This one was tough. Florida State drops from the ranks of the unbeaten, but how much ground does it cost them in the poll? What is the price Notre Dame pays for giving up a few big plays at the exact wrong time? Does the Big 10 deserve anyone on the poll? This one was like taking that test in college that you just plain didn’t study for. (I’ve heard this happens, I wouldn’t know if it’s true or not, of course.) The first few answers are relatively easy, either because the prof threw up a couple softballs, or the test you’re taking looks awfully similar to the “study guide” you came across an hour before the test. Anyway, after the first page of questions is out of the way, you start humming along, figuring it’s all good, then realize you’ve answered “B” way too many times, and start going back trying to figure out how to change it. Penn State, Minnesota, Louisville… you’re “B”. Michigan and Michigan State, you’re that “compare and contrast” question I always left blank, then filled in later with some jazzy one-liners.

Here’s the BlogPoll for Week 8. Suggestions welcomed, as I’m sure I left a couple fringe teams out that could easily fit in the weekly 12-25 logjam of worthlessness. This is a draft for now, I’m submitting it after work.

The easy five. Undefeated and have played some decent competition:

USC
Texas
Virginia Tech
Georgia
Alabama

A little more difficult. Weight of losses considered, but usually overridden by some kind of consistent success:

Miami (FL)
LSU (I switched these two late, LSU did everything they could to give UF the game. UF didn’t want it.)
Florida State (came back on the road, but not enough to avoid the first loss)
Notre Dame (They’ve floated up and down on me as I’ve done this. A few yards from possibly being #1, considering the OT loss to MSU and the “OMG! PUSH!” (tm), but 2 losses is two losses at this level.)
Texas Tech (Can’t be denied as an undefeated team, but they get the REAL test this week. Hang with Texas, they’re respectable, lose big and they could go down faster than Jenna Jameson at a Hickory Farms store.)

And here’s where it gets ugly (11-25):
Boston College
UCLA
Penn State
Ohio State
Auburn
Oregon
Tennessee
Fresno State
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Minnesota
Virginia
Cal
Louisville
Florida

Have at it. You have until 1am EST to gripe.

EDIT: Final entry sent, pretty much as seen here, though thanks to one bit of advice/convincing/justifying not having ND higher, they’re now below unbeatens UCLA, BC and Texas Tech. Maybe not totally justified, but two losses are more than zero, especially when they both came at home.