Advocate sports writer Scott Rabalais has a vote in the AP poll. He follows LSU closely from game to game as it is his job to report on the Tigers. Presumably he watches USC and other teams around the nation whenever possible but I doubt that he has nearly the familiarity with USC that he does with LSU. Since Rabalais has voted for USC at #2 and LSU at #3 does he honestly believe that USC is the better team or is he afraid of being acused of favoritism were he to vote LSU #2 and USC #3? If Rabalais dosen't believe deep down in his heart that USC is better than LSU then he is hurting the Tigers chances by continuing to vote them in third place. I have noticed that he consistently votes higher for other ranked SEC teams than they end up ranked from week to week. This week he falls right in line with the AP rankings voting Georgia #5, Florida #11 and Ole Miss at #17 but many weeks his rankings of SEC teams is higher than their eventual AP ranking for the week. If Rabalais is voting USC #2 out of honest conviction that they are the better team I can except that but if he doesn't he should be horse whipped and fed to Mike at halftime of the Arkansas game.
I agree that this could be a possibility, but I think he's taking a much bigger risk voting for USC at #2. He's a sportswriter in BR and this is a crucial situation for LSU football. I think that he is trying to make an unbiased judgment. If this is the case he should be commended. (He also may want to get out of town for a little while)
LSU deserves to be #3 after that Ole Miss Game and did nothing to earn a jump OVER USC after OSU lost. If you think differently, you are biased ... that simple. Ole Miss was a chance for LSU to make a "STATEMENT" by crushing a ranked, SEC unbeaten team. Had they crushed Ole Miss ... like they should have ... THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUSE FOR MORE THAN 3 (of the 63 total) AP writers TO VOTE LSU #2. LSU needs 30 more (of the 63) to vote LSU @ #2.
I think LSU obviously deserves #2 if they win the next 2 games in good fashion. I also think that I am not the only one that sees it this way and expect them to move up to #2 in one if not both of the 2 polls.
It doesn't matter how LSU wins its next two games. If LSU does, give us the #2 ranking. We will have played a tougher schedule, beaten two top 10 BCS teams, #16, and #24. Our only loss would be to #11 BCS team. USC on the other hand will have only beaten the #16 BCS team, while losing to an unranked California team. It would be grossly unfair to vote USC ahead of LSU at that point.
LSU MADE A STATEMENT! They shut down the best offense in the best conference in the land! OSU goes up 2 spots in the BCS by going to overtime with Purdue. Why can't we????????? We beat the only undefeated team left in any interconference play other than the SBELT; NOT TO MENTION Ole Miss is in the best Conference year in year out. Who did our opposition beat, they lambasted a non-postseason typical pile of PAC-10 crap.
