AP Poll Biased Against Pac-10

by Louis T (LAFANMAN)
(Los Angeles, CA)

This is a comendable attempt. However, I believe your list is faulty because you use only the AP poll and the BCS. I will give you 2 PAC-10 Nat'l titles you ignore. But please note, there are myriad other examples(see Col and GA Tech 1990 AP; Joe PA's 3 undefeated not-title teams, SEC's LSU and USC BCS 2003, and your SEC's Auburn in 2004 BCS etc...)

The AP has had controversy within its own poll. For instance in 1978 your SEC (meaning to say your conference not that you are a Tide fan) Alabama went 11-1 meanwhile USC went 12-1. And guess who beat your SEC Alabama team in Tuscaloosa. That's right, SC beat the Tide but the AP still gave the Tide the title.

In 1954 Ohio St and UCLA finished undefeated. But because of an antiquated rule UCLA was not allowed to play in the Rose Bowl that year because it would have been a repeat of the year before. Therefore UCLA never got to to play OSU. Most supposed experts actually believe UCLA would have won that match and playing in the Rose Bowl they would have been favored. Not to mention they had Heisman trophy winner Beeban. The AP again went against the PAC- 10 and voted OSU #1 while the UPI went for UCLA. While we will never know who was the best it is unfair to name one over the other.

Perhaps a better, but more painstaking way would be to do actual analysis. Most of the time you will find that the AP was right on. But never forget as illustrated above that your SEC and every other conference almost always gets the benfit of the doubt over the PAC-10 (Auburn 2004 being the exception).

Finally I recommend Who's #1?: 100-Plus Years of Controversial National Champions in College Football by Christopher Walsh. Keep trying and yes your SEC is very good!!!



Editor's Note: Thanks Louis for you comments. Good points. But, as we point out, we think you really have to pick a poll and go with it. Otherwise, if we "do actual analysis" as you suggest, then it would all come down to our opinion. More fair to stick with the opinion of the AP. But, certainly you make a fair argument. Thanks again.

p.s. -- we are adding pdf's with more thorough info...