Army and Louisiana: AP top 25 poll is filled with newcomers (how I voted) - syracuse.com

maknains.blogspot.com

Syracuse, N.Y. — Voters in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this season must pay closer attention to the Sun Belt than the Big Ten.

One league is in, the other is out. And after filling out preseason ballots as though everyone was playing, the rules changed once the games kicked off.

Voters must now compile their poll based on the 76 FBS teams still playing. As the Big Ten continues to decide what it’s doing this fall, it’s possible more teams might be on the table for ballot selection later in the season.

I get a vote throughout this strange season and had to essentially start from scratch after this weekend’s first slate of games.

Voters can include teams that haven’t started their seasons, be it Virginia Tech, which has had two games already postponed, or the Southeastern Conference, which doesn’t start its season until Sept. 26.

Here’s how I voted:

1. Clemson (1-0)

2. Alabama (0-0)

3. Georgia (0-0)

4. Oklahoma (1-0)

5. Florida (0-0)

6. Notre Dame (1-0)

7. Auburn (0-0)

8. Oklahoma State (0-0)

9. Texas (1-0)

10. Texas A&M (0-0)

11. Louisiana State (0-0)

12. North Carolina (1-0)

13. Louisville (1-0)

14. Central Florida (0-0)

15. Cincinnati (0-0)

16. Tennessee (0-0)

17. Kentucky (0-0)

18. Pittsburgh (1-0)

19. Brigham Young (1-0)

20. Louisiana-Lafayette (1-0)

21. Miami (Fla.) (1-0)

22. Army (2-0)

23. Baylor (0-0)

24. Southern Methodist (1-0)

25. Memphis (1-0)

Who dropped out?

I had to drop seven teams off my preseason ballot, including a few College Football Playoff contenders and my preseason No. 1, just because they aren’t scheduled to play in 2020: Ohio State (1), Oregon (7), Penn State (9), Wisconsin (11), Southern California (14), Michigan (17) and Minnesota (24).

Iowa State, which came in at No. 21 on my preseason ballot, also dropped out after losing to Louisiana-Lafayette over the weekend.

Player opt-outs and Covid-19 constantly change the calculus

LSU fell six spots in my poll despite not playing a game, just because it lost several players to opt out, including top receiver Ja’Marr Chase and standout defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin.

Memphis took a tumble when Kenneth Gainwell, one of the top all-purpose offensive players in college football, decided not to suit up.

Texas A&M’s top receiver, Jhamon Ausbon opted out hours after the AP poll was released on Sunday morning.

More than the usual injuries, teams' rosters can change week to week. And, if the Big Ten returns to play next month with a shortened schedule, we’ll have to weigh Ohio State without star cornerback Shaun Wade and preseason All-American guard Wyatt Davis or Penn State without linebacker Micah Parsons.

We also have to compare teams that could play an inequitable number of games and factor in a team’s performance if it is missing key personnel for a week or two because of Covid-19 testing or contact tracing.

In short, there might be more human bias that factors into this year’s poll — and later on with the College Football Playoff committee — at the expense of some preferable data points.

More Syracuse football:

Axe: Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito still looking for time to shine

ACC Football Power Rankings: Syracuse among the least impressive in Week 1

Axe: Tar Heel Trouble: Syracuse football loses to North Carolina 31-6

Syracuse football parents grapple with ‘missing out on’ season opener at North Carolina

The strangest Syracuse football opener, played with no fans, unfolded in all-too-familiar ways

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Nate Mink anytime: 315-430-8253 | Email | Twitter

Let's block ads! (Why?)

"filled" - Google News
September 14, 2020 at 10:00PM
https://ift.tt/3ktlzXB

Army and Louisiana: AP top 25 poll is filled with newcomers (how I voted) - syracuse.com
"filled" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ynNS75
https://ift.tt/3feNbO7

Bagikan Berita Ini