Mumme Poll Ballot: Week Six

I will be voting in the Mumme Poll again this year. The Mumme Poll is an online poll started by the guys at Third Saturday in Blogtober and Get the Picture. The way the poll works is that you choose the 10 best teams in the nation and designate one as the top team for tie breaker purposes. I will post my ballot for your adoration / ridicule. I think Moose plans to vote as well, so be sure to look for his ballot, too.

Here is my Top 10 for this week in alphabetical order with an asterisk for the top team.

Alabama

Tough loss on the road at the end of a string of hard games. There’s no reason to think they’re not one of the top teams in the nation with wins over Arkansas, Florida and Penn State.

Auburn

Closer than expected game in Lexington over the weekend, but they are still undefeated and rolling along. That win over South Carolina looks pretty good now.

LSU

Are they good? Are they lucky? I’m not sure if beating North Carolina, Florida or West Virginia is an impressive as we thought it would be, but beating all of them isn’t too bad.

Michigan State

How many teams have quality wins over teams like Wisconsin and Michigan? Not many.

Nebraska

They may be one of the 10 best teams by the time we finish the season, but they have played a pretty easy schedule thus far. I wonder how many teams would also be undefeated with their schedule.

Ohio State

Undefeated with a nice win over Miami. Their win over Illinois looks a little better this week as well.

Oklahoma

Florida State win is looking better. Beating Texas is always a nice resume game as well.

Oregon*

Nearly stumbled this week against Washington State … if you count winning by only 20 on the road nearly stumbling. Their victory over Stanford is the key resume piece.

South Carolina

Georgia win doesn’t look like it’s going to define the season like most years. Alabama win might.

TCU

I don’t think too highly of their schedule this far, but they haven’t been scored on in the last two weeks.

Notable absences

Arkansas

They need to beat someone good to deserve this. They’ll have their chance this weekend.

Boise State

Their claim to a Top 10 ranking isn’t much stronger than James Madison’s, but they are just barely out. They would be in if it were an 11 team poll.

Florida State

I have a big problem with that Oklahoma loss. They need to do more than beat Miami to overcome that one.

Stanford

Little light on notable wins and that Oregon game kinda got away from them.

Wisconsin

Lackluster wins and a loss to the only good team they’ve played.

I will be voting in the Mummme Poll this year, which is a poll run by The 3rd Saturday in Blogtober and Get the Picture. The poll ranks the Top 12 teams but only the top 5 are specified in any one ballot. Unlike the traditional polls, there is no preseason or even early season voting. This ballot is the first of the year. Also, unlike traditional polls, you can vote in it if you want.

Senator Blutarsky explains:

The inspiration for the Mumme Poll came from the final 2007 regular season Coaches Poll and Tony Barnhart’s post breaking down some of the more questionable ballots. (You can read that post here.) The poll is in fact named in honor of the most questionable vote of that Coaches Poll – Hal Mumme’s ballot listing Hawaii as the number one team in the country.

In response, the initial Mumme Poll ran at Get The Picture for the 2008 season. Florida finished first at season’s end.

As far as your possible participation, the Senator continues:

We’re (small “d”) democrats here. Mumme Poll voting is open to any knowledgeable, enthusiastic college football fan. That’s part of the fun of it.

Follow the links for more information and explanation. If you want to vote, you need to hurry; I think they are going to close out registration at 9pm on Monday.

link, link, link

The ballot

1. Florida

Still undefeated after last year’s national championship. Until proven otherwise, they are the number one team.

2. Alabama

Despite yesterday’s meh-inducing win over Kentucky, they are playing like the most complete team in the country. Their wins over Arkansas and Virginia Tech continue to look impressive.

3. Virginia Tech

The Miami win and an understandable loss to Alabama put the Hokies in the Top 5.

4. Southern Cal

Road wins over Cal and Ohio State outweigh a head scratching loss to Washington.

5. LSU

Quality win at Georgia anchors an otherwise mediocre resume.

The rest, in no particular order

Texas

They look like a Top 5 team, but without a signature win, I don’t think they deserve to be there yet. They will have plenty of opportunities to earn their way there.

Auburn

Undefeated and looking impressive while doing it, but no real signature win to propel them into the top 5.

Iowa

Clearly deserving because of their win at Penn State, but way-too-close wins over Northern Iowa and Arkansas State may indicate some chinks in the Hawkeye armor.

Cincinnati

Looking good against weak competition. How good are they? Will anyone on their schedule be good enough for us to judge?

Boise State

Relying on the Oregon win more than blind man relies on his seeing eye dog. Their putrid schedule will probably keep them out of the top 5, but they appear to be one of Top 12 teams in the country.

Miami

3-1 after playing the hardest opening schedule in the country.

Oregon

After an early loss to Boise State, the Ducks have rebounded nicely with wins over Utah and Cal.

Comments, arguments, irrational rants?

Mumme Poll Ballot: Week Six

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