any empirical evidence to back this up other than the Buckeyes were "fast" enough to run with UW, so take it with a grain of salt.

The middle 10: South Carolina, Clemson, Alabama, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, USF, Georgia, Louisville, Boston College-
Attrition! Attrition! Everyone moves up just by holding serve! Let's hear it for UCLA (formerly of these rankings) and Louisville (humbled by UK) making room at the top for teams great and small! Most primed to take a fall, South Carolina, of course, but the visor is still up here making us feel smart until that point in which, you know, he doesn't. Alabama jumps up by taking on Arkansas, and I'd have them as at least a pick'em against PSU and VTech right now. The Dark Lord Saban commands me....they get credit for playing Not-Buffalo. USF gets a lofty high teen ranking for simply sitting home and eating cheeseburgers, not bad. Again, is it so wrong to believe they'd give UGA, UL, or BC a game? I'm ready to move BC higher as soon as I figure out which GTech team they beat.

The last 5: Texas A&M, Hawaii, Nebraska, Kentucky, Missouri-
I'm ready to move any of these teams into the creamy middle of the rankings as soon as there's another stumble, or they throw some more upsets/marquee wins. Example: Kentucky could move up simply by beating any SEC team in my book, and that includes Vandy. Hawaii/BYU or Boise, Missouri/Big 12 South, Nebraska/anyone I recognize....you get the idea. Welcome to the show, Wildcats.

The mysterious remains:
Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Tennessee, UCLA
It's an unidentifiable mass of "huh?" after these four teams. I know they can't be much worse than this, can they? UCLA and Tennessee need to rise up above their collapsing expectations and break a few hearts themselves. Arkansas? Same thing, but some people still have them penciled in as "Bestest 1-loss team evers!111!!!". Georgia Tech is not necessarily the best of these teams, but they are probably the most likely to cobble together a respectable top 25 resume given their schedule.

Trev Alberts is not a recognized Blogpoller. He has natural camouflages.