Blogpoll Roundtable: The Midseason Review

The season is at the halfway point and this weeks Blogpoll Roundtable is taking a look at the college football world and what may be in store for it during the remainder of the season.

The Roundtable is brought to you by Corn Nation, a Nebraska blog that weathered the Callahan Twister of the early nineties.

Now for this weeks roundtable...

1. We’re about half way through the season. Has your team met your expectations, wildly exceeded them, or are you about to light the torches and storm your athletic department demanding blood?

The Fighting Irish are right on par of what I really thought they would be this year. However, I really thought that they could have beaten Michigan State and that they should have beaten North Carolina. A 4-2 record is light years ahead of where they were in 2007 with a 1-5 record at the halfway point, but there have been moments where it didn't seem so far away. But overall, I am pretty happy with the way the team is progressing from game to game. Jimmy Clausen is playing really well and the offensive line is protecting his ass.

2. In an election year, all sorts of promises will be made, few will be kept. What is one promise or item you thought you could count on that hasn’t come to pass yet this season? Is there still a chance?

Most Irish fans were really looking forward to "pounding the ball" this year after Weis stated in a summer press conference that Notre Dame would be "pounding the ball." It hasn't worked out. The running game looked like an early version of the 2007 season rather than the promised "Running Lep's" of promise.

There is redemption. Because of the early ineptitude of the running game, whether it be the inability of the line to push the defenders back or the running backs for not finding the right hole, Notre Dame was forced to go to an aerial assault that has proved to be quite deadly with Golden Tate, Michael Floyd, and Kyle Rudolph amongst others. And since they are now using the passing game to open up the run, the running attack is becoming more efficient. Tie that in with Clausen checking down to his running backs, in particular Armando Allen, and the Irish are moving the ball really well- so I'm cool with that.

3. Georgia #1... No, USC #1.… No, Oklahoma #1.… No, Texas #1! Who’s the real #1 team, and who do you think will make it to the big BCS National Title game?

The real #1? I have to go with Texas right now, but that really isn't what is important. The national title game is not being played this week, so I'll just leave it at that.

Ready to scream? How about this for a national title game.... Florida and Ohio State. Somewhere deep in my gut I see the Buckeyes and Gators running the table and the rest of the contenders slipping up a bit along the way. Yes, even the greatest team ever to grace college football- USC. They lose one more game, and the field opens up and swallows Pete Carroll.

4. In only a few weeks, college football fans get to be treated with the obligatory and annual “We Need a Playoff” screaming. Well, you don’t get a playoff, but I’ll let you make one change to the BCS (and no, you can’t cop out and have the BCS commit suicide) to make the world a better place. What is your change?

I'll just go with something simple that doesn't involve the rankings, but bothers me a lot. All of the BCS games are to be played on New Years Day with the Championship to be played the very next night at 7:00 eastern standard time. I'm just not a big fan of spreading these games out. If there is no chance of having a playoff, even just a plus one game, than give the tradition of New Years Day back. Assholes.

5. Using this year ONLY - no historical references - respond to the statement “The Big 12 is a better conference than the SEC”. There’s nothing sillier than conference wars, but then again, there’s nothing sillier than how SEC fans respond to any challenge to their supremacy. Aim, Fire!

Being an Independent, nothing annoys me more than the constant bickering between fans on what conference is the best. Give it a rest. It's just stupid and is getting worse as ESPN flames the fire more and more. Root for your team, hope your opponents win most of their other games, and shut the fuck up. Quit basing your existence on your conferences ups and downs.

With that said, the Big 12 from top to bottom is a better conference than the SEC. Better quarterback play, and better coaching gives the conference the edge.

The Big 12: King Konference