BlogPoll Question #1

Based on this compilation of the top 25 as Internet pundits and preseason rags see it, who looks flagrantly overrated? Why?

There are four things that people rate on in the offseason, usually in this order: last year's record, the coaching staff, developing players, and recruiting. Of these four, the first and the last are mostly immaterial for next season: the new kids probably won't make much of an immediate impact, and last year was last year. The middle two are very important: good coaching of the middlingly talented will get you everywhere, while poor coaching of the very talented will ruin them; and the development of previously good players into next year's superstars is what college football depends on.

That said, there are a few teams that may be initially overrated, although not flagrantly so: USC (as per point 2, the staff has turned over significantly, and this should have some impact, although the extent of which is inderterminable), Texas (again, the coaches have not yet proven that they can overcome their own problems, and are thus passing them onto their players), and Tennessee (while always very good, there have been off-season problems in developing some players, and the new recruits won't make an immediate impact).

The most flagrantly overrated (off by 10 or more spots) team of the entire 37 offered? At this point, Oklahoma, which has no business being in anyone's top 10 after the losing everyone and then some, and imploding spectacularly at the end of the season in each of the last umpteen years.

Who looks underrated?

Well, Cal, obviously.

Those teams who seem presently underrated include Oklahoma (despite what I said above, and because of a staff who has proven to be exemplary, and who have— well, no, it's mostly the staff and that sophmore guy at running back), Louisville, (great coaching, some fantastic young players who were brought along slowly last year and are this year ready to play), Iowa (see Oklahoma re: staff, plus recovery from injury), and Boise State (good team, great coaching, bad conference).

The most underrated (again off by 10 spots) is probably Utah. While they did lose (all) their best assets,%