Rankings

[billybud]

WVU...

This the same WVU that Marshall took to overtime?

North Carolina lost to LSU by a dropped pass in the end zone in the last minutes...and North Carolina wasn't playing six of their defensive starters (if you like excuses), their top wide receiver, and their three top yard gainers.

Who, I have to ask, has WVU beaten? That is a problem right now for the Mounties...no win to brag about.

We all see it differently. I ask the question..."would this team beat this team?". I might think that WVU would not beat FSU (they didn't in the Gator). I might think that FSU also has one loss, but has played Miami and Oklahoma...I might say, put FSU ahead of WVU (in fact, I do).

[WoVeU]

Hey WoVeU, Eric is right and Donovan is wrong.

:

[WoVeU]

WVU...

This the same WVU that Marshall took to overtime?

North Carolina lost to LSU by a dropped pass in the end zone in the last minutes...and North Carolina wasn't playing six of their defensive starters (if you like excuses), their top wide receiver, and their three top yard gainers.

Who, I have to ask, has WVU beaten? That is a problem right now for the Mounties...no win to brag about.

We all see it differently. I ask the question..."would this team beat this team?". I might think that WVU would not beat FSU (they didn't in the Gator). I might think that FSU also has one loss, but has played Miami and Oklahoma...I might say, put FSU ahead of WVU (in fact, I do).

(I guess the devil's advocacy was not apparent in my argument.)

Exactly! WVU is where they should be, perhaps even fortunate by a spot or 2. LSU might be a bit high. UNC not ranked...but that had better not fool people. This is only so because of all the players they were missing. If there is a better team in the ACC, then it is likely only FSU! If Oregon St. can be ranked this week then I think UNC should be ranked, if no this week then next. (Right about now I bet UNC is really lamenting that the William & Mary game wasn't the opener and then ECU....they likely could be undefeated and ranked in the top 12!)

[Vileborg]

I'm thinking Alabama will fall to 9th for me. Behind everyone but Utah. Enough people lost on the waiting list and behind them that Florida may just stay in.

SC will not be ahead of Alabama. SC won the game and that will earn them a solid spot in the top 25 but I still believe they played the spoiler and are not as good as they played this one game.

[billybud]

Don't sleep on Clemson...they aren't far off Auburn (lost by a FG). They can have a good day.

[donovan]

This week is the paradoxical week. This is where the philosophy that has been espoused by us all should come into play.

What I think is convoluted is when it comes to conference play, where championships in the past have been rightly rewarded with bowl play and all the accolades that accompany them, win loss record is sufficient, even in conferences where there is not a round robin format. Then we decide the king must be crowned and all of these other factors come into play. Well the Emperor does not have new clothes...he is naked..or is the neiked?

[Spence]

This week is the paradoxical week. This is where the philosophy that has been espoused by us all should come into play.

What I think is convoluted is when it comes to conference play, where championships in the past have been rightly rewarded with bowl play and all the accolades that accompany them, win loss record is sufficient, even in conferences where there is not a round robin format. Then we decide the king must be crowned and all of these other factors come into play. Well the Emperor does not have new clothes...he is naked..or is the neiked?

That is the problem with trying to rank in a consistent manor. Once you get to week 5 and on, things start to get convoluted. I think the only way to fix that is to allow that some teams get better and some stay the same. Which are which is what is hard to see. I think it is usually fair to assume teams with younger players have the most room for growth and teams with lots of seniors are usually good at the beginning of the season, but probably do not get that much better by the end.

You basically can't be consistent, but you can try to check bias against teams at the door.

[Eric]

I have LSU at 9 I think and West Virginia in the low 20's. Once you do get beyond the top teams, it kind of is a free-for-all. West Virginia has zero quality wins, but so far, I think they have passed the eye-test enough to merit a ranking and count as a quality victory for LSU. LSU beating Florida, West Virginia, and North Carolina (who was still pretty solid at the time of the suspensions) makes for a solid slate of wins. I think Alabama has looked a little better than LSU has even taking into account the fact that they lost on the road to the Gamecocks.

This conversation is kind of meaningless anyway because it will work itself out. South Carolina, by my guess, will fade a bit down the stretch and Alabama will roll through the rest of their schedule. So if Bama continues struggling or starts to fail my eye-test and South Carolina keeps playing well, I think South Carolina will eventually move ahead of Alabama in my poll and in the actual poll.

[donovan]

This conversation is kind of meaningless anyway because it will work itself out. =

I think we can all agree on that....but you think it work itself out? I don't think so. Read the opinions on this board....Boise and TCU have been darn before they have been crowned. And for the record...I do not think they are the two best teams in this country.

[Spence]

It will work itself out. Whether or not how things work out is right or wrong is something to be determined.

[donovan]

It will work itself out. Whether or not how things work out is right or wrong is something to be determined.

There certainly is a fifty-fifty chance...will or won't.

[Spence]

Probably not 50/50. More like 70/30 wont/will.

[Brian Roastbeef]

Well, I shuffled pretty much most of the SEC teams around in my poll after this week. South Carolina is ranked better than Alabama, and Auburn better than both of them. Meanwhile, Arkansas also took a bit of a hit as they are no longer the team that lost narrowly to the team nobody could beat. They are now the team that lost narrowly to the team somewhere around 14th.

Of course, it will continue to get more confused, but right now I think my poll makes sense.

[Spence]

Well, I shuffled pretty much most of the SEC teams around in my poll after this week. South Carolina is ranked better than Alabama, and Auburn better than both of them. Meanwhile, Arkansas also took a bit of a hit as they are no longer the team that lost narrowly to the team nobody could beat. They are now the team that lost narrowly to the team somewhere around 14th.

Of course, it will continue to get more confused, but right now I think my poll makes sense.

I think all you can do is to watch games and rank teams the way you think they ought to be, trying not to have bias against any team. I think Bias for a team is impossible to eliminate, but that isn't what hurts a ranking. Bias against can. In other words.........Just do it honestly and it is right.....no matter who agrees or disagrees. Trying to be consistent is admirable, but it just doesn't work. I have tried it and it ended up making my ranking philosophy look hypocritical - - even to me. Then I decided to just rank them based on who I honestly think is 1-2-3......

[Brian Roastbeef]

Yeah, makes sense regarding bias. If somebody came out there deciding they were the biggest Louisiana Tech fan in the world. Ranked them #1... they would work their way down even the biased rankings with each loss. Meanwhile, a hated undefeated team sitting outside the top 20, when everybody else has them in the top 5 makes the poll look weird and out of sorts throughout the season.

As for mine, I think it is a reasonable representation. (I think everybody who does rankings on here presents a strong case...) I believe that right now, Auburn and LSU are the best in the SEC, whether or not that will hold...