[geezer]

I can't conceive what goes through the mind of the "experts" who vote on the college football polls. For example, practically all the voters voted Alabama number 1, both last week and this. Last week the AP had Arkansas at number 10, and USA Today had them at 11.

What does that mean? I would guess it means that the voters believed that Alabama is a better team than Arkansas, no? So if the polls were right, what should have happened this weekend, when Alabama played Arkansas? I would think that Alabama would win, but not in a blow-out.

Well, Alabama did win, but only by 4 points. It would seem that Arkansas gave them a good fight. So then, why did the AP and USA Today both drop Arkansas to 15th? It makes no sense to me.

[Letitroll98]

Heck, Arkansas nearly won!  It's because of the exact reason you noted in your title, stupid football polls.  It's the "rule" if you lose a game you automatically drop down, no matter who you played.  I think if you are a top 10 or 20 team and you play the number one team to the wire, you should go up in ranking, that means you're just a step or two behind them.  But this is the way it's always been and is unlikely to change.  They will get a little boost in the BCS rankings because of strength of schedule, but not nearly enough to overcome the coach's and writer's poll results.

[BrysTony]

The topic subject says it all.  There is no way that a number 10 team that almost beats number 1 should drop.  The new rankings imply that numbers 2 through 14 should lose to Alabama by no more than 4 points.  No way!!  We need a playoff at the end of the season but I don't think it will ever happen.

[opnly bafld]

The topic subject says it all.  There is no way that a number 10 team that almost beats number 1 should drop.  The new rankings imply that numbers 2 through 14 should lose to Alabama by no more than 4 points.  No way!!  We need a playoff at the end of the season but I don't think it will ever happen.

Agree, a playoff is needed, but if you almost win in a playoff system you still go home.
The rankings imply that the other teams won, if there were only 13 or 14 teams the polls would not exist, we would only have standings because every team would play each other (like a playoff no guessing needed).

Lin

[Letitroll98]

I'm an iconoclast in that I think we should not have a playoff, and in fact should eliminate the BCS bowl system we have now and go back to the old bowl system.  Who needs a playoff that will always be flawed with the number of teams and the limited number of games we can ask college football players to play.  There will always be some team that finishes #5, or #9, that could have won it all and misses out.  Lets have fun bowl games, all played on New Years Day (at least the major ones), and each bowl live or die on it's own merits, not some edict from some committee whose members I know nothing of.  And we can go back to arguing all year about who's number one if the polls differ.  It's amateur football on a collegiate level, it's not the pros, we don't need a winner.  Of course this will not happen as the forces in play are too powerful, the money is too big, and is the root of all evil.

[opnly bafld]

First, it is the love of money that is the root of evil (why does almost everyone leave that out? Pink Floyd?).

Second, in whatever they call 1AA now, there are 16 teams in the playoffs and just like the basketball tourney there are one or two "bubble" teams that say they should have made it, but it is never a #3 or #4 that is left out in the cold without even a chance to play for a national tittle.

Third, the "fun" bowl games are the major source of the money problems.

Lin

[thunderbrick]

I'm an iconoclast in that I think we should not have a playoff, and in fact should eliminate the BCS bowl system we have now and go back to the old bowl system.  Who needs a playoff that will always be flawed with the number of teams and the limited number of games we can ask college football players to play.  There will always be some team that finishes #5, or #9, that could have won it all and misses out.  Lets have fun bowl games, all played on New Years Day (at least the major ones), and each bowl live or die on it's own merits, not some edict from some committee whose members I know nothing of.  And we can go back to arguing all year about who's number one if the polls differ.  It's amateur football on a collegiate level, it's not the pros, we don't need a winner.  Of course this will not happen as the forces in play are too powerful, the money is too big, and is the root of all evil.

+1!     I have come to enjoy the bowl games that feature smaller D1 schools.  Feels more like a game than the football industry that has become big-time CF.  And I love it when Appalachian State takes down the Michigans of this world.