Preseason Polls

[Ed_ 3]

This may be a stupid question but you never know until you ask.  I was thinking about the preseason polls recently and realized I really didn't have any clue how they actually come up with their rankings when voting.  Do the voters look strictly at the quality of the team players or do they actually factor in strength of schedule.  Or for that matter are they just looking at the where the team should be the first week or are these loose predictions for where the voters think the teams will end up at the end of the year?

Again, sorry if this is a stupid question but its one that's been bugging me for a while now.

[Stripe 5]

Depends on which poll you look at.

coaches poll: probably closer to where they finished the year before, with some influence from media polls.

Media polls: Delusional media voters. Still hanging on to the hype of last years teams. Just look at Alabama ranked #1 in every poll I have seen. Even though they lost almost every starter on Defense and a few on Offense. You would have to be delusional to think they WILL run the tables again. Possible yes, but I can say with certainty that they will not. they may still be a good team, but not that good.

[aucpe 0]

That's one thing that confuses me too.  I haven't heard a single person who thinks Bama will go undefeated this year or will play in the BCS championship game, but they rank them #1.  Maybe they think they're the best team but the schedule is too difficult?

[AuburnTgr05 0]

Until proven otherwise (beaten on the field) I would consider Alabama #1.

[Ed_ 3]

Until proven otherwise (beaten on the field) I would consider Alabama #1.

If you are looking at strictly their talent and coaching staff I'd agree but if you add in their schedule with the 6 opponents with bye weeks before playing them I don't see how they could be consensus preseason #1's.  This really goes to the heart of why I asked the question to begin with.

[AuburnTgr05 0]

Until proven otherwise (beaten on the field) I would consider Alabama #1.

If you are looking at strictly their talent and coaching staff I'd agree but if you add in their schedule with the 6 opponents with bye weeks before playing them I don't see how they could be consensus preseason #1's.  This really goes to the heart of why I asked the question to begin with.

They're the defending champs.  In my opinion, they should remain #1 until they lose.