Who Needs A Blog Poll 2020: Week 4 — The Top 10 bloodbath came early

There are fools, damn fools, and those who had LSU ranked in the Top 10.

In our case, we are none of the above. In fact, we didn’t have them ranked at all at any point in the WNABP.

Here’s why:

• The Tigers lost their DC, their (real) OC, their 5th-year QB (and 17 other starters).
• The nation’s best pure WR (not best playmaker — that guy wears No. 17 in Tuscaloosa) saw Myles Brennan and peaced out on the year
• Their best individual DB is sitting at least a game (cough, cough), and the Tigers were already only suiting up 69 scholarship players in 2020.
• In their place they hired the all-retread and NFL failsons in DC Bo Pelini, gave the offense to Mike Ensminger and Scott Linehan
• Have no one besides Myles Brennan to gack it up,
• And had no answers on how to defend or tackle a ‘State team that they knew was going to pass at least 60 times. (these DBs are awful in man; just awful). Did I mention that Ed Orgeron is still the head coach?

Enjoy that regression to the mean fellas! 44-34 Dread Pirate...despite committing 4 turnovers. ARRRRRRR. And, hey, why not? Have a WNABP Top 15 spot.

We’re into the 4ish week of the season, so we’ll take a brief trip to see why folks are where they are:

The Pokes played a mansome game that was won along the trenches vs. WVU, and were rewarded for the same. The Longhorns were poorly coached and half-slept through a road game, overcame a late 15-point deficit in the final 3 minutes against a team even more poorly coached, and still won (Matt Wells and Tom Herman should both be fired this morning). Lincoln Riley still runs a fraud program and got exposed by the same Kansas State team that got beat at home by ULL...and that beat him last year. Chris Klieman is now 0-1 against Directional Louisiana and 2-0 versus the Sooners. In the process, he gave the Wildcats their first road win against a Top 3 team in school history. He’s such a good coach. If KSU ever gets even close to the talent of the Texas or Oklahoma schools, he’ll build something special. Baylor finally got to play, and despite being delayed by three weeks, the Aranda era looks very similar to the Rhule days: very good defense that forced mistakes, relentless ground-and-pound that didn’t let up, culminating in the thrashing of an inferior team. Great start in Waco — not the most talented team in the B12, but maybe the best dark horse CFP contender at the end of the day.

Speaking of mansomeness in the G5 and Indies: Cincy and Army was one of the most physical games of the day. Army was driving late with a chance to tie, but could not convert. Cincy does what good teams do, and turned that mistake into points to put it away. UCF started slow, but then did what they do and unleashed their offensive hellfire on the ECU pirates (I still think the defense is going to be a problem against better AAC teams). BYU continues its reign of terror. They’re going to make a lot of teams miserable this year. Notre Dame’s game was cancelled, but the more I look at this team, the more I like them...especially since nearly everyone else has looked so discombobulated. Seriously. Look at No. 5 through 20 and show me a team you know that could beat Notre Dame on a neutral field? They’re behind the Top 2 (3, when Ohio State resumes play), but this team can make the playoffs. The biggest problem is a backloaded schedule where they travel to Pitt and UNC, while hosting Clemson, in a 5-week span. If they navigate that, they deserve their spot.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

On the Coast, the ‘Cuse looked great against the Bees; Va. Tech was merciless; Duke kept the turnovers to a minimum and as a result was in it till the 4th when the Cavs turned it on. Pitt and Louisville played a good slobberknocker in the Steel City. Poor Cardinals. When it’s their defense not making a play, it’s their offense coming up short. This team is still a year away. Pitt is basically the ACC’s UGA: great defense, but the offense is wretched to behold. And Miami is starting to hit their stride, as King is getting comfortable in the offense. The O-Line came together for a second week, and the defense was feisty. (I’m still not sold that they’re that good — the best team they’ve played is UAB — but there’s potential for the ‘Canes.) And the ‘Noles? Yikes. That may be the worst offensive line in the Power 5. Those kids still have a whole lotta’ quit in them. Norvell needs to just clean house of all Taggart’s players. That FSU team is as gutless and soft as they are dumb, lazy and undisciplined.

Finally, in the SEC: it is going to be a long, long year in Athens if the defense doesn’t bail them out (see also, Kentucky and Auburn). Zamir White showed flashes at tailback, but quarterbacking is a mess and Stetson Bennett IV is basically Great Value Jake Fromm. Keep this team two yards in front of you and the offense is nonexistent. Florida lit Ole Miss’s secondary up like a Christmas tree. Somehow it has gotten even worse than last year. (And the dirty secret is that UF’s secondary wasn’t much better). Auburn’s offense was terrible as usual, but their defense put them in favorable spots to convert short fields (again, as usual) against a stout UK defense. Texas A&M is underachieving trash; color me shocked that White Kevin Sumlin almost lost at home to Vandy. Sakerlina-Tennessee aren’t particularly good, but somehow Muschamp and Pruitt managed to avoid playing the derpiest game of the day. Both should both be in some crappy bowl game with bad swag bags. Reality is going to fall on the Vawls like a ton of bricks soon.

And, Alabama...well, until they took their foot off the gas — and put their brains into auto-pilot — for 45 minutes its potential was made manifest. This is the best team in America when all 22 players execute. It’s the fastest Alabama team you’ve ever seen. The linebackers were active, keying a Tide starting defense that made life mizzerable for Mizzou. Najee Harris is the truth. And Mac Jones to Jaylen Waddle is definitely a connection to watch. Metchie and Smith were solid; the starting OL was very good (but this team cannot be down Evan Neal. Randolph is not the answer along the line. It was a different team without Neal).

I vacillated as to whether to put Alabama at 1 or leave Clemson there. But, I decided based on efficiency, Jones hasn’t been worse than Sunshine. Najee and Travis Etienne are basically a wash. BUT, Alabama has the better receiving corps; the better special teams; the better defense against a better team; and has a road win versus two home cream puffs. That’s the difference. It’s not much, and CU could retake this spot...or OSU could turn around and claim it in a month. But for this week, ‘Bama is on top.

If you’re a mad Clemson bro, let me know in the comments.

If the College Football Playoffs were today...

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Florida