BEVO BEAT Football
Bohls: Crazy love for Nittany Lions
Posted December 4th, 2016
I know, I know.
Penn State lost twice, big to Michigan on the road and to a good Pittsburgh team that also whipped Clemson.
But I’m a big believer in conference champions AND head-to-head meetings. And that’s why my Associated Press Top 25 ballot puts the Nittany Lions No. 2 ahead of one-loss Ohio State and behind Alabama. I don’t expect many to agree with it, but Penn State’s one of the hottest teams in the country since it was injury-ravaged in the blowout loss to the Wolverines.
I do not discount the Buckeyes. They have been very impressive although they narrowly averted upsets against Northwestern and Michigan State, both below-average teams, and didn’t even look like the better team in their home win over Michigan.
That said, I think Ohio State does belong in the College Football Playoff along with undisputed Alabama, ACC champion Clemson and Big Ten champion Penn State. I’d omit Washington because the Pac-12 was not a strong conference this year, and the Huskies have a horrid non-conference schedule with Portland State, Idaho and Rutgers. At least, Ohio State played (and trounced) Oklahoma, and Clemson scheduled (and beat) Auburn, a Power 5 conference team.
Here’s my ballot:
- Alabama
- Penn State
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Washington
- Oklahoma
- USC
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Colorado
- Western Michigan
- Florida State
- Oklahoma State
- Pittsburgh
- West Virginia
- Iowa
- Virginia Tech
- Louisville
- Stanford
- Air Force
- Temple
- South Florida
- Boise State
- Florida
- Auburn
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