CNNSI

[BullAdrian]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

[BurghBull]

Nice...

Another historic week, another unusual ballot dilemma. This time, the question late Saturday night was, what to do when both No. 1 (LSU) and No. 2 (Cal) lose on the same day for the first time in 11 years?

If I were to follow the traditional, "lazy man's" poll methodology, I'd simply move up No. 3 Ohio State to No. 1. That was my initial instinct, but something about it just felt so ... uncomfortable. The Buckeyes, whose 7-0 start includes no wins over any current top-25 team, would basically be "earning" my No. 1 vote by default. I couldn't do it.

I briefly contemplated keeping LSU at No. 1. The Tigers' triple-overtime loss to top-20 foe Kentucky didn't really change my opinion of them as the most complete team in the country (more accurately, there's nobody else out there that inspires more confidence), and they still have more quality wins on their resume (Virginia Tech, South Carolina and Florida) than anyone else. I'm still fully expecting to see the Tigers in the national championship game.

But I checked my AP voting guidelines, and they specifically tell you to, "base your vote on performance, not reputation or speculation." LSU's performance against Kentucky was, in a word, subpar, not to mention keeping the same team No. 1 even after a loss would be setting a dangerous precedent.

Those same guidelines, however, also tells voters they shouldn't "hesitate to make significant changes in your ballot from week to week." In other words, if you think somebody further down the list deserves a crack at No. 1 ... go for it.

Looking purely at results, the most accomplished team outside of LSU has been South Florida, which routed UCF -- the same team that took Texas to the wire earlier this season -- 64-12 last Saturday. The Bulls are not only undefeated, but they've beaten two of my current top 13 teams (West Virginia and Auburn). They've done it, in fact, against the nation's seventh-most difficult schedule, according to CollegeBCS.com.

Ohio State's, by contrast, is ranked 58th. Fellow undefeated Boston College: 61st.

If you take all that into account, moving USF to No. 1 becomes a no-brainer (although only 10 of my fellow AP voters agreed). Do I believe the Bulls will finish the season No. 1? Not necessarily. I'm not even sure they'll be No. 1 after Thursday night's trip to Rutgers.

But again, my job is not to predict the future but to evaluate the present. USF has earned the No. 1 spot for now -- just as LSU has earned a reprieve from poll purgatory based on its overall resume. I dropped the Tigers to ... No. 2.

NCAA Football Power Rankings

Rank LW  Team

1 6  South Florida Bulls (6-0)

The defense carried UCF yet again last week, holding the NCAA's leading rusher, UCF's Kevin Smith, to 55 yards on 18 carries, but it was also a huge day for Bulls QB Matt Grothe. The sophomore accounted for a season-high 312 yards (including 100 rushing) and four touchdowns.

Last game: Beat UCF, 64-12.

Next game: Thursday at Rutgers. 

[Rabbi Bull]

he called us UCF.

[crambone]

Yeah, but our icon is #1 for the first time EVER!!!

[Sunil]

That was great to see... Hope to see us there for a long time to come 

[Don Toro]

he called us UCF.

I think that's why we should drop the whole USF thing. I like "South Florida" for athletics.

[Matt]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/10/16/power.rankings8/index.html?eref=T1

[Boomer]

"The defense carried UCF yet again last week, holding the NCAA's leading rusher, UCF's Kevin Smith, to 55 yards on 18 carries,..."

Yeah, I'm assuming he meant to say "The defense carried USF yet again....", but c'mon, we scored 64 points!  How do you say the defense carried the team in that win???

[MechanicalBull]

A win at RU, especially a big win will get us some more #1 votes.  It'll be even harder to ignore us.