My Preseason Top Ten

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (vs Marshall)
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (vs San Jose State)
3. Texas Longhorns (vs Rice)
4. Florida Gators (vs Miami, OH)
5. Iowa Hawkeyes (vs Eastern Illinois)
6. Nebraska Cornhuskers (vs Western Kentucky)
7. Virginia Tech Hokies (vs Boise State in Landover, MD)
8. Boise State Broncos (vs Virginia Tech in Landover, MD)
9. TCU Horned Frogs (vs Oregon State in Arlington, TX)
10. Oregon Ducks (vs New Mexico)

Outside Looking In...
Oklahoma Sooners
Wisconsin Badgers
Miami Hurricanes

Slight change of plan with my rankings, and it goes as follows: Boise State has done nothing to deserve being as high as #3 in the polls. Sure, they are a consistent, impressive program that has beaten Oklahoma and TCU in the Fiesta Bowl two out of the last four seasons, but why should a team from the God-awful WAC be ranked ahead of Florida, Texas, Iowa, etc.? Short answer: they shouldn't.

I am taking a stand here, which is coming from someone that is all for equal opportunity in sports for the little guys, that teams like Boise State need to prove right out of the gate (ex: BSU beating eventual Pac 10 champion Oregon in the first weekend of football last season) that they are worthy by beating the big shots on their schedule. If Boise beats Virginia Tech AND Oregon State (my pick to represent the Pac 10 in the Rose Bowl), then I will rank them accordingly. You think people have been ragging on the schedules that conferences like the Big East and Big Ten have been playing the past few seasons, then look at what Boise gets to play every year! New Mexico State and Idaho don't exactly match up to Syracuse and Indiana every year... and that is saying something.

Note to Boise State: win, and you earn my respect. Lose, and you go back to being an afterthought. It may not be fair, but welcome to the world of sports, Broncos.