The Bearded Poll

So we're eight weeks into this amazing college football season, and things are messy like they usually are in college football. The number one team has lost three straight weeks, could it be four? I wouldn't be surprised at all... But one thing everyone likes to talk about is these silly, meaningless, BCS polls, and since I am the Bearded Fellow, it's time for me to share the only poll the matters... The Bearded Top Five.

Number Five: Michigan State Spartans
Never in my life did I think I'd see this, but MSU is a national championship contender folks. Kirk Cousin's is the most underrated quarterback in the country, he doesn't make many mistakes and he's got a solid arm. He sells the play action better than anyone in the country, combine that with MSU's ground game, which is always a threat, you got yourself a dangerous offense.
The question, as always, is the defense. It's very solid against the run, and has been much better than expected against the pass. The key is adjusting to the loss of Rucker, but Denard has stepped in and played very solid. The Spartans have the game of their season against Iowa at Kinnick this Saturday, if they win, they should finish 12-0.

Number Four: Texas Christian Horned Frogs.
Gotta love the Horned Frogs, they are scary good on defense. Number one in the country in points against, allowing only 9 points a game. Andy Dalton isn't a spectacular or flashy quarterback, but like Cousins, he gets the job done. The TCU ground game is one of the best in the country with the combination of Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker. TCU has an easy road ahead of them but face a tough game when they take on undefeated Utah on the road later this season.

Number Three: Auburn Tigers
But Dave, they're number one?!?!?! Not in my books. Auburn looks fantastic, Cam Newton has been unstoppable. He is there offense. He has put up absurd numbers both on the ground and threw the air. (Seems like I said this about another quarterback this year... hmmmm) Cam is a monster. He's big, he's fast, he's impossible to stop. But he's also the reason the Tigers aren't my number one. If a team contains him, then they will lose. That defense is terrible, it's not very good. Auburn still has to play Bama and the SEC title. If they can make it through that undefeated, then obviously they deserve to be in the Nation Championship. I just don't think that defense is good enough to get through the rest of the SEC, although Cam Newton has the Heisman Trophy won in my books.

Number Two: Boise State Broncos
I love Boise, always have. I loved back with Jared Zabranski and Ian Johnson before they played Oklahoma. I loved the BCS giving them a chance to play against Oklahoma, and I love them being put as number three to start the season. People are finally respecting the Boise State Broncos. They are a legitimate team. They can match up in a neutral site, one game situation with any team in the country. Could they run the table in the Big Ten, or SEC? Probably not, but they can beat any team in any of those divisions. Kellen Moore is a Heisman trophy candidate and a terrific quarterback. Titus Young and Austin Petis are two of the best wideouts in the country and the best wide receiver tandem in the nation for sure. The defense is rock solid and the offense is dynamic. Boise is a legit team folks, just accept it... Although, I do think their record IS a product of their schedule, but that doesn't mean they can't compete with any team in the country, and they can.

Number One: Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks are something else aren't they? I have yet to see an offense as dynamic as theirs. They put up points on everyone. Darron Thomas isn't the best quarterback I have ever seen, but he is a tremendous athlete and fits the Oregon system perfectly. The defense is a little questionable, but it's better than Auburn's, in my opinion, and it's been solid thus far. But that offense can out score any team that lines up against them. LaMichael James is a fantastic running back, the most dynamic runner in the country. He is faster than any other running back in the country, and is the playmaker of that offense. That offense is why Oregon is my number one.

I will say this... there may be seven undefeated teams, but there is no team in college football that I can honestly say is great. If I have used "great" to describe any of these teams as a whole, I apologize for deceiving you. These teams are all good, and they all have aspects that are great, but are these teams great? No. Alabama last year was great. 97 Michigan was great, That Tebow team, I believe 08? When he had his speech, that team was great. These teams aren't great. They all have flaws, they all have that question mark. Great teams, in my opinion, don't have that question mark. They are above and beyond better than their competition. These teams, I wouldn't call em great, I'd say they're good, they're very good, but I can't honestly say that any of these teams are "great,' I just can't do it.