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College football polls: BYU 8, 9; Utah 13, 14

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SoCalUtahFan | 11:42 a.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Here's BYU's chance to play top-25 team --TCU
Good luck!!!!

SOS | 11:53 a.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Utah 72
BYU 121
TCU 91

best opponent ranks:

Utah 17
BYU 73
TCu 5

Congrats Frogs! | 11:54 a.m. Oct. 12, 2008

cya Thursday.

Comments continue below

Dave | 11:57 a.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Can someone please explain to me how USC jumps five spots for beating a lousy Arizona St. team??

I'm a diehard UTES fan but the polls are a joke!!!

A Few Observations | 11:59 a.m. Oct. 12, 2008

1. USC is the epitome of getting a reputation based benefit of the doubt from the voters. They could lose again and stay top-12. Although after two lackluster wins by BYU and still staying high (almost #6 as far as points go), BYU is also riding its reputation quite a bit right now. Regardless of how dominant BYU's wins may or may not look, maintaining the nation's longest win streak will go a long way with voters who do not get to watch BYU's games.

2. Only 4 vote points seperates BYU from #6.

3. BYU, Utah and BSU all stayed put. It is not unusual to see 1 or 2 loss BSC teams move above the non-BCS teams as their is so much more respect given to BCS in-conference wins than to MWC or WAC in-conference wins at this point in the season.

4. Great to see TCU ranked. This gives BYU the chance to end the season with two top-25 victories on their resume.

5. AP does not matter in the BCS rankings - just like the ESPN Power Poll it is just a feel-good but mean nothing poll. And after two so-so wins it feels pretty good.

excellent! | 12:08 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

TCU moves into the top 25 just in time to set up 2 ranked teams when they play BYU this week. Look for the cougars to move up in the polls next week!

Go cougs!

texas tech didnt drop? | 12:17 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

i can agree with this weeks poll except for texas tech not dropping some for an overtime win over a non ranked nebraska team. oh well, byu doesnt have time to worry about nothing but tcu. good luck!

Quest for perfection | 12:19 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

BYU will not go undefeated this year. A Day after the article about how great BYU's line backers are, they get exposed. TCU will knock them off.

A Joke | 12:32 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

C'mon, Florida moves up to number 5??? How quick they forget they lost to a mediocre Ole Miss at Home!!. Th bias these pollsters have is a complete joke. We need a playoff system!!

re a joke. | 12:38 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

they beat #3 by 30! if you think byu would beat florida you have gotta be insane

From what I've seen: | 12:59 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

BYU is not a top 10 team!

Put up or shut up | 1:00 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

This is the week all of the SOS BS ends.

If BYU beats TCU, all the talk about not beating a decent opponent ends. If BYU loses, the Cougars will no long be undefeated and SOS will be irrelevant.

It's put up or shut up time for BYU.

Sherrif Polynice | 1:03 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Okay, lets not compare BYU to Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, etc...

However, please do not tell me the BYU, Utah, or TCU could not be in the top 2-3 teams in the Big Least or ACC, or even the Pac 10 this year. All three teams are good and there are more surprises to come.

Unfortunately, one loss by each of those teams will knock all three teams out of BCS contention...which really blows!

Both Overrated! | 1:21 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Both BYU & Utah would not even be in the top 25 IF they were in the SEC or Big 12. Imagine a sked that included LSU, Texas, Tx. Tech, Georgia & Florida. Either team would be in 4th or 5th place.

BYU's linebackers | 1:23 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

How did BYU's linebackers get exposed? They held a team that averages 200 yards rushing to 130 yards and a team that averages 20 points to 3. You're right, New Mexico really took it to the BYU linebackers.

re re a joke | 1:24 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Nothing was ever mentioned about BYU by a joke but your BYU hater blinders can't let you see the truth of the statement. The gators lost to Ole Miss at home just a few weeks ago and now all the pollsters can see is their win just like USC jumping up after just losing to OSU. I couldn't care less about the biased polls except that they determine in part who gets a chance to play for a championship unlike basketball so some of us do like to point out the obvious failures of the current system.

RE: SOS | 1:27 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Utah's strength of schedule will continue to drop as Michigan continues to lose to teams like Toledo. That win at the big house is looking less impressive every week. Teams who have beat Michigan in Ann Arbor the past two seasons: Appalachian St., Toledo, and Utah. Impressive.

Polls are DUMB!!! | 1:29 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

It's unbelievable that this is how we must endure every season of college football. We must count on what others' opinions are about our football team to gain legitimacy and then argue with each other about what it means! BYU is not the only team that suffers from this illegitimate system. Just for arguments sake, lets take a look at USC. Do you think USC could beat the new #1 Texas? I might take that bet! The New England Patriots were the best team in football last year! (Or were they?!?) No, the Giants were. How do we know this?? Because they proved it on the field. The current college football system gives us no such justification, and until the system changes, it will always be a joke!!

