• It’s poll-demonium (neat word!). Humans love Oregon. So says AP, Coaches, Harris, and Legends. Computers dislike. So says Anderson and Hester, Colley Matrix, Massey Ratings,  Billingsley Report, Sagarin, and Peter Wolfe. I have two conclusions: (1) We need more polls and (2) Statisticians have terrible websites.
• George Schroeder sums up how I feel about the Ducks No. 1 ranking. It is meaningful. It is something to celebrate. But still, it’s nice to know Chip is doing his job and focusing on keeping it.
• However, I really, really disliked John Canzano’s premise in his Sunday column. He wants Kelly – at the height of his career in a moment few ever experience – to denounce the system that afforded him that spotlight? Look, we all know the BCS sucks, but don’t ask a coach to degrade his accomlishment in the name of something better.
• Unrelated to the current rankings they are spitting out, the BCS computers are under fire, this time, for general suckage. It’s interesting to see Oregon ranked first in Massey’s and Sagarin’s systems which both consider margin of victory, but 9th and 2nd respectively in the BCS version of those ratings. Remember, it was after 2001 that MOV was completely removed when the Ducks finished 2nd in the polls, but couldn’t crack the BCS title game. MOV has its detractors, though, and for good reason.
• And after all that talk of rankings, we have the following quote brought to you by Chip Kelly: “Right now, it doesn’t affect anything. If you watched the last two No. 1s, they lost a week ago (Alabama) and lost again yesterday (Ohio State).”
• Guess what? I can link to something other than rankings (but admit it, you love my poll talk). It was a relief to hear over the weekend that Darron Thomas is operating at 100%. Wait, they said this about Dennis Dixon before the Arizona game in 2007 and…DEAR GOD, THERE ARE SIX GAMES LEFT AND MY INSIDES ALREADY FEEL LIKE A WARM PILE OF JELLO!! I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds awful.
• Oregon defensive backs are making a big impression in the NFL. You could say Cliff Harris will be the NFL cheese to the D-Boyz chips.
• Let’s get away from the Ducks for this final link. Kentucky superstar Randall Cobb does not like his fans. He made that obvious on Twitter. Forced apology in 3…2…1.

Skipped the “Not Sports” link today because all I read about was football.

Forget Chip and take a moment to just appreciate this.

If you live in a cave, please let me be the first to tell you that Oregon is ranked No. 1 for the first time in school history. Both the Coaches’ and AP Poll have deemed it so.

However, some early projections have Oklahoma taking the top spot in the first release of the BCS rankings later tonight. Frustrating? Perhaps, but it’s nothing to worry about.

Based on schedules played, anyone can make a fair argument for five or six other undefeated teams. Oregon’s schedule is back-loaded so it’s case for No. 1 is only going to get stronger. The Ducks are positioned perfectly.

With apologies to Chip, I’m going to be a fan and analyze the remaining undefeated teams and where they fit in the BCS title race.

Note: I consider the full 12 game schedule, not what’s been played to date

Prime-Time Contenders
Oregon, Oklahoma, Auburn, LSU

Why: Both Auburn and LSU would have a good enough schedule, but one will cancel the other out on Saturday so only one of these is a true contender. Computers like Oklahoma’s schedule so far and with games remaining against Missouri and Oklahoma State, they have future opportunities to prove something. Still, the Sooners would need to add Nebraska to the schedule in the Big 12 title game. Otherwise, undefeated Pac-10 and SEC teams would have proven more over the course of a full season.

Obviously, one undefeated team of this group could get screwed, but hard to say which one at this point.

Someone’s Gonna’ Have to Lose
Boise State, TCU

Why: The schedules after 12 games won’t be good enough to justify either team ahead of the BCS conference programs listed above. Is it elitist to say so? Probably, but that’s the system. You can’t justify leaving out a team that played a better schedule and is every bit as good to the naked eye.

Schedule Could Be Good Enough, Probably Not Going to Happen
Oklahoma State, Missouri

Why: Oklahoma State and Missouri actually have decent schedules when all is said and done. But both are positioned pretty far back. Each team can cancel out Oklahoma but not each other.

