Mandel: BYU fans justified in being annoyed by ranking
As an absolute BYU homer, am I justified in my anger over AP voters seemingly ignoring their resume, or is my bias pulling wool over my eyes? Yes, we were projected to be a Big 12 doormat, but at what point is the preseason projection thrown out and the actual resume considered instead? — Zach T.
You’re justified. No. 13 BYU (6-0) arguably has a better resume (road win at SMU, home blowouts of Kansas State and Arizona) than several teams above it, most notably No. 12 Notre Dame (5-1 with wins at Texas A&M and vs. Louisville but a home loss to Northern Illinois).
But know you’re not alone in the preseason perception dilemma. Most notable to me: 5-2 Ole Miss, whose best win is at unranked South Carolina, is ranked 18th, but 4-2 Vanderbilt, with a win over No. 7 Alabama, remains unranked. Justice for Diego Pavia.