If BYU goes undefeated, they will get a BCS bowl (Utah would if they win out), but we will be watching teams leapfrog over BYU and Utah in the polls for the rest of the season.

Jokester | 1:34 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

We do need a play-off, but not for BYU, for the SEC and the Big-12

BYU has not won a game against a single opponent that as a winning record at the mid-point of the season. BYU is not the victim of bias here. Two major points:

1. BYU gets cred for the nation's longest win streak.
2. The pollsters know that BYU has only one 1 game against a team ranked at the end of the season durin this decade.

The fans need to realize that real-life constantly intrudes on fantasy in college football. Every team that plays a mediocre or above schedule risks losing every week one they hit the heart of that schedule.

BYU's schedule is about as safe as it can be and still include a couple of teams with historical name recognition. This may yet work to BYU's advantage:

1. Missouri is going to be looking for blood against Texas.
2. Alabama still has to play against LSU and if they win the East, Florida or Georgia again.
2. OSU has to play Texas and Oklahoma.

BYU actually has a better shot in this system than in a play-off world.

Re: re a joke | 1:37 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Uh, no ... according to this week's poll, Florida actually beat No. 13 by 30 points. LSU was obviously overrated.

The whole system is a complete joke. Yes, Florida beat LSU by 30, but that doesn't discount the fact that Florida lost to a crappy Ole Miss team. USC could be the best team in the country on any given Saturday, but they lost to Oregon State -- a team that Utah beat.

The voters always forgive the well-known teams their take-a-week-off losses, but others don't get the same treatment.

How does Utah feel to be ranked a spot behind a team that just got beat by 30 points the day before?

RE a Joke. | 1:38 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Florida Killed #3 LSU and BYU and Utah beat who? Do you really think BYU would beat LSU by 30 or even win for that matter? Probably not. BYU's biggest game to date, is a team in TCU that got destroyed by Oklahoma. So I wouldnt be complaining about the polls until Utah or BYU actually beats a team in the top 25. And by the way, I am utah fan, but I can accept reality too.

Thursday | 1:40 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Can't wait to see what BYU is made of. Considering the best team they have played this year was Division II. UCLA (2-4), Washington (0-5)

Mark in Peoria | 1:51 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Florida beat the defending champs, an undefeated and #3 ranked LSU team. And they did it by 30. That is why they jumped.

Don't worry BYU fans. If they keep winning they will slowly move up or at worse stay put. By season's end that would land them in a BCS bowl. But let's no get too far ahead of ourselves---remember the last time they started 10-0 (2001)? The fans ended up throwing tostidas onto the field and the cougars got blasted in their final two games.

Former BYU Fan | 1:52 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

I have finally seen the light. The fact that BYU's opponents have not been that strong means that BYU has to be terrible.

Some, well at least one, of Utah's opponents have done a little bit better the BYU's; therefore, Utah is, hands down, a much better football team than BYU.

No to BCS | 1:55 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Posted this on another thread:
...neither BYU nor Utah (nor, for that matter, Boise State) has a chance of moving up much until a couple of the top SEC and Big 12 teams take a second loss.
Here is a radical idea--if an undefeated BYU or Utah team is excluded from the "championship" game, and instead is to play some lame automatic qualifier from the Big East or ACC, why not pass up playing in a BCS bowl? Won't happen, because of dollars, but a non-BCS bowl between two undefeated teams (BYU or Utah vs., say, Boise State) would be much more interesting and satisfying than, for instance, Utah vs. Pittsburgh in '04.

Sam | 1:58 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

This will be a very tough fight Thur for BYU. They have got to really play their A game. They will be the underdog by the odd makers I am sure going into this game.

Go Cougs!!!

Over-rated. | 2:07 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Everyone says teams are over-rated, but to be over-rated there have to be teams to take their place. People never say what teams should be in front of LSU, Florida, USC, Missouri, Georgia. They All have one loss so they should all be over-rated. If Utah or BYU played in the SEC this year they would be LUCKY to be a .500 team ans everyone in Utah knows it.

No to BCS | 2:13 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Of course, that assumes Utah or BYU can run the table--no sure thing, by any means. BYU will have its work cut out for it Thursday, plus Air Force away, and Utah still has to get by NM in Albuquerque and TCU at home. Not to mention the chance of a let-down by either team against another lesser opponent.

re Both Overrated | 2:22 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

um, while I agree with you, you make it sound more intimidating than it would be. To clarify, the sked would most likely not include LSU, Texas, Tx. Tech, Georgia & Florida, from those five it would include LSU, Fla & Georgia OR TTU and Texas (and Oklahoma, missou etc.) Still a scary, yet very fun thought. Plus, the recruiting would probably take a step in the right direction.
To re re a joke @ 1:37 how does byu feel to be ranked behind a team that lost to a team that lost to Utah? haha, catch my drift? LSU is good, and better than Utah so they should be ranked ahead of Utah (and byu if we are going on how good the teams are, not how good or bad they looked yesterday)

SOS | 2:29 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

The last time I checked USCs sos was 3 and BYU's was +120... that's how teams make big jumps in the polls when they win.