On schedule’s alone, either of these teams would have a better argument than Boise State and TCU after 12 games, but I’m a realist and don’t think voters would be that cruel. However, I could see either team passing TCU, but not Boise State.

Simply Not Going to Happen
Michigan State, Utah

Why: Utah is coasting on a bad schedule. It can beat TCU, but that’s it. One loss teams would have a better argument. I would also put one-loss teams ahead of Michigan State as the best Sparty can do is post wins over Wisconsin and Iowa. Not good enough.

• National media was out in full force Saturday. Andy Staples wrote for si.com that Oregon’s patience pays off. It’s a bit premature, but Dennis Dodd at cbssports.com says Oregon has taken its spot among the national elite. Don Borst of foxsports.com says the Ducks are on a rocket ship to Glendale. And here’s a few more glowing reviews from Fox. Moving to ESPN, at least one national writer projects Oregon to play Alabama for the national title. Ivan Maisel says Oregon made a statement even if it doesn’t know it. Bruce Feldman sees Oregon as second only to Alabama now. Dr. Saturday, like everyone else, has plenty of good things to say.
• The best national article came before the game, though. Pete Thamel of the New York Times detailed the Oregon offense and Jon Gruden mentions almost taking a job as offensive coordinator under Chip Kelly.
• In podcast land, The Solid Verbal reviews week five action. Haven’t listened yet, but I can promise duck fan Dan Rubenstein talks plenty of Ducks.
• Okay, enough national stuff, how about a behind the scenes video of the ESPN College GameDay production? Or, you can just rewatch the game in less than 14 minutes.
• In the AP Poll, where Oregon ranks third, the Ducks have more second place votes than third, but too many fourth place votes to move past Ohio State.
• Local coverage of the game is top-notch as always. Ken Goe has most of the local links covered (plus a list of statistical accomplishments from John Hunt). The Register-Guard has a list of its own coverage.
• Chip Kelly’s contract details (the fun ones) are provided by James Day. Highlights include a country club membership (but no lessons) and two courtesy cars (but no insurance).
• An in depth review of the athletic department budget reveals that 39 cents of every dollar spent comes from donations.

The AP Poll has Oregon 16th and the ESPNU Fan Poll slots Oregon 11th. When the Harris Poll comes out for the first time later today, there’s no doubt Oregon should get a fair ranking. But the coaches? I’ve seen Lou Holtz make more sense (only once though, let’s keep some perspective here).

I almost expected this to happen, but now that it has, I’m completely shocked. Let’s forget Cal for a second and play a little game called “Two Resumes.”

On logic found only in college football rankings, the Sooners are the eighth ranked team, Oregon 25th.

Oregon isn’t the only team the coaches are abusing. They have undefeated Iowa four spots lower than Penn State, Brigham Young 13 spots behind Oklahoma (which you can argue for), and Oklahoma State three spots ahead of undefeated Houston.

The best part is these people help decide who plays for a national title and the votes are completely concealed. Someone needs to file an injunction to get those things opened up. If they can’t vote responsibly, they shouldn’t be apart of deciding the fate of team’s post season destinations.

Save your breath. It’s the same thing every year. Your top ten will be heavy with perennial blue bloods of the BCS with one or two trendy upstarts sprinkled in that inevitably collapse as soon as they are done playing Directional U for four weeks. You’ll never see a non-BCS conference team in this top tier. The fifteen additions after that is basically another helping of BCS conference teams with a selection of 1-4 Mountain West/WAC/Conference USA teams added in so that the pollsters can pat themselves on the back for including the little guy.

The concept of a preseason poll is like reality TV – totally stupid and sadly addicting. It’s based on two things: (1) what you did last year and (2) the name on your jersey. Neither seem to make a difference in actually predicting a team’s success.

Consider that a year ago, of the top 1o teams in the final AP Poll, five of them were ranked 21st or lower to start the season while only four of the preseason top 10 actually remained there in January.

So go ahead and scream at the top of your lungs that your beloved college is being treated poorly by biased writers and absent coaches, but it doesn’t matter. Ultimately, there is only one annual truth to any preseason poll: Notre Dame is overrated.