Unlike Sagarin, which starts with some preconceived rankings, the RPI starts each year at zero.

That makes the early rankings -- while totally meaningless -- fun to look at. Remembering that a large portion of the Division 1 field has not yet played a game, today's RPI has Air Force at No. 1, just ahead of Iowa State. There's a bunch of teams tied for third, including UNC Greensboro.

Duke is No. 78, tied with Boston College, Marquette, New Mexico (not NMS) and South Carolina.

I know none of this means anything, but it's fun to look at the RPI and see North Carolina A&T ranked at No. 84, well ahead of our friends from Chapel Hill at No. 201 (tied with more 100 teams that either haven't played or are 0-1, 0-2). Obviously, that changes after UNC meets Davidson Wednesday night.

I wouldn't pay much attention to the rankings until after Christmas ... really mid-way through January. For now, I look at the RPI strictly for entertainment purposes.