LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- It's Monday, so that means it's time to mix it up. This week we go all-in on college football . . .
1. Louisville cracks the AP poll at Number 25, but doesn't make the cut in the coaches' poll or Sports Illustrated Top 25. Who got it right?
RICK: Voting in the polls is impossible even after we've seen some games. Voting in the polls when we can't even watch practice is impossible.
But somebody's got to do it, whatever it is. I don't have a problem with Louisville being in the Top 25 (go ahead and thank me, Cards' fans), but I wouldn't vote them there (you can thank me, too, UK fans).
There will be plenty of time -- and opportunities -- for Louisville to prove it belongs in the Top 25 or higher. But considering the Cards were only 7-6 last season, didn't beat anybody of substance outside the Big East and lost their bowl game to North Carolina State, I wouldn't put them in the pre-season Top 25. Let them beat North Carolina, FIU and Southern Miss to earn it.
ERIC: I agree with all that. I'd like to see the book on this team, and particularly this U of L offense, go from potential to performance before casting a ballot to put them into the Top 25. But one issue makes me think there's no problem with the Cards being there anyway.
All polls are relative. That is, you're ranked in relation to the teams around you. And in this poll, there's a big gap between 25 and 26. So for this group of pollsters, Louisville was a pretty solid choice, even at No. 25. Who in the group that's left out would you put above them? There are a few I might throw in there, but pollsters didn't really come close to doing it.
2. USC tops the AP poll, LSU the coaches' poll and Alabama is the pick of Sports Illustrated. Who's Number One?
RICK: I'll eliminate them one at a time. Sorry, USC. Pete Carroll ain't walking through that door. I'll need considerably more evidence to believe that a Lane Kiffin-coached team can win all the games a team needs to win to be a legit Number One.
That leaves me with LSU and Alabama. In other words, Les Miles vs. Nick Saban. You might be able to pick against Saban. I can't. His defense will keep the Crimson Tide in every game. His offense won't always score 40 or even 30. But Alabama can make it work with 20.
ERIC: The one problem for LSU and Alabama is the very fact you mention -- they must play against each other. And against Arkansas. USC is No. 1 and has a very good chance to stay No. 1 simply by virtue of NOT playing in the Southeastern Conference.
I don't have any more faith in Kiffin than you do, but the schedule is in his favor. His toughest game of the season (Oregon) is at home. He also gets Notre Dame at home. The toughest road test might be at No. 21 Stanford.
While LSU and Alabama duke it out, USC will be there waiting for them, and we'll see if Kiffin's infusion of talent can make some headway against the SEC juggernaut.
3. ___________________ will strike the pose with the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
RICK: Matt Barkley, the USC quarterback, seems to be starting the season in the pole position, but Andrew Luck of Stanford was in the pole position last season and he watched Robert Griffin III make the acceptance speech in New York City.
Switch to Plan B? How about Plan D -- Denard Robinson, the Michigan quarterback. He's got name recognition. He can make SportsCenter running or throwing the ball. And the Wolverines plan to return to the national discussion. I'll take Denard.
ERIC: USC. Quarterback. No. 1 ranked team. The name "Matt" is probably already engraved on the stiff-arm trophy already. All Barkley has to do is guide his team through a bunch of games it should be favored to win and he can pick up the award at the end of the ride.
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