Final AP Poll has Gophs at #30; Kirk Kenney is the brightest college football mind in America! 27th in coaches poll.

Thought that the teams they listed 20-25 would beat them, based on gut feel. All it really can be.

Massive variability between strength of schedules, home/away sites, even changing strength of a team over the season, render overall W/L moot.
 


Being ranked 27th actually seems about right to me
I think Mn would beat Fresno, Pitt, troy

Would play close games against everyone 14 and lower.

I probably don’t have Mn in my personal top 25.
I’ve been saying all year I think the big ten west has zero in the top 20 but they might have had 5 in the top 40
 

I don't even look at human polls any more. Too biased and assembled in a lazy fashion.

Computers know who the Gophers are.
Computer rankings like S&P+ are predictive rankings that actually highlight how the Gophers should have been better than their Won-loss records in 2021 and 2022. S&P+ had them at 18 last year, and 16 this year, but the Gophers underperformed on the field. As a result, the humans accurately left them out of the top 25.
 

Coaches poll Gophs end up ahead of Air Force, Duke and Boise State. Difference between 30 and 27.
 


Not a single human ever considers wins/losses in the first week or two when deciding if a team is #34 or #32.

Huh? Every human with a brain would consider the entire body of work. The Iowa loss to ISU contributed to an 8-5 overall record. And, an 8-5 team is ranked behind a 9-4 team usually.

And, yes, no kidding rankings are arbitrary. That's the nature of them. And, yes, if Iowa scheduled and beat WIU instead of losing to ISU, they are probably ahead of Minnesota. But, so what? That's the very nature of it. I suppose if it bugs you that much, just ignore the rankings.

I'm sure in your mind a 10-4 LSU should be ranked above 11-2 Alabama? Both had impressive bowl wins and LSU did beat Bama head to head.
 

Cuse didn't have anyone missing? Still the SEC, still a more prominent bowl game.

And, Minnesota played without the best center in America, without the all-American running back in the second half, without a starting linebacker for the entire game, without another starting linebacker in the second half, without its all-conference safety, without its starting nickel back, without a starting cornerback for the three quarters and without a starting WR. Without its starting QB, too.

But, whatever, it really doesn't matter that much.

The roster Kentucky fielded for that "prestigious" bowl wasn't very good and probably not better than Minnesota or Syracuse.
 





Playing Iowa St at Ames, early in the year

Five Power Five teams played Iowa State in Ames.

ISU was 1-4 in those games.

The lone Cyclone win came against 5-7 West Virginia.

Iowa was not one of those Power Five teams, given the 2022 CyHawk matchup was played in Kinnick Stadium. And, Iowa lost on its home field to a terrible ISU team. The Cyclones were 1-8 in a relatively weak Big 12.
 

If I were to be honest I think we were a fringe top top 25 team to end the year, I haven't looked at the list but I would put us right around where Pitt ended up which was 23rd I think?

I hope next year we can get to 10+ wins, we have some key folks on defense returning and an immense upgrade at the qb position, Tanner was a good kid but had regressed significantly since his 'sophomore' season.
 

Minnesota has a 4-star prospect QB given the keys to the car. The team enhanced wide receiver talent. Unsure what will happen at RB but I'm guessing the offense is going to be a little better this year. The defense should be about the same, very good.
 





Huh? Every human with a brain would consider the entire body of work. The Iowa loss to ISU contributed to an 8-5 overall record. And, an 8-5 team is ranked behind a 9-4 team usually.
Every single top 25 poll has teams with more losses ranked ahead of teams with fewer losses.

"Oh but it's different, if we're talking 8-5 vs 9-4!" :rolleyes:

And, yes, if Iowa scheduled and beat WIU instead of losing to ISU, they are probably ahead of Minnesota. But, so what? That's the very nature of it.
It is. Just calling it out, nothing more.

I'm sure in your mind a 10-4 LSU should be ranked above 11-2 Alabama? Both had impressive bowl wins and LSU did beat Bama head to head.
For me personally, not at all.

And that example is no where near relevant to 8-5 Iowa being #34 while 9-4 Minnesota is #30.

The roster Kentucky fielded for that "prestigious" bowl wasn't very good and probably not better than Minnesota or Syracuse.
SEC team that goes 3-5 in the conference, but it's still the SEC, and that was considered a "down" year for them, probably doesn't have very good players at every position.

Yep, I bet a lot of people buy that ....

the 2022 CyHawk matchup was played in Kinnick Stadium.
Doh!

I had a 50/50 chance and for some reason didn't take 3 sec to look it up. Thanks for correcting me here

Iowa lost on its home field to a terrible ISU team. The Cyclones were 1-8 in a relatively weak Big 12.
This sentence, all around: :ROFLMAO:

Terrible!

