Auburn’s Opponents Are “Turrible”

By my own admission, I am a masochistic sports addict, which in the state of Alabama means that I listen to WJOX sports talk radio on a (too) regular basis. While you can occasionally hear intelligent discussion on this station, it is usually drowned out by the trailer dwelling mouth breathers screaming about “Bammers” this and “Barners” that.

The Bama/Auburn Homer/Hater (depending on which team you support) and WJOX radio personality Paul Finebaum wrote in an article published today that “West Virginia (3-1) is the only team with a winning record that Auburn has beaten” and “When you add up to the record of Auburn's five opponents, the combined mark is 9-14.” This is a valid point, but without the context of the other top teams in the country, it is a very misleading statement. For example, the number 3 team in the country (who should probably be number 1), Alabama, boasts an overall opponent record of 9-12, with just one team, Virginia Tech, with a winning record. Oddly, Mr. Finebaum failed to mention this, or was unaware of it. I’m not saying Alabama isn’t good (they are), but I am pointing out that Finebaum’s argument doesn’t hold water, at least not when compared to other teams.

To compare apples to apples, here is a look at a few of the top teams in football, judged by the same standard that was placed on Auburn:

#1 Florida (4–0) Opponents' Record (8–10) No Opp. w/ winning record

#2 Texas (4–0) Opponents' Record(11–9) LA Monroe/Wyoming/Tex Tech(3-2)

#3 Alabama (5–0) Opponents' Record (9–12) Virginia Tech (4-1)

#4 LSU (5–0) Opponents' Record (11–13) Georgia (3-2)

#5 VT (4–1) Opponents' Record (16–7) AL(5-0), Marsh(3-2), Nebr/Miami(3-1)

#6 Boise St. (5–0) Opponents' Record (7–16) Oregon (4-1)

#7 USC (4–1) Opponents' Record (11–13) Ohio St (4-1), Cal (3-2)

#8 Cincinnati (5–0) Opponents' Record (8–15) Rutgers(3-1), Oreg. St(3-2)

#9 Ohio St. (4–1) Opponents' Record (14–10) USC(4-1), Navy/Illinois/Ind.(3-2)

#10 TCU (4–0) Opponents' Record (7–10) No Opp. w/ winning record

This is why it is absurd to rank teams at this point in the season, and even more ridiculous to rank them in the pre-season. USC has no business near the top ten, with a loss to a 2-3 Washington team who had a lot of heart but who aren’t very good (and don’t bring up their Notre Dame game as a defense, as the Irish are beyond bad this year). Ohio State isn’t even the best team in the Big 11 (that title belongs to Iowa at this point) and they also have a loss to USC, who we’ve already covered. The only one loss team who should be near the top ten is Virginia Tech, who played well against a very strong Alabama squad, and who showed resilience against Nebraska, but struggled against Duke.

Our final “durr” ranking comes from Boise State, who beat an inconsistent Oregon team and will play absolutely no one of any substance for the rest of the season, and whose opponents’ combined record is a stunning 7-16, making Alabama look great, and Auburn look decent by comparison. And this is the best hope for a BCS buster? Unfortunately, pre-season and early season rankings are going nowhere, so I’ll move on.

In looking at the top ten teams, especially five games into the season, I feel like there is a strong argument, especially based on Mr. Finebaum’s criteria, that Auburn is a top ten team. Anyone with one loss five games into the season has no business in the top ten. This year, more than most in recent memory, there is very little clarity in the top 25. Outside of Alabama, Florida, and Texas, you could almost throw the other names in the air, put them in random order, and it would still make almost as much sense as it does now.

Ultimately there is one sure way to move up in the rankings, and that is to keep winning. Hopefully Auburn will continue to do so, but the seven games left in the season are going to be significantly more difficult than the first five. And wouldn’t it be amazing if an undefeated Alabama played an undefeated Auburn in the Iron Bowl? It almost surely won’t happen, but if it does, I totally called it.