(08-17-2013 12:22 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(08-17-2013 09:57 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  I find it interesting that the Top 10 all return a starting QB and FSU at 11 is the highest ranked team who will line up with a new kid. And a couple of these teams are also-rans without their QB.

If you consider returning/highly effective QBs, maybe you leave Florida, at #10, out too.

The herd mentality in the polls is pathetic. The writers and coaches (or whomever fills out their ballots) should be ashamed by their lack of independent thinking.

AP has the same top 25 teams as the coaches.

The top tens are the same, in the same order from 1-10, except AP has South Carolina #6 and TAMU #7 and the coaches have those two teams reversed.

The 11-14 teams are the same in both polls but in different orders.

And the 15-25 teams in the two polls are the same teams in exactly the same order.

Herd mentality. Moooooooooo. Moooooooooo. Moooooooooo.

What's even more ridiculous is that this herd mentality determines the teams that get to play for the BCS title.

In order to have credibility, the CFP committee that starts next year will have to prove to us that it makes its decisions free of this herd mentality.

I believe we will be getting another yardstick to judge the level of critical thinking of pollsters fairly early in this season. If Florida loses to Toledo or beats them by significantly less than the spread, how far will they fall from their ranking. If Ohio beats Lville or beats the spread how far will Lville fall if at all. Or more importantly how high will Toledo be ranked if they beat Florida & Mizzou. Will be watching the polls intently in September to see how pollsters react to "upsets".