Don't Bet Your Check on Preseason Rankings: A Look at the 2010 Coaches' Poll
Is anyone arguing about whether or not the right two teams are playing for college football's national championship on Monday night?
Even if you are a Horned Frog fan, a Stanford supporter or a Buckeye backer, it would be difficult to make your case.
The BCS Championship Game, in Glendale, Arizona, featuring the No. 1 Auburn Tigers (13-0, SEC Champs), and No. 2 Oregon Ducks (12-0, Pac-10 Champs) has the right two teams on the field.
But how accurate were the preseason polls in predicting how the 2010 college football season would turn out?
Were these statements about where the teams ranked at the beginning of the year or predictions of where they would end up?
Does anyone really know?
The following list shows where the coaches' poll ranked the top 25 at the beginning of the year, and how the teams actually performed in 2010.
25. West Virginia
1 of 25
West Virginia had a very solid season (9-4), with their three regular season loses coming to LSU, Syracuse and a mid-season overtime contest with the Big East champs, Connecticut.
The combined point margin of these three defeats was 14 points.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 22
Bowl Result: Champs Sports Bowl—lost to North Carolina State, 23-7
24. Utah
2 of 25
Going into the month of November, the Utes were 8-0, and ranked fifth in the BCS standings.
And then they played TCU at home, and got clobbered 47-7.
The following week, still in shock, the Utes traveled to South Bend to play Notre Dame, where they, again were man-handled, losing to the Fighting Irish, 28-3.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 19
Bowl Result: Maaco Bowl Las Vegas—lost to Boise State, 26-3
23. Auburn
3 of 25
Should we give the coaches a pass on this one or is this one of the biggest gaffes in preseason polling history?
To be honest, no one anticipated the juggernaut-force that is Cam Newton.
While he was the No. 1 JUCO recruit in the nation last year, no one saw what was to come for Auburn football 2010 (13-0).
This year, Newton became the third player in NCAA FBS history to throw and run for 20-plus touchdowns in a single season (along with Florida's Tim Tebow and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, who reached the milestone also this season).
The Auburn Tigers enter into the BCS Championship Game as the favorites to win.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 1
Bowl Result: TBD—BCS Championship Game, Jan. 10
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Oregon State
4 of 25
The Oregon State Beavers (5-7) had a disappointing season.
Two of their first three games came against Boise State and TCU—ending up with losses in both cases.
In the fifth game of the season (against Arizona), James Rodgers, their leading receiver, went down with a season-ending injury.
After opening Pac-10 play with two wins, the Beavers lost five of their remaining seven games.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Not bowl eligible
21. Georgia
5 of 25
The 2010 season did not go as expected for the Georgia Bulldogs (6-7).
They strongly believed that, coming off four straight victories to end their 2009 season, this was going to be a banner year for the Bulldogs.
But, starting 2010 1-4 was not what Mark Richt expected or wanted.
While they did rebound to win five of their next seven games, the Bulldogs ended up on another low note...losing to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl 10-6.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Liberty Bowl—lost to Central Florida, 10-6.
20. Florida State
6 of 25
Florida State fans wanted to see what life would be like ABB—after Bobby Bowden.
In his first year, Jimbo Fisher began to take the Seminoles (10-4) back into college football relevance (recently being rewarded with a contract extension from the school).
With nice wins over both Miami (FL) and Florida, Fisher help establish himself with not only the fans but with the state's fantastic recruiting base.
Florida State, also, won the Atlantic Division in the ACC, earning their way to the conference championship game.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 23
Bowl Result: Chick-fil-A Bowl—beat South Carolina, 26-17
19. Arkansas
7 of 25
What a major difference two years have made in Fayetteville under the direction of head coach Bobby Petrino.
The Razorbacks have gone from 5-7 to 8-5 and, this year, elevating their record to 10-3 (6-2 in SEC).
Ryan Mallett was a huge part of Arkansas' progress. They will miss him badly next—he just declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 8
Bowl Result: Sugar Bowl—lost to Ohio State, 31-26.
18. North Carolina
8 of 25
Butch Davis' Tar Heels (8-5) had an up-and-down season, on and off the field.
With a rash of NCAA investigations going on in the first half of the season, no wonder this was a roller coaster ride.
They lost their first two games (LSU and Georgia Tech), won their next four, lost to Miami (FL), won two more, lost two and then ended on an up note by winning their last two contests.
