Are top 25 rankings just rewarding success?
Nine of 10 FBS conferences have ranked team this week
The AP Top 25 is embracing diversity.
Nine of the 10 FBS conferences have a ranked team this week, including all the leagues currently playing games. Plus, there is an independent.
There is something for everyone, but that kind of variety can make some fans question whether those non-power Five teams really belong.
Cincinnati at No. 7? Would the Bearcats from the American Athletic Conference really beat the three Power Five teams — Texas A&M, Wisconsin and Florida — ranked directly behind them?
Is Marshall from Conference USA actually the 19th best team in the countr y?
No. 20 Coastal Carolina from the Sun Belt is a good stor y, but aren’t there a dozen unranked teams better than the Chanticleers? Fair questions. Odds makers probably wouldn’t be as high on those Group of Five teams as AP poll voters, but voters aren’t just speculating on hypothetical results. They’re also rewarding success.
Sure, Marshall and Coastal
probably wouldn’t fair too well in a 10-game series against No. 24 Oklahoma. But go ask Sooners fans how satisfied they are with their team’s season so far. Doubt you’ll find many pleased with losses to Kansas State and Iowa State.
If you want to play the transitive wins games: No. 23 Iowa State lost to Louisiana-lafayette, which then lost to Coastal Carolina. Hence, Coastal is better than Oklahoma.
Reality check doesn’t buy that, of course, but does believe that a ranking is a reward and has no issues with rewarding teams for success. Otherwise, why even play the games?
Some top 25 highlights:
NO. 1 CLEMSON (6-0)
Next: vs. Boston College, Saturday.
Reality check: Coach Dabo Swinney wasn’t thrilled about getting a mild grilling for his team’s meh performance against hapless Syracuse. Such is life at the ver y top of the food chain. Poll voters didn’t hold it against the Tigers.
NO. 2 ALABAMA (5-0)
Next: vs. Mississippi State, Saturday.
Reality check: The Crimson Tide has so much talent that the loss of a single player, even one as good as WR Jaylen Waddle, won’t make much of a dif ference against the majority of their opponents. But against the best competition, Waddle will be missed.
NO. 3 OHIO S TATE (1-0)
Next: at No. 18 Penn State, Saturday.
Reality check: The Buckeyes would probably like to get more production from running backs Trey Sermon and Master Teague (23 carries for 96 yards), if we’re being picky.
NO. 7 CINCINNATI (4-0)
Next: vs. Memphis, Saturday.
Reality check: DTS Curtis Brooks and Marcus Brown make the Bearcats tough to run against (3.16 yards per carry allowed).
NO. 11 BYU (6-0)
Next: vs. Western Kentucky, Saturday.
Reality check: You can question whether the voters are showing too much love for the Cougars given their schedule, but the computers have bought in, too. ESPN’S SP+ has BYU 10th and the more old-school Sagarin Ratings have BYU at No. 6.
NO. 14 OREGON
Next: vs. Stanford, Nov. 7. Reality check: A trio of junior tailbacks — CJ Verdell, Travis Dye and Cyrus Habibilikio — will be expected to carry an offense breaking in a new star ting quar terback.
NO. 19 MARSHALL (5-0)
Next: at FIU, Friday. Reality check: Take a quick glance at the Thundering Herd’s schedule. They only have four games left — though they could add another one or two — and will be huge favorites in all of them.
NO. 20 COASTAL CAROLINA (5-0)
Next: at Georgia State, Saturday.
Reality check: The Chanticleers turned to QB Fred Payton, last year’s starter before being injured, to replace Grayson Mccall (upper body injur y) against Georgia Southern and the backup tossed three TDS. They really are a great story.
NO. 21 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Next: vs. Arizona State,
Nov. 7.
Reality check: QB Kedon Slovis and the offense will get a ton of hype, but S Talanoa Hufanga might be the Trojans’ most fun player to watch. All over the field, wrecking plays.
NO. 22 SMU (5-1)
Next: vs. Navy, Saturday. Reality check: The Mustangs were held to 3.41 yards per play by Cincinnati. They hadn’t been under 6.65 this season and had not been held under 4.0 since the TCU game in early 2017.