In case you missed it...

In case you missed this week's premature (I mean pre-season) comic book (I mean USA Today) polls here it is. The crayon-pushing pollers again place the USC Trojans atop the poll marking the customary loser tradition of placing last year's champion in high regard. My prediction, USC loses several games this year (three to four) and the color picture rag will eat it's own print.

On a lighter note, I do agree with the placement of Texas as high as they are. Even though I stand by my feelings that pre-season rankings are well unmerited, undeserved, and unfair, the Longhorns impressed me in what little I have read about them. Returning a strong seven/nine split of starters on offense and defense respectively, Texas appears to be the team to beat in the Big 12 this year. Quarterback Vince Young looks to carry the team on the tremendous experience he gained last season.

Virginia Tech finds itself again facing high expectations. Here the Hokies are ranked seventh. In other polls, the Hokies find themselves as high as fourth in rankings put out by columnists J. Darin Darst and Spenser Tillman of CBS Sportsline. The Hokies, who begin the season with a new general at the helm in redshirt-Junior Marcus Vick, have a lot of questions to answer from their offensive line to struggling special teams that will make or break this team. Determining a ranking of seventh (or fourth for that matter) may be fueled by media biases and favoritism. Notice, that Notre Lame is absent from the top twenty-five with only thirteen points.

Here are some other noticeable facts about the poll:

• Five ACC teams are in the top 25.
• Six SEC teams (the most) are in the top 25.
• Of the five ACC teams, three are from the Big East acquisition (thus adding fuel to "Where's the Ice?"'s claim that the Big East would have proved quite powerful).
• Georgia Tech and NC State are hanging off the bottom and could creep in.

The USA Today Week One Poll

1. USC (60) 0-0 1,547

2. Texas (2) 0-0 1,405

3. Tennessee 0-0 1,259

4. Michigan 0-0 1,242

5. Oklahoma 0-0 1,223

6. LSU 0-0 1,109

7. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,090

8. Miami 0-0 1,080

9. Ohio State 0-0 1,033

10. Iowa 0-0 1,014

11. Florida 0-0 910

12. Florida State 0-0 879

13. Georgia 0-0 838

14. Louisville 0-0 758

15. Auburn 0-0 723

16. Purdue 0-0 616

17. Texas A&M 0-0 366

18. Arizona State 0-0 304

19. Boise State 0-0 303

20. California 0-0 293

21. Texas Tech 0-0 247

22. Boston College 0-0 237

23. Virginia 0-0 210

24. Alabama 0-0 194

25. Pittsburgh 0-0 193

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Fresno State 188, Oregon 145, Utah 103, Georgia Tech 88, Wisconsin 79, NC State 69, Bowling Green 63, Penn State 44, Colorado 40, Minnesota 34, UCLA 24, UTEP 22, Nebraska 21, Kansas State 20, South Carolina 16, Notre Dame 13, Wyoming 12, West Virginia 12, New Mexico 9, Clemson 9, Arizona 8, Northern Illinois 8, Southern Miss 7, Toledo 7, Washington State 7, Michigan State 6, Iowa State 6, Memphis 5, Washington 4, Miami OH 3, Maryland 2, Kansas 1, Duke 1, UAB 1.