SEC Bias: This is a reminder that LSU these last 5 years is the same as Minnesota, just with a lot more AP votes and more FCS wins.

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The bias in this really comes in the preseason perception. MN is never considered close to top 25 in preseason. We have to go 7-0 to get a sniff. LSU will always be ranked to start the season.

Since 2021 MN has not done better than 8-4 regular season and none had a run to start season. LSU had two 10 win seasons and played in an SEC championship game.

The flaw goes away a bit now that SEC is going away 9 conference games.
 
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Hypothesis: some decent chunk of those 46 weeks are a thing like this.

- rank them pre-season
- then the first X (usually 3 or 4) weeks are non-conference and relatively easy games, that they won't lose, so those weeks stay ranked since they started ranked
- even after their first loss, usually unless you're ranked near the bottom of the top 25 you won't completely drop out, so that extends you some more weeks


This is not at all a critique of the OP, was really interesting to see. It's far more a critique of how rankings are done.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
The bias in this really comes in the preseason perception. MN is never considered close to top 25 in preseason. We have to go 7-0 to get a sniff. LSU will always be ranked to start the season.

Since 2001 MN has not done better than 8-4 regular season and none had a run to start season. LSU had two 10 win seasons and played in an SEC championship game.

The flaw goes away a bit now that SEC is going away 9 conference games.
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Were you out of the country in 2019, Maxy?
 






MaxyJR1 said:
The bias in this really comes in the preseason perception. MN is never considered close to top 25 in preseason. We have to go 7-0 to get a sniff. LSU will always be ranked to start the season.

Since 2001 MN has not done better than 8-4 regular season and none had a run to start season. LSU had two 10 win seasons and played in an SEC championship game.

The flaw goes away a bit now that SEC is going away 9 conference games.
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This is correct.
Neither LsU nor Mn has deserved to be ranked much the last few years.
But LSU is a lot

Why?
Because while both teams are probably between 30-50 most of those 5 years. MN has to earn their way up to be 35 by going 8-5
Whereas LSU doesn’t fall out of the top 25 until they drop to 6-5
 

Within the Big Ten, three teams this year PJ would run down the clock and try to get out of town before it became 70 to next to nothing—-Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. I count six or seven of those in the SEC.
 



Gopherchase said:
Within the Big Ten, three teams this year PJ would run down the clock and try to get out of town before it became 70 to next to nothing—-Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. I count six or seven of those in the SEC.
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The gophers were beating Ohio state after 24% of the game.

You can go ahead and make stuff up if you would like…but the Gophers threw the ball over half the time vs Ohio State and Oregon even if you count sacks as runs


Getting blown out doesn’t mean you were conservative
 

Gopherchase said:
Within the Big Ten, three teams this year PJ would run down the clock and try to get out of town before it became 70 to next to nothing—-Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. I count six or seven of those in the SEC.
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Maybe. But if you’re playing Texas A&Ms schedule you played 1 of them this year
 

MaxyJR1 said:
The bias in this really comes in the preseason perception. MN is never considered close to top 25 in preseason. We have to go 7-0 to get a sniff. LSU will always be ranked to start the season.

Since 2001 MN has not done better than 8-4 regular season and none had a run to start season. LSU had two 10 win seasons and played in an SEC championship game.

The flaw goes away a bit now that SEC is going away 9 conference games.
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I think in 2022 Gophers started 4-0 and were ranked. Then lost at home to Purdue.
 

Some guy said:
The gophers were beating Ohio state after 24% of the game.

You can go ahead and make stuff up if you would like…but the Gophers threw the ball over half the time vs Ohio State and Oregon even if you count sacks as runs


Getting blown out doesn’t mean you were conservative
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James Madison fought to the bitter end. PJ throws in the towel – – that’s just fact. It bugs me but maybe some folks think it’s the right thing to do because it helps prevent injury or further embarrassment. I don’t know just commenting with my opinion.
 

Gopherchase said:
James Madison fought to the bitter end. PJ throws in the towel – – that’s just fact. It bugs me but maybe some folks think it’s the right thing to do because it helps prevent injury or further embarrassment. I don’t know just commenting with my opinion.
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It must be really hard to always be upset about a reality that doesn’t exist

Do you really think the gophers threw in the towel
From the outset as a strategy?

If yes, I would find another team. You’ll never be satisfied with this one
 

Some guy said:
It must be really hard to always be upset about a reality that doesn’t exist

Do you really think the gophers threw in the towel
From the outset as a strategy?

If yes, I would find another team. You’ll never be satisfied with this one
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PJ throws in the towel quicker than I’ve pretty much ever seen. It’s just who he is. I don’t need advice especially from a guy who thinks he always the smartest guy in the room yet knows so little. I’m stuck with PJ as he coaches my team. That’ll change eventually in the meantime I’ll continue to hope he changes his best on all things game day related. He’s fine in all other aspects that go into the job.
 

Gopherchase said:
PJ throws in the towel quicker than I’ve pretty much ever seen. It’s just who he is. I don’t need advice especially from a guy who thinks he always the smartest guy in the room yet knows so little. I’m stuck with PJ as he coaches my team. That’ll change eventually in the meantime I’ll continue to hope he changes his best on all things game day related. He’s fine in all other aspects that go into the job.
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I am not usually the smartest guy in the room. Though I always am when I get into a conversation with you.

