Sunday, September 30, 2007

LSU takes over No. 1 in poll: But USC DIDN'T LOSE. Is it fair?


LSU is No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time since Nov. 2, 1959.
The Tigers edged past Southern California in the AP Top 25 on Sunday, even though the Trojans remained undefeated (they won fugly, but they won). But is it fair? Personally, I don't think so.
I think the voters were caught up in the wily shifting of the top 10 after an infamous day in college football: Five of the top 10 lost; Oklahoma, Florida, Texas and Rutgers and West Virginia all went down. But to rob USC of its No. 1 ranking just because they were sloppy, that aint cool. LSU has been hella sloppy in a 34-9 win over Tulane. Senior Matt Flynn was sacked 6 times and LSU trailed 9-7 with 2 minutes left in the half. USC's 27-24 victory at Washington on Saturday night really wasn't as close as it sounded. USC did all it could to lose the game, actually including getting a punt blocked and interception by Louisiana native David Booty. Things had to go awfully wrong for USC to lose the game, and they almost did (a ball bounces right off a USC receiver's hands right into the hands of a Washington defender??). LSU didn't beat a worthy-enough opponent to move to No. 1, and I'm a fan.
USC is the first team to lose the No. 1 ranking after a victory since Nov. 3, 2002, when top-ranked Miami dropped after beating Rutgers 42-17 and No. 2 Oklahoma moved up after a 27-11 victory over No. 13 Colorado.
LSU, which recovered from its own first-half malaise to beat Tulane 34-9 on Saturday, received 33 first-place votes from the media panel and 1,593 points. USC got 32 first-place votes, 11 fewer than last week, and 1,591 points.
This just loudens the call for a college playoff system, which I'm all in favor for.
The voting was the closest since the second poll of the 2002 season, when Miami and Oklahoma tied for No. 1 and each received 27 first-place votes.
Next up for LSU, Florida and Tim "Superman" Tebow.

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