I am shocked that the SEC coaches aren't mandated to vote their schools 1-14 in the polls.
Yes, the playoff poll is the only one that matters, but this poll, the media poll, and the entire media frenzy does have an impact on the opinions of the playoff poll members. It's only human nature to think that TEAM A beating a #5 ranked TEAM B is a big win for TEAM A.
Yea I think ColoradoHusk is right about that. Where these teams start the season keeps them toward the top of the lists and on the tip of peoples tongues for the majority of the season. Even when they haven't played anyone or done anything. Then, when/if a loss does come, they never fall very far regardless of how well a Pre Season unranked team has done. There shouldn't be any rating until about week 8. When teams have played a bit of their conference schedule and there's enough film and on paper to truly see what you've got in a football team. How the hell should anybody be ranked based on how good we "think" they "might" be? It's always been done this way and it's dumb. It's all a big hype machine and usually a lot of the hype surrounds the SEC. Last year was a great example.
Ranking teams before a game has been played is bad... but ranking teams before they even practice one time... COME ON!! They could at least wait a little closer to the season, jiminy christmas.
I don't think it has as much impact because the playoff poll doesn't come out for several weeks after games are played where the committee has an opportunity to assess a teams real value. not perceived like the media polls.
It's the coaches poll. They don't watch other teams practice, their opinion wouldn't change if it was 3 weeks ago compared to a week before the season. They are focused on themselves right now.
