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The BlogPoll is out and the review is up here. Of course, this is just a placeholder because things are about to get real. This weekend is one of those look yourself in a room with five TV's sort of weekends. Without an LSU game, we are free to just enjoy what looks to be the best slate of weekend games of the year.
Results for Week 8
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-1SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Rankings 2011
#12 Mississippi St at #1 Alabama
Much has been made of the Bulldog’s soft schedule, which is why they can’t crack the top ten, but it’s not like the Tide has played Murderer’s Row either. The Tide has absolutely crushed some bad to mediocre teams, but this is their first real test of the season, and no one is even sure State is a good team. State’s schedule has been new levels of awful, so the free ride ends now.
#2 Florida vs. #15 Georgia
Are we still allowed to call this the Cocktail Party? Florida has faced an absolute gauntlet so far and is one game away from being able to take a deep breath. All they have to do is beat their most hated rival, who wants redemption for the egg they laid against USC. LSU fans, if we are to keep our slim title hopes alive, really should root for Florida to win out. Just sayin’.
#13 Texas Tech at #4 Kansas St.
Tech pulled off one of the upsets of the season by destroying WVU in Lubbock, but Tech’s reputation has always been they are a different team at home. Now, to pull off the upset, they have to do it on the road. KSU now gets to enjoy spending the rest of their season with a gigantic target on their backs. They will be favorites in every game, but every team on their schedule is capable of the upset. A difficult second half begins now.
#5 Notre Dame at #8 Oklahoma
You know, what a great week for LSU to be off. Four teams in the top five are playing in what look like great games on paper. This is perhaps the game I’m most interested in because this is either when the Notre Dame hype becomes unbearable or they are exposed as a team that has beat up on the Big Ten (and Stanford). Put on some bell bottoms and crank up the Sabbath 8-tracks. We’re going back in time on this one. Can’t wait. Though I think OU wins by a lot. But what do I know? I thought Tennessee was going to be good this year.
#7 Oregon St. at Washington
Washington’s better than their record, as they have played a murderous schedule. That said, if Oregon St wishes to be considered a top ten team, it would be best to win this game by a comfortable margin. Life’s unfair, I know.
#10 USC at Arizona
I’m curious how good USC is. They have seemed to rebound quite well from their early loss, and here comes a legitimate conference road test. Arizona is no pushover, and USC sorely needs a reputation shoring win.
Duke at #11 Florida St.
Get this. This is now one of FSU’s marquee games. I think that pretty much sums up how awful the ACC is this year.
Cincinnati at #16 Louisville
The Bearcats upset loss took some of the juice away from a potential meeting of undefeated teams, but the Bearcats are still a serious threat to the Cardinals. I think Louisville is the class of the Big East and their best chance to have an undefeated BCS Buster. Time to prove it.
Kent St at #18 Rutgers
Another MACtion alert for the Big East’s elite. A week after Toledo ended Cincinnati’s undefeated run, now Rutgers goes up against a one-loss MAC team as well.