Mike Kern: Ranking teams is a tough job to tackle
WHO'S NO. 1? Seems apparent enough. As do 2 and 3. At least for the time being, even Steve Spurrier could put Florida, Texas and Alabama at the top of his ballot.
But ...
Is Louisiana State really the next-best option? Does Boise State deserve to be No. 5? And don't even get me started on 15 through 25.
I've been doing this rankings stuff for a while. I wish I had some mulligans. Like when I bumped Nebraska over Penn State in 1994. I still feel badly about that. But I think I've also called my share right. Like when I kept Texas No. 2 instead of Oklahoma a year ago. Yet who really knows beyond a reasonable doubt? Especially at this point.
When I put together my list of who has been worthy and fraudulent, I felt like asking Vanna if I could please buy a clue for $200. I found it that confounding.
Fortunately it's early, which means a lot of things are probably going to happen between now and early December to help straighten this out. Until then, I'll keep trying to do what I've always done, which is be as fair as possible in light of the facts. Sometimes that even works. You can only hope.
I don't profess to have all the answers. Still, I can't help wondering ...
* Why Penn State is four spots ahead of Iowa in the coaches' (USA Today) poll?
* Why Oklahoma State is three slots ahead of Houston in that same poll (unbeaten Houston has won at OSU)?
* Why Georgia is one ahead of Houston in USA Today (Georgia lost at Oklahoma State)?
* Why Houston is behind Penn State in USA Today and the Harris Interactive, the other poll that counts in the BCS formula (compare bodies of work)?
* Why the coaches have Cal six in front of Oregon (Cal lost by 39 at Oregon)?
I'm not trying to pick on the coaches. The media can often be equally difficult to comprehend. I fear that too many put too much credence on those preseason evaluations. At some point, it has to stop influencing the equation.
I gave it a lot of thought, yet I'm wondering if I gave a little too much love to Cincinnati, Texas Christian and/or Houston by elevating them into the top 10. But Oklahoma lost by one on a semi-neutral field to Brigham Young, which then lost at home to Florida State by a bunch. Whatever. For the moment, it's a judgment call. Nothing more, or less. And it can always change. That's the best thing about opinions. Rarely are they set in concrete. To me, they should be very much an evolving entity.
It would be so hassle-free (sorry, Boise) if Texas and one of your SEC teams finish and-0. History suggests that could be asking a lot. So get the computers cranked up. And ask the coaches to take better notes.
Trivial pursuit
Stanford's Chris Owusu has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, which ties the Pac-10 season record. Which two players has he tied? Hints: One made the cover of Sports Illustrated, the other did it this century.
See Answer man.
Who figured?
UCLA would be the last unbeaten team in the Pac-10.
