If you think next year is going to be good, then wow just wait until the year after that. Could we do 3 NCs in 4 years?

And my opinion on LSUs ranking, we definately deserve to be in the top 25, especially after Auburn routed tennessee at home last night. At least on the AP.

They may not even be ranked in the AP. If LSU loses next week, which is quite possible, then they won't be ranked in either poll. At least the pressure of the polls is off, I think. Now it is about winning the SEC West and getting to the SECCG. If it becomes clear that won't happen, then the season will be about player development, particular with Jamarcus Russell. It's a disappointing year to be sure. C'est la vie. Oh, and the Saints suck, too. :rofl:

Well put DH. You very succinctly described what I regard as the critical flaw in the current system.

I would only add that a solution, though stop-gap at best (can you say playoff?), would be to delay the first rankings until week three or four. Even though voters would no doubt create their own rankings each week along the way, I believe they would be more flexible in sorting out their preconceived preseason rankings if they are not yet "on the record".

I also believe the individual AP voters should have to publish their rankings. There are enough individuals involved in voting that, with so much at stake, dubious motives may come into play. Make them accountable!!

The AP has said flat out that such a solution will NEVER be instituted. I guess reporting what the reporters believe is too important each week. The coaches poll, however, could assume a level of respectability above and beyond that of the AP by adopting this strategy. Besides, everyone knows the coaches (i.e. the ADs) only have the wellbeing and sanctity of College Football in their mind as they vote each week. . .

You bring up great points, and I didn't say I was totally right. I just don't have a problem with the rankings. It's a matter of opinion. I personally think it is impossible to come up with a fair system that ranks 120 teams, this is the best we have.

The reason I feel SC and OU deserve their high rankings is because of how they finished last season and the players that came back. Of the 3 top teams last year (LSU, OU, and SC), LSU lost the most players. Anyway, if UGA or AU go undefeated they will certainly be given the chance to play for the NC. I've never seen season where 3 or more teams go undefeated (from BCS conferences). And I do completely agree that the SEC is much stronger than the PAC10. However, it's not like SC is always in the top 5. There were years where SC wasn't ranked at all. It's the same system with team replacing each other every few years. Does Texas always deserve to be ranked so high? Not to me, but they get that gift every single season it seems.

A playoff won't solve season rankings, only the amount of teams that are given a chance to play for an NC. If there was a 4 team playoff, and 5 teams were undefeated . . . that wouldn't be fair either.

Anyway, the best solution may be to not publish rankings until half the season is over. But there will always be complaints. Some fans want the rankings to be based on team performance and not wins, I don't think rankings should be that reactionary. If you win and stay undefeated you deserve to be ranked high. Eventually teams will lose. Not too many fans felt OhSt would lose to NW, or that WV would lose to VT (although that was more likely than the OhSt loss).

Maybe they should throw rankings out all together, it will never be 100% fair. But to me, a two loss LSU team (at this point in the season) is better than 75% of the teams playing football . . . which is why we deserve the top 25 ranking we have right now. It's not a perfect system, and don't think it is flawless . . . but I can live with it, I feel it is fair.

Like I said, it's just my opinion. No one cares what I think. Coaches and the AP are not polling me or asking my opinion . . . so don't blame the rankings on me. :wink: You do make some excellent points though. I just doubt that a ranking system will be invented that everyone will think it fair. I grew up in NO, went to LSU. To me the SEC is the very best conference in football and if I were a sports writer I'd have SEC teams ranked very high in my rankings, but somehow I bet guys in Mich and OU feel their confernece is just as good. Who is to say for sure which is the absolute best at this point in the season.