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Asterisks galore? Reaction to preseason AP poll focuses on number of teams not playing
By Keith Farner
Published:
In yet another odd development in 2020, the AP poll just released included nine teams of the top 25 that aren’t playing this season.
The Associated Press has said that those teams will not be included in future polls, but it also brought out plenty of discussion on social media about asterisks and oddities.
The AP began its college football poll on Oct. 19, 1936, and it is now the longest-running poll of those that award national titles at the end of the season. The preseason poll was started in 1950. A panel of 62 sports writers and broadcasters from around the country votes on the poll weekly.
As expected there was plenty of reaction and questions about why the AP debuted its poll this way, and what the next poll would look like.
Here is a sampling of some of the reaction:
I love you AP Top 25 poll. I really do, but ranking teams that aren’t playing makes this entire exercise silly.
It’s not THAT hard to take out the teams that aren’t playing in 2020 and adjusting what the rankings should be.
— Pete Fiutak (@PeteFiutak) August 24, 2020
What is the point of ranking teams that aren’t playing in the AP’s preseason poll?
— Mason Voth (@TheRealMasonV) August 24, 2020
Ohio State* in the Top Five … such an odd Top 25. https://t.co/v4KSxq6kf5
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) August 24, 2020
Georgia is No. 4 in the preseason AP poll, which for now includes all teams, including those not playing. Ohio State is ahead of Georgia, and nine out of the top 25 teams are not playing. https://t.co/g1VWDafKm1
— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) August 24, 2020
Schools with * are ones not playing, Starting with next AP Poll only schools playing will be ranked
— Bearcat T (@Bearcat_T) August 24, 2020
The Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll has been released. This will be the only AP poll this season that @OhioStateFB, and other Top 25-caliber schools not playing this fall as a result of the pandemic, will be included. Ohio State was ranked No. 2.
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) August 24, 2020
Notre Dame is 10th in the preseason AP Poll, which ranked teams if they are playing this fall or not.
The in-season polls will only rank teams that are playing. Even with a nondescript win over Duke, Notre Dame can move up a couple spots when Ohio State and Oregon are removed.
— Patrick Engel (@PatrickEngel_) August 24, 2020
There is an asterisk beside 9 teams included in the preseason AP Poll. Why include teams in the poll that aren’t playing this season?
— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) August 24, 2020
Not really waiting for Power 5 teams as much as waiting for a meaning full number of games. Announcement forthcoming but as of now targeting Sept. 14 for the first regular season poll since Labor Day now has a week zero vibe. https://t.co/k1QsfZ7r2b
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) August 24, 2020
“When the season starts — if the season starts — the Buckeyes and 53 other Bowl Subdivision teams will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Top 25 because they have postponed their seasons to the spring.”
— @ralphDrussoAP, who runs the AP poll
— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) August 24, 2020
A&M comes in 13th in the preseason AP poll, which stupidly includes Big 10 and PAC-12 teams.
— Mark Passwaters (@mbpRivals) August 24, 2020
So in practicality, the #Gators are really #6. Two teams ahead of them— Penn State and Ohio State— have called off their seasons.
Moving forward, the AP Poll will only rank teams that actually play this season. They’re only ranking Big 10 and PAC-12 teams in the preseason poll. https://t.co/IJyhcy3CzE
— InAllKindsOfWeather.com (@AllKindsWeather) August 24, 2020
By my count, there would have been 11 games in September between preseason AP Top 25 teams.
Now: 0.
F you, 2020, for taking Sept. 12 away from us. pic.twitter.com/jhRytGHI3G
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) August 24, 2020
What’s crazy is that No. 2 Ohio State, No. 7 Penn State and No. 9 Oregon are already knocked out before Labor Day. The first reshuffling of the AP Top 25 will be rather incredible.
— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) August 24, 2020
Adjusted preseason @AP_Top25 poll w/only teams playing in fall:
1-Clemson
2-Bama
3-Georgia
4-OU
5-LSU
6-Florida
7-Notre Dame
8-Auburn
9-A&M
10-Texas
11-OklaSt
12-UNC
13-Cincy
14-UCF
15-IowaSt
16-Tenn
17-Memphis
18-VaTech
19-Miami
20-UL
21-AppSt
22-UK
23-Baylor
24-TCU
25-Virginia— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 24, 2020
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