Can we finally conclude that the "poll system" was as big a joke in 1984 as it is today?

Coaches Poll | 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

1. Texas (44) 6-0 1,505 5
2. Alabama (14) 6-0 1,452 4
3. Penn State (3) 7-0 1,416 6
4. Southern California 4-1 1,198 9
5. Texas Tech 6-0 1,195 7
6. Oklahoma 5-1 1,147 1
7. Florida 5-1 1,145 12
8. Brigham Young 6-0 1,143 8

Anonymous | 2:35 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

This year's BYU/Utah game should be incredibly exciting.

HOW TO IMPROVE | 2:39 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

To the BYU coaches:
This is very simple. Mix up the run and the pass.

1. Don't run 4 downs in a row.
2. Don't pass 3 plays in a row.
3. Mix in some play action
4. Watch game film before coming out to play an opponent, even if it is UNM;
5. Teach the O line not just how to pass protect, but how to block on rushing plays
6. Give the ball to Unga AT LEAST 30 times per game.

Do the above and your wins will be more impressive and you'll have two all americans in Max Hall and Harvey Unga.

ESPN's Bottom 10 | 2:40 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Rankings are out... Washington is the 2nd worst team in the country... Utah State is #7.

TCU Defense | 2:43 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

TCU leads in rushing defense and has almost twice as many defensive interceptions as BYU. They also beat Stanford which is in the middle of the PAC 10 at the moment.

BYU will have to have a very efficient passing game with no turnovers to win this week. Hall has to be careful not to force the ball. Further, I strongly suspect that TCU does everything they can to disrupt the timing of passing plays. That should alter the plays that BYU calls. Timing plays may be asking for interceptions.

Lehi Cougar Fan | 2:44 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

For those of you Florida lovin' Ute fans, BYU may get a shot at Florida in the Sugar Bowl. It's possible if Alabama wins the SEC and the Sugar Bowl takes Florida as a replacement. Here's how it could look:

NCG: Texas vs. Alabama
Fiesta: OU vs. Ohio St.
Sugar: Florida vs. BYU
Rose: USC vs. Penn St.
Orange: VA Tech vs. Big East Champ

Wouldn't that be awesome for Cougar fans to beat Utah and then beat Urban Meyer all in the same season. Rock on Cougars!!

BYU 24 TCU 13 - Cougar defense forces an interception and a fumble. Max Hall and Austin Collie connect on a couple of big plays for touchdowns (TCU - Austin Collie won't drop the ball like CSUs receivers did last night...twice in the end zone).

Upside Down Polls | 2:50 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

As you can see, those Polls does not matter. Florida when drop to Ole Miss at home and back at where they want to be - You wonder Urban M. thinking if he was still at Ball State would disagree this poll stuff. Ok State soar to near top 5 - interesting. Texas Tech ot over bad Neb. SC jump back in close to NC implication - here we go again. OK still near the top poll after drop to Texas.

I don't know if the poll really matter any more. Five more BCS teams with zero losS going to see them fall soon and many more will have two losses soon.

Stay focus BYU, one game at a time. Good luck against TCU at a short time before practice on Monday. Utah, hang in there too.

Go COUGARS!

Lehi Cougar Fan RE: No to BCS | 2:52 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Not only because of the dollars it won't happen but also the BCS rules won't allow it. If BYU or Utah wins the MWC and are in the top 12, the BCS rules require them to get picked. Also, the other Bowls can't pick BYU or Utah anyway until the BCS "releases" their right to take them in a BCS game. It's an interesting idea though. It's not out of the question that two non BCS teams could match up if one of the BCS bowls that lost its team to the NCG and then picked both non BCS teams assuming both are in the top 12 and won their conference (i.e. Boise State and say BYU or Utah)

BYU fan | 2:55 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

I went to the BYU New Mexico game and feel very disgusted by how the Cougars played. They seem to be out of sync since their bye week. They had one good quarter against the Aggies and then let off the throttle. When they did this, they lost their timing and still don't have it back. The second half of the New Mexico game, I saw glimpses of it, but it didn't stay consistant. I am very worried about the TCU game. First off, it's on the road and second, we are out of sync. Maybe they overlooked Utah State and New Mexico in preperation for TCU. They better get it together. If BYU wins, haters will say that TCU was nobody, if they lose, haters will say told you so.

screw the polls | 2:58 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

BYU and Utah deserve to be up there past oklahoma. Oklahoma doesnt even have a perfect record like BYU and Utah, and BYU has the longest winning streak in the nation!!!

