Football Rankings Change After Saturday's Game

The football rankings have changed pretty dramatically following this week's games. Mississippi State took on UT-Martin in a gimme game and Florida State had no trouble in their game against Virginia as they beat the Cavaliers 34-20. FSU's biggest test may come against a resurgent Florida team on the 29th of Nvember.

Auburn dropped to 9th after their loss to Texas A&M. TCU climbed to #6 with their win over Kansas State, Arizona State moves up to 7th with their decisive victory over Notre Dame and Ohio State climbed to #8 with a convincing win over Michigan State.

Read the AP article here.

1st CFB Playoff Rankings Released

Controversy here we come! Probably not with the #1 and #2 in the rankings but from there down look out.

#1 Mississippi State and #2 Florida State are the two undefeated teams left. Right now they deserve their ranking.

One would think that Ole Miss would have fallen farther than 4th with the loss to LSU.

"Head to head is important, but it's not the only factor, obviously," Playoff selection committee chairman Jeff Long said.

"We're still early in this process," Long added.

#3 Auburn and #4 Ole Miss would be in if this was selection week. Oregon comes in at #5 followed by Alabama, TCU, Michigan State, Kansas State and Notre Dame at #10.

ESPN has the story here.

Graham Watson editor of drsaturday for Yahoo.com sees the rankings in a slightly different light here.

World Series Game 1 Least Watched

The NY Times has an article today by Jonathan Mahler and Bill Carter explaining that Major League Baseball is no longer the center of attention in US Television Sports.

Their argument is that only 12.2 million viewers tuned in to Game 1 of the World Series. Sunday Night Football, they say, drew 24 million. They called that game a regular season game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. What they failed to mention is that the game was between last year's Super Bowl team, with Peyton Manning about to break Brett Favre's career touchdown record, and a team that was one play away from making the Super Bowl last year.

Even the Florida State against Notre Dame matchup drew more viewers they note, again failing to mention that #2 FSU, with the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and all his personal problems, was facing it's toughest challange to an undefeated season and possible back-to-back National Championships, against #5 Notre Dame with it's own TV Network and legion of fans nationwide.

There are reasons why the NFL and college football draw more viewers than baseball in the regular season. Every loss could mean elimination from the playoffs.

NFL football, and this year college football, playoffs are a single elimination format - lose and go home. Baseball playoffs are either best of 5 or best of 7 formats. There is no feeling of win now or wait til next year. In 2011, 25 million viewers tuned in watch the 7th game of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers, the first series to go 7 games since 2002 and, in essence, a single elimination game.

You have compound problems with the 2014 World Series. Small markets, no "household names" and literally not the "best" teams playing in the series.

Kansas City is the smallest TV market in major league baseball while the Giants rank 14th of the 32 markets.

Cable TV hypes players all year, from April through September, usually from the big markets. (ie. NY, Boston, LA and Detroit) Think Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Miguel Cabrerra, Giancarlo Stanton, Big Papi, Derek Jeter. These players are highlighted every day for 6 months. There are no "big names" on either of this years teams.

Then you have the perception that the teams playing are not the "best" team of either league. The Kansas City Royals were the 4th best team in the American League while the San Francisco Giants were the 5th best team in the National League. Throughout the early playoffs, neither team was picked to win a series they were in. The saying that perception is reality holds true in the 2014 World Series.

Lastly, the late starts do effect viewership. An 8 o'clock start on the East Coast costs viewers. Without an East Coast team, games during the week and on Sunday, fans won't stay up that late to watch the whole game. They can always check in on the internet to find out the score. In fact, most adults under the age of 40 do not watch TV and get their news and sports from the 'net.

If all baseball wanted was to improve World Series TV ratings, here is what Major League Baseball should do.

Go back to 2 leagues, American League and National League. Play 146 games during the season to determine the top 4 teams. Have those 4 teams play a 1 game playoff. (#1 v #4 and #2 v #3) The winners to play another 1 game playoff. That gives you 6 single elimination games. The League winners would then meet in a best of 5 game World Series to determine a Champion. With the shorter schedule and a shorter playoff, the season could be over by the middle of October instead in dragging on until the end of October or early November.

Interest would be sky high for every game. I know this won't happen but if Major League Baseball calls I'll fill them in on the details...One can dream!

What a Week for College Football

For the first time since 1994, 4 of the top 6 ranked teams lost on the same weekend. Let's take a look at what happened.

#1 Florida St. crushed Wake Forest 43-3
     Roberto Aguayo kicks 5 FGs in win
#2 Oregon lost to previously unranked Arizona 31-24
     Arizona rushes for 207 yards
#3 Alabama lost to #11 Ole Miss 23-17
     Ole Miss ties the game and Alabama fumbles the unsuing kickoff - Ole Miss scores
#4 Oklahoma lost to #25 TCU 37-33
     Trevor Knight throws 2 INTs in loss
#5 Auburn beats #15 LSU 41-7
     Nick Marshall has 326 yards total offense and scores 4 TDs
#6 Texas A&M loses to #12 Mississippi State
     Dak Prescott has 336 yards and 5 TDs in Miss. St. win
#7 Baylor beats Texas 28-7
     Texas scores with less than 3 minutes to play to make the game look closer
#8 UCLA lost to previously unranked Utah 30-28
     Utah kicks FG with :34 on the clock
#9 Notre Dame beats #14 Stanford 17-14
     Golson throws TD on 4th and 11 play for the victory
#10 Michigan State beats #19 Nebraska 27-22
     MSU takes 27-3 lead, hangs on to win
#13 Georgia beats previously unranked Vanderbilt 44-17
     Todd Gurley 25 carries 165 yards and 2 TDs
#16 USC lost to previously unranked Arizona State 38-34
     46 yard TD pass as time expires wins it for ASU
#17 Wisconsin lost to previously unranked Northwestern 20-14
     Godwin Igwebuike has 3 INTs in upset
#18 BYU lost to previously unranked Utah State 35-20
     Taysom Hill, BYU quarterback fractures leg
#20 Ohio State beats Maryland 52-24
     Esekiel Elliott has 139 yards rushing on 24 carries for OSU
#21 Oklahoma State beats Iowa State 37-20
     Iowa State AD bemoans officiating in loss
#22 East Carolina beats SMU 45-24
     Shane Carden 31 of 41 for 410 yards and 4 TDs
#23 Kansas State beats Texas Teeh 45-13
     Jake Waters had 395 total yards with 4 passing TDs and a rushing TD

As you can see 5 of the top 8 ranked teams lost this week and 8 of the top 18 ranked teams lost. It was quite a week in college football.

Florida State should maintain it's solid hold in the #1 spot. Oregon which lost to an unranked Arizona should drop out of the top four. Alabama with it's close loss to #11 Ole Miss should stay in the top four. Oklahoma and Texas A&M will both drop. Baylor should move into the top four. Mississippi Stste and Ole Miss should move up pretty good although neither should be able to jump Notre Dame in the rankings. It is possible that ND jumps into 4th in the polls...we'll have to see come Sunday night.