2011 College Football Polls

by Kavin Caruso
(Georgia)

I just got done reading the Sporting News and guess what? They picked a SEC team to win the BCS again. This time they chose LSU, seems like LSU gets lots of attention from the last 4 or 5 years. Sporting News also has Alabama in the top 10, at number 3. LSU and Alabama are the only two teams in the SEC that are ranked in the Top 10 by the Sporting News. Arkansas is ranked number 11, then after that no SEC teams are ranked until you get to number 18, that’s Auburn. I still don’t see Auburn in the Top 25 this year, but I can be wrong. That’s why we play the games on the field not on paper.

Mississippi State is ranked number 20; Dan Mullen has his troops ready and more confident this season. Players know his system and will be more experienced. That’s all for the SEC, Mississippi State is the last SEC team that is ranked in the Top 25 by the Sporting News. Florida is number 30, Georgia is at 33, Tennessee is at 37, and Kentucky at 55. The Sporting News ranked the Top 120 schools in football. Ole Miss is ranked 73 and Vanderbilt at number 91. I was shocked to see Georgia not being in the Top 25, but again you don’t play by what is on paper, you play on the field.

Will Muschamp is the new Florida coach, he played college ball at UGA and he was an assistant coach at Texas. Florida isn’t expected to win a lot of games under Will in his first season. After Urban Meyer left, some players decided to leave early. I think Florida will still be tough against teams like Tennessee and of course Georgia.

Going back to the Top 25, LSU is always in contention for a SEC West division title and along with being in contention for a National Championship. They might lose 1 game, but still have a very good BCS rating by the end of the season.

Alabama won’t have Greg McElroy this season and won’t have Heisman winner Mark Ingram. Alabama plays LSU every year, this season they will meet in Tuscaloosa on November 5th. That game could also be a deciding factor for a SEC West division champion.

Well, in another few weeks I will be hearing from the AJC sports writers about their projections in college football.