Post by cviller on Oct 5, 2007 20:53:28 GMT -5
Christian Miller
WATCH NOW! Report From Syracuse
Before the pre-season polls were released, the negative publicity regarding the Mountaineer defense has overshadowed the positive perception of the offense. I realize that last season was abysmal, but this is a new year. At some point, a team's past should give way to their performance on the field.
The last time I checked, which was just this morning, the Mountaineer defense was ranked 11th in the nation. The still much maligned WVU secondary is only giving up 176 passing yards per game (18th) and the 3-3-5 scheme is allowing just 17.8 points per game (23rd). West Virginia is not too shabby on offense either. WVU ranks 9th in total offense and 14th in points scored. Coach Rod’s squad also ranks 2nd in the nation for fewest penalties (3.6 per game).
Yet despite the impressive statistics, West Virginia took the normal Big East bashing as they fell seven spots to 12th in the Coaches Poll and 13th in the AP. The CBS Sportsline bowl projections have WVU fans heading south, not to the Orange Bowl in Miami, but to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte!
South Florida, on the other hand, was rewarded handsomely for beating the highly questioned Mountaineers – up nine spots to 9th in the Coaches poll and up an amazing 12 spots to 6th in the AP. I just don’t get it. If the South Florida win over WVU was so impressive, then why are the pollsters so quick to pick apart the Mountaineers?
In a weekend that saw nine ranked teams lose (seven to unranked teams) both the AP and Coaches' polls seem to be voting with their hearts rather than their heads.
Let me get this straight. South Florida beats Auburn at Auburn. Auburn beats Florida at Florida. Yet Florida is still ranked ahead of South Florida by two spots?
The top six teams in the country are unbeaten and until proven otherwise, deserve the right to top the short list of national title contenders. But one has to look no further than No. 7 to really question the integrity of the poll system, which is still a major factor in determining which two get in and which five or six are left out.
The 7th ranked Gators had the shortest fall of any of the top 10 teams, which is hard to believe when you really look at the numbers.
Florida has beaten Western Kentucky, Troy and a Tennessee team that currently ranks 95th in total defense. Their first road “challenge” came two weeks ago at Ole Miss. Florida gave up 310 passing yards but held on to beat the Rebels 30-24. Then, as a 17-point favorite, the Gators trailed from the opening drive and lost to an Auburn team that ranks 95th in total offense 20-17.
They say that defense wins championships. If that’s the case, then Florida will not even win the SEC East. The mighty Gators currently ranks 31st nationally in total defense and 6th in the SEC conference. With three consecutive road games at No. 2 LSU, at No. 8 Kentucky and at No. 11 Georgia, Florida will likely lose 2 of 3 and still stay in the Top 10!
Speaking of top-rated defenses, LSU and Ohio State top the list and are well deserving of their Top 5 rankings. But what about the rest of the so-called Top 10?
Seven of the top ten teams rank beneath the Mountaineers in total defense including the Top-ranked Trojans (15th). Third ranked California is a balmy 70th, however, they just eek out 8th ranked Kentucky which is currently 69th in total D. UK is also giving up over 200 yards rushing per game - which puts them outside the top 100 in rushing defense. Number 6 Boston College ranks 33rd, while 5th ranked Wisconsin ranks 53rd in the nation and 8th in the Big Ten.
I think it is safe to say that there will not be more than one undefeated team come December, and if I were a betting man, I would lay a small wager that there will be none.
Here’s a look at just how tough it will be for some of the top-ranked teams to run the table.
No. 1 USC continues, at times, to look very average on the road. Southern Cal plays at No. 3 Cal, at No.14 Oregon and at No. 8 Arizona State. The only question is how far will the hype-given, pr-driven Trojans fall when they do lose?
No. 2 LSU looks to be the best team in the country. They rank 2nd in scoring defense and 16th in scoring offense. But with a brutal four-in-a-row upcoming, the slightest of slips against Florida, Kentucky, Auburn and Alabama will drop the Tigers from the unbeaten.
No. 4 Ohio State has looked better than anyone expected, however, the competition really picks up this weekend as the Buckeye’s travel to No. 23 Purdue. OSU still has home bouts with Michigan State, Wisconsin and Illinois and road games at Penn State and arch-rival Michigan.
No. 8 Kentucky is perhaps the biggest Top 10 surprise of the season, but the upcoming schedule may keep them hoping for a New Years Day bowl rather than a national title. UK’s next three are at No. 11 South Carolina and home to No. 1 LSU and No. 9 Florida. If they do get by murder’s row, they still have No. 12 Georgia, Tennessee and an SEC championship game to get through. Anyone want odds on the Wildcats?
The moral of this story is: Don’t let one loss get you too down. After watching the HD replay of the South Florida game, I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could have and should have won the game.
A match-up in the Carrier Dome with the nation’s 114th ranked offense and 112th ranked defense is just what the Mountaineers need to get that train rollin’ back down the tracks. Look for the national stats to get even better this weekend. I just hope a voter or two out there will actually look at the boxscore!
Final Score: WVU 44, Syracuse 13
