Vast Differences in Ranking the FCS

[CSN-info]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=974&d=1264771803

Vast Differences in Ranking the FCS

At this point in season, three weeks into the current year's Gridiron Power Index (GPI) we usually notice how the human opinion polls (FCS Coaches Poll - FCP and The Sports Network Poll - SNW) start to become near replicas of each other and how the GPI dramatically differs from them both.

Of course this difference completely relates to the usage of top computer rankings and both polls in the GPI, and the polls by themselves. Our table at http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?775-2012-FCS-Rankings displays the top 25 of each side-by-side.

Read More ... (http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?834-Vast-Differences-in-Ranking-the-FCS)

[goyotes]

Ridiculous Lehigh

[Lehigh'98]

OhGodHere we go again. Don't worry about the polls. If Lehigh sucks it will be proven on the field. No Lehigh fan is claiming we are some unbeatable force

[goyotes]

Just having fun with the phrase made famous during last years big dance.

[ITmonarch10]

" ....Compared to the GPI the polls most greatly over-rank Delaware, Lehigh, James Madison and Towson."

Honestly, This should all work by the last game of the season. Delaware and Towson have hard schedules and have to win out to make the playoffs. It highly unlikely that they will pull this off and drop down to their GPI ratings if not further.
Lehigh's ranking is passed off lasted year performance but redundant because they are only getting into the playoff via auto bid.
JMU has probably the hardest remaining CAA schedule with NOVA and ODU on it ,as well as an annoying Maine team. They will find out soon if the giant rating difference is justified.

"....compared to the GPI the polls most greatly under-rank Indiana State, Cal Poly and Northern Arizona. This does not include the teams the polls do not rank at all including GPI #13 South Dakota State."

Indiana State and South Dakota State do seem underrated in the poll ,but that seems to be a result of early perception of who was good in the MVFC. I don't think anyone thought SDSU and Indiana State would even up being the second and third best team in the conference after UNI's years of dominance and YSU rapid rise after beating pitt. They just need to keep winning and they will rapidly shoot up in the polls. The next 2 weeks are going to be critical and knock a lot of team out the playoffs. *UND needs to move to the MVFC to make it slightly easier to tell who is good in the MVFC and Big Sky*.

Cal Poly and NAU just straight up hasn't played anyone of note. I think the polls just flat out don't care for curb stomping fodder teams. Cal Poly has a back loaded schedule against EWU and NAU. NAU schedule is just plain weak for a power conference member and has one game against Cal Poly to prove they are elite. As for their FBS wins, I have a hard time quantifying forever hot garbage football teams like Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and UNLV. Each one of those teams each have wins against other hot garbage football teams. Regardless the other conference by virtue of being smaller will cannibalize themselves allowing for NAU and Cal Poly to rise in the polls.

[catbob]

Hmm... underrated teams on west coast, overrated teams from the east. Where have I heard this before?

[OhioHen]

Ridiculous Lehigh

I see what you did there.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

How can Lehigh be left out of the GPI, but Harvard is still #24?

[smallcollegefbfan]

OhGodHere we go again. Don't worry about the polls. If Lehigh sucks it will be proven on the field. No Lehigh fan is claiming we are some unbeatable force

You are right that they aren't. Many of us are saying that voters are voting teams with great records who haven't beaten anyone #1 and it looks bad. Harvard showed they had no business getting #1 votes yet while TSU was the same way. Cal Poly doesn't have anyone tough on schedule until the final three weeks of the season so I expect them to be 8-0. Lehigh is a definite top 15 team but I do think you guys should have to beat a top 25 team before voters can put you #1.

The Big Sky is underrated by many, although I try not to have an east coast bias and currently have EWU as #1 with MSU, NAU, and Cal Poly in my top 10.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I love how this is breathlessly reported as if anyone gives a rat's *** about it.