Man, I can't wait until Mizzou gets to start SEC play. I am so pumped for the season to sta-

Wait. We've...we've started conference play?

0-2 in the SEC East? Already? Are you sure.

Well, damn.

Most teams have hit the quarter pole. Some have completed the first third of the season. From my perspective, a couple of themes have emerged:

1. It's Alabama out in front. Again. So disciplined and well coached, and deep.

2. The best challenger to Alabama may not be LSU. I think, right now, it's Oregon. After watching them stiffen against Arizona in the red zone six times on Saturday night and surrender zero points, I think that there may be enough speed and size on the defense to challenge Alabama. That is not an absolute statement; I think the USC and Stanford games will provide some clarity.

3. The Big Ten seems down this year. Michigan and Michigan State have struggled or gone down in non-conference games. Wisconsin has looked bad on offense, switching quarterbacks last week and struggling to get the running game going. Penn State has already been hit hard by transfers and poor kicking. Ohio State might be the best overall team in the conference, and they are ineligible for the postseason this year. Conference play starts up for the Big Ten this week; let's see who can actually win the league.

On to the poll:

Rock M Nation Ballot - Week 4

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Alabama Crimson Tide	--
2	Oregon Ducks	1
3	Georgia Bulldogs	1
4	LSU Tigers	-2
5	West Virginia Mountaineers	--
6	Florida St. Seminoles	--
7	Texas Longhorns	2
8	South Carolina Gamecocks	2
9	Florida Gators	2
10	Kansas St. Wildcats	4
11	TCU Horned Frogs	4
12	Stanford Cardinal	1
13	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	5
14	Ohio St. Buckeyes	-6
15	USC Trojans	2
16	Clemson Tigers	-9
17	Oklahoma Sooners	-5
18	Northwestern Wildcats	7
19	Mississippi St. Bulldogs	1
20	Louisville Cardinals	1
21	Nebraska Cornhuskers	2
22	Ohio Bobcats	--
23	Oregon St. Beavers	--
24	Baylor Bears	--
25	Rutgers Scarlet Knights	--
Dropouts: UCLA Bruins, Arizona Wildcats, Michigan Wolverines

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