I would find a new hobby and new team:
You just seem like a sad person.
You just make up anecdotes that fit your reality. Be well
 


How many of LSU's top 25 wins were against other overrated ranked SEC teams, thus inflating LSU's "wins vs. ranked teams" total?

How many other teams beat LSU while they were an overrated ranked team to inflate the other team's "wins vs. ranked teams"?

You can make an entire conference look better by overrating everyone because then everyone will get more ranked wins.

But on the other hand, LSU has had 50 players drafted since 2020 and we have had 17. As a voter, if there is any doubt in your mind when casting votes, you'll go with the team with more talent because they should be the better team. I probably would give them the benefit of the doubt as well.

Players drafted since 2020:

Alabama - 58
Ohio State - 56
LSU - 50
Minnesota - 17

Really, this list & info is a reflection of how bad LSU's coaching has been.
 

Some guy said:
I am not usually the smartest guy in the room. Though I always am when I get into a conversation with you.

I would find a new hobby and new team:
You just seem like a sad person.
You just make up anecdotes that fit your reality. Be well
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Says Forrest Gump from his mom’s basement.
 


Gopherchase said:
Says Forrest Gump from his mom’s basement.
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In rebuttal to someone saying you make stuff up to fit your reality….

You provide….

Another example of you making something up to make yourself feel better.




You can’t make this up.
 

gopher7 said:
How many of LSU's top 25 wins were against other overrated ranked SEC teams, thus inflating LSU's "wins vs. ranked teams" total?

How many other teams beat LSU while they were an overrated ranked team to inflate the other team's "wins vs. ranked teams"?

You can make an entire conference look better by overrating everyone because then everyone will get more ranked wins.

But on the other hand, LSU has had 50 players drafted since 2020 and we have had 17. As a voter, if there is any doubt in your mind when casting votes, you'll go with the team with more talent because they should be the better team. I probably would give them the benefit of the doubt as well.

Players drafted since 2020:

Alabama - 58
Ohio State - 56
LSU - 50
Minnesota - 17

Really, this list & info is a reflection of how bad LSU's coaching has been.
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For sure.
But another thing people forget is talent alone doesn’t win games

Talent + execution does.

Great but Stupid talent loses to smart above average talent more often than not

To your point, LSUs coaches clearly didn’t hide the lack of execution
 

gopherbadgerman said:
I think in 2022 Gophers started 4-0 and were ranked. Then lost at home to Purdue.
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Yes. Lost to Purdue, Penn state, and Illinois back to back to back.

All of those are good teams.
Purdue won the west
Illinois was the most talented team in the west but blew it vs Purdue.
Penn state finished with 11 wins.



Gophers received votes in 14/16 polls if you include pre and post season.
Only were ranked once though.

8-5 Texas and 8-5 South Carolina both ranked.
10-4 LSU ranked 15.

9-4 MN unranked
8-6 big ten west champ Purdue unranked
8-5 Illinois unranked
8-5 Iowa unranked

It kind of actually is a great example of the poll bias that year.
Not sure the gophers should’ve been ranked but certainly Illinois and Purdue should’ve been over 8-5 South Carolina.
South carolina with losses to 7 loss Florida, 7 loss Missouri, and 6 loss Arkansas
South Carolina ranked because losing to SEC teams doesn’t hurt you but beating TN and 3 sub .500 SEC teams means you’re elite
 

gopher7 said:
…But on the other hand, LSU has had 50 players drafted since 2020 and we have had 17. As a voter, if there is any doubt in your mind when casting votes, you'll go with the team with more talent because they should be the better team. I probably would give them the benefit of the doubt as well.

Players drafted since 2020:

Alabama - 58
Ohio State - 56
LSU - 50
Minnesota - 17
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🤯

Truth bomb above, fo sho…


In this 21st century, Alabama has won 6 national championships… LSU has won 3… and Ohio State has won 3…

No other team has won more than 2.

Our Gophers have come as close to a national championship as the Gator Bowl.

Additionally, during these past 5 seasons, LSU has fired two coaches and paid out massive 8-figure buy-outs to both; meanwhile, PJ (with a nearly identical record, as has been said) has been given contract extensions.

At each teams’ Pro Day in late winter, LSU ‘s sideline features a ‘who’s who’ of NFL coaches and scouts. The Gophers’ sideline… not so much.

It’s prolly a good idea to keep things as real as possible when making comparisons such as this one.


The one advantage Minnesota might have?

When it comes to a post-season game:

*played the day after Christmas

*on a baseball field

*in a bowl called the ‘Rate’ Bowl

*against a team from New Mexico

PJ had his guys sky high and ready to go.

LSU, on the other hand, would have almost certainly declined the invitation.
 

Xerxes_ said:
For 3 of those 5 years Minnesota played in the B1G West and LSU played in the SEC West. Pretty significant difference in having 6 games vs the B1G West & B1G West each season during that time period.
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In all honesty, how so? Just because ESPN says so. Other than Alabama, who?
 

MNfootballfan said:
In all honesty, how so? Just because ESPN says so. Other than Alabama, who?
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Ole Miss: in 2021-2023 they finished 10-3, 8-5, & 11-2.

Mississippi State (2022), Texas A&M (2021) and Arkansas (2021) also finished a season ranked over that time period.

No B1G West team outside of Iowa finished a season ranked from 2021-2023.
 

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