Have you ever compared Top 25 voters with junior high school girls?
Though the two are about as similar as the weather in Florida versus that in Minnesota, they do share one common bond: They both value popularity at the polls.
Yes, where one group tends to vote the popular kids into student council roles and head cheerleader positions, the other ranks big-name programs ahead of smaller schools which are actually playing at a higher level.
While in either case it doesn’t happen all the time, it happens frequently enough to warrant at least a pause for reflection.
To illustrate, take a look at this week’s AP rankings, where Ohio State received enough points—204 to be precise—to be declared the No. 23 team in the nation. Compare this to East Carolina, not ranked in the Top 25, but earning 44 votes, or enough to make it technically the No. 31 team in the nation.
Is this really a big deal?
Well, let’s compare the two teams straight up: Ohio State is 2-1—it survived Navy 34-17 in the opener, fell to unranked Virginia Tech 35-21 in Week 2 and then destroyed Kent State 66-0 in Week 3.
East Carolina is also 2-1: It walloped FCS North Carolina Central 52-7 in the opener, narrowly lost to No. 21 South Carolina 33-23 in Week 2 and upset No. 17 Virginia Tech in Week 3.
So, the Buckeyes beat two unranked teams—one an independent and one from the MAC—and lost at home to an unranked team from the ACC. Overall, the wins came against two teams that have combined for a 2-4 start in 2014 and the loss to a 2-1 team that, after losing in Week 3, is again unranked.
The Pirates, on the other hand, beat an FCS squad and an ACC team on the road and lost to a contender in the SEC East (again on the road), which went on to knock off the No. 6 team in the nation last Saturday. Overall, they’ve won against teams that are 3-3 and lost to a team that is 2-1 and ranked No. 14 in the latest AP poll.
The question isn’t so much, “Should East Carolina be ranked?” but instead, “Should Ohio State be ranked?”
In other words, just because a team was supposed to be a legitimate contender for the first-ever College Football Playoff AND they’ve won all those championships before, should they be ranked when they’ve not performed as well as other squads against stiffer opposition?
To compare, take a look at the other 10 teams which are 2-1 and received at least one vote in this week’s AP Top 25.
South Carolina (2-1): The Gamecocks got destroyed 52-28 by No. 21 Texas A&M in the opener, beat unranked East Carolina 33-23 in Week 2 and edged No. 6 Georgia 38-35 last Saturday. They received 718 points in this week’s AP and are ranked at No. 14.
Stanford (2-1): Stanford dominated FCS UC-Davis 45-0 in its opener, fell 13-10 to No. 14 USC in Week 2 and then blanked Army 35-0 last Saturday. The Cardinal had 560 points in this week’s AP and are ranked at No. 16.
USC (2-1): The Trojans handled Fresno State 52-13 in the opener, edged No. 13 Stanford 13-10 in Week 2 and then were run over by Boston College 37-31 this past Saturday. USC received 459 points in the most recent AP, coming in at No. 17.
Oklahoma State (2-1): The Cowboys showed up big in their opener against No. 1 Florida State, losing 37-31 to the defending national champs. They went on to beat FCS Missouri State 40-23 in Week 2 and downed UTSA 43-13 on Saturday. Oklahoma State received 126 points in the AP this week, earning it the No. 25 spot in the rankings.
Virginia Tech (2-1): The Hokies’ topsy-turvy, early-season ride started with a 34-9 win over FCS William & Mary and soared with the 35-21 upset win over No. 8 Ohio State. Things fell apart Saturday with a 28-21 loss to East Carolina. Virginia Tech received 54 votes in the latest AP, dropping it to what’s technically the No. 29 slot.
Boston College (2-1): BC opened 2014 with a 30-7 win over UMass and then fell 30-20 in Week 2 to Pitt. This setup the Week 3 shocker, a 37-31 upset triumph over No. 9 USC. The Eagles received a mere 22 votes in the AP poll this week, earning it a No. 36 rank.
West Virginia (2-1): Another team that showed up big in an overmatched opener, West Virginia played hard against No. 2 Alabama in Week 1, losing 33-23. The Mountaineers blanked FCS Towson 54-0 in Week 2 and edged Maryland 40-37 last Saturday. West Virginia was rewarded with 14 AP votes this week, making them technically the No. 37 team in America.
Virginia (2-1): The team that ended No. 21’s Louisville’s brief run in the Top 25 last Saturday in a 23-21 decision, is also the team that nearly knocked off No. 7 UCLA in the opener, falling 28-20. Virginia also destroyed FCS Richmond in Week 2, 45-13. The Cavaliers garnered six votes in the most recent AP, securing the No. 40 slot.