Even though it was North Carolina's third straight eight-win season....it was the third straight eight-win season....if you know what I mean.
This was supposed to be a breakthrough year, with ten seniors regularly starting for the Tar Heels, and 17 who contributed.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Music City Bowl—overtime win against Tennessee, 30-27.
17. Georgia Tech
9 of 25
Frustration is a good way to describe 2010 for Georgia Tech (6-7).
Like North Carolina, this season was supposed to be when things moved forward.
You would think that having the best rushing attack in the country (327 yards per game), would help them control most of the games that they were in.
Instead, the Yellow Jackets couldn't establish any type of real consistency, losing five of their last six games.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl result: Independence Bowl—lost to Air Force, 14-7
16. LSU
10 of 25
LSU (10-2) was a tough team to beat throughout the season.
Even in the two games that they lost, Les Miles' Tigers gave Auburn (24-17) and Arkansas (31-23) a run for their money.
LSU, as usual, had a tough defense (No. 8 in total defense) that made it hard for everyone to move the ball or score (No. 11 in total scoring defense).
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 11
Bowl Result: Cotton Bowl—beat Texas A&M, 41-24
15. Pittsburgh
11 of 25
Dave Wannstedt's Panthers were supposed to challenge for the Big East title in 2010. They ended up barely being bowl eligible (8-5) and Wannstedt resigned.
Against many of their opponents, Pitt struggled to consistently move the ball or score.
The future of Pitt football continues to be in disarray.
Pittsburgh hired Miami of Ohio coach Mike Haywood last month only to fire him three weeks later after he was arrested in Indiana on a domestic violence charge.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: BBVA Compass Bowl—beat Kentucky 27-10
14. Penn State
12 of 25
Penn State (7-6) was a solid team in the first parts of the 2010 season, winning six of their first nine games.
However, the final quarter of the season did not go well for the Nittany Lions.
With a difficult close to their season (games against Ohio State and Michigan State), Penn State lost three of their last four contests.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Outback Bowl—lost to Florida, 37-24
13. Miami (FL)
13 of 25
Hopes were high at "the U" to start the 2010 season.
This was the year that Miami (7-6) was going to jump back into the national scene.
However, an early season loss against Ohio State (36-24) and a pounding at the hands of in-state rival Florida State (45-17) extinguished most of the anticipation.
In fact, the home loss to the Seminoles may have been the beginning of the end for head coach Randy Shannon, who was fired at the end of the season.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Sun Bowl—lost to Notre Dame, 33-17
12. Wisconsin
14 of 25
Wisconsin was one of the dominating teams this year in all college football.
They opened with four wins and then after losing a hard-fought battle in East Lansing against Michigan State, the Badgers (11-2) ripped off seven straight victories, including a nationally-televised home victory against then-No.1 Ohio State.
The Badgers grabbed headlines as they beat up on their final three regular season opponents: beating Indiana (83-20), Michigan (48-28) and Northwestern (70-23) on their way to gaining the Big Ten crown.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 5
Bowl Result: Rose Bowl—lost to TCU, 21-19
11. Oregon
15 of 25
Oregon football reached new levels of success and power in 2010, and few could say that they anticipated this.
Coming off of a good 10-3 season in 2009, the Ducks (12-0 going into the championship game) were the Pac-10 favorites but not many expected this kind of offensive explosion from Eugene.
No college football team had an offense like the Ducks' high-octane attack that led the nation in scoring (49.3 points per game) and total offense (537.5 yds).
While they are a slight underdog for Monday night's game, Oregon has a great chance to come away with a win and the national title.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 2
Bowl Result: TBD—playing in the BCS Championship Game, Jan 10
10. Iowa
16 of 25
Iowa (8-5) came into the season expecting to challenge for the Big Ten title with hopes of a BCS bid.
In the middle of the season, the Hawkeyes had disappointing losses at Arizona (34-27) and against Wisconsin (31-30).
After convincingly beating then-No. 5 Michigan State and Indiana, the wheels came off again, and Iowa dropped their final three regular season games by a total of ten points.
Week 15 BCS Standings: Unranked
Bowl Result: Insight Bowl—beat Missouri, 27-24
9. Nebraska
17 of 25
At times in 2010, Nebraska (10-4) looked as good as any team in the nation.
At other times, the Cornhusker fans wondered, "Who are you and what have you done with our team?"
After five compelling victories to start the season, Nebraska couldn't get out of their own way at home, losing to Texas 20-13.