RE: Observation | 2:59 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

As to your #4 - don't wins against top 25 teams only count when the final standings are out? I don't think it matters how many top 25 teams you beat if none of them end up in the top 25 at the end of the year.

If that is the case, then I propose that, should BYU win out, it would be better to have beaten a two-loss TCU team and a two-loss Utah team, because both teams would still end up in the top 25 if they were to end their seasons 11-2. I believe this scenario would be more beneficial in terms of SOS than defeating an unbeaten Utah at year-end, because an unbeaten Utah at year-end would mean a three-loss TCU, and at that point, no top 25 ranking. They would have beaten two top 25 teams instead of one. Just a thought...

Moot point though if we don't take care of business on Thursday.

Lehi Cougar Fan | 3:00 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

As long as BYU keeps winning they will stay in the top 12, go to a BCS game and all this talk about SOS and this conference is better than that conference, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah will not even matter. Yes, the polls are a joke, but you've gotta win on the field, bottom line. If you win your conference and win your bowl game, you get respect. If not, you drop in the polls like a piece of lead in a fish tank. So until BYU loses, they will get the respect they deserve. This week it's put up or shut up against TCU.

re: SOS | 3:02 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

I'm sorry, are you saying that BYU's SOS was +120 in 1984?

BYU's SOS with improve with wins over NM and TCU, as Utah's will sink, after playing Wyooming, and because of the Michigan Loss in the Big House to MAC power 1-4 Toledo.

Can we finally conclude that the NC championship for 1984 is housed at BYU?

Why is that so threatening to to you Utes?

It happened, it's a fact, it's there.

You can "say" 1984 never happened, but a better way to deal with it is therapy, and developing coping skills.

The first step: Admit you have the problem, and BYU was the National Champion in 1984.

I'm William Banks, and I'm here to help you.

Anonymous | 3:02 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

USC is a joke they get rapped by a non ranked Oregon state and still they are in the top 5. I guarantee you if BYU or Utah played them they would make USC look silly.

A joke | 3:04 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

As was pointed out, I said nothing about BYU's ranking, merely the fact that Florida, like USC will get 'do-overs'. Teams outside the beloved BCS don't have the same luxory. If Utah and BYU lose one game, that is all the pollsters need to dump them as far down as they can.

I also happen to think that both Utah and BYU could compete with the likes of LSU...on any given Saturday.

Linus | 3:10 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

All this TALK is so very, very stupid. There is one way, and only one way, to test one college football team against another; that is to play the game, face to face, on the field.

It isn't the BYU's, UTAH's, TCU's, BSU's, Fresno State's or Tulsa's AVOIDING the confrontation that would settle national superiority. It is the USC's, Florida's, Texas's, Oklahoma's, Georgia's, etc. that are avoiding a face-to-face contest.

Chickens!

YEE HAW | 3:17 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Who really cares about the polls. Big deal, cougs are ranked in the top ten. I want to see what happens at the end of the season. Perhaps you should all follow the words of Bronco and forget about the polls. Success to him is consistency and conference titles. Why do you pouters demand another goal? Should Bronco be coaching to satisfy the pollsters or coach to rebuild a program that was in the dumps? You would be wise to follow the plan of Bronco. He is doing exactly what he said he would do. Just close your mouths and enjoy the games.

Laughing Boy | 3:24 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

I've been a USC fan for almost half a century, but I can't believe they jumped so far after a rather lackluster performance against a mediocre ASU. I mean, I'll take it, but it's still strange.

Harris Interactive | 3:26 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

What kind of MORON gives Utah a number one vote? The polls are a joke! We need a playoff system.

1. Texas (72) (6-0) 2804 5
2. Alabama (37) (6-0) 2752 3
3. Penn St. (4) (7-0) 2602 6
4. Oklahoma (5-1) 2255 1
5. USC (4-1) 2225 8
6. Florida (5-1) 2224 11
7. Texas Tech (6-0) 2191 7
8. BYU (6-0) 2044 9
9. Georgia (5-1) 1901 10
10. Oklahoma St. (6-0) 1829 17
11. Missouri (5-1) 1706 4
12. LSU (4-1) 1607 2
13. Ohio St. (6-1) 1589 12
14. Utah (1) (7-0) 1489 13
15. Boise St. (5-0) 1240 15

MWC is Low Rate | 3:26 p.m. Oct. 12, 2008

Let's get out of our bubble for a moment. BYU and Utah would be ranked with Tennessee in the SEC. That's 6th place in the SEC if you're keeping score. Both team would be 2nd or 3rd in the Pac 10 and middle of the pack in the ACC. We are lucky to be ranked and are really probably in the top 20 to 25 as far as good teams in college

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