Proponents of the Bowl Championship Series insist that it's a fairer way to determine the national champion of college football than the old writers' polls, and they are right. These computer-calculated weekly rankings, have not, however, stifled the propensities of football enthusiasts for endless argument. In honor of the recent mid-season release of the first set of BCS rankings, one student's opinions on the country's top eight teams are offered below.
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Ohio State- Ohio State has cruised to a 7-0 start, making it the easy choice for the top slot. The Buckeyes made a statement by pounding Texas 24-7 in week two, and have continued to cruise. Troy Smith has been virtually flawless at quarterback and has one of the best wide receiver tandems in the country at his disposal, Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez. The defense has made plays when it has needed to and held a dangerous Texas offense to seven points. All signs point to an Ohio State-Michigan showdown to end the season in what will be the most hyped regular season college football game of the new millennium.
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Michigan- Michigan gets the nod for a couple of key reasons. The Wolverines have an explosive offense led by quarterback Chad Henne, a third year veteran who has big time ability and, most importantly, ample experience under pressure. Mike Hart brings toughness and consistency to the running attack, which balances the offense very nicely. The Michigan defense is the preeminent run stopping unit in the nation.
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West Virginia- Critics who question the Mountaineers' strength of schedule need to be reminded of the 382 rushing yards the WVU offense -- little changed from last year -- racked up against a rock solid Georgia defense in the 2006 Sugar Bowl. Nimble quarterback Pat White and speedy running back Steve Slaton head the foremost ground attack in college football, which legitimately can be compared to the Nebraska rushing attack of the mid 1990s. Some cite the Mountaineer defense as a weakness, but look no further than their turnover differential (seven) and points allowed per game (12.7) to dispel that claim.
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Southern California- The Trojans have squeaked past their last three opponents, something that is not characteristic of a national championship contender. Criticisms aside, there are still plenty of positives about USC. John David Booty has done a nice job filling the quarterback void left by Heisman winner Matt Leinart. The running game features talented backs Emanuel Moody and Chauncey Washington. Dwayne Jarrett, the Pac 10's premier receiver, leads the air attack. Despite this abundance of offensive talent, this year's Trojans have been unable to put points on the board as their predecessors did.
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Auburn- After being whipped by Arkansas 27-10 only two weeks earlier, the Tigers roared past (former) No. 2 Florida the next week in a classic SEC Battle Royale. After handling Tulane on Saturday 38-13, the Tigers are officially back on track. The offense is efficient, featuring a quality running game led by Kenny Irons and Brandon Lester, and a passing offense led by Brandon Cox, who makes few mistakes. The Auburn defense is lightning quick, and showed its playmaking ability by scoring three defensive touchdowns vs. Florida.
6.Florida- The pollsters thought Florida deserved a significant drop after their loss to Auburn, but this is patently false. Life in the SEC is merciless. It is extremely difficult for teams to play at a top notch level week to week, the inevitable consequence of playing in the nation's most competitive conference. The Gators still control their own destiny in the SEC East, and there is no reason to believe they will relinquish that control. Chris Leak and Tim Tebow provide an intriguing quarterback tandem, heading an offensive unit that is one of the most dangerous in the SEC. The Florida defense is yielding an impressive 12 points per game.
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Tennessee- Another SEC team that deserves its due credit. Florida handed the Vols their only loss, a 21-20 nail-biter that easily could have gone either way. Tennessee showed its resilience last Saturday versus Alabama, overcoming a fourth quarter deficit to save its SEC title hopes. The Tennessee offense is potent, averaging 32.7 points per game. Quarterback Erik Ainge, despite his three interceptions versus Alabama, is still one of the best passers in the SEC.
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Texas- Despite the highest hopes of the burnt orange nation, Texas is not the Texas of last year. The Longhorns were manhandled by the only elite team on their schedule, Ohio State. Texas needed a timely fumble recovery to squeak by Nebraska, and if they are going to earn more respect, they will have to be more dominant in big games. Despite the admirable job Colt McCoy has done at quarterback, the Longhorns still miss the dynamic abilities of Vince Young.