BP Poll - Week 1

[Jake]

Originally Posted by TheIronColonel

I haven't completed my ballot yet, but can anyone think of a good reason not to rank East Carolina #1? They've got the two most impressive wins of the year right now and a soft schedule remaining. They could easily go unbeaten.

I guess it depends on how one looks at the poll. I don't see it as making a prediction each week, so whether or not I think a team could go unbeaten is irrelevant to me in September.

I see filling out a poll as an assessment of where teams are THAT week. That's why LSU is still #1 in my poll. They're undefeated since they won the title game. If/when they lose, I'll drop them.

[NFBuck]

Week 2 poll sent!

[TheIronColonel]

Originally Posted by Jake

I guess it depends on how one looks at the poll. I don't see it as making a prediction each week, so whether or not I think a team could go unbeaten is irrelevant to me in September.

I see filling out a poll as an assessment of where teams are THAT week. That's why LSU is still #1 in my poll. They're undefeated since they won the title game. If/when they lose, I'll drop them.

I'm not convinced that's a good way to rank teams, though. While it's true that LSU has won their last three games, one of them was last year. I'd rather rank teams based on some combination of what they've done this year and what I expect them to do this year.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't rank ECU highly because I think they can go unbeaten. The only reason I'd rank them highly right now is because they've beaten two top ten teams so far (yeah, VT isn't as good as advertised, but still). That's way more than any other team can claim up to this point.

[brodybuck21]

week 2 sent

[Bucklion]

Mine is in.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNation27

don't rank a team because you think they're remaining schedule is soft or hard. rank them for what they've done thus far.

Exactly. They just beat the team that was ranked #8 at least in the BP poll. I don't know how someone can look down the road and say that a team should not be ranked as high because they might have injuries later on in the season. That is true of every team and just because East Carolina might be a little thin really doesn't mean anything because it would really depend on one player or players would get hurt if any.

[LordJeffBuck]

Please try to get your ballots in sometime this afternoon - I'll post the results this evening. Should be interesting to see where the Buckeyes end up in our poll.

[LitlBuck]

Knowing our pollsters, including myself, I think the Buckeyes will probably still end up #1. In the other polls, I can't believe that BYU is still ranked around #15 when they're probably would've lost to Washington if her were not for an excessive celebration penalty

[Bucklion]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Knowing our pollsters, including myself, I think the Buckeyes will probably still end up #1. In the other polls, I can't believe that BYU is still ranked around #15 when they're probably would've lost to Washington if her were not for an excessive celebration penalty

The only conceivable argument I can think of for us being #1 is "I had them at #1 to start the season and they don't lose the #1 spot until they lose a game"...and I don't buy in to that argument.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by Bucklion

The only conceivable argument I can think of for us being #1 is "I had them at #1 to start the season and they don't lose the #1 spot until they lose a game"...and I don't buy in to that argument.

I know. I'm going to have to take off my scarlet colored glasses, and my hatred for some schools, when I do my poll.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by TheIronColonel

I'm not convinced that's a good way to rank teams, though.

I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do it, but I think it makes more sense than some methods because it is based more on performance and less on speculation.

While it's true that LSU has won their last three games, one of them was last year.

They started this season around #6 or 7 in most polls. They dropped from #1 without playing a game, and without anyone else playing a game.

I'd rather rank teams based on some combination of what they've done this year and what I expect them to do this year.

I think that's a great argument for not having polls at all until late in the season. The way it is now the second most important poll of the season is the one before it starts. Teams that people "expect to do well" get a high starting point and only have to defend it.

[BuckeyeMac]

Just wondering, can anyone partake in this?

[TheIronColonel]

Originally Posted by Jake

They started this season around #6 or 7 in most polls. They dropped from #1 without playing a game, and without anyone else playing a game.

I'm just not sure you can really say they're the same team, though. The roster has changed substantially from last year - they lost their starting and backup quarterbacks, starting running back, #1 wide receiver, a starter on the offensive line, their top two tight ends, an all american defensive tackle, an all american safety, both starting cornerbacks (including one all SEC performer), an all american linebacker, and another starting linebacker. They also lost their defensive coordinator. That's a huge amount of personnel churn.

Which is largely why I don't think you can simply accept them as #1. It's not the same team that won the national championship last year. That's not to say LSU isn't a good team, but, in my opinion, simply winning the title doesn't make you #1 the next season. I don't think Florida should have been ranked #1 going into last season, nor do I think Texas should have been #1 the year before. Philosophically speaking, I think you have to actually analyze the teams to rank them.

[LordJeffBuck]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeMac

Just wondering, can anyone partake in this?

Yes - send me a PM if you want a ballot.