The trouble with strength of schedule is that it's really a subjective judgement. It's open to question whether the stats really tell you anything that's statistically valid on grounds of small sample size and general comparability. So in that regard I think it's completely legitimate to put out an estimate of where you think teams stand prior to the season.

FWIW, I don't have a top ten, for reasons listed above. It's hard to see Texas being serisouly challenged by anyone other than Ohio State and Oklahoma. You get Ohio State early enough that their defense may still be a work in progress. While I am impressed at Adrian Peterson's native talent, he can be shut down if your d-line is keyed in on him. It's no coincidence that Oklahoma only really started to click against Oregon in their Bowl game after Ngata went out inured... and it strains the imagination to see Bhomar being able to compensate if Peterson is being stuffed at or behind the line of scrimmage.

As for SC, I think they could post anywhere from 1 - 3 losses, depending on how ready the defense is and how long the offense takes to gel. I'd like to believe that this season is going to be like 2003, when the D was experienced and Leinart was able to lean on Mike Williams while the rest of the offense and o-line bedded in.

However, Arkansas is going to be out for blood after last year's spanking, and if they can establish a running game it could be a long night.  If (again, if) Tuitama has his mojo working for Arizona to score enough, their defense is good enough to make it hard for SC to win. And Cal will be trouble if Longshore is at all decent; it's no coincidence that the win last year was a combination of a tough running game for SC combined with a horrid display from Ayoob.

Notre Dame is going to be relying on Weis' evil genius on offense because they aren't going to stopping shit against fast teams. SC proved last year that you can win a lot by scoring faster than the other guys but it catches up with you eventually (41-38).

As for the rest, ah who cares? I'm just looking forward to catching some decent games.

... and that's based on perceived talent levels of the players returning from last year's squad and the recruits hitting the field.  Strength of schedule, home/away schedule, past history, coaching strengths/weaknesses are all speculation at this point.

I agree with Jason, we need to just vote based on who we think the best teams are Day One, with no games played.  Here's my list:

1.  tOSU
   
2.  Texas
   
3.  USC
   
4.  Auburn
   
5.  Cal
   
6.  OU
   
7.  LSU
   
8.  WVU
   
9.  Michigan
   
10. Notre Dame

I would actually not disagree with any order you put the first 4 in, they are that close in terms of talent.  tOSU lost a ton of experience on D, Texas lost VY, USC lost Whineart and Bush.  Auburn looks loaded, but will they be the 2003 or the 2004 kinda talent?  Cal is the same way for me, they have the talent to beat USC this year, but will they?

6-10 also could be put in any order.  I'll drink the Bomar kool-aid if he can lead the Sooners to a repeat victory over Oregon.  LSU has experience at all the skill positions, but they have a huge liability in their coach, and always seem to stumble early.  West Virginia is returning some amazing young players on offense, but have they really played anyone yet?  I'll vote for Hart/Henne over Tate this year, and hope the boys regain the spark they had in the Rose Bowl.  And Notre Dame has to be on the list because of Brady Quinn, but they have too many questions on D to be in the top 5 at the start of the year.

I base my list on performance last year and returning starters.

1 Texas - until someone beats them. Mack has shown constistency and isn't some flash in the pan, so this team deserves respect.

2 Auburn - They will be the most balanced team returning to improve upon a great season last year. I pick them to win it all.

3 LSU - If Saban was still the coach they'd be the consensus #1 running away, but he's not and Lyin Miles is.

4 W. Virg - They are not a fluke and will contend in the Big East, but lose to Louisville. Their only problem is defensive constitency.

5 OSU - The Buckeyes can stay at this spot if they stop calling Troy the next Vince Young. OMG is that getting old. His performance in the Fiesta wasn't even in the same universe as Vince in the Rose. Yet, they are still talented on offense and should be decent on D.

6 USC - They'll finish somewhere in the top 10, so I'll put them here. However, it wouldn't surprise me if this was a "rebuilding year".

7 Louisville - This is low for me, since I think they play Auburn for the MNC. They still have to prove they can play with the big boys and beat Miami and Wisc.

