PJ Poll - Week Four

Take away all the Pretenders. Except those with Chrissie Hynde. Gooodbye nine more losers. Out of sight, out of mind.

The PJ Poll has whittled its way down to 25 teams as the Big East exited the poll quicker than Lindsay Lohan gets out of rehab. With the departure of the Big East and the MAC, seven conferences (five major, two minor) remain alive in the PJ Poll.

With the losses of Fresno State and Temple, the route for gatecrashers to punch a ticket from the minor conferences has simplified tremendously. The TCU-Utah winner from the Mountain West and the Boise State-Nevada winner from the WAC are the contenders to be invited to a BCS Bowl.

Matchups of surviving PJ Poll teams will occur this weekend as conference play gets into full swing. Starting with a Thursday night clash between the Aggies of Texas A+M and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the weekend will continue to match undefeated teams in tussles such as Florida-Alabama, Wisconsin-Michigan State and Stanford-Oregon.

The picture of the race for the national championship will become even clearer. And the PJ Poll will be here to explain it all.

Here are the rankings for Week Four:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Texas Christian
4. Oregon
5. Stanford
6. Wisconsin
7. Nebraska
8. Oklahoma
9. Oklahoma St.
10. Florida
11. Boise St.
12. Nevada
13. Utah
14. Michigan
15. Michigan St.
16. Kansas St.
17. USC
18. North Carolina St.
19. Missouri
20. LSU
21. Arizona
22. Auburn
23. Texas A+M
24. Northwestern
25. Indiana

PJ Poll - Week Three

A total of 34 teams remain alive in Week Three of the PJ Poll.

Conference USA was eliminated this week, bringing the number of eligible conferences in the PJ Poll down to nine.

The Mid-American Conference is in a precarious position as the Temple Owls should be the main course at a Nittany Lion Picnic on Saturday.

Five other teams join Temple from the non-BCS conferences in the PJ Poll. Utah and Texas Christian are undefeated in the Mountain West. Fresno State, Nevada and Boise State have no losses in the WAC. All five of these teams are legitimate party crashers.

I see both a Mountain West and a WAC team having a resume worthy of a major bowl.

The top spot in the PJ Poll could easily be known as "Sweet Home Alabama."

And that's a fitting tribute to a certain gym teacher (and Southern Rock inspiration) named Leonard Skinner, who passed away Monday.

He's as free as a bird now (:

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Texas Christian
4. Ohio St.
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. Florida
8. Boise St.
9. Stanford
10. Utah
11. Nebraska
12. Oklahoma St.
13. Wisconsin
14. LSU
15. Arizona
16. Arkansas
17. Michigan St.
18. Auburn
19. Nevada
20. South Carolina
21. Southern Cal
22. Michigan
23. Kansas St.
24. Fresno St.
25. Kentucky
26. West Virginia
27. North Carolina St.
28. Texas A + M
29. Boston College
30. Missouri
31. Northwestern
32. Rutgers
33. Indiana
34. Temple

PJ Poll - Week Two

The PJ Poll enters its second week with the total of undefeated teams reduced from 79 to 46.

Losses by Army and Notre Dame ensured the elimination of all independent schools from the PJ Poll. The Sun Belt Conference also exited the rankings as all members now have blemishes on their records.

The split between power conference and non-power conference teams in the PJ Poll stands at 36-10. The MAC may be eliminated soon with only Temple remaining undefeated. As far as power conferences, the Big East may also be making an early exit from the PJ Poll with only Rutgers and West Virginia still without a loss.

Here are the current rankings:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio St.
3. Oregon
4. Florida
5. TCU
6. Texas
7. Oklahoma
8. Texas Tech
9. Boise St.
10. Wisconsin
11. Iowa
12. Oklahoma St.
13. Utah
14. Stanford
15. Houston
16. Michigan
17. Nebraska
18. Nevada
19. Southern Cal
20. LSU
21. Arkansas
22. Texas A+M
23. California
24. Fresno St.
25. Auburn
26. Boston College
27. Kansas St.
28. South Carolina
29. Arizona
30. West Virginia
31. Missouri
32. Michigan St.
33. Rutgers
34. Clemson
35. Kentucky
36. Northwestern
37. Maryland
38. Temple
39. Arizona St.
40. Air Force
41. North Carolina St.
42. Indiana
43. East Carolina
44. Wake Forest
45. San Diego St.
46. Baylor

PJ Poll - Week One

Pittsburgh Jones Poll - The purpose of the Pittsburgh Jones Poll (PJ Poll) is to provide a more coherent explanation of the journey to college football's national championship than that offered by the AP Poll and the BCS Rankings.

The PJ Poll takes all 120 Division I football programs and ranks the teams that have not lost a game. After the first week, there are 79 teams left in the PJ Poll.

