Alabama should drop to 3

[WinterBorn]

Like Alabama? And just about every other SEC team?

If Alabama gets any preferential treatment, it is because of our track record.

 

[Couchpotato]

If Alabama gets any preferential treatment, it is because of our track record.

And OSU isn’t good year in and year out? And it’s not if Alabama get preferential treatment. They most certainly do regardless of the reason

 

[WinterBorn]

And the excuse for the Texas game is???

No excuse. And my comment in Post #7 is not an excuse. It is a reason. Show me any college team that can lose a Heisman trophy winning QB and still maintain even close to the same production.

 

[WinterBorn]

And OSU isn’t good year in and year out? And it’s not if Alabama get preferential treatment. They most certainly do regardless of the reason

What preferential treatment do they get?

 

[Couchpotato]

What preferential treatment do they get?

Get real. Its not like they are the only ones but it’s fantasy to say there aren’t programs that get the benefit of several doubts, and Alabama is one of them.

 

[Couchpotato]

No excuse. And my comment in Post #7 is not an excuse. It is a reason. Show me any college team that can lose a Heisman trophy winning QB and still maintain even close to the same production.

Sure sounded like an excuse. What was the “reason” for the Texas game they almost lost?

 

[WinterBorn]

Get real. Its not like they are the only ones but it’s fantasy to say there aren’t programs that get the benefit of several doubts, and Alabama is one of them.

If you are talking getting the benefit of the doubt in any of the polls, that only makes sense. The people casting votes in the polls are attempting to predict the team's future.

Predicting that Alabama will win is not a stretch. Since 2008, Bama has had only 1 season with more than 2 losses, 5 seasons with 2 losses, 6 seasons with only a single loss, and 2 undefeated seasons. That is not a fluke. It is also not a record anyone else has duplicated over so many seasons.

 

[WinterBorn]

Sure sounded like an excuse. What was the “reason” for the Texas game they almost lost?

Texas played a helluva game and we made far too many stupid mistakes.

 

[Couchpotato]

If you are talking getting the benefit of the doubt in any of the polls, that only makes sense. The people casting votes in the polls are attempting to predict the team's future.

Predicting that Alabama will win is not a stretch. Since 2008, Bama has had only 1 season with more than 2 losses, 5 seasons with 2 losses, 6 seasons with only a single loss, and 2 undefeated seasons. That is not a fluke. It is also not a record anyone else has duplicated over so many seasons.

In other words like a number of other programs Alabama get special treatment. Glad we can agree on that

 

[Couchpotato]

Texas played a helluva game and we made far too many stupid mistakes.

And they should and have now been penalized for those mistakes In the polls.

 

[WinterBorn]

In other words like a number of other programs Alabama get special treatment. Glad we can agree on that

On any given year, if you had to predict who would end up as champions, without knowing anything about that years team, if you pick Alabama you would be right more than with any other team.

Alabama has consistently won. Expecting the polls to ignore that is simply ridiculous.

 

[WinterBorn]

And they should and have now been penalized for those mistakes In the polls.

You haven't seen me argue that they should be #1 or even #2.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

On any given year, if you had to predict who would end up as champions, without knowing anything about that years team, if you pick Alabama you would be right more than with any other team.

Alabama has consistently won. Expecting the polls to ignore that is simply ridiculous.

Polls should focus on the teams made of these current players.

Polling in the NCAA shouldn't start until at least week 4, Anything before that will be filled with program bias, especially pre-season polling.

Look at Notre Dame this year. Ranked #5 pre-season. What are they now? Out of the top 25. Way to go pollsters. LOL

 

[Couchpotato]

Polls should focus on the teams made of these current players.

Polling in the NCAA shouldn't start until at least week 4, Anything before that will be filled with program bias, especially pre-season polling.

Look at Notre Dame this year. Ranked #5 pre-season. What are they now? Out of the top 25. Way to go pollsters. LOL

Week 4 might be a little early even. Alot of teams play cream puffs the first half of the season.

 

[Couchpotato]

On any given year, if you had to predict who would end up as champions, without knowing anything about that years team, if you pick Alabama you would be right more than with any other team.

Alabama has consistently won. Expecting the polls to ignore that is simply ridiculous.

So you’re providing a justification for the special treatment you say doesn’t exist?

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Week 4 might be a little early even. Alot of teams play cream puffs the first half of the season.

It's funny how we disagree so whole-heartedly in sports then totally agree in others.

I'm on board with the later the better.

And that whole system of scheduling cream-puffs needs to stop. The problem is, it's symbiotic. The major program gets a free win, and the lower program gets money. Meanwhile, strength of schedule isn't punished like it should be.

I get year to year differences, but any major conference team should have to face mostly other major conference teams... which brings up what the setup should be overall, which is an entirely other discussion

 

[WinterBorn]

Polls should focus on the teams made of these current players.

Polling in the NCAA shouldn't start until at least week 4, Anything before that will be filled with program bias, especially pre-season polling.

Look at Notre Dame this year. Ranked #5 pre-season. What are they now? Out of the top 25. Way to go pollsters. LOL

I agree there should be no polls until, at least, week 4.

But the only poll that really matters is not released until the 2nd half of the season.

The other polls are limited but not worthless. If a team does well (Top 10) and doesn't lose many players, it is not a hard sell that they will do well again.

Preseason polls are based on players lost, previous season's performance (weighed against players lost), coaches, and potential star players coming in.

 

[Couchpotato]

It's funny how we disagree so whole-heartedly in sports then totally agree in others.

I'm on board with the later the better.

And that whole system of scheduling cream-puffs needs to stop. The problem is, it's symbiotic. The major program gets a free win, and the lower program gets money. Meanwhile, strength of schedule isn't punished like it should be.

I get year to year differences, but any major conference team should have to face mostly other major conference teams... which brings up what the setup should be overall, which is an entirely other discussion

There are far too many Div 1 teams. 130 I think. How many of those have any shot at competing for a title? 20? Maybe 30? Break it up into 4-5 sub divisions and require that 80% of your games be played inside your division.

 

[WinterBorn]

So you’re providing a justification for the special treatment you say doesn’t exist?

What special treatment? If a person who is involved in a given poll, thinks Alabama will be in the playoffs, would you have him not vote for them?

Preferential treatment involves someone getting something or being treated differently. Bama gets nothing. The only poll that really matters is the Playoffs poll.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

But the only poll that really matters is not released until the 2nd half of the season.

The other polls are limited but not worthless.

That's not true. Michigan was ranked below OSU pre-season (Despite beating them last year), but have also smoked their opponents as OSU has. Yet now OSU sits at #2 while Michigan continues to sit at #4, with no explanation as to why besides the fact that OSU was higher ranked preseason.

This affects every week's outlook, which then affects seeding for the playoffs.

There is no reason OSU should be ranked 2 spots higher than Michigan right now besides program bias.