Power 5 Pecking Order -- What the Polls Say

[VFL-82-JP]

I've been posting each week on the head-to-head play of the power 5 conferences. According to those results thus far in the year, the B10 is shaping up as the top conference, with the SEC in second spot, PAC and ACC behind, and B12 as tail-end charlie.

But how do the polls see the conferences? About the same, based on Week 3 AP (and Coaches as well, though I'm just going to use the AP here).

Which conference is deepest? Judging by the # of teams each conference gets into the Top 25, that would be the SEC:

• SEC: 8 teams (#1 Bama, #10 A&M, #12 UGa, #14 Vols, #17 Arky, #18 LSU, #19 FL, #23 Ole Miss)
• B10: 5 teams (#2 OSU, #4 Mich, #8 Mich St, #11 Wisc, #20 Nebr)
• ACC: 4 teams (#3 Louisville, #5 Clemson, #13 FSU, #15 Miami)
• PAC: 3 teams (#7 Stanford, #9 Washington, #24 Utah)
• B12: 3 teams (#16 Baylor, #21 Texas, #25 Oklahoma)
• Other: 2 teams (#6 Houston, #22 SDSU)

And at the top end, which conference is best positioned to get one (or more) into the playoffs? That would be the B10:

• B10's top 3: #2 OSU, #4 Mich, #8 Mich St (total = 14)
• ACC's top 3: #3 Louisville, #5 Clemson, #13 FSU (total = 21)
• SEC's top 3: #1 Bama, #10 A&M, #12 UGa (total = 23)
• PAC's top 3: #7 Stanford, #9 Washington, #24 Utah (total = 40)
• B12's top 3: #16 Baylor, #21 Texas, #25 Oklahoma (total = 62)

At this stage, you might be forgiven for all but counting the B12 out of the playoffs already. It's not that dire for them, but you'd think so just looking at the polls.

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It's kind of hard to take the polls seriously for this kind of discussion, as prone as they are to knee-jerk reactions and regional preference. They are also notorious for hedging their bets and including all realistic contenders in each conference/division race.

So it's not worth a ton, but still interesting to look at.

Go Vols!

 

[BUBear]

At this stage, you might be forgiven for all but counting the B12 out of the playoffs already. It's not that dire for them, but you'd think so just looking at the polls.

Don't blame us because those other guys are stinking the joint up.

We lost four starters to graduation on both lines and are still chugging along. When both lines begin to gel and Seth Russell shakes the rust off, these Bears should be back in the Top 10 where the original preseason polls had us...slowly inching our way there now.

This coming Saturday night's game on Fox against Okie Lite should be a good gauge as to the progress.

 

[vols4evah]

good post
very interesting