Friday, August 1, 2008

Spot The Damn Ball!

Ah, folks, college football is officially here. This evening, the Tigers and Gamecocks will take to their respective fields for their first official practice(s) of the season. Clemson is playing for a conference title and BCS berth. South Carolina is playing because they have to. Regardless of the obvious, disparate outlooks for each team, the fans for each program are happy the wait is over. Clemson fans are happy because they are anxious to see if Tommy Bowden can bring their beloved program out of its nearly 20 year slumber. South Carolina fans are happy because they don't know any better. Clemson fans believe they can beat every team on their schedule. South Carolina fans believe than can beat every team on Clemson's schedule. Yeah it's that time of year again, folks. As per usual, you can expect the volume and ferocity of the MOAG to increase with each passing day from here on out. Once the season starts, it will likely be so out of control that most people, save me, can't hope to tame it. But I can, and I will, for you, my loyal readers.

In honor of the start of fall practice, I am releasing my official Preseason Power 20 Poll. I'd like to briefly explain my ranking process. This is a power poll. It isn't a projection of where I think teams will finish the season. I don't consider conference affiliation or schedule. I don't rank 25 teams. I don't let my own personal biases get in the way. Without further ado, here is Mind of a Gamecock's first pre-season Power 20:

1. Southern California
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. Ohio St.
5. Missouri
6. Florida
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Wisconsin
10. Auburn
11. Clemson
12. Texas Tech
13. Kansas
14. Tennessee
15. Arizona St.
16. Brigham Young
17. Wake Forest
18. Virginia Tech
19. Illinois
20. Utah

Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you have re: my poll. I will do one more pre-season poll at the conclusion of fall practice.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Gamecocks are way too low. Don't you know they play in the SEC?

Anonymous said...

Georgia at number one is a joke. They're good and they had an amazing run at the end of the season, but can you honestly say they're the best team in the country. They're still young and inexperienced at some positions. Good QB, awesome RBs, solid defense, but number one...no.

Oh, and Clemson is playing football to prove they CAN do something with a damn on the football field AND that they don't ALWAYS choke.

Nothing will change.

Thanks for playing.

BCS talk from a Clemson fan. Lmao.

Silly Tigers.

OMG OMG OMG SEC SEC SEC TOUCH MY BODY SEC.

Spare me.

Anonymous said...

omg IMMA GET ME AN EDUMACTATION

LEARN ME A BOOK

Unknown said...

I don't have Georgia ranked number 1.

Anonymous said...

No, but the coaches do. I was referring to that, not your poll. I'm not buying all the Georgia hype yet. Very talented, solid depth, etc. but a bit too young and too hard of a schedule for them to really make THAT much noise this year. I don't know where I would rank them, but definitely not in the top few. Top five..perhaps. Not sure. Their schedule just isn't conducive to a National Championship season that everyone is raving about. I'll be shocked if they end up only losing two games.

Anonymous said...

love how everyone has clemson ranked so high (compared to past pre-season rankings). it'll just make their inevitable fall from grace even more bitter for them. seriously, if clemson didn't choke and give games away would ncaa football even be the same?

i didn't think so.

Anonymous said...

Clemson has all their practices closed to the public?

Is this true?

What a joke of a school. All those damn spies!

Anonymous said...

georgia and clemson sent some spies down to cola a while back, so spurrier did the same to them. apparently bowden didn't think the counter was too funny.

party pooper.

oh, and that is a true story.

Anonymous said...

Wow. What would Clemson have to hide? Bubble screen, five yard pass, bubble screen to Spiller in the slot, etc. All these po dunk little yard plays that Clemson does in games. Yeah, I'm sure they're just terrified of teams seeing that.

Remind me again, just how bad as VT being down Clemson the last several times we played? Sorry, but when you play a team with speed, hard hitters, and aggressiveness, your little po dunk offense is a joke.

Is Spiller still scared to get hit? I've never seen anyone run out of bounds as pre-maturely as he does. It's pathetic.

Unknown said...

Anonymous, I think I know why Clemson people call you dumb every time you try and argue with them.


Hint: It's not a coincidence.

Anonymous said...

I think I know why, too.

It might have something to do with me making fun of your joke of a school and state, seeing how everything I post is pretty much facts.

Hint: It's not a coincidence.

Anonymous said...

I didn't go to Clemson or Carolina-so I guess my opinion is fairly unbiased-not that it matters
So, I find it very amsuing, ironic, what have you, that fans of South Carolina can argue about the Clemson rivalry at all-
Or really, argue about anything-
Losing close games(as USC does often) does not count for anything-
South Carolina has never consistently had a strong football program.
They have never consistently beaten any of their rivals.
That is not to say that they won't. Just that so far, they haven't.
It seems that it would be wise for SC fans to wait to talk shit until they have the season they hope for, that for some reason, they expect to have every year.
Not only that, but have a few winnings seasons in a row. Get to an SEC championship. Win an SEC championship. Then, win another SEC championship. Then, start talking shit. You would have the right to then.
But now, you've got nothing.
You talk shit about Clemson. A team that consistently beats you. Same with Tennessee and Georgia. (Note-close games do not classify as wins.)
But then again, that is what this enitre blog is about,
I'm preaching to the choir.
Hugs not drugs.

Anonymous said...

As right as you are, any other fanbase can talk shit about USC and Clemson. You both are complete jokes to NCAA Football. And outside of South Caroliney, that's not an opinion- it's a fact.

So while it is dumb for USC to talk shit to anyone, it'd be dumb for Clemson to do the same, right? Your logic appears to be "you have to do something to talk shit." Well, USC and Clemson don't ever do anything. USC loses, though a fairly talented team with a salty defense, and Clemson loses with doing a very good job of choking and embarassing themselves against lesser opponents. Something they have become far too good at. Talented team, but just not good enough. The talent gap between USC and Clemson is very small. Really, the way I see it is that USC and Clemson should just bash each other and not talk about anything else. Both schools have nothing to harp on about. Like Some Dude said, wait until you actually do something. That goes for both of you.

Unknown said...

anonymous, if Clemson beats VT in the ACCCG this year, will you show up on this site?

Anonymous said...

Yes. If USC beats Clemson, will you continue this blog? Yes.

You own USC. Granted, you are very close in the talent pool, and your last several games have been very close, but you still own them.

We own you. You could beat us this year. It's possible. Fact is we've completely destroyed and embarassed you the last several times we've played. I really hope we get to play you in the ACC Championship game. So please, oh please, Clemson- Don't choke....again. At least make it to the ACC Championship game, because we'll be waiting.

But IF you do play us in the ACC Championship, and you manage to beat us, I'll still be around here. It's the same concept of USC beating you.

Unknown said...

Uh, anonymous, Clemson leads the all-time series with Virginia Tech. I realize y'all have won the last 5. But there are no similarities in our series with S. Carolina, and our series with VT, other than the fact that we have a winning record in both.

Anonymous said...

I figured you would bring that up. I love how Clemson fans are so quick to bring up all-time records. You all definitely take the cake with the quickest to do it, followed very closely by Virginia fans (for whatever reason).

Yes, you all seem to appear in droves around here preaching about all-time records.

Now, can you please refresh my memory. When WAS the last time you beat us. That's actually a serious question because I can't put my finger on it. It's been quite a while, granted I realize we don't play every season. Perhaps next time you do play us you can make it a game and add to that beautiful overall record you have against us that are so lost in the archives. Also, do you have a link to somewhere showing the overall record and past games? I'm curious.