ISU had one of the best defenses in the country, they just had an awful offense. Incredible how similar they were to Iowa, in that regard, in the same year.

Big 12 is "weak" but produces a natty game participant.

Four of their eight (all in conference) losses were by 4 points or less, two more were one-score games, the loss to OU was two-score, and then the last game of the year they got smoked at TCU (probably the only time anyone here actually watched them, and is entirely what they are basing their opinion on). Yeah, that's all valid to chuck out the window.
 

#1 Georgia destroyed destroyed #2 TCU 65-7 in the championship game.

#4 Ohio State lost to Georgia by only 1 point in the semi-final game.

How is Ohio State not #2?

Ohio State and TCU should flip spots.
Totally agree, but assume that in the CFP era the top 2 spots go to the winner and loser of the championship game automatically.

Haven't looked back at previous years to confirm this but that would make sense to me if it was automatic for the final poll.
 

#1 Georgia destroyed destroyed #2 TCU 65-7 in the championship game.

#4 Ohio State lost to Georgia by only 1 point in the semi-final game.

How is Ohio State not #2?

Ohio State and TCU should flip spots.
On the other hand, Ohio St on their home field got schooled by Michigan who lost to TCU.

Tough to be elevated in the polls after losing the last 2 games they played.
 

SEC team that goes 3-5 in the conference, but it's still the SEC, and that was considered a "down" year for them, probably doesn't have very good players at every position.

Yep, I bet a lot of people buy that ...

What are you talking about? You seriously have to read more carefully. I said the roster that Kentucky fielded in the bowl game. They lost tons of talent to portal, to opt outs, etc. They played a quarterback that never played a snap all season, who got benched for another QB who had never played a snap all season. My god. The Wildcats were atrocious in that game. They were playing with limited talent. Iowa's defense killed them.

Big 12 is "weak" but produces a natty game participant.

Look man, I can't believe I have to point this out to you. But, the very fact that K-State and TCU were in the Big 12 title game should tell you exactly what you need to know about the Big 12 in 2022. Oklahoma didn't even make a bowl game. Texas was average at best. Those are the two blue bloods of the league. Okie State crumbled. Baylor was not very good. Kansas lost its QB and lost 7 of its last 8. And guess what? ISU was the worst of them all. TCU making the national title game in 2022 is akin to Cincinnati making it 2021. They ran the table in a lower end conference. TCU was a really good team in an average to below average conference. Same as Cincy the year before. Big 12 was 2-6 in bowl games (last in win % among all 11 conferences who sent teams to bowl games).

Four of their eight (all in conference) losses were by 4 points or less, two more were one-score games, the loss to OU was two-score, and then the last game of the year they got smoked at TCU (probably the only time anyone here actually watched them, and is entirely what they are basing their opinion on). Yeah, that's all valid to chuck out the window.

Well, heck, I didn't realize close losses to mediocre teams were so important to establishing how great a team is. Usually that means a team isn't very good, especially when half of their FOUR wins came against non-P5 teams. But, you judge it how you want to I guess. I mean what are you trying to claim? That Iowa State had a good season by finishing last in the Big 12 and winning two games against P5 competition?
 
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Every single top 25 poll has teams with more losses ranked ahead of teams with fewer losses.

"Oh but it's different, if we're talking 8-5 vs 9-4!" :rolleyes:


It is. Just calling it out, nothing more.


For me personally, not at all.

And that example is no where near relevant to 8-5 Iowa being #34 while 9-4 Minnesota is #30.


SEC team that goes 3-5 in the conference, but it's still the SEC, and that was considered a "down" year for them, probably doesn't have very good players at every position.

Yep, I bet a lot of people buy that ....


Doh!

I had a 50/50 chance and for some reason didn't take 3 sec to look it up. Thanks for correcting me here


This sentence, all around: :ROFLMAO:

Terrible!

ISU had one of the best defenses in the country, they just had an awful offense. Incredible how similar they were to Iowa, in that regard, in the same year.

Big 12 is "weak" but produces a natty game participant.

Four of their eight (all in conference) losses were by 4 points or less, two more were one-score games, the loss to OU was two-score, and then the last game of the year they got smoked at TCU (probably the only time anyone here actually watched them, and is entirely what they are basing their opinion on). Yeah, that's all valid to chuck out the window.
Lol

You have to be a Nebraska fan with this kind of analysis.
They’re a 4-8 team.
 

Feel free to make arguments instead of showing your insecurities by mocking.

Will always consider a strong argument and admit when that has beaten mine.
 

Feel free to make arguments instead of showing your insecurities by mocking.