8 OU - Overrated defense, but they still have AD and that keeps them in the top 10.

9 Penn State - This is my sleeper team nobody is giving respect. I think they could be even better on offense this year.

10 Florida - Urban Meyer has shown some history, but the QB controversy will hurt them, ala Simms.

Just missed - Cal, Iowa and FSU

1. When is the last time you saw a preseason top 10 without Miami and Florida State?
2. I don't mind you putting Texas #1 if you subscribe to the theory that you're on top until someone knocks you off. But it's hard to imagine UT going undefeated again with frosh QBs.
3. I think this has been said before, but unlike last year, there are no front runners, you can make a case for or against everyone in that Top 10. That's exciting. Of course it could also mean we end the year with a bunch of one or two loss teams and all hell breaks loose with nobody ending up happy.
4. For me, if you're basing your top 10 on returning starters, how well the team ended the previous year and on this year's schedule, I don't see how you can't put West Virginia #1 or at least in the Top 3. Wrong or right, I don't see them losing a game this year...hopefully Louisville puts up a fight, but I doubt it. I don't think their SOS is legit by any stretch of the means, but we still consider the Big East a legit BCS conference and the win over Georgia will bought them a lot of street cred.

After losing the heart and soul of their defense? They are a Top 25 team, no question, but methinks that nutball Tate gets a little too much credit.

When I made this I used who I thought was best, their schedule, blind conjecture, black magic and differential equations (I knew I had to take that class for a reason).

1.    Auburn - I think they have a good chance of running the table in the SEC.  Seem to be the team with the smallest questions marks.

2.    Texas - The loss of VY makes me not put them #1, but I see a lot of ball control offence with a stable of running backs and low scoring wins created by stifling defenses.

3.    West Virginia - The Big East could send WV to the national championship without playing anyone good.  A tragedy, but more fodder for the push for playoffs.

4.    USC - Losing the big 3 from their offence hurts their chances of making it through undefeated, but Carol has had some great recruiting in the past couple of years, and looking at the schedule, I think they could be 8-0, but then have to finish with Oregon, Cal and ND at home and then at the Rose Bowl against UCLA.

5.    Ohio State - Lost too many defenders to be ranked higher, but have plenty of offensive firepower.  Problem is Tressel has always seems to win by pounding you with defense and then not losing with his offence.  I wonder if he can be creative enough with his team's strengths this year to win with offence.

6.    Florida St - I don't think they are the 6th best team in the country, but someone is going to have to come out of the ACC on top, and they don't have to play VA Tech.

7.    Georgia - I think they will play Auburn in the SEC championship, although I think they will still take some lumps playing in the SEC.

8.    Oklahoma - If they can get past Oregon, a one loss season is a good possibility, but they don't play Nebraska, so beating Oregon and Tech and losing to Texas does not allow them to climb much higher than this.

9.    Michigan - No one likes Lloyd Carr, but he puts solid teams out every year.  I think they can beat ND, who might be smelling their own farts after Ga Tech and Penn State and may think they have the game won before it starts.  After that the mid-season "Michagan lost to who?" big ten loss and finishing up with a loss at Ohio State for a respectable 2 loss season.  Which will be followed by calls for Carr's job.

10.    Notre Dame - I promised myself I would not do this.  I started this list with every intention of not having ND in the top 10.  But faced with the possibility of adding a second Pac-10/ACC team or a Les Miles coached team, add to that the fact I am too lazy to find a mid-major sleeper pick, and mix in some love from the press, and rounding out the top ten is an at least 2 loss, if not more, Notre Dame.

Is that a Wells-ism for "full of themselves"?

http://crosscyed.blogspot.com

I think a poll is where you feel a team should be ranked, based on what they have accomplished. Not quite who is best because a four loss Florida might be better than an undefeated TCU, but is not ranked in front of them, because going undefeated in any schedule is pretty tough TCU gets extra consideration. All things being equal all teams would simply be ranked by record. I believe Teams should be ranked by a combination of expectation (how you think they will finish) and talent (how good is the team, although talent my be too simplistic a word).
For example the top four or five teams could all be number one, but what is your expectation? If you think Texas beats both OU and tOSU, you should probably have them #1. If you think OU loses to both Oregon and Texas they should likely move out of your top five. Although we may all believe WV may go undefeated, I would not rank them ahead of a one-loss tOSU, because a tOSU would have more quality wins.