Daily Blog •July 16, 2013

Conference Polls are Open!

The last couple of years I have I put up a poll for everyone to pick who would win each conference game during the year. I found these results fascinating prior to the year. When you vote in the poll, it tabulates the current % of votes for each team in each individual game. Here are the results of the fan poll from 2012.

Four years ago you guys scored a low of 121 points, which was 11 points lower than GamePlan. Some of the conferences and divisions you did the best in were the SEC East (0 pts!) SEC West (4 pts) and the Mountain West 8 points.  Three years ago you guys finished right behind Lindy’s and ATS Consultants for 4th place with 116 points and last year you had 145 points, which was middle of the road.

The scores are figured by taking each publication's forecasting accuracy by comparing the predicted finish with the actual finish of each team in the conference. Keep in mind the chart is similar to Golf scores in that the lower the score the more accurate.

If you have any questions on the scoring or need further explanation please refer to pages 326-327 of this year's magazine or visit stassen.com or check out the June 21 blog.

We put the conference polls up a couple of weeks ago for this year’s games and this is a great way for me to gauge how the public views each game. When you vote you have the entire conference schedule in front of you and the home team is capitalized. To vote you do need to register your e-mail address but this is just to make sure there is no stuffing of the ballot box.

Here are the top games from each conference and how the public views each game to date. Keep in mind these percentages will change between now and the start of the season.


SEC:

  1. Alabama (72%) at Texas A&M (28%). Last year was only 5th meeting all-time and first since 1988, but there is already bad blood after Tide suffered only loss last season. It was a great situation for Aggies as Tide were off a draining come-from-behind win over LSU. This isn’t the case this year as Bama is off a bye and will be looking for revenge and 72% of you think they get it.
  2. South Carolina (36%) at Georgia (64%). Winner here takes early command in SEC East. The Gamecocks have won 3 straight for the first time in a series that dates back to 1894 (65 games).  Last year’s 28 point margin of victory was the largest ever for South Carolina but prior to last 3 years, UGA had won 10 of 13. 64% of you call for UGA to snap their losing streak.
  3. LSU (21%) at Alabama (79%). Miles and Saban have split their 6 regular season matchups with all six decided by single digits. Last year Bama rallied with a 72-yard touchdown drive with :51 left. Both teams are off byes but Tide at home are 32-3 last 5 years and 79% of you think the Tide win their 3rd straight over the Tigers.

Big Ten:

  1. Wisconsin (14%) at Ohio St (86%). The Buckeyes have won four of the last five meetings including two straight in the final seconds. The Badgers are just 1-7 in Big 10 road openers and this is a night game where Meyer and Co beat Nebraska 63-38 last year in same setting. 86% of you call for the Bucks to win their 3rd straight.
  2. Michigan St (17%) at Nebraska (83%). The Huskers are 7-0 all-time vs Michigan State and 3-0 under Pelini including the 2003 Alamo Bowl when he was an interim. Last year, the Huskers got a 5-yard TD pass w/:06 left to pull out win. Situation does favor MSU as they are off a bye while Huskers are off Michigan. 83% of you call for the Huskers to move to 8-0 all-time.
  3. Ohio St (75%) at Michigan (25%). The Buckeyes have owned the series as of late winning 8 of the last 9 including 26-21 last year in the first matchup between Hoke and Meyer. This year the Bucks despite traveling may have the sked edge only off Illinois and Indiana while Michigan is off 3 tough games and a tricky road game at Iowa. 3 out of 4 of you call for the Buckeyes to make it 9 out of 10.

Big 12:

  1. Texas (47%) vs Oklahoma (53%). The Longhorns are only 4-9 vs the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry and have lost the last two games by an average of 40 points per game. Only 3 of the last 15 games have been decided by single digits. Situational edge to Texas off a bye and a Thursday night game vs Iowa State while Oklahoma is off ND and TCU. This one is nearly split down the middle much like how the fans are split at the Cotton Bowl every year.
  2. Oklahoma St (36%) at Texas (64%). Texas had dominated the series winning 12 in a row before the Cowboys won back-to-back games in 2010-11. Last year UT scored a controversial TD w/:29 left to pull out the 41-36 win, their 7th consecutive in Stillwater.  Horns proud home tradition has taken a hit recently but they are still 66-13 at home since 2000.
  3. Oklahoma (37%) at Oklahoma St (63%). Last time here, OU suffered its worst Bedlam loss s/’45 and the last and only time OU has dropped B2B trips to Stillwater was in 1930 & 1932. Last year OSU blew a double digit 2H lead in the OT loss but the majority of you call for them to get revenge.    

ACC:

  1. Florida St (49%) at Clemson (51%). The home team has won 6 straight and last year’s matchup was just the 9th time that two ACC teams came in ranked in the Top 10. While the Tigers have won 5 straight over FSU in Death Valley, the Noles come in off a bye while Clemson is playing a 5th straight week. This one is split right down the middle.
  2. Miami, Fl (24%) at Florida St (76%). Prior to FSU winning the last two meetings as a big favorite, there were 8 upsets in 9 years. Both teams were ranked in the Top 20 eight straight years from 1999-2006 but hasn’t happened since. 10 of the last 12 games have been decided by a touchdown or less
  3. Virginia Tech (38%) at Miami, Fl (62%). UM last won 2 straight in 2001 and 2002. Last year, which was also played here, UM never trailed in the 30-12 win. 62% of you call for the Canes to get their 2nd consecutive win.

Pac-12:

  1. USC (71%) at Arizona St (29%). This one could decide the North division title even though it comes early in the season. USC is 12-1 vs ASU but lost the last time here as they led 22-21 but 4 TO’s cost them. They were able to get revenge last year 38-17 and a majority of you call for them to make it 13 of 14.
  2. Oregon (74%) at Stanford (26%). Arguably biggest Thursday night game in CFB history. Ducks should come into the game unbeaten (double digit favorite in 1st 8 games) and both teams are off byes. Ducks have won 9 of last 11 in series and will be looking to avenge last year’s lone loss and a majority of you think they get it done.
  3. Stanford (58%) at USC (42%). The Cardinal have owned the Trojans as of late becoming just the third Pac-12 team since WWII to beat them 4 straight years. The situation does favor USC though as they are only off Cal and have “lowly” Colorado on deck while Stanford is off Oregon but 58% of you call for the series domination to continue.

AAC:

  1. Rutgers (10%) at Louisville (90%)
  2. UCF (24%) at Louisville (92%)
  3. Louisville (88%) at Cincinnati (12%)

MW:

  1. Boise St (35%) at Fresno St (65%)
  2. Fresno St (70%) at San Diego St (30%)
  3. Boise St (66%) at San Diego St (34%)

CUSA:

  1. Tulsa (55%) at East Carolina (45%)
  2. Marshall (18%) at Tulsa (82%)
  3. East Carolina (27%) at Marshall (73%)

MAC:

  1. Toledo (25%) at Bowling Green (75%)
  2. Ohio (15%) at Bowling Green (85%)
  3. Northern Illinois (49%) at Toledo (51%)

Sun Belt:

  1. Louisiana (25%) at WKU (75%)
  2. Louisiana (51%) at Arkansas St (49%)
  3. ULM (49%) at Louisiana (51%)

Also make sure to vote on who you think will win each non-conference game on the homepage. Hundreds of you have already voted on the games and I will be doing a check of the top non-conference games later this week.

Only 44 Days Until the First College Football Game!!!