Oklahoma State Gets Votes in Another Poll and Would Be No. 23 Thanks to Lou Holtz
STILLWATER – It’s funny but this morning I was looking at the trivia question on my daily email from OSU Max and the question was which team did Oklahoma State beat in the 2006 Independence Bowl and it had a link, which I clicked and it took me to the recorded broadcast of the Cowboys win over Alabama, but it started with the last of the pregame show and featured then ESPN analyst and former college and NFL head coach Lou Holtz picking the Cowboys and chastizing his co-hort Mark May for picking Alabama.
I’ve always enjoyed Holtz and once saw him do his magic routine at the Southwest Conference Kick-off Luncheon in Dallas. He was then head coach at Arkansas. Of course, he also coached at William and Mary, the New York Jets, and Notre Dame. Now, the Hall of Famer watches football and he has been a consistent voter in the Football Writers Association of America and the National Football Foundation Super 16. The orgnaizations put it out just like the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. The panel of voters are FWAA members and members of the College Football Hall of Fame. This year there are 59 voters.
By the way a long-time member of the FWAA and NFF and I’ve never been picked as a voter. I could only go in as a media member as I may be an NFF member, but not a Hall of Fame member.
Okay, let’s cut to the chase. Here is the poll and Lou Holtz voted Oklahoma State No. 13. We also put Holtz’ complete poll along side for comparison.
Ranking | School (1st place votes) | Points | Lou Holtz’ Ballot |
1. | Georgia (51) | 927 | Michigan |
2. | Michigan (6) | 855 | USC |
3. | Ohio State (2) | 776 | Alabama |
4. | Alabama | 748 | Ohio State |
5. | LSU | 673 | Georgia |
6. | USC | 617 | LSU |
7. | Penn. State | 540 | Florida State |
8. | Clemson | 486 | Notre Dame |
9. | Florida State | 478 | Penn State |
10. | Washington | 338 | Washington |
11. | Tennessee | 316 | Clemson |
12. | Texas | 291 | Tennessee |
13. | Notre Dame | 240 | Oklahoma State |
14. | Utah | 236 | Texas |
15. | Oregon | 207 | South Carolina |
16. | TCU | 58 | Oklahoma |
Receiving Votes: Kansas State (57), Texas A&M (29), Wisconsin (29), Mississippi (27), North Carolina (18), Oklahoma (15), Oklahoma State (13), Iowa (9), Florida International (9), UCLA (8), Oregon State (7), Texas Tech (5), Illinois (5), Louisville (3), South Carolina (2), Miami-Fla. (1), Tulane (1). |
I like that the overall poll had Clemson ahead of Florida State as I think the Seminoles are way overrated. Holtz did not, but you can tell he does not believe in Georgia three-peating. It’s a poll, that’s all.
By the way other voters you might recognize include Tony Barnhart, longtime SEC reporter, Bill Bender of The Sporting News, Chip Brown formerly of The Dallas Morning News and covers Texas, Ohio State running back alum Keith Byars, Hall of Fame defensive back Johnnie Johnson of Texas, Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News, former Alabama center Barrett Jones, the aforementioned and Hall of Fame player Mark May of Pittsburgh and the Washington NFL team, and Phil Steele.