As Illinois State proves, the polls suck at I-AA, too
After watching the NCAA College Football polls the last few years and seeing the unusual nature of the Bowl Championship Series, I thought that no other college sport could have as much trouble with its rankings.
However, Division I-AA football is taking a shot at it.
Imagine if, let’s say, Washington was to upset No. 1 ranked USC when they play this week. You’d think that Washington would probably jump into the top 25.
Well, apparently it doesn’t work that way in I-AA.
Illinois State traveled to Carbondale last Saturday and pulled off the unthinkable by not only beating No. 1 Southern Illinois, but also doing it in convincing fashion, winning 61-35.
Yet somehow, the Redbirds didn’t crack either of the I-AA national polls.
The closest they came was in the Sports Network poll where they were 16 points behind No. 25 Portland State.
Illinois State is off to a 4-3 start this season, not particularly impressive when talking about the rankings.
But when you look at the Redbirds schedule it becomes apparent that they should be in the ranking mix.
Illinois State’s first loss of the season came to Division I-A Iowa State and the Redbirds showed they could hang with the big boys as they lost 32-21.
The next loss was also on the road when they lost 20-17 to Youngstown State. The Penguins are ranked 15th and even got a first-place vote.
The Redbirds last loss came to Western Kentucky 37-34 in overtime. The Hilltoppers have been ranked No. 1 twice this season, once before a loss relinquished the top spot to Southern and once again after the Salukis lost.
So basically after you beat a No. 1 team by 26 points and lose to two top-ranked opponents by a combined 6 points you don’t get a ranking.
Well what else would you expect from a poll that at one point had nearly half the teams on it with a No. 1 vote?
But in my poll, Illinois State is the new No. 1.
Dan Renick is a senior journalism major. If you think that despite his losses, which there have been many, he should still be a top-ranked team, tell him so at [email protected].
