Who Needs a Blog Poll 2020: Week 9 completely shakes up the Top 10

Usual reminder: The Blog Poll is not strictly a power poll, but has some power poll-ish considerations. And I do consider injuries, trajectories, results on the field, schedule, conference, coaching, and my own lying eyes.

Look, I watch Nevada and Liberty football so that you don’t have to.

Here is this Week’s Blog Poll with a completely shaken up Top 10. And a lot of teams have been dropped, some quite precipitously. Quick explanation follows:

• Alabama — Machine don’t stop; even with the worst day for the offense, the defense has its best one.
• Ohio State —There is a two-man race this year...and Auburn with a Lake are a class below OSU and ‘Bama. Buckeye coaching adjustments yesterday were a meisterwerk in how to win football games.
• Texas A&M — When your only loss is to No. 1 Alabama, and you’ve hung the only loss on Top 10 Florida — while kicking everyone else’s butt along the way — you’ve earned this spot. They may not lose another game this season. Think about it.
• Clemson — A ton of talented starters...on offense. That secondary is a tire fire being hidden by a bad ACC that I devoutly hope Alabama meets in the playoffs.
• Cincinnati — Mauling defense, explosive offense — and only one team has come within two scores. Not an excellent team for a midmajor, just an outright excellent one.
• Florida — Another team whose weaknesses are obscured by their opponents. If Gata loses to this godawful UGA offense, I may never stop laughing.
• UGA — You do realize you’re going to have to throw the ball at some point, right? Still need to find a playmaker on offense. Cook and Zamir have some big JAG-energy. Milton may get there though.
• BYU — What Notre Dame wishes it was. I eagerly await that BYU-Cincinnati discussion as to why one of these two should not get a playoff spot over a Big 10 or SEC runner-up.
• Oklahoma State — Doubled up the ‘Horns in offense, still managed to lose. Don’t turn it over four times. If this team ever gets a real coach...
• Notre Dame — What Cincinnati wants to be, but is already better than. Lack of team speed is about to haunt the Irish...again.
• Miami — Just chugging along after getting exposed by Clemson. Not particularly impressive, but capable of playing that way...against ACC lessers.
• Indiana — Why the hell not? They’ve found a variety of ways to win, and weirdly are doing it with timely defense and team speed. In the Big 10. It’s a smart team, and that already makes them better than 75% of the nation.
• Northwestern — Allowed 24 points all year with just enough tasteful offense to get it done. This is Pat Fitzgerald kind of squad. He has one about every 3 years or so.
• Coastal Carolina — Unlike Cincy and BYU, we must append “for a midmajor” when we say this is an excellent team. But, damn, they sure are fun...and merciless.
• Marshall — See Coastal above: Not quite as fun, but may have the G5’s best overall defense, and that’ll carry them to a big year.

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• Oklahoma — Another big win, another win keyed by the Sooners defense and balanced offense. Manhandled the Raiders like no one else has this year. We have not seen the last of OU, I suspect.
• Texas — After the RRR, Texas stole a play out of OU’s book — RTDB, force some turnovers, prey on mistakes. And they’ve been competent at all of them lately.
• Liberty — Not in the tier with Coastal and Marshall (yet), but the Flames are 6-0 heading into a stretch run against Coastal, Virginia Tech, and NC State. How good are they? We’ll find out in November.
• Appalachian State — This is a far more conservative brand of Mountaineer football than what we’ve become accustomed to. But the running game and defense are beastly. #FreeZacThomas.
• Boise State — Death, Taxes, 10-win Broncos seasons. Shook that awful habit of losing to Air Force on the road.
• ULL — See Appalachian State and Marshall above. MANBALL is still being played in the collegiate game, but outside of Georgia, it’s taking place in the Midmajors.
• Army — Like Liberty, I wish the defensive-minded, ground ‘n pound Black Knights were in a conference. This team has a lot of heart and is coached so well. West Point got the better Monken brother, ‘Dawgs
• SMU — We forgot about this team after getting whacked by Cincy, but that may be a mistake. The Mustangs may also may not lose another game. The commitment to improving the defense has paid off.
• Auburn — I guess? 4-2 is still 4-2. If this team could play at home every and have all-SEC officials every week, it might be an SEC contender. Tank Bigsby is rounding into a nice back though.
• WVU — See? All that defense pays off sometimes, especially when it helps an impotent offense score off turnovers and short fields:

DROPPED OUT:

• Kansas State and Michigan — Upon further review, these teams may finish .500. The Wolverines have a very loseable game at Indiana this week.
• Hawaii — Asking for two road wins in a row is too much for the Warriors
• Arkansas — Pity ranking is over; back to being Arkansas. This team never quits though.
• Memphis — Who knew that having a trash defense was bad?
• UNC — Poorly coached garbage team on the defensive end, and it has cost them two games. In other words, Mack Brown football.

CONSIDERED:

• Nevada — Boise and San Diego State aren’t going to just be able to waltz to division titles. Mentally tough team that gets after folks on the defensive line and scores just enough to win without stress.
• San Diego State — Ghost of Jim Tressel. They hit a tasteful 31 points or so a game and give up about 6 points per game. They’ll do this all year too. Fans of 1994 football should tune in. (Grabs lotion and Special Sock)
• Iowa State — I’m still not sure if you’re any good. Seriously. I’ve watched the ‘Clones and they could finish .500 or be in the B12CG. Literally no result would shock me.