Mixed Nuts – College Football Top 25

Pump The Brakes

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Jim Quist @ACCTheQ –

Every house should have a can of mixed nuts. If you do then try out this little experiment. Grab a handful, take a close look at what you’ve scooped up and enjoy them while you read this piece. Now, once that first sampling of what you munched on is done go back for a second handful. Once again, look at what you get this time. Different? That’s what it’s like looking at the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches’ Poll every week. You always get a nice sampling of roasted peanuts but with each assault on the can you come away with a new mixture. This week, after doing the double dip of rankings you’ll understand that it can’t always be the same. Whether it’s the order or placement of teams or simply the selection of nuts. Bet you didn’t see that analogy coming, did you?

The one big story that you come away with in this week’s AP Top 25 is the disappearance of Clemson. Not so fast. The Coaches’ Poll has a different opinion on this topic. We’ll take a look at those numbers and reflect a little on why teams are where they are this week. The top five aren’t even aligned but that’s not all that uncommon where comparing these two polls.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 teams across college football –

College Football

RANKAPRANKUSA TODAY
1ALABAMA1ALABAMA
2GEORGIA2GEORGIA
3IOWA3IOWA
4PENN STATE4PENN STATE
5CINCINNATI5OKLAHOMA

There is no doubt that the first two teams on this grid are the best in college football at this point in the season. Nick Saban gets the benefit of the doubt because of his track record in being tagged No. 1. There are some things about Georgia that says they are the team to beat when these two finally meet in the SEC Championship.

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Teams 3-5 are almost there by default and that’s certainly not to take anything away from their performances thus far. What about the fifth position where the media voters have selected Cincinnati and the coaches have selected Oklahoma? It would be great to see these two teams go head to head. If they did, I’d have to go with Cincinnati as they appear to be a more well-rounded team.

Mixed Nuts

ACC + 1 Top 25 Teams

RANKAPRANKUSA TODAY
14NOTRE DAME13NOTRE DAME
19WAKE FOREST20WAKE FOREST
23NC STATE21CLEMSON
RV22NC STATE
26CLEMSONRV
31VIRGINIA TECH29PITTSBURGH
34PITTSBURGH32VIRGINIA TECH
40BOSTON COLLEGE33BOSTON COLLEGE
39NORTH CAROLINA

Notre Dame slides in the polls this week after a loss to Cincinnati. The Irish drop 9 spots in the AP and 6 in the USA Today. Playoffs? The Bearcats have a better shot than Notre Dame.

Wake Forest continues to impress those who watch their workman approach to pushing opponents out of the way to wins. The Deacs’ surge 5 spots in both polls. Instead of mixed nuts you’re getting a bag of Almonds.

NC State didn’t move in the AP (makes sense) following their tepid win over LA Tech. The Coaches’ did recognize that maybe they were a bit behind in giving the Pack some love so they debut at No. 22 up from No. 31.

Clemson may have dropped from the AP but they are still hanging around the Coaches’ Poll at No. 21. The Tigers slip 2 spots after a less than stellar win over unranked Boston College. I think we can all honestly admit that Clemson is having a flat year (as opposed to what came before). Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. What do the coaches see that the media doesn’t? You don’t really want me to lay that out, do you? Clemson still has a solid defense and if, if, the offensive woes can be corrected this team will take off. Are they, ‘your daddies Clemson good’ at that point? No. Next year fans.

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Pitt is probably right where they should be at the moment, at least in the coaches’ poll where they come in at No. 29. I’m not sold on having the Hokies ahead of the Panthers over in the AP. The media places Pitt at No. 34.

Virginia Tech comes in at No. 31 in the AP and No. 32 in the Coaches’ Poll. You have a feeling that the team is hovering at this spot and might not ever break through to the other side. But, then you look at the schedule. Have the Hokies been watching tape? Are the coaches running through new schemes? A win over top 15 Notre Dame will go a long, long way in helping remove the wet blanket that has been smothering the program for years. A drubbing? Fans will not be forgiving.

Boston College had so much optimism at the beginning of the season and then the injury bug bit. Nonetheless, the voters in both boards recognize this team has ‘something’. The coaches see it more clearly than those in the media bringing the Eagles in at No. 33 while it’s No. 40 on the AP Top 25.

North Carolina is still getting some love on the Coaches’ Poll at No. 39. The Tar Heels have squandered a number of opportunities this season. The offensive side of the ball just isn’t what it was last year. For that matter, neither is the defense. Unlike our handful of mixed nuts, so much promise and so little delivery.

Mixed Nuts