Armchair Reflection: Rankings, Polls Meltdown

Polls don’t matter this time of year, right? Well, you could never convince me they don’t. Particularly after the lack of respect towards Clemson being front and center. As usual, I wasn’t happy, nor should anybody. So for objectivity, I waited until now to share my thoughts.

There is a prevailing sentiment by some naysayers surrounding Clemson’s success this season, whispering the Tigers are unworthy, yet again. Alabama has played unlike anything Alabama I’ve seen in a while. Georgia has struggled several outings, Michigan too and Tennessee, who the heck knows? Ohio State hasn’t wowed many with their list of hollow victories. Yet all of these teams are comfortably secure in the circle.

Tennessee is playing well, without question but the level of mind-blowing energy and motivation expended against Alabama is simply unsustainable. Remember Louisville? Remember Penn State a few years ago? Both teams were vaulted into the top 4 prematurely and so has Tennessee, in my opinion.

Georgia plays Florida in two weeks, in Jacksonville. Then, Tennessee must travel to Athens the following week. Josh Heupel will have to prove his mettle by defeating Georgia in Athens. Regardless of which loses, they’ll both be in the Circle.

Ohio State and Michigan must play the last week of the season and they’ve each been in the top 5 all season. Assuredly, they’ll both be ranked higher than Clemson, in the circle. It’s almost gut wrenching. So I’m asking do polls and rankings matter? You can bet your sweet bippy they do.

These pre-College Football Playoff polls are a trail of breadcrumbs for the selection committee to follow. I fear, like most committees, The CFP selection committee is intellectually lazy and the proof, the yearly almost minuscule differences in the top three polls.

Obviously from my words this morning, I’m still mad. As a tired, old observer. I have zero influence over anything football related. Like every other fan of every other team, I’ll wait until next week and then the next and so forth until the final poll is published. It won’t be easy but it will be interesting. If the Clemson Tigers continue to take care of business, one game at a time then, they will have done all they can do and that’s enough even for me. Until next week, stay safe and stay orange.