The teams are ranked in terms of quality and that ranking is further adjusted in terms of strength of conference and schedule. Teams will be removed from the PJ Poll when they lose their first game. The top two teams in the PJ Poll are projected to play each other for the National Championship.

In subsequent weeks, I will detail the relationships between power and non-power conferences and how that will affect the National Championship game. For Week One, the PJ Poll will rank the 79 Division I teams with a shot at the national championship game.

1. Alabama
2. Ohio St.
3. Texas
4. Oregon
5. TCU
6. Florida
7. Boise State
8. Iowa
9. Oklahoma
10. Florida State
11. Notre Dame
12. Penn St.
13. Wisconsin
14. Houston
15. Utah
16. BYU
17. Oklahoma St.
18. LSU
19. WVU
20. Miami (Fla.)
21. Georgia Tech
22. California
23. Nebraska
24. Arkansas
25. Auburn
26. Michigan
27. Stanford
28. Fresno St.
29. Texas Tech
30. Kansas St.
31. USC
32. Clemson
33. Texas A + M
34. Georgia
35. Mississippi St.
36. Kentucky
37. Rutgers
38. Arizona
39. Nevada
40. Tennessee
41. South Carolina
42. Michigan St.
43. Northwestern
44. South Florida
45. Missouri
46. Arizona St.
47. East Carolina
48. Colorado
49. Boston College
50. Maryland
51. North Carolina St.
52. Iowa St.
53. Indiana
54. Minnesota
55. Air Force
56. San Diego St.
57. UTEP
58. Central Florida
59. Wyoming
60. Wake Forest
61. Syracuse
62. Duke
63. Virginia
64. Baylor
65. Temple
66. Central Michigan
67. Idaho
68. Troy
69. Louisiana Tech
70. Buffalo
71. Army
72. Tulane
73. Ball State
74. Ohio University
75. Kent State
76. Florida International
77. Florida Atlantic
78. New Mexico St.
79. Louisiana - Monroe

Pro Football Predictions

Before tonight's clash between Minnesota and New Orleans, Pittsburgh Jones unveils his predictions for the new season.

AFC EAST - New England. It's still a story of a man named Brady. Jets? As Flavor Flav used to say, "Don't Believe the Hype!"

AFC NORTH - Baltimore. Flacco is wacko. Like Jacko. And Boldin is golden! You try to rhyme something with Houzhmandzadeh. If you can, you're a better man than me. As for the Steelers, there's a moral price to pay for continuing to coddle someone who may be a serial rapist. That moral price is called last place.

With regard to the Bengals, you can set your clocks by the inevitable explosion that will occur betweeen VH1 reality stars Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. Not only will this conflict ruin the Bengals for the year, it may also cause considerable damage to the fight for legalizing gay marriage.

AFC SOUTH - Indianapolis. This is an outstanding division with four very talented teams. The Colts will have plenty of receiving options for Peyton Manning and an underrated defense to hold the leads Manning provides. If the Colts can solidify their rushing game, they will be able to capture the crown in this division. Watch out for Chris Johnson and the Titans, though. They will be a factor.

AFC WEST - San Diego. The only stronger Chargers out there might be Teresa and Joe Giudice from "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." The Chargers have the weapons to "Bolt" to the top. Only one man can stop them

And it's not Kyle Orton. San Diego can only lose the title through the ministrations of Tebow.
Did you know Tebow rhymes with Devo? Are we not men? We are Tebow! I like it!

NFC EAST - Washington. There's a wonderful sort of freedom you feel when you get out of Philadelphia. I've felt it. Donovan McNabb will feel it. Shine a light, shine a light!

NFC NORTH - Minnesota. Once the Vikings get Sidney Rice healthy and Brett Favre hits a midseason groove, the Purple Posse will be unstoppable. Mister Rodgers will cool off so much in Green Bay that he will need a cardigan sweater.

NFC SOUTH - Atlanta. This is kind of arbitrary here. I want the Saints to lose. Why? Harry Connick, Jr. is a fan of the Saints and I think he is profoundly creepy. Not to mention that if you hear one of his songs, Sourface Meg Ryan always shows up. I don't want anything to make Mr. Connick happy. Ever.

NFC WEST - Arizona. Derek Anderson is a talented quarterback. He just never had the right weapons around him in Cleveland. He will have that this year with Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. They are going to have a tough battle with San Francisco, but I think the Cardinals will come out on top.

AFC WILD CARDS - Tennessee, Miami.

NFC WILD CARDS - Green Bay, Dallas.


AFC CHAMPIONSHIP - San Diego defeats Indianapolis.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Minnesota defeats Green Bay.


SUPER BOWL - Minnesota defeats San Diego. Perfect Favre Farewell. Tarkenton is avenged.