Here is our preliminary week 14 blogpoll ballot.
The question I have on this week's ballot concerns the treatment of 10-2 Virginia Tech (at no. 10), 11-1 Nevada (no. 16) and 10-1 Boise State (no. 17). Yes, Boise State beat Virginia Tech to open the season. But the Hokies became the first ACC team in a decade to go 8-0 in conference, and have rattled off 10 straight wins -- the fourth longest active winning streak in the country behind Auburn, Oregon and TCU.
If you look at one measure of strength of schedule, Boise State's schedule is ranked 62nd, while Virginia Tech is right behind at 63. Nevada trails both with a SOS of 86.
But we should be rewarding Nevada's head-to-head victory over an undefeated conference opponent, right? And what about the fact that Virginia Tech has rattled off 10 straight (though only 2 of those wins came against teams ranked in the Top 25 at the time of the game). Boise State has also beaten 2 Top 25 teams -- #10 Virginia Tech and #24 Oregon State -- while Nevada claims just one win over a Top 25 team (Boise State at no. 4).
Other ballot oddities: despite the deadlock atop the Big Ten standings, this week we have Wisconsin at 5, Ohio State at 8 and Michigan State at 9. Texas A&M one spot ahead of the Missouri Tigers, who beat the Aggies back on October 16. And Utah ranked at all, whose best win is their season opening overtime win at home against Pittsburgh.
After who knows how many weeks out of our ballot, the Big East reemerges with West Virginia at #22. Well, there are two Big East teams in our ballot this week ... if you count #3 TCU.
Finally, three WAC programs in our Top 25 ballot has got to be a BC Interruption first, though all three will likely be taking their talents to the Mountain West over the next two seasons.
Thoughts?
BC Interruption Ballot - Week 14
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn Tigers (12-0) | -- |
| 2 | Oregon Ducks (11-0) | -- |
| 3 | TCU Horned Frogs (12-0) | -- |
| 4 | Stanford Cardinal (11-1) |
 1 |
| 5 | Wisconsin Badgers (11-1) |
2 |
| 6 | Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2) |
8 |
| 7 | Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) |
6 |
| 8 | Ohio St. Buckeyes (11-1) |
2 |
| 9 | Michigan St. Spartans (11-1) | -- |
| 10 | Virginia Tech Hokies (10-2) |
2 |
| 11 | Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) |
7 |
| 12 | Oklahoma St. Cowboys (10-2) |
 -4 |
| 13 | LSU Tigers (10-2) |
-7 |
| 14 | Texas A&M Aggies (9-3) |
1 |
| 15 | Missouri Tigers (10-2) |
2 |
| 16 | Nevada Wolf Pack (11-1) |
5 |
| 17 | Boise St. Broncos (10-1) |
-13 |
| 18 | South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3) |
-2 |
| 19 | Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) |
-8 |
| 20 | Florida St. Seminoles (9-3) |
-1 |
| 21 | Mississippi St. Bulldogs (8-4) |
3 |
| 22 | West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3) |
3 |
| 23 | Utah Utes (10-2) | -- |
| 24 | Maryland Terrapins (8-4) |
2 |
| 25 | Hawaii Warriors (9-3) |
1 |
|
Dropouts: N.C. State Wolfpack, Arizona Wildcats, USC Trojans Welcome (Back): West Virginia Mountaineers, Maryland Terrapins, Hawaii Warriors Maybe Next Week: Arizona Wildcats, Central Florida Knights, N.C. State Wolfpack, San Diego St. Aztecs By Conference: 6 SEC, 5 Big 12, 3 Big Ten, 3 ACC, 3 WAC, 2 Mountain West, 2 Pac-10, 1 Big East |
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