Will always consider a strong argument and admit when that has beaten mine.
Why would anyone argue with someone like you?
You’re the same guy that argues high school rules you don’t know. The only reason to engage with you at all is for the comedy.

If you think me calling Iowa state a 4-8 team is mocking you, you should go look up the standings
 

"If you think..."

"LOL. You must be a Nebraska fan."


^Hard hitting, logical arguments. Yep. Definitely not exposing yourself as insecure. Yep
 

They lost tons of talent to portal, to opt outs, etc. They played a quarterback that never played a snap all season, who got benched for another QB who had never played a snap all season.
...
The Wildcats were atrocious in that game. They were playing with limited talent. Iowa's defense killed them.
I have my doubts that you've done a lick of analysis of their roster or who was playing for them in that game, beyond missing the QB.

Iowa's defense killed a lot of people. In so much as losing a game 0-21 can be called "killed".

Everything you say about Kentucky's MC Bowl is also true of Syracuse's Pinstripe team. Neither of the bowl results justifies the final AP poll positions of either Iowa or Minnesota.

TCU making the national title game in 2022 is akin to Cincinnati making it 2021.
Not in the slightest. You want to assert left and right but you don't actually provide anything to back it up.
Big 12 was 2-6 in bowl games (last in win % among all 11 conferences who sent teams to bowl games).
11 conferences?

So the Big 12 is worse than the G5 because they played a bunch of G5 vs G5 bowl games. Come on...

That Iowa State had a good season by finishing last in the Big 12 and winning two games against P5 competition?
No one said Iowa State had a good season. The laughable assertion was that Iowa's game against Iowa St was exactly comparable to Minnesota playing Colorado.

Neverminding the fact that it is a fierce rivalry game, which everyone knows means everything else goes out the window ... Iowa State beats Colorado 99 out of 100.
 

Totally agree, but assume that in the CFP era the top 2 spots go to the winner and loser of the championship game automatically.

Haven't looked back at previous years to confirm this but that would make sense to me if it was automatic for the final poll.
If I was voting based on how good I thought they were I would have TCU behind Kansas state. As I think Kansas state is a better team and I would pick them if they played again.

So I think that means I might not have TCU in my top 10.
 

This is a cool graphic of all votes by coach in the final coaches poll. We got our highest rankings (20th) from B1G brethren Schiano and Franklin and Joe Moorhead from Akron. Even Saban had us 21st on his board (he also voted Bama 2nd…lol).
 

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This is a cool graphic of all votes by coach in the final coaches poll. We got our highest rankings (20th) from B1G brethren Schiano and Franklin and Joe Moorhead from Akron. Even Saban had us 21st on his board (he also voted Bama 2nd…lol).
Is there a link to the full version somewhere? I don't see Fleck's votes on here.

A little surprised at the number of coaches that still have TCU in the 2 spot because it looks like they had the ability to put someone else there if they wanted too. To me Ohio State was the clear #2 but I guess it gets tricky to put them over Michigan due to the loss, same with moving Michigan ahead of TCU but I think if those teams met 10 times Michigan would come out ahead in the majority of the matchups.
 

Is there a link to the full version somewhere? I don't see Fleck's votes on here.

A little surprised at the number of coaches that still have TCU in the 2 spot because it looks like they had the ability to put someone else there if they wanted too. To me Ohio State was the clear #2 but I guess it gets tricky to put them over Michigan due to the loss, same with moving Michigan ahead of TCU but I think if those teams met 10 times Michigan would come out ahead in the majority of the matchups.
Ohio St not winning a game since before Thanksgiving could have something to do with not being ranked 2nd.
 


Is there a link to the full version somewhere? I don't see Fleck's votes on here.

A little surprised at the number of coaches that still have TCU in the 2 spot because it looks like they had the ability to put someone else there if they wanted too. To me Ohio State was the clear #2 but I guess it gets tricky to put them over Michigan due to the loss, same with moving Michigan ahead of TCU but I think if those teams met 10 times Michigan would come out ahead in the majority of the matchups.
I don’t have a link, but it was Tweeted by the Reddit College Football handle.
 

Ohio St not winning a game since before Thanksgiving could have something to do with not being ranked 2nd.
The spots behind Georgia would be tricky because there is not a clear cut #2 team in that bunch. TCU is an easy choice given the fact they were in the championship game but anyone who watched that game saw a team that looked like it had zero business being on the field with Georgia. Ohio State gave Georgia everything they could handle and then some but came up short and also had the lopsided home loss against Michigan. And Michigan had an impressive resume but managed to lose to TCU so would be tough to put them ahead of TCU.

Not that it really matters in the long run I guess.
 




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