BlogPoll: Worst. Number One. Ever.

Written by Allen Kenney on .

OK, I admit it – when you refuse to compromise on a college football rankings schema like mine, you're going to end up with some bizarre results.

Last week, for instance, Homerism's ballot had Kansas State in the top 10, along with BYU. A week later, they're nowhere to be found.

My No. 1 team through the second week of the 2010 season has disgusted me at times in its first two games. I sat there Saturday night watching this squad slog through a miserable game with an opponent that should have been put out of its misery within the contest's first 10 minutes. It was akin to witnessing an 11-year-old kid try to drive a Ferrari.

I'm talking about but the LSU Fightin' Tigers, of course, undoubtedly the most frustrating team in recent memory to watch. The Bayou Bengals definitely haven't impressed me with their play, which has been characteristically uneven for a squad coached by Les Miles. Still, the Tigers have beaten two teams from major conferences and have yet to play at Tiger Stadium. Two weeks into the season, that's the best resume I've found.

A little advice for Lester, courtesy of Mikey and Trent:

With that in mind, on to the draft version of this week's BlogPoll ballot.

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OU in Review: Ridiculous and Sublime of Florida State

Written by Allen Kenney on .

Tough to find much to complain about in the wake of the Oklahoma Sooners' 47-17 rout of the Florida State Seminoles:

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OU in Review: Dr. Lou Explains Florida State Win

Written by Allen Kenney on .

I haven't looked to Dr. Lou for words of wisdom since about 1995. However, Oklahoma's blowout victory over Florida State Saturday reminded me of a Holtz classic: "You're never as good as you think you are, and you're never as bad as you think you are." Or something like that.

A week ago, the Sooners were sleepwalking through the opener versus Utah State, while the Seminoles shellacked Samford. All of a sudden, OU was overrated. Meanwhile, Florida State was a force to be reckoned with.

Another classic from the worst coach in New York Jets history: "You have a different team every week."

A week later, the new reality is Oklahoma 47, Florida State 17.

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Oklahoma Sooners-Florida State Seminoles: What to Watch

Written by Allen Kenney on .

Date: September 11
Time: 3:30 pm EST
Venue: Owen Field (Norman, Okla.)
Vegas Line: OU -7

As evidenced by Homerism's marathon podcast with Bud Elliott this week, there are so many angles to Saturday's Oklahoma-Florida State game that it could take longer to adequately preview it than to actually play it:

  • a program trying to earn its way back to respectability, another trying to shake off struggles in high-profile games;
  • one quarterback who's hearing whispers about his job security, another being pushed for the Heisman Trophy;
  • siblings matching wits on the sidelines;
  • a new head coach who's ready to make a name for himself after replacing a legend, another who's already reached legendary status at his school.

And that's without even getting into the matchups on the field.

Jimbo Fisher's young Seminoles boast an explosive offense that has probably had OU coach Bob Stoops and defensive coordinator Brent Venables putting in some long nights at the office this week. However, after pasting I-AA foe Samford in Tallahassee last weekend, the 'Noles remain a mystery on defense. FSU couldn't stop a pee-wee team in 2009, and (insert Samford mascot here) don't really offer a measuring stick for the improvements made under new defensive strategist Mark Stoops.

Once you get over all the extracurricular stuff surrounding this game, watch for...

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Picks Trying Not to Suck: Week Two

Written by Allen Kenney on .

Not a great start for the Homerism brothers in week one. There's always next week, though.

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Podcast: Seminoles-Sooners Showdown

Written by Allen Kenney on .

After last weekend's uninspiring performance against the Utah State Aggies, Oklahoma fans are on edge about Saturday's big-time tilt with the Florida State Seminoles. Chief Osceola arrives in Norman riding high after FSU blew out Samford in coach Jimbo Fisher's debut.

Few in the blogosphere – dare I say, none – know the 'Noles better than my friend Bud Elliott, editor of Tomahawk Nation. Bud emerges from the film room for a few minutes to give Homerism the lowdown on how things are progressing in Fisher's first year and what to look for this weekend. We cover:

  • Christian Ponder's prowess when it comes to pulling the levers on Florida State's high-octane O;
  • the Seminoles' transition to a new defensive scheme under Bob Stoops' little brother;
  • the whys and wherefores of an odd night in Norman against USU; and
  • keys to Saturday's game, including OU standouts DeMarco Murray and Ryan Broyles.
(CLICK HERE to subscribe to the podcast through iTunes.)

BlogPoll: Boise State Rockets to the Top

Written by Allen Kenney on .

All the talk and speculation is over. We now have a week's worth of college football evidence to go on, and I've got no problem ranking Boise State No. 1.

Homerism's faithful followers know that I prefer rankings based on what a team has done on the field. My goal is to recognize achievement above all, so that the teams that put together the best seasons end up being ranked the highest at the end of the year.

Obviously, this poses a bit of a challenge one week into the season, and my ballot will look dramatically different next week (and the week after that and the week after that...).

WARNING: What you're about to see may shock you. If you're a fan of a powerhouse program that actually takes offense at this kind of thing, avert your eyes.

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Oklahoma Sooners-Florida State Seminoles: The Vegas View

Written by Allen Kenney on .

Vegas Sportsbook

Try as we all might, there's no such thing as objective sports fans when they're talking about their own teams.

Apparently, we've all decided to cordon off a no-fly zone over the reasonable area of the brain for our sports-designated neurons, forcing them to circulate only in the hopelessly pessimistic and unfailingly positive regions of the cerebral cortex. Honestly, I know people who are more realistic about their kids than they are about their squad.

Every year without fail, college football fans reach the height of our utter irrationality between the first and second weeks of the season. After last Saturday night's uneven performance in a 31-24 win against the Utah State Aggies, fans of the Oklahoma Sooners seem pretty down in the dumps. With the talented Florida State Seminoles coming up this weekend, the sense of fear and trembling emanating from Sooner Nation would put Kierkegaard to shame.

Now, it's Homerism's official policy to avoid gambling on the Sooners unless the angle is just that sweet – it's horrible karma and altogether unnecessary from an entertainment standpoint. (Happens about once a year.) However, when the psyche is shaken, I always find it helpful to at least try to put myself in that frame of mind for a little perspective.

So, what do the trends say?

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Podcast: Wang-Guided Tour of Fantasy Land

Written by Allen Kenney on .

With the NFL season set to kick off Thursday night, urological and fantasy football expert Buffalo Wild Wang, M.D. joins Homerism to discuss the in and outs of America's favorite fall obsession. Homerism and Dr. Wang hit on draft strategies, as well as Wang's fondness for Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and his beloved Buffalo Bills.

OU in Review: Ridiculous and Sublime of Utah State

Written by Allen Kenney on .

The full spectrum from the Oklahoma Sooners' 31-24 win over the Utah State Aggies in the season opener:

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