Preseason AP Poll

**xubrew** · 11-02-2015, 12:32 PM

Okay, I know. Preseason polls are meaningless. Everyone technically starts out at zero, and by the end of the year half of these teams won't be in the rankings at all, and about a third of these teams, including at least one in the top ten, will miss the NCAA Tournament entirely. It happens every year, and the chances of this year being any different are basically zero.

You know what else is pointless?? Pointing out that preseason polls are meaningless. We all know that. It's a starting point that at least gives us a frame of reference at this point in the year. Although the poll is meaningless, it's still more practical than claiming Grambling and North Carolina are the same right now. Technically they are, but practically they are not.

This may be a curtain call for North Carolina. I think they're going to get absolutely buried by the NCAA this upcoming summer. Even though they're #1, and likely are the best team, I think UNC made a mistake. They knew about the problems this summer. I think self imposing a ban at a time that would have allowed the players to transfer (most likely without penalty) could have gotten them back to normal faster, and in the long run softened the NCAA's blow a little bit. For those that aren't aware and are wondering why the NCAA hasn't acted. The reason is because as UNC was preparing their response to the NCAA's allegations, they actually uncovered more violations. They reported them to the NCAA, which caused the NCAA to amend the violations, and the process started over. So, it's even worse now than it was before, but it also started the process over which will allow them to complete this season prior to the penalties being levied. Is it smart to do that?? I personally do not think so. But, that's what they chose to do. So, enjoy this season because it may be the last postseason they see for a while in hoops, football, women's hoops, soccer, and a variety of other sports....

http://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll

**GoMuskies** · 11-02-2015, 12:36 PM

I don't think UNC's basketball program will get hit hard. Football and women's hoops are going to get it much worse. I think the men's basketball program was relatively innocent, frankly.

The problems at UNC were much, much worse than a simple sports scandal.

**GoMuskies** · 11-02-2015, 12:38 PM

As for Xavier, up to 7 regular season games against preseason top 25 opponents. Pretty nice.

casualfan · 11-02-2015, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

As for Xavier, up to 7 regular season games against preseason top 25 opponents. Pretty nice.

I know we've got Butler twice, Nova twice and Michigan. Who am i missing?

**GoMuskies** · 11-02-2015, 12:48 PM

Notre Dame and Wichita State potentially.

**DC Muskie** · 11-02-2015, 01:58 PM

I love the carryover of our March runs into the preaseason polls! Here's to another 5th place finish in the BE but another Sweet 16!

casualfan · 11-02-2015, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

Notre Dame and Wichita State potentially.

Thanks.

**xubrew** · 11-02-2015, 02:54 PM

I think Maryland is good, but I fail to see why anyone would think them to be so good that only two teams were better. I'm not as big on Oklahoma either. I think they're good, but not quite top ten good.

So, if history is any indicator of the present, there is at least one team out there that didn't receive a vote in either poll that will be ranked before Christmas. Last year Butler was that team, and managed to get into the rankings before the end of Thanksgiving weekend.

I'm betting that team this year will not be Boston College. I'm not out on a limb with that one. But, the more I look at and think about this Auburn team, the better I think they are. They could end up being a real surprise. And, it wouldn't be the first time Bruce Pearl coached an SEC team that started off without a single vote in either poll and was picked to finish toward the bottom of the conference, but ended up in the top 25...or in the case of his first year at Tennessee, the top ten.