When do you think the first polls should come out?

Despite shortcomings, college football preseason polls serve a valuable purpose - CBSSports.com

They should just be for fun to start dialog. They shouldn’t serve any purpose if SOS is ever actually implemented for assessing a playoff ranking halfway into the season.

Alas…

Yeah, they will continue to matter until a fair format for determining playoff participation is employed, and who knows when that will be.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Preseason polls will always be with us. 😖This includes Phil Steele's annual magazine, which includes rankings and is No. 1 in Barnes and Noble's one-off magazine sales year after year.

Imagine the NFL playoffs being seeded off a committee. "Hmmmm..... I think 12-5 Kansas City should be the one seed based off playing in a harder division.". Despite the fact Baltimore, Buffalo and Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have better records. But Denver LA Chargers and Vegas all went 9-8. Meanwhile the Jets, Browns, and Titans all were so terrible that they dragged their division sos down.

Beano Cook once said there would never a playoff because college football would always need the bowls. We need to cut this antiquated way of thinking.

8 hours ago, GatOrlando said:

Imagine the NFL playoffs being seeded off a committee. "Hmmmm..... I think 12-5 Kansas City should be the one seed based off playing in a harder division.". Despite the fact Baltimore, Buffalo and Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have better records. But Denver LA Chargers and Vegas all went 9-8. Meanwhile the Jets, Browns, and Titans all were so terrible that they dragged their division sos down.

Beano Cook once said there would never a playoff because college football would always need the bowls. We need to cut this antiquated way of thinking.

Great comment. Since the inception of the BCS, college football has tried to serve two masters: a one-true-champion playoff that incorporates bowl games.

In the NFL, fans of teams with better records, for the most part, are rewarded with home games. ASU fans in 2024-25 should not have had to travel to Atlanta to watch the Sun Devils play Texas.

Thankfully, CFB has seeding squared away this season, but the college FBS playoff needs to mirror the football playoffs managed by the NCAA. Home games at the higher-ranked teams' stadiums until the champ game.

The fans of last season's champion were awarded with a home game before having to travel to Pasadena, Dallas, and Atlanta. The No. 1 seed's fans did not get to watch OBD play the winner of the Boise State vs. Indiana game in Autzen.

Fans matter. Or at least they should.

The most relevant poll before the release of the football committee's first ranking, the AP Poll, is out. Because of a computer blip, I cannot link the top 25 plus others receiving votes, OTR.

The Top 12 - 1. Texas/ 2. Penn State/ 3. Ohio State/ 4. Clemson/ 5. Georgia/ 6. Notre Dame/ 7. OREGON/

8. Alabama/ 9. LSU/ 10. Miami/ 11. ASU. 12. Illinois

If these rankings were the committee's final rankings on 12/7/25, Penn State and Ohio State would both have 1st round byes. OBD would open against Mari-Oh-Oh and the Canes in Autzen 😁. Illinois would be knocked out of the PO field by No. 25 Boise State.

Greg Sankey wonders why only 10 SEC teams are ranked? Independent Notre Dame, and G5 Boise State are ranked. 6 B1G teams are ranked with USC, Nebraska, and Iowa among others receiving votes. 4 B12 and 3 ACC teams are ranked.

6 B1G teams may be ranked in the committee's final top 25. 10 SEC teams with 3 teams playing 10 P4 opponents could be ranked, which would sustain the B1G wanting PO automatic qualifiers.