Raiderstation

It’s that time of year for us to dog fight about who’s college team is better.

Best way to start it out IMO is with the preseason coaches poll that just dropped:

Preseason Coaches Poll
1.Ohio State
2.Oregon
3.Georgia
4.Texas
5.Notre Dame
6.Indiana
7.Miami
8.Texas A&M
9.Oklahoma
10.Ole Miss
11.Alabama
12.Texas Tech
13.LSU
14.USC
15.BYU
16.Michigan
17.Penn State
18.Tennessee
19.Washington
20.SMU
21.Utah
22.Iowa
23.Clemson
24.Houston
25.Missouri

We all know who are backing after that last few years but the 2026 season is almost upon us.

For my own part, this year is special I’m attending my first home game ever at ND on 9/12.

raider_kin wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 3:46 pm My team is the Buckeyes. (I was born in Dayton) I could cry about the fact they consistently underachieve.
And I do.

Born & raised in Ohio, sucknut fans are the absolute worst and the main reason that I can't stand Ohio State anything. That and a rando Suckeye fan yelling at my 4yr old at the time, for wearing a Michigan shirt. Seriously, what other fan base would get triggered by a 4 yr old?

Im wondering about the nfl players being allowed to return to college and how that affects the young players coming out of high school.

rich72 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 9:28 pm Im wondering about the nfl players being allowed to return to college and how that affects the young players coming out of high school.

I thought the Big 10 and SEC shut that shit down?

Preseason polls...meh.

raidersince63 wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 4:52 am Preseason polls...meh.

It would be great if they didn’t matter. Unfortunately the SEC and their nuthuggers at ESPN give it an over weighted importance.

Willmark wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:01 am It would be great if they didn’t matter. Unfortunately the SEC and their nuthuggers at ESPN give it an over weighted importance.

Preseason rankings don't really matter and it's not just ESPN. Since the playoff format began, the preseason #1 ranked team has finished #1 exactly once, Alabama in 2017.

Conversely, last year Indiana was ranked #20 in the preseason AP poll and 19th in the coaches poll.

raidersince63 wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:21 am Preseason rankings don't really matter and it's not just ESPN. Since the playoff format began, the preseason #1 ranked team has finished #1 exactly once, Alabama in 2017.

Conversely, last year Indiana was ranked #20 in the preseason AP poll and 19th in the coaches poll.

That’s not what is being pointed out.

Every year the SEC gets over represented in the preseason and very rarely drops as far as it should when they lose.

Then there is the self reinforcing nature of it. Because it’s over represented in the Top 25, low about behold “look, our losses are quality losses because we lost to a ranked team!”

ESPN is in bed with the SEC and has a vested interest In promoting them which really should be a conflict of interest.

So who finishes number 1 in the polls to start and who ends isn’t the point at all.

Hellbound wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 8:17 pm Born & raised in Ohio, sucknut fans are the absolute worst and the main reason that I can't stand Ohio State anything. That and a rando Suckeye fan yelling at my 4yr old at the time, for wearing a Michigan shirt. Seriously, what other fan base would get triggered by a 4 yr old?

Well, we moved when I was 9 months old and I've been So Cal ever since, so don't blame that shit on me. And it is horrible that someone would do that. Although I highly doubt it's the only fan base who does.

Then add to this rooting for a conference is the most non-sensical thing ever.

Imagine: “The AFC West rules because the Chiefs won three super bowls recently!”

Yet that is what the SEC fans claim.

Also to the pathetic nature of it? 1-3 good teams winning national championships within the conference doesn’t mean the remaining teams are “quality” by any stretch.

If that was the case; let’s bring it back to the NFL: if that is true than the AFC East was the greatest division ever in pro football from 2001-2018 because the Pats won six Super Bowls during that run.

Willmark wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:34 am That’s not what is being pointed out.

Every year the SEC gets over represented in the preseason and very rarely drops as far as it should when they lose.

Then there is the self reinforcing nature of it. Because it’s over represented in the Top 25, low about behold “look, our losses are quality losses because we lost to a ranked team!”

ESPN is in bed with the SEC and has a vested interest In promoting them which really should be a conflict of interest.

So who finishes number 1 in the polls to start and who ends isn’t the point at all.

It's a terrible conflict of interest, being public companies and not gov't it's not as critical, but it still stinks.
Those two entities have a major contract together and it's in both best interest to help each other.
It's crap.

IMO the south always works a lot of things behind the scene's. For 25 years I've questions why non-south teams usually get hammered hard with violations and overall the south don't. Then you look at those at the top making judgement and then you go, oh I see.

Willmark wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:38 am Then add to this rooting for a conference is the most non-sensical thing ever.

Imagine: “The AFC West rules because the Chiefs won three super bowls recently!”

Yet that is what the SEC fans claim.

Also to the pathetic nature of it? 1-3 good teams winning national championships within the conference doesn’t mean the remaining teams are “quality” by stretch.

If that was the case; let’s bring it back to the NFL: if that is true than the AFC East was the greatest division ever in football from 2001-2018 because the Pats won six Super Bowls during that run.

If the SEC doesn't win the 'ship in the next 5, do they bail like they did on Nascar when it wasn't solely a southern sport with southern winners?

SkullCrusher wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:45 am If the SEC doesn't win the 'ship in the next 5, do they bail like they did on Nascar when it wasn't solely a southern sport with southern winners?

Hard to say.

It certainly is interesting that once NIL and paying players became a thing that shockingly (but not really) the supposed SEC dominance up and vanished like a fart in the wind.

Funny that.

Now, I’m no fan of NIL, the way the playoffs are structured, the selection committee etc, as the cumulative effect is it’s killing college football in real time.

Basically at this point is a minor league pro football setup.

But one of the major problems is conferences and the SEC is at the top of the list. Although perhaps no longer as the last three years has shown.

Willmark wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:34 am
So who finishes number 1 in the polls to start and who ends isn’t the point at all.

Then what are you basing your "opinion" on? You seem just as biased as the people you are pointing finger at.

raidersince63 wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 8:12 am Then what are you basing your "opinion" on? You seem just as biased as the people you are pointing finger at.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

Willmark wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2026 8:16 am I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

I'm not surprised.