Is the top 25 the next to go

[18IsTheMan]

The top 25 had been a staple in college football for as long as most of us can recall. Being in the top 25 has been the standard of a good season for a long times. Teams aspired to finish the season ranked in the top 25. Coaches have measured by how many top 25 finishes they produced.

With the advent of the CFP, the media spun up the narrative that anything outside the CFP is irrelevant. Though there is zero justification for that position, it was gobbled up by players and fans alike.

With the expansion to 12 and eventually 16, will the top 25 become a thing of the past? Even though there’s no reason for players to feel this way, it seems they no longer care about playing in a bowl game to get their team a better end of year ranking. That being the case it seems like there won’t be much use for the top 25 anymore.

 

[Blues man]

I enjoy seeing teams fall out the top 25 throughout the year. It's one of my favorite things to watch... especially in certain conferences. Gives us a pretty good idea how bad many conferences are. And seeing a team or conference go from good to overrated right before your eyes is priceless imo. Cant see any of that without a top 25. And how about those preseason picks? A month in is a gauge on how good the expert opinions are.
On that note, the experts will always want to spew their expert stuff on us. That alone kinda makes me believe the top 25 isn't going away.

 

[Deleted11512]

Too much money, interest, debate, controversy, etc…in the polls. They are here to stay, just like MBB.

 

[FootballLVR]

The top 25 had been a staple in college football for as long as most of us can recall. Being in the top 25 has been the standard of a good season for a long times. Teams aspired to finish the season ranked in the top 25. Coaches have measured by how many top 25 finishes they produced.

With the advent of the CFP, the media spun up the narrative that anything outside the CFP is irrelevant. Though there is zero justification for that position, it was gobbled up by players and fans alike.

With the expansion to 12 and eventually 16, will the top 25 become a thing of the past? Even though there’s no reason for players to feel this way, it seems they no longer care about playing in a bowl game to get their team a better end of year ranking. That being the case it seems like there won’t be much use for the top 25 anymore.

I think it will stay. I'm hoping we cant get back in the Top 25 again.

 

[Beanerball]

Top 15 will be thing going forward. But as we know, top 25 matters for the first few weeks of the season. After that , you better be in the top 15 to have a chance. We aren’t cracking that level next year. But hopefully year after or next. Got to get way more play makers before we hope to get to that level. But hell, in the portal era, who knows what is possible?

 

[18IsTheMan]

Too much money, interest, debate, controversy, etc…in the polls. They are here to stay, just like MBB.

All the money is going to the playoffs though. With the sentiment increasing that if you don't make the playoffs, nothing else matters, I just don't see how a top 25 is relevant.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

The AP poll is in no danger of going away. It is comprised of writers throught the country with no affiliation with the NCAA or CFP.
With that said, there has to be a base matrix to decide who gets in the playoffs, and the only option it a TOP 25 poll. No matter if it's AP or Coaches Poll, or another option in the future you will need some kind of poll to determine what schools enter the CFP, and other bowls.

 

[KingWard]

The top 25 had been a staple in college football for as long as most of us can recall. Being in the top 25 has been the standard of a good season for a long times. Teams aspired to finish the season ranked in the top 25. Coaches have measured by how many top 25 finishes they produced.

With the advent of the CFP, the media spun up the narrative that anything outside the CFP is irrelevant. Though there is zero justification for that position, it was gobbled up by players and fans alike.

With the expansion to 12 and eventually 16, will the top 25 become a thing of the past? Even though there’s no reason for players to feel this way, it seems they no longer care about playing in a bowl game to get their team a better end of year ranking. That being the case it seems like there won’t be much use for the top 25 anymore.

I think the Top 25 will remain.

 

[18IsTheMan]

The AP poll is in no danger of going away. It is comprised of writers throught the country with no affiliation with the NCAA or CFP.
With that said, there has to be a base matrix to decide who gets in the playoffs, and the only option it a TOP 25 poll. No matter if it's AP or Coaches Poll, or another option in the future you will need some kind of poll to determine what schools enter the CFP, and other bowls.

I think the Top 25 will remain.

