CBSSports.com BlogPoll Top 25: Preliminary Preseason Edition

The first CBSSports.com BlopPoll ballots are due on Monday so here's your chance to critique and comment on my initial ballot before it gets shipped off to Brian at MGoBlog.

There's some debate as to what a preseason poll should actually be. Is it a power poll? That's difficult to do without seeing any games. Is it a predictor of the final ballot? That seems, at least in the preseason, based a little too heavily on schedule alone. I tried to incorporate a little of both into my preseason ballot, coming up with a straight power ranking then adjusting based on schedule with just a dusting of returning starters to be considered at the end.

First the ballot, then some explanation:

1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. USC
5. Penn State
6. Alabama
7. Cal
8. Boise State
9. Virginia Tech
10. Ohio State
11. Oklahoma State
12. BYU
13. Mississippi
14. TCU
15. LSU
16. Georgia Tech
17. Georgia
18. Illinois
19. Nebraska
20. Kansas
21. Clemson
22. Iowa
23. Pitt
24. Miami (Florida)
25. Rutgers

Now, by way of explanation (from the top down):
--Number one is easy. At number two my inclination was to give the three-time defending Big 12 champs Oklahoma the nod out of respect thinking that, until Texas proves they can get past the Sooners...oh, wait...they have gotten past the Sooners two out of the last three years.

--As far as USC goes, they likely have as many chinks in their armor heading into this year as any of the past five seasons and it's tempting to try and take them down a few pegs. Then again, at USC the chinks are never really that big especially considering the question marks surrounding the teams directly below them.

--Penn State gets the nod as the potential Big 10 champ for two very big reasons: the Lions play Ohio State at home and the Buckeyes are potentially staring at an early loss to USC that would likely have them trailing Penn State in the polls for the rest of the season provided the Nittany Lions don't slip up at Illinois in October. Both teams have to replace quite a bit--PSU has 9 returning starters, OSU 12--but it still looks like your typical Big 10 season: Two teams clearly better than the rest who will meet late for a de facto BCS playoff. Yawn.

--Boise State's poll fate could be decided on the first Thursday night of the season when they face Oregon. Win that game--you'll notice the Ducks don't make my Top 25 with 9 returning starters--and the Broncos will basically be opposed by only their own foibles and lethargy on their way to another WAC title and, perhaps, undefeated season. Are they the 8th best team in the country? No, but they have the easiest route to finish around there.

--As noted before, I was never really convinced Virginia Tech was a top five team to start the season and the loss of Darren Evans didn't help matters. That said, projecting the ACC is a fairly scattershot proposition. I've got four teams from the conference in my Top 25 and I would hear arguments for swapping any of their positions with another.

--Oklahoma State and Ole Miss. Two of your four SI coverboys coming into the season and two teams largely viewed as ready to make the leap. I'm not totally buying a top 10 finish for either. Ole Miss has the schedule to do it. They don't face Florida and all of their tough SEC games are at home, but how big of a homefield advantage is Vaught-Hemingway Stadium? Even during their run to the Cotton Bowl with Eli Manning in '03 the Rebels dropped two at home and their 36-24 record at the Grove over the last nine years is fourth worst in the conference, besting only Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. By the time the Rebels face LSU on November 21 I fully expect the Tigers to be in top form.

Oklahoma State, Big 12 bias acknowledged, seems to have the tools to be a really good team. They'll have to be VERY good to get through Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma with anything less than two losses. With the OU game being the last game of the season, a potential road loss and drop in the polls late, number 11 seems more than fair.

--BYU over TCU simply because the Cougars get the Frogs at home.

--Illinois might be coming in a little high but it's hard to ignore the 85+ yards they outgained their opponents by on average last year.

--Nebaska and Kansas. They're purposely back to back as I think there are compelling arguments for either in the Big 12 North.

--Finally, the Big East squeaks in at 23/25 with Pitt and Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have the better schedule, but the Panthers have the better defense and, after listening to Bo Pelini talk for a year, that's enough for me to give them the leg up.

The final ballot isn't due until Monday, so here's your chance to sway me one way or the other in the comments below.