Blog Poll Roundtable

With the Blog Poll, the Blog Poll Roundtable, the Big Ten Blogger Pick'em and B10 Blogger Roundtable I barely have time to type my own posts. Oh well it is the price you pay for having such a high profile and wildly popular blog that is all the rage within college sports blogs circles. I have to give what Gopher Nation wants to read. Oh and by the way, by high profile, wildly popular, etc I mean I really appreciate both of my loyal readers (thanks mom).

So on to the Blog Poll Roundtable...

1. By the end of the season, some previously unheralded teams' bandwagons will be so full they'll be having to bump passengers and offer them free vouchers and first-class upgrades; others will have emptied out in a big way. On whose bandwagon are you already scrambling to save a seat? Conversely, which team's bandwagon is being driven by Toonces the Driving Cat, prompting you to leap off now before it careens over a cliff to its fiery death below?

I am on board and ready to ride the TCU Train. This train could come to an abrupt halt after week 2's battle for the best team in Texas. I'm sure that UT is tired of hearing how TCU might show them up and an old fashioned monkey-stomp might end TCU's hopes and dreams real fast. But I really like the Horned Frog's defense and should they pull this win off they'll make a real strong case for a BCS title game as an undefeated team who went into Austin and beat the best the Big 12 has to offer. That will of course be a moot point if USC/LSU remain undefeated but history suggests that one if not both of those teams will endure a loss along the way.

I'm torn on who to go with as my team who's bandwagon will have the wheels come off. Nothing will really compare to the carnage that has followed the Michigan debacle. Nebraska is tempting but is it a total collapse if they just go 5-3 in conference and finish 2nd to Missouri? That is exactly like losing to a 1AA school to end your national title hopes. I'm not real confident in this pick but I'm going to go with Boise State. Last year was a great year. Undefeated, no respect cause they hadn't beat anybody then they statue of liberty their way over Oklahoma in a BCS game. This year they return 11 total starters. New QB, 4 WRs gone and middle of their D is gone. Returning RB is a Heisman candidate, OL is back and DBs are set, but those are a few too many questions marks. Plus they travel to Hawaii this year and that game will mark the end of their little run. They will fall completely off of everybody's radar at that point (if not sooner).

2. What do you think was opening weekend's biggest mirage -- either a "big win" over a team that isn't really as good as everyone thinks, or an embarrassing loss (or embarrassingly close win) that won't seem quite as embarrassing by season's end?

First of all I don't think Michigan's loss to AppState means Michigan is as bad as some are making them out to be. Of course there is no way that a team with aspirations of winning a national title should lose to a 1AA school (or any school for that matter). But AppState was pretty good. They had incredible team speed and a great game plan that was excecuted to near perfection. If they played 9 more times Michigan would probably win all 9, but I would not be shocked to see Michigan win out and still be in the Rose Bowl. Title shot is long gone but this team is still very good.

On the flip side, Virginia Tech had an ugly win but this "near loss" is a mirage. Dealing with the emotions of the pre-game ceremonies and the pressure that built up for the last few weeks led to a flat opening game. And I have to mention the probably "looking past" syndrome. Going to LSU in week 2 with a shot to vault themselves into the #2 ranking is hard to ignore when you are playing East Carolina. VTech will be just fine.

3. Compared to how you felt Friday night, how do you feel now about your team's chances this season? I'm not just talking about your impressions of your own team -- also take into account their prospects relative to this year's opponents, whom you've also gotten a little more acquainted with after this past weekend's action.

Honestly, I feel about the same. This season is going to be a roller coaster ride with a new coach, new systems and a redshirt freshman at QB. I saw a very disappointing first half that was followed by good adjustments and an encouraging 2nd half. Both were finished off by the recurring nightmare of a defense that can't stop anything when it counts.

4. Looking at how those future opponents performed this past weekend, which developments are you most excited about? Which of your opponents' performances have you a little worried?

I didn't see much that gets me too excited. Seeing Michigan State vs. Bowling Green this week will tell us more. Should BG beat the Spartans then I'll have more hope for a couple conference wins.

5. There are now 32 bowls in D-IA football, meaning 64 bowl teams, meaning any given team now stands a better-then-50-percent chance of going to a bowl. To get that number under 50 percent, we'd have to eliminate three bowls. Which ones would you get rid of?

Get rid of the BCS Bowls! Scrap them all and give me a playoff.

6. And finally, in 50 words or less, how happy are you that it's finally football season again?

I'm very passionate about college football and I look forward to watching a tremendous Golden Gopher squad take Gopher Nation to Pasadena!