I’m about to flush all the good will and many of the readers’ beliefs that I may actually know what I am talking about with regards to college football.

There is a Blog Poll for the top-25. I’m taking part, and as such there is transparency. If you want to see how other bloggers voted, go here to get the links.

This is how my ballot looks.

1. Southern Cal — Until they lose, they deserve the top spot.
2. Tennessee — Based more on potential and talent than actual belief in the spot. Can they stay out of jail during the season?
3. Texas — Even more talent than Tennessee, but until they beat Oklahoma they can’t be considered for the top couple of spots.
4. Ohio State — Their Big 11 schedule may do them in more than anything else.
5. Miami (Florida) — I think their running game will be very good this year.
6. Louisville — You want to talk about a schedule that is set up for them.
7. Michigan — They now remind me of a Jim Boeheim Syracuse team in the 80s; all the talent and a respected coach but subject to some absurd brainlocks and choke jobs during the season.
8. Florida — I think they will start out shaky but finish strong.
9. Oklahoma — You know you have a good program when you are top-10 in a rebuilding year; probably a bit overrated but they have earned it.
10. Iowa — Each season, they just seem to play better as the season goes on. A very well coached team.
11. Auburn — And yet, I can see this team out of the top-25 by December just as easily.
12. Virginia Tech — I don’t believe in Marcus “million dollar arm, million dollar athlete, 10 cent brain” Vick, and I think this team will choke down the stretch; but for now they look pretty good.
13. Louisiana State — The loss of their starting running back knocked them down several spots, but still lots of talent.
14. Purdue — Yes, they have the great schedule in the Big 11, but they will still blow a couple of games.
15. Pitt — Of course there’s some homerism here, but I think the defense will be much better and there is plenty of offense.
16. Georgia — I just don’t see enough offense, with their RB out for the season and I have no faith in their QB.
17. Texas A&M — Getting better, but still far behind Texas and Oklahoma.
18. Florida State — Nepotism kills. Killing someone might also be the only way to get suspended by Bobby “daggum” Bowden if you are a starter. I think it would take a full murder spree to actually get kicked off the team.
19. Cal — They are still a good team with a good coach even in a rebuilding year.
20. Boise State — Team responds to their coach not bolting.
21. Texas Tech — I want to reward an absurdly entertaining offense.
22. Fresno State — Almost as much offensive firepower as Boise.
23. Miami (Ohio) — They are going to scare Ohio St.
24. North Carolina State — The ACC Atlantic Division is right there for them
25. Iowa State — Someone has to win the Big 12 North division

Do I feel great about this top-25? No. I took quite a while going through this and found more reasons to doubt many of the teams. Really, I found Numbers 2-4 completely interchangeable. Same with 5-8 and so on. This is, after all what I think right now. I know it won’t look the same after the season starts and definitely not by the end.

The last 5 or 6 in are as much on bias, impulse and hunch as anything else. When you get to deciding which teams make it at the end and which don’t you can make the argument either way. Six teams I considered but didn’t include:

Alabama, Arizona St., Oregon, Boston College, Toledo and Virginia.

Let the complaints begin