With all the chaos in college football this weekend, voters inevitably faced some tough choices.
How much credit do you give to Oklahoma, a team that has looked great in rolling over a slate of weak opponents?
What do you make of LSU, who’s undefeated in the SEC but struggled to hold on in a closer-than-expected match-up with Mississippi State?
Picking between the schools at the top was no doubt difficult, and so it would be easy to cut the voters a bit of slack. Nevertheless, the coaches voting in the USA Today Poll still managed to make themselves look ridiculous.
Consider this absurdity:
1. Oklahoma
2. LSU
3. Missouri
4. Alabama
5. Texas
Are you kidding me? Missouri gets to sit at home and watch the Crimson Tide walk into Athens and take the No. 3-ranked Georgia Bulldogs behind the woodshed, and still wake up to find themselves atop the Tide?
Let's not forget, Missouri's signature win so far was a 10-point victory in a shootout with Illinois, a team that would later escape with a three-point victory against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Alabama, in the meantime, has blown out two Top 10 opponents, one on a neutral field in Atlanta, another between the hedges in Athens. It's almost inexplicable.
Almost. But remember who's doing the voting here. It's not hard to imagine why the seven voting coaches from the Big 12 would put Mizzou above the Tide; base self-interest would dictate wanting your future opponents ranked as high as possible.
On the other hand, it's hard to imagine Nick Saban's Tide getting much love from the rest of the SEC.
Sure, Georgia’s Mark Richt probably made up one of the Tide’s two No. 1 votes; it’s much easier to make the BCS case for a one-loss team if that loss came against the best team in the country.
But for teams no longer in contention, playing a highly-ranked 'Bama probably doesn't help much. Which leaves room for those coaches to stick it to the Tide for, ahem, “other reasons.”
(It would probably be wrong for me to mention at this point that Philip Fulmer, one of the SEC’s seven voting coaches this year, was served a summons upon arrival at the SEC Media Days in Birmingham. He’s being sued in connection with his testimony against Alabama to the NCAA.)
Even ignoring the general malice between Alabama and several of their closest neighbors, or the vitriol that has been directed at Saban since he came to Tuscaloosa, it’s not hard to imagine that a No. 1 or No. 2 ranking could convince a few recruits to jump on the ‘Bama bandwagon early.
Out of the seven voting coaches in the SEC, only one (South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier) rarely competes directly with Alabama for recruits. The rest of the bunch (Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State, Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, Les Miles at LSU, Mark Richt at Georgia, Tommy Tuberville at Auburn and Urban Meyer at Florida) are in the same high schools as Nick Saban on the recruiting trail.
Is it ridiculous to think that perhaps some coaches dinged the Tide in an attempt to slow down the Saban recruiting juggernaut?
With Alabama’s recruiting base becoming more and more national, this could hurt the Tide outside the SEC as well.
As an example, Alabama’s highly-touted freshman RB Mark Ingram was plucked out of Michigan, a state where Alabama has never been able to recruit before Saban was hired.
Is it inconceivable that Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez and Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio (both voting coaches this year) may have had this in mind when they filled out their polls?
Sure, all of this is speculation, but it points to one of the many problems with the BCS. How credible can a system be when it bases a large chunk of its final rankings on a poll filled out by hardly-disinterested parties?
Who knows what the coaches have in mind when they fill out their polls? It’s not like they have the time to watch all the games.
What is absolutely clear is that the USA Poll hardly seeks to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Basic common sense should tell us that the most untrustworthy opinions come from those with a dog in the fight.
6 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
D G 9 months ago
The Mizzou win was not at home against Illinois. It was at a neutral site (St. Louis) with about 55 to 60% Mizzou fans. Although we did have a lot of fans there, it is still different than playing at home.
Illinois scored their final touchdown with no time on the clock to pull within 10 points.
I think Mizzou should be ranked this high. They haven't done anything yet to drop in ranking. Although, the only school I think up to this point could lay claim to the #1 ranking and back it up with their schedule would be AL. It is still early with alot of football to be played. AL already rose this far. If they continue to play like they have, they will get into the BCS title game.
AL win over Clemson is not looking as good as it did week one. But, they did beat the #3 team on the road. This is the best victory yet in the country for any team ranked in the top 10.
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Mike Dockery 9 months ago
Fair enough - I will fix that.
I wasn't really knocking Mizzou, just the absurdity of the coaches. Don't forget, Missouri moved UP to the #3 spot. I find it hard to justify that move in light of the fact that 'Bama beat (handily) the #3 team on its home field, while Missouri had an off-week.
You're right, there's a lot of football left, and at this point the rankings really don't matter.
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BabyTate 9 months ago
Mike, I'll tell you, this is a good way to burst upon the scene.
Alabama made a huge jump in the national polls. About as much as anyone could. In some of the private polls, seen in in the B/R, you will see the Tide treated a little better, and of course the B/R Poll and the Bleacher Creature Poll of Kristofer Green rank the Tide higher.
In my own weekly series on B/R, the "11 Best 11s" I have Alabama #3, behind Oklahoma and Penn State. I have had Alabama in the 11 since week one. We have a number of veteran Alabama fans who regularly contribute to my three weekly series I prepare for B/R and everyone is very excited about the possibility of the Red Elephants making it to Miami this season.
I believe you'll agree, upon cruising around our publishing site, that Alabama-mania is very much at home here, and we are glad to see your contribution as well.
Welcome to the Bleacher Report, and if I can help you in anyway, please don't hesitate to leave a note on my bio.
Baby Tate, The Community Leader of The College Football Section of The Bleacher Report
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Mike Dockery 9 months ago
I think part of the frustration for 'Bama fans springs from a perception that Oklahoma is ranked ahead of the Tide at this point solely because of their previous ranking. It has nothing to do with play on the field; clearly, Alabama has the most impressive resume to date. As you mentioned in the 11 Best 11s, the first half of the Georgia game has got to be one of the most impressive 30 minutes of football that has ever been played. Pitching a shutout on defense, combined with five drives and five scores for the offense would be impressive against South-Western Rural Technical College; against the No. 3 team in the country, on the road in the SEC, and it becomes almost unimaginable.
Thanks for the kind words.
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Deric Winslett 9 months ago
Welcome to the bias world of voting Auburn experienced in 2004. With the exception at this point Bama has not gone undefeated, but just may. I think Auburn was a prime example that many people voting have not forgotten; however, as history has shown over and over, people seem to forget eventually.
I'm not a bama fan, but I don't hate them either. If bama were to get screwed I would stand up and yell just like anyone else. Fair is Fair!! I expect the same from bama people. Like I have said before, both major schools in Alabama should be proud of each other and work together in support. Why fight eachother when there enemies all around our borders?
I would love to see this day pass. But I doubt I ever will see it. Warrrr - Tide
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Mike Dockery 9 months ago
You'll get no argument from me—Auburn definitely got hosed in 2004. If I were making the rules, going undefeated in the SEC would earn an automatic bid to the National Championship game. There is simply not other league that demands the same level of play week in and week out.
At this point, there's a long way to go before we start talking about Alabama running the table. Kentucky is playing well. Ole Miss beat Florida. Mississippi State hasn't been a gimme in recent years, and the Tennessee and Auburn games are big rivalries where you toss out the record books. All that and the Tide still has to go down to Death Valley to take on LSU. Any talk of a 'Bama national championship at this point is extremely premature.
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