Skewing the Polls
Posted August 10th, 2009, 7:42 AM ET

The college football season is nearly upon us.

You can tell, when the first meaningless pre-season rankings are released. That's the case since the first USA Today Coaches Poll was unveiled, last week.

There is really no surprise, here; it's the same collection of great teams in almost the same order. The good news about the poll is that it gives us college football junkies something to yack about before the first kick-off in Raleigh on September 3rd.

The bad news is that the first poll really has no business being released until the first week of October. I'd love to watch a few games before I determine that Ole Miss is the tenth best team in the land, or if Notre Dame is worthy of being ranked in the Top 25.

Face it, the first poll is primarily based on last year and which team(s) gave us reason to ponder and drool over what might happen in 2009. It's simply a beauty contest.

It's not hard picking the Gators #1 since they won the title and have 21 of 22 returning starters. Even Congress can't screw that one up....maybe. But after that it is wide-open. You know some teams will surprise us and some will disappoint.

According to the first poll, the SEC has four teams in the Top 10. The Big East isn't worthy of being ranked in the Top 25. The Big Ten has been whittled down to Ohio State and some other team that has to win 10 games. The ACC still has the Virginia Tech Invitational, and the little guys outside of the BCS leagues are screaming for respect.

I can do without the polls for a while....what I really can't do without is college football.

Bring it on, and let's kick it off with the Gamecocks and Wolfpack in Raleigh. We'll deal with the rankings and the lame BCS later....it's time for football.