College Football Rankings: Who Is Overrated by the Polls?
College football rankings always inspire debates, but most focus on the BCS version; I say weekly polls deserve to be part of the conversation as well.
While it’s more fun to talk about the teams that may be slighted, that can’t happen unless some teams are overrated.
Amongst the moving and shaking in Week 5, some teams continued to maintain lofty position in the polls despite sporadic or unremarkable play.
Preseason fears about Penn State and Georgia have already come true, as both have made their exits from the polls.
The calls for Oklahoma have gone unanswered, although it’s easy to acknowledge the Sooners' inconsistent, sometimes dominating and other times unfocused, play. Putting Ohio State on this list is a yearly occurrence, but it typically doesn’t show until bowl season—so the Buckeyes also avoid the list.
So who are the most overrated teams in the Week 6 poll? Let the debate begin.
Avoiding the Cut for Now:
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Arizona Wildcats (9th in AP Poll, 8th in USA Today Poll)
Arizona did let Iowa back in the game in Tucson, but for most of the game, which included a sparkling first half, the Wildcats looked dominant. They did squeak out a one-point win over Cal, but the Bears are a better team than a lot of people think.
Oklahoma State Cowboys (22nd in AP Poll, 21st in USA Today Poll)
There’s a lot to love about the Cowboys, but nearly all of that love goes on the offensive side of the ball. Ranking last in the Big 12 in pass defense and second to last in scoring defense isn’t a good sign. However, the Pokes barely miss the list because their offense puts plenty of fear in opponents.
Northwestern Wildcats (25th in USA Today Poll)
Many people are pointing to the Wildcats who have started gaining votes in the polls. Admittedly, a one-point win over Minnesota isn’t exactly a marquee win, and the Wildcats really haven’t played anybody. At the same time they likely won’t get any further without proving it.
Missouri Tigers (24th in AP Poll, 22nd in USA Today Poll)
It’s hard to forget the Tigers' escape against San Diego State and their struggle to put away Illinois, both at home. But the Aztecs are an emerging team and the Tigers have an intriguing set of the young playmakers that should improve. The problem is the Tigers have to play the Big 12’s top two teams (Nebraska and Oklahoma) in consecutive weeks at the end of the month.
5. Air Force Falcons (25th in AP Poll)
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While it isn’t easy putting Air Force on this list (we as Americans love giving the little guys and servicemen their chance to shine), it’s hard to imagine the Falcons as a Top 25 team.
The Falcons beat a once highly regarded BYU team that has since collapsed and put up a fight in Norman against the Sooners to turn some heads. However, since that time they’ve put up ho-hum wins at sub-par Wyoming and at home against average-at-best Navy.
The Falcons next face a rebuilding Colorado State squad, which could mean another unimpressive win. It will be surprising if they make it past the upstart Aztecs in San Diego before then facing top Mountain West teams TCU and Utah.
4. Florida Gators (14th in AP Poll, 12th in USA Today Poll)
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Not to pick on the SEC, but despite the Gators' exit from the Top 10, they still don’t avoid the list.
It isn’t because they are as bad as most people think or hope—they simply aren’t as good as some of the teams just beneath them.
Florida is a young team that will contend in the future and progress as the season continues, but right now they aren’t a Top 15 team, and their inexperience surfaced against Alabama.
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3. Wisconsin Badgers (20th in AP Poll, 19th in USA Today Poll)
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They beat a San Jose State team that just lost to FCS UC-Davis and a UNLV team that is 1-4. Note: that one win came against 0-5 New Mexico. A 70-3 clobbering of Austin Peay isn’t impressing anyone either.
We all know about the blocked extra point that salvaged the game against Arizona State. The Badgers lucked out after suffering from sloppy kick coverage, something they ranked 119th in nationally last season and showed again in their next contest. Right before the half, Badgers safeties Shelton Johnson and Dezmen Southward dragged down Arizona State return man Kyle Middlebrooks an inch from the goal line as the clock expired.
The Badgers also seem to have a problem of picking up yards, failing to convert third downs, and turning drives into points against stiffer competition.
The Badgers had one real test: playing at Michigan State, and they faltered. A Top-25 team? Maybe, but a degree of consistency is needed.
2. Auburn Tigers (8th in AP Poll, 8th in USA Today Poll)
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While the Tigers are coming off a blowout of hapless UL-Monroe, it is hard to ignore the fact they squeaked by in their previous three contests.
It’s true that you have to win tight games throughout the season, and good teams find ways to win, but when you’re in tough contests week after week eventually someone jumps and gets you.
Auburn held on against Mississippi State, even though the Bulldogs' largely ineffective passing game nearly got them in field goal range for a game-tying attempt at the end.
The Tigers were then dominated in the first half against Clemson before rallying to bring the game to overtime. A thrilling game, but it took an illegal snap call to take points off the board and force another field goal attempt, one that sailed wide.
They were then losing 27-21 to South Carolina in the fourth quarter, but were assisted by a Stephen Garcia fumble and an interception to end the game.
What’s more astonishing is that Auburn has turned the ball over, committed penalties, and missed timely field goals, yet managed to survive.
Auburn has picked up the wins and momentum it needs to, but from what’s been seen it’s a questionable move to put the Tigers in the Top 10.
1. LSU Tigers (12th in AP Poll, 9th in USA Today Poll)
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The Tigers are undefeated at 5-0, yes, and some might say they’ve made plays when they’ve needed to.
But the writing was on the wall that the Tigers weren’t anything special when they let a handicapped, albeit resilient, North Carolina team roar back and come within a dropped pass in the end zone of a loss.
LSU also failed to put away West Virginia, letting the Mountaineers climb back from a 17-0 deficit to make the game a tussle, and then may have received the gift of the season when Tennessee ran 13 men on the field for the final play of the game in the midst of mass confusion, giving LSU an untimed down to run in the winning score.
LSU is one of the more talented teams in the country, but some are starting to compare Les Miles to Larry Coker and his basketball analogue Tubby Smith: slightly above-average coaches who were winning on talent and eventually didn’t win enough, proving to be too over-matched to retain their positions.
To LSU’s credit, the Tigers are still undefeated, but one has to wonder whether talent, a two-quarterback rotation, and luck will carry them in the heart of SEC play, especially considering Les Miles' late-game management.
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