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Alligator Army Week 4 BlogPoll Draft Ballot: Oklahoma Rises

After the jump, reasoning.

  • Oklahoma's win over Florida State reminded me a lot of Florida's BCS National Championship Game win over Oklahoma. No, the Sooners weren't incredible from beginning to end, but they made big plays when they needed to make them, survived a fourth quarter rally to tie, and surprised me with a defense that did more than I thought it would. Sure, E.J. Manuel/Clint Trickett are not Sam Bradford, but Doak at night isn't the same as a home state crowd in a national championship game, either.
  • LSU jumps Boise State because I no longer think Boise can solve LSU's defense more than four of 10 times. I really wish I could just leave Boise, LSU, and Alabama tied for second; I think all three are just a half-step behind Oklahoma, and I'm only ranking Boise ahead of 'Bama because the Broncos' best win is better.
  • If I'm rewarding Oklahoma for beating Florida State, I'm also rewarding the 'Noles for a valiant loss. That team could still run the rest of its slate and play for a national championship, and its defense did fantastic work against Oklahoma's offense for much of the night.
  • Oklahoma State gave up 365 yards rushing to Tulsa early Sunday morning. I realize that came in a startlingly unique game, but that's still not nearly a good defense, and the Brandon Weeden-Justin Blackmon combination will have to continue to be great for the Cowboys to stay in my top 10.
  • South Carolina should be so much better than it has been on the field in its first three games. So much talent, so many mistakes.
  • Baylor could beat Florida, especially the team we saw on Saturday.
  • Vanderbilt being No. 23 is more reflective of me wishing I could rank just 23 teams this week than my faith in the Commodores. Ole Miss is terrible (remember, Ole Miss lost to a BYU team that got fire-bombed by Utah over the weekend ... and that Utah team just whiffed on beating USC), and beating a terrible team like a drum doesn't impress me.

Thoughts, those of you who didn't spend Sunday in bed and sucking Halls?