AP voters drive me insane

[Chris Flanagan]

Okay, this is probably not going to get me on the AP poll anytime soon but I don't care.

So, I made a mention of SEC bias of AP voters in my Morning After article. And they didn't disappoint.

Take Kansas State.

In Week 4, Kansas State had 326 points. They played a top 10 SEC team (Auburn). They made a few mistakes and let the top 10 SEC team hang around and ultimately the top 10 SEC team wins.

Auburn had 1,252 points in week 4. Struggled against a weaker opponent, and got 1,268 points. They GAINED 16 POINTS in Week 5. The amount of points Kansas State's kicker and Tyler Lockett left on the field.

Kansas State plays hard, made some mistakes and ends up losing. They LOSE 195 points. That's nearly 60% of their AP points.

Now, take Arkansas.

In Week 5, Arkansas had 9 AP points. They played a top 10 SEC team (Texas A&M). They made a few mistakes and let the top 10 SEC team hang around and ultimately the top 10 SEC team wins.

Texas A&M had 1,232 points. In Week 6, they had 1,206. They lose 26 points. Fair enough. So what happened to Arkansas? They GAIN 9 points from losing. They double their point value by losing.

So Kansas State loses to a close game to a top 10 SEC team and loses 60% of it's AP points. Arkansas does the same thing and DOUBLES their AP points.

Maybe I am making mountains out of molehills but this is why this bias is killing the Big 12. Some people already think that the Big 12 champion shouldn't get a spot in the playoffs because they only have "Oklahoma and Baylor." Yet when the Big 12 goes out and plays top tier opponents, plays well enough to win but loses, they get punished hard. An SEC team does the same thing, they get rewarded.

You can't beat that type of bias. It's impossible.

/end rant.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

You are not making mountains out of molehills. You just slam dunked a helluva point.

I wish your post could circulate all over.

 

[Stringer Bell]

I agree its complete bullsh!t

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Okay, this is probably not going to get me on the AP poll anytime soon but I don't care.

So, I made a mention of SEC bias of AP voters in my Morning After article. And they didn't disappoint.

Take Kansas State.

In Week 4, Kansas State had 326 points. They played a top 10 SEC team (Auburn). They made a few mistakes and let the top 10 SEC team hang around and ultimately the top 10 SEC team wins.

Auburn had 1,252 points in week 4. Struggled against a weaker opponent, and got 1,268 points. They GAINED 16 POINTS in Week 5. The amount of points Kansas State's kicker and Tyler Lockett left on the field.

Kansas State plays hard, made some mistakes and ends up losing. They LOSE 195 points. That's nearly 60% of their AP points.

Now, take Arkansas.

In Week 5, Arkansas had 9 AP points. They played a top 10 SEC team (Texas A&M). They made a few mistakes and let the top 10 SEC team hang around and ultimately the top 10 SEC team wins.

Texas A&M had 1,232 points. In Week 6, they had 1,206. They lose 26 points. Fair enough. So what happened to Arkansas? They GAIN 9 points from losing. They double their point value by losing.

So Kansas State loses to a close game to a top 10 SEC team and loses 60% of it's AP points. Arkansas does the same thing and DOUBLES their AP points.

Maybe I am making mountains out of molehills but this is why this bias is killing the Big 12. Some people already think that the Big 12 champion shouldn't get a spot in the playoffs because they only have "Oklahoma and Baylor." Yet when the Big 12 goes out and plays top tier opponents, plays well enough to win but loses, they get punished hard. An SEC team does the same thing, they get rewarded.

You can't beat that type of bias. It's impossible.

/end rant.

1000% accurate and I couldn't agree more... But I believe this bias is damaging CFB as a whole, not just the Big 12.

 

[utisdabomb12]

Auburn is also considered the better team too in comparison with A&M when you look at the AP Poll. There's no doubt there's SEC bias. 

 

[BevoBlake]

You are not making mountains out of molehills. You just slam dunked a helluva point.

I wish your post could circulate all over.

I couldn't agree more. This absolutely needs to circulate. Lets see the AP try to explain this away.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

How much does the AP figure in to the final playoff rankings?

 

[BevoBlake]

How much does the AP figure in to the final playoff rankings?

Interestingly enough, Texas was a large part of the reason why the AP wanted to disassociate itself with the BCS.

With that said, to my knowledge, they don't have any impact on the Playoff Rankings. They concluded their relationship with College Football rankings in 2004. So this is simply a weekly power rankings that a group with former power puts out. The problem is, it continues to push the inaccurate notion that the SEC is made up of nothing but elite football teams.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Good find, JB. I once ridiculed the DMN for headlining a story "OU wins in rout" when it was 14-0 final.

 

[Chris Flanagan]

How much does the AP figure in to the final playoff rankings?

None but do you really think busy people like Condoleezza Rice and Jeff Long are going to have time to watch every Top 25 team? Heck no. I don't have time and I am just a law student. They are going to use these polls to gauge their belief on who are the Top 4 teams. When you have such bias towards one conference, you lose sight of other very good teams. Heck it's already established that if Oregon, Oklahoma or Florida State loses, 2 SEC West teams are going to be in the playoffs.

This is why we need a playoff system with all the conference champions in there because when you leave out a power conference champion for a team that didn't even win it's division, then you have the same problem as you did with the BCS.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Most ridiculous nonsense ever...