BlogPoll Ballot, Week Four

Theoretically, at least, had SMQ actually gotten it in under the deadline. Since when is everybody operating under Eastern time?

What it would have looked like, at least:

BlogPoll Ballot, Week Four
This is not a power poll...
1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Southern Cal
4. Auburn
5. Louisville
6. Florida
7. Tennessee
8. Oregon
9. West Virginia
10. LSU
11. Texas
12. Clemson
13. Notre Dame
14. Oklahoma
15. TCU
16. Boise State
17. Iowa
18. California
19. Michigan State
20. Boston College
21. Nebraska
22. Missouri
23. Washington
24. Virginia Tech
25. Rutgers

Waiting: Georgia, Florida State, Wake Forest, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Alabama

Flimsy justification:

? The top four - and really the top six - are virtually interchangeable. Ohio State remains ahead of Michigan on the basis of its win at Texas, still a nudge better than the Wolverines' home whomping of Notre Dame; the Penn State and Wisconsin wins this weekend being roughly equal (Michigan's performance maybe slightly better, depending on what we see from the Badgers the rest of the season), OSU's got the narrow, narrow resume edge.

Louisville's big win over Miami being about equivalent to Florida's one-point takedown of Tennessee on the road, the Cardinals are one spot up on UF because a) They're playing two stars down, and b) they were a little better at Kentucky. Because that's an important one spot, right?

? No Georgia, which doesn't seem quite right, but the original had no Virginia Tech, which upon review was even more not right. The close call at home against Colorado, until the Buffs actually, you know, win a game, is a detriment while Washington is taking down UCLA and Nebraska and Rutgers are blowing out cupcakes that, judging on performance to date, are worth as much as edging by Colorado. The Troy game, similarly, is submarining Florida State (Nebraska beat Troy 56-0 Saturday, and had a slightly "better" loss against SC than FSU's to Clemson).

? Iowa could be moving up even with a tough loss to Ohio State Saturday. They avoided being on the brink of this week's poll, along with the other non-challenged undefeateds, only by virtue of beating Iowa State, who is halfway decent (but only halfway).

? Boston College and Clemson are both 3-1, and Boston College did in fact defeat Clemson under asterisk-worthy circumstances, but there's no comparing their respective performances in every other instance. Clemson's win over Florida State, which should have been larger, dwarfs the BC loss to NC State.

? Cal walloping Arizona State means the Bears move up means Tennessee also moves up. One-point loss to Florida, one spot behind them. The Vols are ahead of LSU because of that very quality opening win, which the Tigers do not yet have.