Sunday Poll Watch

The poll watch begins...

-- 10:41 am: Mizzou may have a leg up in the online BlogPoll, where Missouri entered the weekend at No. 25. The Sunday Morning Quarterback didn't have many great things to say about the Tigers before Western Michigan:

"Missouri just makes me pause. The Tigers have beaten two BCS conference teams, but it was Illinois and Ole Miss, two of the worst, most mid-major-like of the available options. And Mizzou's defense has struggled dramatically to stop attacks that were striving to improve to mediocrity - 484.5 allowed per game to Ole Miss and Illinois. Eh. Win is a win is a win, and everyone below Missouri has either lost or feasted on the even sicker and weaker, but the Tigers are in with a bullet for now."

I'll keep an eye out for thoughts on Mizzou in the upcoming blog poll, and of course, the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll.

-- 11:41 am: According to the USA Today, the coaches say Mizzou is worthy. Among the free falling are ex-No. 11 UCLA, ex-No.15 Georgia Tech, ex-No. 16 Arkansas and ex-No. 24 Tennessee.

Other notes from the USA Today poll:
- USC retakes a commanding lead at the top, securing 44 first place votes to LSU's 8 and Florida's 7.
- Texas retains No. 6 spot despite barely escaping UCF on the road.
- Three Big 10 teams in top 10: No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 9 Ohio State and No. 10 Penn State
- Big 12 has five teams in Top 25. Nebraska drops to No. 22, and Texas Tech is still on outside looking in.
- Some teams that are starting to get some well-deserved love: No. 12 Boston College, No. 13 Oregon, No. 14 Clemson
- Sell these teams high: No. 6 Texas, No. 14 South Carolina, No. 16 Texas A&M, No. 17 Virginia Tech, No. 18 Hawaii, No. 19 Louisville
- Missouri still sits behind the last two flavors of the week: No. 24 South Florida and No. 23 Kentucky

-- 12:29 pm: The Associated Press feels the love, placing Mizzou at No. 25 in its poll as well.

A couple interesting notes:
- If nothing changes, the Big 12 North showdown will feature No. 24 Nebraska and No. 25 Missouri. I wonder if the writers will find the teams this even in October or if the Big Red Bias takes over once again.
' - Texas and Oklahoma both drop one spot, Texas because of its own issues and Oklahoma because of the strong showing by Florida yesterday.
- Again, I feel the love for No. 13 Oregon, No. 14 Boston College, No. 15 Clemson.
- Again, not feeling it for No. 12 South Carolina, No. 17 Virginia Tech, No. 18 Louisville, No. 19 Hawaii, and No. 20 Texas A&M. SC, VT, Louisville and aTm deserve rankings, but lower than where they currently sit. I still don't buy the Hawaii hype.
- Also think the AP may have jumped the gun a litle on putting Alabama at No. 16.
- I'm interested to see how the AP treats No. 21 Kentucky and No. 23 South Florida when those teams lose their first game.
- Mizzou beat out Arkansas and Georgia Tech for the No. 25 spot.

Now, up next for Mizzou to really make an impression on voters? That vaunted Illinois State football program makes its way to Columbia...