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10/1/07
Picking APart the Pollsters: Losses Don't Matter, Just Ask Mike Prater
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Our weekly look at the individual AP Ballots is back again for this season. Who was the biggest homer? Who doesn't make any sense? Who actually (gasp!) deserves some credit?

 

This week's beef: Ignoring head-to-head matchups and feeling obligated to rank the college football powers high even though they lost.

 

We start with our favorite pollster...

 

Jon Wilner (San Jose Mercury) I'm surprised this Gamecocks lover didn't move them up to 3rd or even 2nd after a tight Southern Cal win. Wilner kept South Carolina 4th (still way too high) and moved South Florida way up to 5th. I'd say that's a bit high, but the rest of the AP voters followed suit.

 

Israel Gutierrez (Miami Herald) I could have sworn Rutger lost their contest against a BCS opponent. Israel has the Scarlet Knights at 12, so you can see why I'm a little confused.

 

Mike Prater (Idaho Statesman) I had a hard time digesting the Oklahoma and Florida's losses as well, but at least acknowledge that they lost in your rankings. Prater still has the Gators 4th, Sooners 5th. They both are good football teams that fell victim to the trap game. Give credit to some other teams that haven't had the same fate.

 

Scott Rabalais (Baton Rouge Advocate) Kansas State and Auburn both beat Top 10 teams on the road. Impressive, and worthy of being ranked. So where to put each team? Auburn defeated Kansas State earlier this season which explains... wait, Rabalais has Kansas State 24 and Auburn 25th. When breaking ties, should you consider head to head matchups? It's a tough call, but this early in the season you should.

 

Parrish Alford (NE Mississippi Daily Journal) Here's an example of really missing head-to-head games. South Carolina and Georgia both sit with one loss. Gamecocks lost to the Alford's #2 LSU, the Dawgs lost to South Carolina. So explain having the USC ranked 23rd and UGA 8th?

 

Kevin Pearson (Riverside Press) Giving credit where it is due. Pearson has Virginia Tech at 10. I didn't understand the Hokies free fall after losing to the best team in the country on the road. VT is still a very good football team and will be playing for the ACC title.

 

Steve Conroy (Boston Herald) Hawaii 9th. Sure. Keep watching the Red Sox, Steve.

 

Overall a better effort than in weeks past. I leave the rest of the picking APart to you and share your own rankings with the poll below.

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642 days ago
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(Edited 10/01/07 1:18PM by Jon)
I am disappointed in John Moredich. I expected him to have ASU at least 6th or 7th.

Of course, then you have people like Scott Wolf, who doesn't even rank ASU at all. He has 3-2 Alabama ranked #20, 2-2 Arkansas at #21 and 3-2 Michigan at #22. Nice job, buddy.
 
642 days ago
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Herbstreit has a pretty decent rankings with one exception. Oregon at #5.

I think they were ranked around #11 in the AP poll last week before they lost to Cal.

 
642 days ago
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Seth wrote:

Herbstreit has a pretty decent rankings with one exception. Oregon at #5.

I think they were ranked around #11 in the AP poll last week before they lost to Cal.

That's a little high, but I'm ok with keeping a team at the same spot based on a loss to a high ranked team. Oregon was a fumbled ball at the 1-yard line from extending that game further. Cal won, so they have to be ranked higher, but I don't see a lot of different between the two.
 
642 days ago
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John does love him some Sun Devils.

 

Moredich is to Arizona State as Jon Wilner is to South Carolina.

 
642 days ago
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Stewart Mandel

#6 Oregon

#11 Georgia, #12 Kentucky, #13 South Carolina (who beat who again? and which one has no losses?)

#17 Auburn - (right above #18 Texas) Ssuch a good 3-2 team that they jump up from the unranks, but at the same time losing to Auburn dropped Florida to #14.

#21 Colorado - Does one big win get them ranked when their other wins includes Miami of Ohio, and a 3 point squeaker against winless Colorado State?

 

 
642 days ago
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CriticalFanatic wrote:

John does love him some Sun Devils.

 

Moredich is to Arizona State as Jon Wilner is to South Carolina.

It's just more proof that preseason polls are pointless & biased. There's no reason why a 5-0 ASU shouldn't be ranked that high, other than that people decided before the season to not rank them because they underachieved under Koetter last year.

They are 8th, BTW, in the Sagarin ratings.
 
642 days ago
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Jon wrote:
It's just more proof that preseason polls are pointless & biased. There's no reason why a 5-0 ASU shouldn't be ranked that high, other than that people decided before the season to not rank them because they underachieved under Koetter last year.

They are 8th, BTW, in the Sagarin ratings.
I have to agree with you.  With so much parity this year, undefeated teams deserve their due credit.  Its gotten to the point that almost any win is a good win this year.
 
642 days ago
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CriticalFanatic wrote:
That's a little high, but I'm ok with keeping a team at the same spot based on a loss to a high ranked team. Oregon was a fumbled ball at the 1-yard line from extending that game further. Cal won, so they have to be ranked higher, but I don't see a lot of different between the two.
Since the Ducks didn't drop that far (thanks to some of the pollsters), they'll be in the top 10 fairly soon.  Top 10... yes, top 5... no.
 
642 days ago
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rootman54 wrote:
Heres a really dumb one as well.  Kirk Herbstreit stated that he would place oregon at 5.  Is he really that stupid? They lose, and you move them ahead of Florida and Oklahoma? I think the Ducks were overrated already.  They are good, but please, do not put them at #5, and move them up 6 spots after a loss.  Whether he did that in the AP poll I do not know, but thats what he said he was going to do.
He did do it.  And it's too bad that you probably didn't see the game where you live, with only the West Coast seeing it without ESPN Gameplan.  You might feel differently if you saw it.  Not saying they're top 5, but about the same as last week is about where they should be.
 
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Steve Batterson  Quad City (IA) Times Texas A&M 13??????????
 
 
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