I agree that no one is implying that preseason polls are all that matter, they are flat out declaring it in the context of the thread. Several people have declared that the only reason AU was left out of the CG in 2004 is because of their preseason ranking. I've offered evidence to the contrary, but it gets completely ignored. I believe preseason polls matter somewhat, but very little for the positions that matter at the end of the day. As far as accuracy goes, how do you measure that?
This gets to my point that they currently rank teams based on real games each week. If a team is recognized as a really good team in the first two weeks, then they must have accomplished something really special. If they accomplished something special, they will be recognized for it in your first case. It is a complete myth that teams don't jump other teams. Does it happen every poll? No, but in circumstances that must be true for your 2nd case, they do.
I especially liked the polls a few years ago when Iowa beat Michigan, at Michigan, by 20 points, both teams undefeated at the time... and we didn't jump them in the polls!! Then again, I'm the same guy who doesn't understand why I have to press 1 to speak English!
WRT the AP Poll, the following are the rankingsprior to and after in the years Iowa beat Mich: 2003 30-27 Prior rnk: MI: 9; IA: 23 Post Rnk: MI: 20; IA: 14 2002 34-9 Prior Rnk: MI: 8; IA: 13 Post Rnk: MI: 15; IA: 9 1990 24-23 Prior Rnk: MI: 10; IA: 22 Post Rnk: MI: 20; IA: 15 1988 17-17 Prior Rnk: MI: 15; IA: UR Post Rnk: MI: 20; IA: UR 1985 12-10 Prior Rnk: MI: 2; IA: 1 Post Rnk: MI: 4; IA: 1 1984 26-0 Prior Rnk: MI: UR; IA: 18; Post Rnk: MI: UR; IA: 17 1981 9-7 Prior Rnk: MI: 5; IA: 12; Post Rnk: MI: 18; IA: 6 :dis:
Oh yeah...the only year you were both undefeated, possibly either one of you undefeated, and Iowa won was 1985...by a score of 12-10. Bet you have a lot of wet dreams in those Hawkeye PJs with big bird feet. :wink:
Hmmm, I've already stated that I agree with almost everyting you've said. But I do believe that in some voters minds they just cannot drop a team unless they lose, and sometimes that is all it could take to effect the rankings. We'll get a better feel for this stuff after the Harris Poll has been in existence for a few years I think, maybe then your point will be proven. I don't think hardly any of the people in tis debate believe that the voting schedule is the only reason for AU's being left out or for any other results. Their are many; SOS, both the team's and conference's is indeed part of the equation, as is bias, TV games, the time games come on, press coverage, trends, offensive explosions, marquee players, coaches, etc. And I still to this believe that OU's SOS was very overrated in 2003 and 2004.
There are many ways to measure accuracy, but you can't argue that doing things one way as opposed to another will provide more accurate, or less accurate results.
You've lost me here. I'm either too slow to follow, or you aren't making much sense. I'd like to think the latter, but who knows. How can a team be recognized for doing something special in the first two weeks, prior to the season even starting? I don't recall ever saying that teams don't jump other teams. Anyone that follows college football, even a little, knows that teams jump eachother all the time.
