First, let's just absorb this for a moment. Because any Irish fan's thoughts on UCLA should be framed within the context of this... [youtube]Z1k8mHNBjpw[/youtube] Good. Everyone got Europe's finest work firmly implanted in their consciousness? Yes? Ok. Now that we're in this place together, we can continue... The UCLA bruins suffered thru a year that, all else being equal, should have placed head coach Karl Dorrell on the hottest of seats after the 2006 season. In fact, watching ...
HLS Top 25 - 2007/08
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #9 – Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a bit of a conundrum, and I have a feeling we may have ranked them this high due to the "ranking momentum" they had last year, finishing at #7 in last year's AP Poll. They certainly had a solid 2006, but when you review the schedule, you realize they played... Bowling Green Western Illinois San Diego St. Michigan Indiana Northwestern Minnesota Purdue Illinois Penn State Iowa Buffalo That's, um, how do I put this nicely? Not the most intimidating ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #10 – Oklahoma
I feel a special connection with Oklahoma because, according to many Oklahoma fans with whom I've spoken, the 1999 Notre Dame/Oklahoma game in which ND won 34-30 actually convinced these fans that Oklahoma would make it "back on top" soon. And, astonishingly, they were right. This is a little weird because, at the time, Oklahoma was ranked in the top 25 and ND was unranked. In fact, until this game, ND had managed to lose 3 straight. And it was a Bob Davie coached squad. Yep. Bob Davie, ...
And So It’s Down To Ten…
Holy H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks! We started the HLSTNHT25-PE simply to help us pass the time and come up with some content during the dead months of summer. Suddenly, with a long vacation, tons of work, and an ark's worth of ND related news, I'm finding myself struggling to keep up and get this finished before kickoff of the GaTech game! I'm not sure we'll ever accomplish anything if we continue on like this. Anyway, we've written up #11-#25 and the "Also Receiving Votes." Here they are, in ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #11 – Rutgers
Who'd have believed it? A top 25 that includes Rutgers before the season even starts. (And no. I don't remember if they were ranked pre-season last year, and, darnit, I'm not looking it up.) The Scarlet Knights, I believe, owe their lofty ranking to 2 things, and 2 things only: Runnig Back Ray Rice and Head Coach Greg Schiano. If either one of these 2 figures so much as develops a bad cough during the season, they're going to bleed votes. (This mostly holds true for Ray Rice - who ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #12 – Cal
Head Coach Jeff Tedford has taken Cal and absolutely splattered them all over the national college football scene. There's just no way you can ignore them anymore. Not while Tedford keeps doing what he's doing. Tedford has lead Cal to a string of 4 bowl games in a row. It's the first time Cal has ever been to 4 straight bowl games, and it sure looks like they'll add to that record for at least the next few years. So long as they can keep Tedford a) happy and b) employed at Cal. The guy's ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #13 – Georgia
Of all the teams in the country that I'd really like to see Notre Dame play in the near future, Georgia is probably #1. Not because I hold any animosity towards them, but because they're a bit of a curiosity to me. They're Georgia, and for a guy like me who had a childhood like mine, that means they're good. And that they're always going to be good. So if that hold true, and, clearly, all anecdotal evidence from my childhood holds true, then I'd like to see Notre Dame, when we're really ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #14 – Ohio State
From ESPN's declaration that Troy Smith was God's gift to football, to Ted Ginn Sr. actually entering the national college football fan consciousness, to Sweatervest McCheatypant's efforts to look like some sort of father figure, and, of course, their fan base's ability to remind one of the scene with all the locusts from Exorcist, there is perhaps no team in the Top 25 that earns more scorn than Ohio State. This year they must replace the man, the myth, the legend: Troy Smith. How this will ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #15 – Auburn
Having never met anything about which he would not whine and complain, Tummy Tuberville has had himself quite a career. Whether it's moaning about the BCS, or just how gosh darn hard the over-hyped SEC may be, Tommy always finds a way to play victim despite having won 5 of the last 7 SEC West championships. (Note to Tommy: That doesn't sound like a very balanced division.) This year may be different. And while we probably ranked Auburn this high on mostly reputation, it looks like there's ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #16 – Louisville
Louisville first came onto my radar (and I'm sure many others) back when they became "the little team that almost beat Miami" back when Miami was still in the Big East, and it actually sorta meant something to be able to beat Miami. Much of the buzz behind this program was courtesy of their very own "mad scientist" head coach, Bobby Petrino. And when Bobby decided to move up in the world, and work on solving the Michael Vick as a NFL QB conundrum (interesting solution, Bobby), the team ...