They regrouped and won their next four games before losing on the road to Texas A&M.
The Cornhuskers had a chance to jump back into the BCS picture but lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 18
Bowl Result: Holiday Bowl—lost to Washington, 19-7
8. Oklahoma
18 of 25
Oklahoma was the class of the Big 12.
During the middle of the season, they jumped up and were ranked No.1, before losing to Missouri and Texas A&M.
With an offense that featured the third-ranked passing attack in the nation, OU was hard to handle.
The Sooners (12-2) won the Big 12 conference for the fifth time in seven years.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 7
Bowl Result: Fiesta Bowl—beat Connecticut, 48-20
7. TCU
19 of 25
TCU has become one of the most consistently successful teams in college football.
In head coach Gary Patterson's ten years at the Horned Frog helm, TCU is 98-28 with nine bowl appearances during this stretch.
This year, TCU (13-0) was undefeated from start to finish.
They were selected to play in the Rose Bowl and defeated Wisconsin in arguably the best college bowl game of the season.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 3
Bowl Result: Rose Bowl—beat Wisconsin, 21-19
6. Virginia Tech
20 of 25
Virginia Tech's season was almost over as it was beginning.
After losing to Boise State in their opening game, the Hokies miraculously lost at home to James Madison.
From that point on, Tech (11-3) was having to dig themselves out of the canyon in which they had burrowed themselves.
They won their next eleven games, including beating Florida State (44-33) for the ACC championship, before getting drubbed by Stanford in the Orange Bowl.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 13
Bowl Result: Orange Bowl—lost to Stanford, 40-12
5. Boise State
21 of 25
Throughout the 2010 regular season, very few teams were discussed and debated more than Boise State.
Sides were drawn and arguments were offered for where the Broncos belonged in the national college football scene.
After ten convincing victories, Boise State (12-1) lost to WAC-rival Nevada (34-31 in OT) in a loss that completely removed the Broncos from any hopes of a national title or a BCS bowl invitation.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 10
Bowl Result: Las Vegas Bowl—beat Utah, 26-3
4. Texas
22 of 25
No team fell further and performed worse among the preseason coaches' poll than the University of Texas (5-7).
In thirteen years coaching Longhorn football, Mack Brown never had a losing season...until 2010.
In fact, this year was the first year that Texas, under Brown, had not won at least nine games. Texas was 2-6 in the Big 12; they had only lost as many as three games in conference play only one time (2007).
Immediately following the season, a major overhaul of the coaching staff began.
The eyes of Texas will be upon the Longhorns in 2011 to see if they can get back to where they have been for so long.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Not bowl eligible
3. Florida
23 of 25
The post-Tebow era began in 2010, and the results weren't great.
The Florida Gators (8-5) fell short of just about everyone's expectations in what ended up being Urban Meyer's last season.
Under Meyer, Florida had won two national championships with a 65-15 record over six years.
This season, in the middle of the season, lost three games in a row—Alabama (31-6), LSU (33-29) and Mississippi State (10-7)—falling out of the AP top 25 for the first time in 89 weeks.
Week 15 BCS Standing: Unranked
Bowl Result: Outback Bowl—beat Penn State, 37-24
2. Ohio State
24 of 25
The Ohio State Buckeyes played a near-perfect 2010 season.
Other than a October oversight against Wisconsin (the Badgers beat the Buckeyes in Madison, 31-18), Ohio State took care of business.
Unfortunately for them, that one misstep was all it took to knock them out of the BCS title game and the Big Ten championship.
As usual, Jim Tressel's squad played tough defense and used a strong running attack to control games and beat their opponents.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 6
Bowl Result: Sugar Bowl—beat Arkansas, 31-26
1. Alabama
25 of 25
Alabama, last year's BCS champs, came into the 2010 season with lots of expectations but also with lots of question marks.
They had Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram returning, as well as steady senior QB Greg McElroy.
But they also were replacing a truck load of defensive starters.
Alabama still had a stifling defense (ranked No. 4 in total defense), but struggled in road games, losing to South Carolina (35-21) and LSU (24-21), as well as going down to defeat at home against rival Auburn.
The Crimson Tide (10-3) ended up fourth in the SEC West, and that's not how they normally do things in Tuscaloosa.
Week 15 BCS Standing: No. 16
Bowl Result: Capitol One Bowl—beat Michigan State, 49-7.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
