My AP rankings Week 5

September 28, 2008

By Jon Johnson

This was the toughest week yet for me in submitting my Top 25 rankings to the Associated Press. I battled with if I should move Alabama all the way from No. 8 to No. 2 after its big win over Georgia. It’s a big leap, but ultimately I decided Alabama has definitely earned the position with its impressive play on the field. As it turns out, most of the other voters agreed. Here’s the rankings I submitted early Sunday morning.

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Texas
5. Missouri
6. Texas Tech
7. BYU
8. Penn State
9. South Florida
10. Georgia
11. Southern Cal
12. Florida
13. Ohio State
14. Auburn
15. Utah
16. Kansas
17. Boise State
18. Wisconsin
19. Vanderbilt
20. Oregon
21. Oklahoma State
22. Virginia Tech
23. Illinois
24. Wake Forest
25. Kentucky

Backs against the wall

September 26, 2008

By Jon Johnson

Both Auburn and Tennessee dearly need a win Saturday. With the Vols already 1-2, it’s indeed desperate times for the Big Orange. Auburn obviously needs to rebound from the LSU loss to have a realisitic chance to still win the West.
This is a dangerous game for Auburn. It will be the favorite to walk away a winner, but you better believe Tennessee will put up quite a fight.
The Tigers need to somehow get its new spread offense in gear. Through four games, the flow just hasn’t been good.
Here’s believing the Tiger defense will have another strong showing, and the AU offense will finally get untracked a bit.
If such happens, the folks on Rocky Top will be singing the blues.

Week 4 AP Rankings

September 22, 2008

By Jon Johnson

Here are my rankings submitted to the AP this week. After finishing up my copy from the Auburn-LSU game late Saturday night, I looked over all the completed results of the day and sent the rankings in shortly after midnight. I’ve enjoyed doing this each week. It keeps me more in tune with everything on the national level. Where I didn’t used to pay much attention to a Boise State score, for example, now I’m keeping up with it.
My picks are as follows:
1) Southern Cal
2) Georgia
3) Oklahoma
4) Florida
5) LSU
6) Texas
7) Missouri
8) Alabama
9) Wisconsin
10) Texas Tech
11) BYU
12) Penn State
13) Ohio State
14) Wake Forest
15) Auburn
16) South Florida
17) Kansas
18) Utah
19) Clemson
20) Illinois
21) Boise State
22) Oregon
23) Fresno State
24) Colorado
25) Vanderbilt

Auburn-LSU thoughts

September 18, 2008

By Jon Johnson

I’m pumped up about this one. I believe it ought to be one of those knock down, drag out, SEC battles between these two western division foes we’ve grown so accustomed to.
I’ve gone back and forth all week on a prediction. I really believe Auburn has a good chance to win, but something just tells me to go with LSU. That’s the way I went with my Fearless Forecasters choice, but it was far from a confident pick.
Obviously Auburn has a great, great defense. It’s the offense that’s still so much of a mystery going into the fourth game.
I do believe Kodi Burns will get a chance in the game this Saturday night. Here’s believing they need his speed at quarterback in the spread, something Chris Todd doesn’t give them. Todd obviously knows the offense extremely well, and has done OK passing. But for him to keep the starting job, he’s going to have to look a lot sharper getting the ball down field.
If the offense can come around, and I believe it can, Auburn can certainly win this one.
The place should be rocking.
I’m looking forward to it.

AP Poll Week 3

By Jon Johnson

I’m a little late posting these, but if you’re interested and didn’t see Monday’s print edition, here’s my Top 25 rankings submitted to the associated press on Sunday morning. It seemed a lot tougher for me than the first two weeks.
1) Southern Cal
2) Georgia
3) Oklahoma
4) Florida
5) Missouri
6) LSU
7) Texas
8) Wisconsin
9) Auburn
10) Alabama
11) Texas Tech
12) South Florida
13) BYU
14) East Carolina
15) Penn State
16) Oregon
17) Utah
18) Wake Forest
19) Kansas
20) Ohio State
21) Florida State
22) Fresno State
23) West Virginia
24) Illinois
25) Kentucky