Ted Miller

  (3:01 PM)

Howdy folks... let's, as they say in the Internet world, chat.

Sweatervested1, Al.

Ted, Do you see Alabama playing for the National Championship? Love your blog!

Ted Miller

  (3:03 PM)

They might have the SEC's most favorable schedule. At LSU on Nov. 8 has a chance to be a monumental game... then they got the title game... I'd rate the Tide's chances as good as anyone in the conference, which is way ahead of schedule in year 2 with Saban.

Josh: (Forsyth,Ga)

If UGA beats LSU and Florida the next two weeks, will that push to the top of all the one-loss teams?

Ted Miller

  (3:03 PM)

yes...

Jason(Dallas, Texas)

I know Washington will be fired up against ND, but do you see them able to stop Jimmy Clausen and the WRs and hang in there for more than a quarter?

Ted Miller

  (3:05 PM)

Maybe more than a quarter.... the Huskies only hope is Irish overconfidence and an off-game from Clausen. But the UW pass defense is among the worst in the nation -- almost zero pass rush. My guess is Clausen feasts.

Will J (Portland, OR)

Your cohorts seem to believe there are other teams in America who could beat USC this season? I don't think there is, and they all would be underdogs against them.

Ted Miller

  (3:07 PM)

I think my new-look Atlanta Falcons could beat USC. Maybe. Vegas would favor USC over any team on a neutral field.

Ken CA

Why would the tide have the most favorable schedule? UF has UGA in Jax and only vandy, USC and Kentucky left. that seems far easier than having to go to Death Valley

Ted Miller

  (3:08 PM)

and at FSU...

Brian, LA

How would you grade the UCLA staff so far this year?

Ted Miller

  (3:10 PM)

B... team is about where most would thought it would be... Tennessee and Stanford wins were products of good coaching. Big loss at BYU is a major deduction... The Bruins are on the right track....

Dave (W-B, PA)

If both Oregon St. and USC win out, What bowl will USC get. An at-large bid or Holiday bowl?

Ted Miller

  (3:10 PM)

at large without a doubt...if not BCS title game.

John (El Dorado Hills, CA)

Ted, Love your blog. I'm an Arizona alum and a season ticket holder. There is a lot of uncertainty with Arizona fans about Mike Stoops. It's one step forward and a step or two back. What is your take? Is Stoops the right guy to take Arizona to a place where they will be an upper division Pac-10 team?

Ted Miller

  (3:12 PM)

John... Are you not swayed by the win over Cal last weekend? Let's see what happens over the next few weeks, including the big matchup with USC this weekend. Seven or eight wins tell me the Wildcats are finding themselves under Stoops...

Jackie (Atlanta)

How come voters don't realize that a team like Stanford is equal to an Auburn this year?

Ted Miller

  (3:15 PM)

Funny... that would actually be a fun game to watch... Stanford's power running game vs. a good AU defense. And the Tigers can't pass, so the terrible Cardinal pass defense wouldn't be a huge issue... Why don't people see that? Well, to be fair, Auburn has been an elite program most years under Tuberville, while Stanford has only this year emerged from the Pac-10 basement.

Keith (Dallas,TX)

What do you think about mac brown being coach of the year?

Ted Miller

  (3:16 PM)

He's certainly a candidate for mid-season coach of the year... lots of ball left, though.

Richard (Atlanta)

So I hear Florida has already made it to the SECCG and perhaps the MNC...Congratz to them. Has anyone told UGA yet? Why is UGAs loss to Bama so much worse than OU losing to UT? Or USC losing to OSU?

Ted Miller

  (3:17 PM)

Where did you hear that... If UGA wins out, they play for the title... I promise.

Mike (PA)

Ted, Looking for an Unbiased take on this weekends big game in Columbus, and who do you got winning it? Thanks!

Ted Miller

  (3:20 PM)

Doesn't it seem like everyone is picking Penn State...typically, that's when I suggest going the other direction. But I wrote that a few too many times when folks were saying USC would blow out Ohio State. My guess is folks are underestimating home field advantage in this game.... I'm leaning toward Penn State just because they've looked great every time I've watched them, but the Buckeyes sure looked different against Michigan State.

Michael (Notre Dame, IN)

Alright so if UGA wins out and Penn State wins out and Texas wins out UGA is playing for title game over Penn State?

Ted Miller

  (3:23 PM)

Michael... that's really mean. That scenario might knock a once-beaten SEC champ out ... I'm guessing if there are only two unbeatens from BCS conferences -- Texas and Penn State in your scenario -- then they'd play. The odds on that seem remote to me... but, yes, you probably got me on that one. It might be close in the BCS formula, though.

Ken (Boise, Id)

Who finishes 2nd in the Pac 10...do they get a BCS bid if USC plays for the title?

Ted Miller

  (3:26 PM)

As of last night, I picked Oregon State in my blog, in large part because of a favorable schedule (and the win over USC helps a lot). As for a second BCS berth... no way. Only way the Pac-10 gets two BCS berths is if USC and Oregon State win out... then OSU goes to Rose and USC gets an at-large (or title game invite).

Andrew (Newark, NJ)

Ted. true or false? pryor will never lose to michigan during his college career.

Ted Miller

  (3:28 PM)

I love this: It's trash talking posed as a question! My guess is he'll lose at least once... at some point Blue bounces back, don't you think?

Ethan (UGA)

Georgia vs LSU, Who Ya Got?

Ted Miller

  (3:29 PM)

Ruff.

Matt (Savannah, GA)

Will the preseason polls ever be eliminated? It seems like there are always a handful of teams that are ranked, but flop hard. And then there are teams without the name recognition that have to wait 8 weeks for the voters to finally notice they are playing good football.

