I promised myself I would take what I learned from last year’s Top 15 and try to apply to this year’s poll. I pride myself on learning from elementary mistakes and not making them again, but then again, I drank 20 ounces of cold turkey gravy on a dare last year and could very well do the same again this year. Take that as you will.

Yum.

So, without further ado, my completely unscientific Top 15 of which I shall be referred to as a genius at season’s end:

1. Michigan
2. West Virginia
3. LSU
4. Louisville
5. Wisconsin
6. Texas
7. Florida
8. USC
9. Georgia Tech
10. Oklahoma
11. California
12. Georgia
13. Hawaii
14. Virginia Tech
15. Auburn

Observations:

• Winner of West Virginia/Louisville game will play for title. It’ll be the ‘Eers this year; Rutgers won’t factor into the Big East equation like they did last year.
• Winner of Michigan/Wisconsin game will play for title. It’ll be the Wolverines this year; Ohio State won’t factor into the Big Ten equation like they did last year.
• I needed a smaller-conference juggernaut, and this year it’s Hawaii. BCS ratings and computer rankings and all that be damned, if they go undefeated, they should get a BCS bid.
• I also needed one conference Cinderella, and this year’s Cinderella is wearing any number of shades of mustard yellow, a pocket protector, and missed the ball because she was too busy playing World Of Warcraft. But she won’t miss Ball this year… ha! Get it? See where I’m going with that?
• USC will win the Pac-10, but lose two games along the way.
• Virginia Tech had a distraction-free offseason, so they sneak in here.