I figure it probably will, but a top 25 is traditional and there seems to be a rush to squash anything traditional in college football. With the emphasis being so strongly on the CFP, to the point that many have decided anything outside the CFP is 100% irrelevant, it's hard to see how a top 25 fits in any longer. Seems like a top 15 would fit the bill.

In today's college football, why does it matter at all who is #23? Nobody cares, least of all the players themselves.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

I figure it probably will, but a top 25 is traditional and there seems to be a rush to squash anything traditional in college football. With the emphasis being so strongly on the CFP, to the point that many have decided anything outside the CFP is 100% irrelevant, it's hard to see how a top 25 fits in any longer. Seems like a top 15 would fit the bill.

In today's college football, why does it matter at all who is #23? Nobody cares, least of all the players themselves.

Many on here complain about too many bowl games, and there should be a reduction in the number of games, and yet here we are.
Of course the main focus will be on the CFP, but the decider of bowls - the local Chamber of Commerce will keep them afloat as long as possible.

 

[gamecock stock]

I think the Top 25 will remain.

You and I are old enough to remember when it was just "Top 10".

 

[KingWard]

You and I are old enough to remember when it was just "Top 10".

Should have stayed that way, just as the playoff should have stayed at four teams.

 

[18IsTheMan]

You and I are old enough to remember when it was just "Top 10".

When was it top 10? AP poll started in 1936 and featured the top 20. I think the coaches poll was initially the top 20 as well in the 50s.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I think the Top 25 will remain.

Probably correct I'm just not sure I see the utility of it when the only thing anyone seems to care about is who makes the CFP. Players increasingly don't even deem it worthy to play in a game if their team isn't in the CFP, so why should we care about who #s 18 or 19 or 24 are?

 

[will110]

Probably correct I'm just not sure I see the utility of it when the only thing anyone seems to care about is who makes the CFP. Players increasingly don't even deem it worthy to play in a game if their team isn't in the CFP, so why should we care about who #s 18 or 19 or 24 are?

I mean, nobody is forcing you to care about it. If you think it's irrelevant and doesn't matter, then ignore and disregard the top 25 outside of the top 4 or 12. There's nothing wrong with that.

I don't think players ever care about rankings though. These are subjective based on people's opinions, designed for debate. Outside of historical comparison and talking points, the polls are meaningless.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I mean, nobody is forcing you to care about it. If you think it's irrelevant and doesn't matter, then ignore and disregard the top 25 outside of the top 4 or 12. There's nothing wrong with that.

I don't think players ever care about rankings though. These are subjective based on people's opinions, designed for debate. Outside of historical comparison and talking points, the polls are meaningless.

You're not even addressing the point that was raised.

But, you're wrong. Players, coaches and teams have historically cared very much about ranking.

 

[will110]

You're not even addressing the point that was raised.

But, you're wrong. Players, coaches and teams have historically cared very much about ranking.

I was addressing the point you raised in your subsequent post.

To the original point...no, the top 25 won't be going anywhere. It generates too much debate, content, and discussion. Look how angry fans get for meaningless offseason preseason rankings put out by random bloggers and websites! I can't see a time where it's not part of college football. There's still plenty of debate and discussion about college basketball's top 25, and that's literally meaningless.

Perhaps historically players cared about rankings, but I've not seen anything recently where a player was excited about being ranked.

The polls 25 years ago mattered because they helped choose the national champion. 40 years ago they did choose the national champion. Today, the polls are meaningless outside of discussion and historical context. But that doesn't mean they're going to go the way of the dodo.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I was addressing the point you raised in your subsequent post.

To the original point...no, the top 25 won't be going anywhere. It generates too much debate, content, and discussion. Look how angry fans get for meaningless offseason preseason rankings put out by random bloggers and websites! I can't see a time where it's not part of college football. There's still plenty of debate and discussion about college basketball's top 25, and that's literally meaningless.

Perhaps historically players cared about rankings, but I've not seen anything recently where a player was excited about being ranked.

The polls 25 years ago mattered because they helped choose the national champion. 40 years ago they did choose the national champion. Today, the polls are meaningless outside of discussion and historical context. But that doesn't mean they're going to go the way of the dodo.

But that goes to the question. If they are meaningless and nobody cares about them, how long can they survive? Why bother? The same argument is routinely used to project the demise of non-playoff bowl games.

