Epic Carnival's NCAA Football Top 20 Plus One

by OMDQ, One More Dying Quail

Every week throughout the college football season, the geniuses behind Epic Carnival will be bringing you, the readers, a special treat: our own version of the national rankings, as seen through the eyes of our esteemed panel of writers. The group, which currently stands at thirteen members, is varied: some are big time fans who understand the nuances of the game, some are casual followers who base their rankings on little more than gut instinct, and one (who is not a fan at all) chooses the teams based on whose uniforms are prettier helmets are cooler (and no, it's not Sooze, Sarah, or Texas Gal - you sexist bastards).

With the season starting tonight, it seemed like just the right time for us to unveil our preseason rankings (nothing like waiting until the last minute). Many of the teams are the ones we expected to be here; some of them are more than a little shocking. And please, if you take nothing else away from this little endeavor, note carefully the team that prevented USC from being a unanimous first-place selection.

Here we go...the Epic Carnival NCAA Football Top 20 Plus One Preseason Rankings (why Plus One? Because we want a true national champion, dammit).

Rank/School (1st Place Votes)/Total Points

1 USC (12) 269

• Clearly the top team in the nation right now. – Davey, Blown Coverage


• Fine, I'll be like everyone else. – WCT, Wasting Company Time

2 Texas 225

• They won't stay here. I see a two-loss season for UT. – WCT, Wasting Company Time


• Could be playing for the National Championship or could be in this year's Weedwhacker Bowl. - DCScrap, Our Book of Scrap

3 (tie) LSU 224

• I just don't see them staying undefeated in that conference. - DCScrap, Our Book of Scrap

• Quite possibly the most talented team in the country with the nations best defense front seven. - Sterling Gould, More Credible

3 (tie) Michigan 224

• This will be Michigan's best chance at a title since '97. – Davey, Blown Coverage


• The offense is littered with returning starters and should be explosive. It's the defense that everyone's worried about. – Brandon, Sports Show On Mute

5 West Virginia 209

• Unreal running game with White, Slaton, and true frosh internet sensation Noel Devine. With that schedule, they're an easy pick for BCS title game as Rutgers and Louisville are the only real challenges. White and Slaton will probably draw each other out of the Heisman race with competing statistics on one team, but it won't matter as long as they're hanging 40 plus once a week. – Stamos, Brahsome


• Can't wait to see how they'll work in Noel Devine along with Slaton and White. – Davey, Blown Coverage

• Fastest backfield in the nation. Period. Terrible defense however. - Sterling Gould, More Credible

6 Florida 205

• Will definitely not be as good as expected. Only nine returning starters. – dswinder, Sons of Sam Malone


• No idea about this team. How will Tim Tebow do as the actual every-down QB and not the substitute for gimmicky plays? – WCT, Wasting Company Time

7 Wisconsin 164

• I may have underrated them. UW could end up in the top 5. – WCT, Wasting Company Time

8 Oklahoma 161

9 Virginia Tech 137

• As a Hurricanes fan it pains me to put them so high, but the defense is fierce, they have a Heisman candidate at running back and the qb play should be improved. – Davey, Blown Coverage

• Nations best defensive "back seven". Brandon Flowers should be playing in the NFL... now. - Sterling Gould, More Credible

10 Ohio State 133

• If Chris Wells hasn't learned how to hold on to the football, it will be a long year in Columbus. – WCT, Wasting Company Time

11 Louisville 125
12 California 112
13 Auburn 103

14 Georgia 99

• If Matt Stafford matures, this is a team that could do some damage. Start off with 3 home games, which is huge considering they're breaking in 3 new starters on the OL. Get to host Florida and Auburn but travels to Bama, Tennessee, and Ga Tech to finish the season – Stamos, Brahsome


• Mark Richt's team are always solid. – Davey, Blown Coverage

15 UCLA 86

• Could be ranked higher by the time the year is over. - DCScrap, Our Book of Scrap

16 Tennessee 80

• Should surprise some people with strong play from quarterback Erik Ainge and a strong linebacking corp. – dswinder, Sons of Sam Malone

17 Rutgers 66

• Please end the hating on Raymell Rice. Darren McWho? - Will, Brahsome

• Ray Rice is a legit Heisman contender. - Sterling Gould, More Credible

18 Penn State 43

19 (tie) Arkansas 38

• Can anyone stop McFadden? – Davey, Blown Coverage


• Two words. Darren. McFadden. – dswinder, Sons of Sam Malone

19 (tie) TCU 38

PLUS ONE...

21 Hawaii 37

• This year's version of Boise St. Colt Brennan looks to break his own record and toss for 60 TDs this year en route to a possible Heisman. How's the schedule? Um, good. In the sense that's enough of a cakewalk to possibly end undefeated but tough enough--Washington, Boise St., Fresno and the Holbrook led NMSU Aggies--to propel the Rainbow Warriors up the standings. Plus, non-BCS teams high in the polls is just so damn hot right now. - Will, Brahsome

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Boise State 28; Nebraska 27; Florida State 23; San Diego State (1) 21; Akron 18; Alabama-Birmingham 13; Southern Illinois 12; Nevada-Reno 11; Louisiana-Monroe 10; South Carolina 10; Colorado State 9; North Carolina 8; Kent State 6; Missouri 6; Texas A&M 5; Boston College 5; Miami 5; Notre Dame 3; Michigan State 1; Gardner-Webb 1; Washington 1.