oldschoolcapper
The list I provided was total offense. Combines rushing & passing yards. Source was usatoday statistics. As you can see, AU has not faced great offensive teams.
I think you misread my post. I never said AU had a bad or average defense. I think AU has a great defense but NO WAY do I think AU has the BEST DEFENSE in the country. The reason I think that is they have not been tested by a great offensive team. UGA was the best offense AU has faced and for the most part, AU opponents had very few great offensive attacks.
That is why I showed the list to back up my argument!
AU "may" have the best defense, I know they have a very good defense, and I know AU has passed the test all year on defense. Still does not change the fact they have not been tested! If AU defense shuts down USC, OU, or CAL offense, then I know they are for real and prob. the best defense in the country.
And I'd still like to hear a response on why Oregon St. should be ranked in the Top 25.
Read my first post in this thread, it is highlighted in
bold. That should answer your question!
medlisg
I also would like you to show me a better defense than AU! I don't think your darling trojans could run the ball against the TIGERS defense and they would have trouble in the air. USC has not faced a Defense like AU's.
How can you say you know USC couldn't run against Auburn? AU has not faced an offense as good or talented as USC all year. AU has not faced a QB as good as Leinart all year. AU has not faced a RB like Bush all year. AU has not faced an offensive coordinator as good as Norm Chow all year? If AU played OU or CAL and stopped them, then you could argue AU has a good prob. of stopping USC. The best offense AU faced and stopped was UGA and I personally do not think highly of their offense. They are not that great and def. not in the caliber of USC, OU, or CAL.
FYI, AU does not have great DB's. I do not think USC would have much trouble passing against AU. Again, AU has not stopped an offense close to as good as USC, so how do you know?
USC has faced some solid defenses. Not saying these defenses are better or worse, but they are damn good. V-Tech, CAL, Oregon St., and ND aint too shabby. As for the USC defense, they have faced some great offenses this year and passed the test every week. CAL, Oregon St., Arizona St., V-Tech, and UCLA is extremely talented on offense. So they will have been very tested and tested often. UGA would be the only offense that AU has faced that would put in this category of teams. I think everyone can agree to that.
EVERYONE can stop looking stupid and stop the BS stats that CAL put up against USC. That was the freaking gameplan. USC held the #1 offensive team in the country to 17pts. IF you watched the game, USC's gameplan was to give up EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH and make Cal march down the field. Despite CAL QB Rogers being virtually perfect for the day, CAL only scored 17pts. Carroll knows it is difficult for college offenses to march down the field. Takes extreme discipline AND QB being on target. People need to become educated on this. If CAL scored 30+pts then I would say Carroll's strategy didn't work.
Also, I would like to remind you that USC is only at the top of the polls because they started there. Had they even started 10th with AU in 18th USC would not be on top today!
Preseason Polls are a rip-off!!
Why do you think USC has not earned their spot at #1? They are undefeated and played the #9 strength of schedule in the country. USC was co-national champs last year and they have earned their spot at #1. NOBODY has made an argument for why USC should not be #1. If you really believe that, please show me your argument!
That all said, if I was in charge, I would start the poll 4 weeks after the first weekend of college football. Most teams should have played 3-4 games. If that was the case, USC would be ranked #1. USC had the hardest OOC schedule and beating V-Tech @V-Tech is an extremely tough thing to do to open the season. BTW, V-Tech is #11 in the polls and might win the ACC. I remember after USC beat V-Tech everyone thought V-Tech would be lucky to finish #6 in the ACC. I also remember people poking fun of USC schedule before the season started. Funny how things turned out.
