The new ESPN Preseason "FPI" Poll is out. LINK . We were given an advance on this last season. This the the new fangled, faux-sophisticated poll that actually gives credit to the teams who have a lot of 4 & 5 star (high school recruiting rankins) players. Dont matter what they have done in college. And goes without saying, if you were not loaded with 4stars, it will weigh you down in this poll.
The results are what you might think, OSU and Bama 1 and 2. Michigan State is 14th (not 4th, fourteenth). Six of top ten are SEC. The whole star business feeds off manipulation by people behind the scenes...not on the playing field. How else does UofM start the season ranked 33rd?
PREDICTED RESPONSE FROM SOME POSTERS: "The only poll that matters is the final one." or "Preseason polls don't matter."
You have to believe that voters in these polls WILL be influenced by this FPI when casting preseason ballots. If it does influence them, then we start the season playing catch up. Teams ahead of us preseason HAVE to lose before we pass them. Voters are reluctant to jump teams.
Just when we are beginning to earn lofty preseason rankings, schemers, like ESPN, are finding ways to put challengers to the status quo back in their place.
The results are what you might think, OSU and Bama 1 and 2. Michigan State is 14th (not 4th, fourteenth). Six of top ten are SEC. The whole star business feeds off manipulation by people behind the scenes...not on the playing field. How else does UofM start the season ranked 33rd?
PREDICTED RESPONSE FROM SOME POSTERS: "The only poll that matters is the final one." or "Preseason polls don't matter."
You have to believe that voters in these polls WILL be influenced by this FPI when casting preseason ballots. If it does influence them, then we start the season playing catch up. Teams ahead of us preseason HAVE to lose before we pass them. Voters are reluctant to jump teams.
Just when we are beginning to earn lofty preseason rankings, schemers, like ESPN, are finding ways to put challengers to the status quo back in their place.