Arkansas (2-1): Arkansas’ only sin this season came via a 45-21 loss to No. 6 Auburn in the opener. Other than that misstep, the Razorbacks annihilated FCS Nicholls State 73-7 in Week 2 and then embarrassed Texas Tech 49-28 in Lubbock last Saturday. All this adds up to three AP votes, tying Arkansas with Arizona and FCS North Dakota State at No. 41.
Louisville (2-1): Louisville’s 31-13 opening win over Miami (Fla.) earned it a No. 25 AP ranking, a mark that improved to No. 21 after the Cardinals beat FCS Murray State 66-21 in Week 2. All was totally forgotten after Week 3’s 23-21 loss to Virginia, dropping Louisville to two votes and technically the No. 44 slot.
It’s difficult to justify how the Ohio State’s, USC’s and Stanford’s of college football are ranked above the East Carolina’s, Boston College’s and Virginia’s.
All share the same record, but not the same caliber of wins and losses.
View Comments (68)
Voters are too married to their preseason votes. Any poll that comes out before mid-October isn't worth much. And pre-season polls are basically worthless.
I agree with Drew even though I am an OSU grad. No polls until mid-October.
Proved right on...Ohio State does not belong in the Top 25...sadly pathetic but then again, too many of these writers are utterly clueless about the sport/need to be a player, coach or something to have some perspective.
Looking at these posts in hindsight...really? OSU had a developing inexperienced O line and a new quarterback. Their 3rd quarterback just beat Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon. Early season polls are a joke. Look at South Carolina...they were horribly unpredictable and average at best. The SEC outside of a few teams Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Auburn recently are pretty poor. People talk about the dominant SEC when in fact it is only one team and sprinkle in Auburn or Georgia. Ole Miss and MSU are pretty much non-factors nationally. Kentucky, Arkansas, Vandy are middle to bottom of the teams in the ACC, Big 10, Big XII and Pac 12. Things wouldn't really change. Look at A&M, they went from a top 2-3 team in the Big 12 to a top 2-3 team in the vaunted SEC division. The alpha dogs of college football will be the alpha dogs because they can recruit and compete nationally. The Boise State, TCU's and ECU of the world add spice to the conversation but year in year out it is the Power teams from the Power conferences that will decide the National Champs. OSU's run this year is unprecedented. I would like to see any other school compete on that stage and at that level with their 3rd QB. Wouldn't even be close to what they were able to do. FSU barely beat Clemson with a back up for one game in the early fall.
Tim, the point of this article was made at the time OSU was 2-1. Of course, it doesnt make sense now, Captain Obvious. The whole point is that, at the time, Ohio State should NOT have been ranked. Does that matter, now that they had their run? Of course not. They did what they did, and deserve to be champs. But criticizing a time-oriented article like this, in "hind-sight" as you put it, might just be showing that youre doing nothing more than trying to convince people of OSU's great run, when everyone already knows about OSU's great run. Next time try to think outside the box, like the author of this article, and realize that there are many facets to college football, instead of JUST, who ends up on top in the end.
As an ECU fan/alum, I give a round of thanks for this article. #truth
Ditto :) Nice to see someone finally recognizing East Carolina for what they do.
Great article and good research! GO Pirates!
The polls are a complete joke. This weekend, unranked ECU is favored over 25th ranked UNC. How can this be?
Well lets see, because ECU beat them by about 30 points. Guess the polls were accurate ;)
Good article. Pirates should get respect, they have a pretty good program.
Good article! Preseason polls aren't worth a damn. First poll shouldn't come out until about week 6 ( second week in October ). I believe voters will keep those "sexy" named schools in the polls if all possible! Please explain how in the coaches poll last week, that Ohio State was ranked one spot ahead of Va Tech, a team that just beat them!! When you have teams playing FCS teams and non power 5 opponents at the being of the season, how do you know how they really gonna be?
OHIO STATE has always been GREAT. Think that's what you all are failing to realize... Sounds like hating.read our books check our history hommies.
ECU ALWAYS gets the shaft when being compared to so called better football schools but that's ok. We'll allow our "ON THE FIELD" work speak for us!!
GO PIRATES!!! BEAT CAROLINA!!!!
Go Pirates!!
I am a Buckeye and there is no way we should be in the top 25. We haven't earned it. Matter of fact, there should be no preseason polls and NO polls until the first week of October. Preseason polls are inaccurate and based on what people who vote think - nothing to go by because no games have been played. Polls are largely deceitful and it is ruining college football.
Go Pirates. Nice article and flattering to our program, but I like being underrated it keeps us hungry. We will be ranked for sure after we beat UNC this Saturday. Then Pro scouts and agents, writers will be lining up for Carden and Hardy, and they will be expected to win the AAC championship anything less will be a disappointment from the same crowd of top 25 Poll voters ready to drop us into obscurity at the first whiff of trouble. It just won't have the same magic it does now.