 

[will110]

But that goes to the question. If they are meaningless and nobody cares about them, how long can they survive? Why bother? The same argument is routinely used to project the demise of non-playoff bowl games.

I go back to the college basketball top 25. It's literally meaningless and has never mattered whatsoever, but the teams still get ranked. I guarantee that whenever South Carolina appears in that poll there will be plenty of discussion on this board about that.

Being in the poll itself doesn't mean anything for championship discussion, like it did in the past. But if you're in the discussion for top 25, then it means you have a pretty good team. Being in the discussion for top 25 is a heck of lot better than being in Carolina's boat where you're ranked once a blue moon.

There's a big difference between a poll and the bowl games. The polls are subjective, opinion based, created solely for the purpose of discussion. If you said tomorrow, let's get rid of all polls, we'd still be having the same conversations. Look at the frequency of NFL or NBA or MLB power rankings. Everyone wants to rank everything, no matter if it matters or not.

 

[Deleted11512]

I go back to the college basketball top 25. It's literally meaningless and has never mattered whatsoever, but the teams still get ranked. I guarantee that whenever South Carolina appears in that poll there will be plenty of discussion on this board about that.

Being in the poll itself doesn't mean anything for championship discussion, like it did in the past. But if you're in the discussion for top 25, then it means you have a pretty good team. Being in the discussion for top 25 is a heck of lot better than being in Carolina's boat where you're ranked once a blue moon.

There's a big difference between a poll and the bowl games. The polls are subjective, opinion based, created solely for the purpose of discussion. If you said tomorrow, let's get rid of all polls, we'd still be having the same conversations. Look at the frequency of NFL or NBA or MLB power rankings. Everyone wants to rank everything, no matter if it matters or not.

There are already a lot of people talking about us just receiving votes in the top 25. So yeah, if we get there it will be a big topic. It also factors into the NET ratings as well.

It will continue to mean more for football as the CFP poll drives who is selected for the playoff. Bball doesn't really have that.

 

[Deleted11512]

But that goes to the question. If they are meaningless and nobody cares about them, how long can they survive? Why bother? The same argument is routinely used to project the demise of non-playoff bowl games.

1. They are not meaningless
2. People do care about them

If nobody cared, nobody would watch, nobody would attend, and the money would dry up. Then the bowls would end. But that's not happening. I think they're fun. And the TP adds a little extra bc I'm watching to see who their best players are. Maybe they end up playing for us one day?

 

[gamecock stock]

When was it top 10? AP poll started in 1936 and featured the top 20. I think the coaches poll was initially the top 20 as well in the 50s.

If you hook me up to a lie detector, I may not pass. But I'm pretty sure it was in the 60s.

 

[will110]

If you hook me up to a lie detector, I may not pass. But I'm pretty sure it was in the 60s.

Final AP College Football Polls 1939-2023

This is a group of graphic illustrations showing the Final AP College Football Rankings from 1939-2023.

maaw.info

AP poll started out as top 20 in 1939 and expanded to top 25 in 1989. It doesn't appear there's ever been solely a top ten released.

 

[CockyNChicago]

I was addressing the point you raised in your subsequent post.

To the original point...no, the top 25 won't be going anywhere. It generates too much debate, content, and discussion. Look how angry fans get for meaningless offseason preseason rankings put out by random bloggers and websites! I can't see a time where it's not part of college football. There's still plenty of debate and discussion about college basketball's top 25, and that's literally meaningless.

Perhaps historically players cared about rankings, but I've not seen anything recently where a player was excited about being ranked.

The polls 25 years ago mattered because they helped choose the national champion. 40 years ago they did choose the national champion. Today, the polls are meaningless outside of discussion and historical context. But that doesn't mean they're going to go the way of the dodo.

Going forward, I also expect them to lean heavily into the computer polls (Colley Bias Free, et al) too. Conference championship will be the paramount consideration, at least initially, and then the computer polls will drive the wild card sections. While the committee did not specifically identify their process, they 100% used computer rankings to decide the Final Four. Evidence is that the computer polls, independent of the committee, had Washington, Michigan, Texas and Alabama.