Ted Miller

  (3:31 PM)

Won't happen... everyone loves polls! But you're right.. What might work: A preseason poll... then four weeks off before another vote. Won't happen, but lots of good ideas don't.

Joe (Pasadena, MD)

If Maryland show's up, how good are they.

Ted Miller

  (3:35 PM)

Strangest team in the nation... obviously, at home the Terps are pretty salty. How can the Virginia game and Wake game be reconciled?

Ted Miller

  (3:36 PM)

You guys' BCS questions are making my head hurt... we've got a lot of football to be played...

Andy (Valencia, CA)

Ted, love the blog! As a big Arizona State fan, what is up with ASU this year and how does the future look.

Ted Miller

  (3:37 PM)

What's up? The O-line is weak, and it's hard to be good when that's the case. As for the future, Erickson always wins, at least in college. He's recruiting well. My guess is the Sun Devils are going to establish themselves as a top-third of the conference team.

Kate (Washington, DC)

To comment on the preseason poll question, I think the problem works both ways. There are lots of teams that are underrated and therefore do not give their opponents' schedules enough credit early on. Plus, it's still pretty easy for underranked teams to get into the NC discussion if they take care of business. The only ones who get overlooked are the non-major conferences, and rightfully so. I just hope the selection folks make much more interesting matchups this year. Think, what if the Rose and Sugar Bowls had traded the Illini for the Dawgs? USC vs UGA would have made much better television and answered a lot of questions about how USC would fare with a top SEC team. And both the Illini and the Warriors would have played a much more comparable opponent to themselves.

Ted Miller

  (3:40 PM)

Kate... good points. And I think we all wanted that UGA-USC game. But, to set the record straight, know that the Sugar Bowl was as much a culprit as the Rose Bowl for the USC-Illinois matchup. The Sugar Bowl would have never released Georgia, just as the Rose Bowl wouldn't break its Pac-10-Big Ten tradition.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

Will major college football ever return to Washington?

Ted Miller

  (3:41 PM)

yes. the right coach makes it happen.

Nick (LA, CA)

Rank the Pac-10 next year, please!!

Ted Miller

  (3:42 PM)

Getting a little ahead of yourself, eh? I'm give you my pick to win: USC.

Charlie (Gainesville, FL)

Is there any remote possibility of a 1 loss USF team making it into the National Championship picture?

Ted Miller

  (3:44 PM)

If I said no, someone would come up with a complicated scenario that says yes... again, it's way early. But for S. Fla to get into the title game it will take a fairly significant cataclysm atop the poll.

Mike (San Jose, Ca)

Ted, just want to get your thoughts on tomorrow's WAC showdown between Bosie State and San Jose State. Does San Jose State's defense really match up to Bosie State's offense? How do you expect this game to shape up?

Ted Miller

  (3:45 PM)

Boise really impresses me... way underrated defense. To be honest, I haven't watched SJS play, but I respect Dick Tomey as a guy who could manage an upset. But I like Boise.

Andrew (Newark, NJ)

Ted. My conference ranking goes SEC, Big 12, Big 10, ACC, Pac 10, Big East. What's your ranking?

Ted Miller

  (3:48 PM)

That's about right, though I think you could argue that, as of today, the Big 12 might nip the SEC. I also think the Pac-10 might be a little better than the ACC.

Joe (Lubbock, TX)

When will Texas Tech get some respect in the world of college football?

Ted Miller

  (3:50 PM)

You mean other than a No. 8 ranking without beating a ranked team? I think Texas Tech is a quality outfit. But their scheduling philosophy drives me nuts. Respect is earned, and the Red Raiders only will take a step forward when they schedule quality nonconference games -- and win.

Derek Roswell GA

Congrats to VEGAS, b/c they always pick them right! USC lost to OSU, so there are a lot of teams that could beat them. Guess what USC loses to bad teams. So congrats that everyone loves them and they are favored! Favored to what? Lose to a bad team.

Ted Miller

  (3:56 PM)

Derek... Let's just assume that by being here you know something about football. What's frustrating on the West Coast is the disingenuousness of the anti-USC spin. Now, last year didn't Georgia fans argue for a berth in the title game, despite losing to a bad South Carolina team and a mediocre Tennessee team? Florida lost at home to Ole Miss, a program that doesn't even approach the quality of Oregon State. If you have eyes and a brain, you know what USC is. You can advocate for your team, but USC is what it is: The nation's most talented team. Period. It's not honest to call USC overrated.

jacksonville

if penn state and alabama both run the table who will be in the BCS championship game

Ted Miller

  (3:59 PM)

what about texas... or are you saying between unbeaten bama and unbeaten psu? I'd think an unbeaten SEC team would be in without a question. That's the ugliest final scenario: Unbeaten Texas, Bama and Penn State. Wow. That would get ugly.

Mike (Shalimar FL)

Why UGA drop further than USC when they lost to Bama and USC lost to a terrible Beaver squad?

Ted Miller

  (4:02 PM)

1) It's ignorant to call Oregon State terrible. 2) Georgia lost at home; USC lost on the road. 3) USC posted a blowout win over a top-10 foe (Ohio State); Georgia's win over Arizona State didn't carry as much weight, particularly when the Sun Devils lost to UNLV the week before. 4) Most pollsters probably think USC is a better team than Georgia.

Gimme - Austin

I know your not gong tp post this but USC is not the most talented team in the country , USC would lose 2-3 games in the Big 12 and SEC, you are not a very objective sports writer youir USC biaism is showing through

Ted Miller

  (4:04 PM)

Biaism? Where's Dr. King when we need him.

Ted Miller

  (4:05 PM)

Thanks guys ... great stuff... see you next week.