I'd say the eye test favor Duke at the moment, but it's an apples and oranges comparison given the disparity in competition. Reasonable minds etc.I mean, I get it - Auburn added two quality wins last week, and Duke didn’t.
I'd say the eye test favor Duke at the moment, but it's an apples and oranges comparison given the disparity in competition. Reasonable minds etc.I mean, I get it - Auburn added two quality wins last week, and Duke didn’t.
Not to work against our own interests, but if we beat Wake and Auburn loses to Tenn (and doesn’t get blown out), the arguments above suggest that Auburn could stay ahead of Duke in next week’s AP poll. If the above scenario does happen and Mitchell Northam’s vote switches from Auburn and to Duke, then that somewhat negates his argument (and/or highlights recency bias).All Duke can do it play our schedule and keep on murdering the teams on it. But, I have no problem with someone who votes for Auburn. They have faced a much tougher schedule (currently #2 in all the land) and are posting impressive results against it. Quality wins while your star player is out is something laudable.
Duke's win was in Cameron. Had it been on a neutral floor, I might feel differently about someone ranking us behind Auburn.
Why does anyone from WUNC get a vote? Do the folks at All Things Considered have them?The bigger mystery is what did Mitchell Northam of WUNC see last week that had demote Duke from 1 to 2 on his ballot. I guess Auburn's emphatic 2 point win at Georgia couldn't be overlooked.
They don’t, but Click and Clack (The Tappet Brothers) undoubtedly would have had votes back in the day.Why does anyone from WUNC get a vote? Do the folks at All Things Considered have them?
I do not like it but it seems like a fair explanationThe bigger mystery is what did Mitchell Northam of WUNC see last week that had demote Duke from 1 to 2 on his ballot. I guess Auburn's emphatic 2 point win at Georgia couldn't be overlooked. Here is the man himself explaining:
Well, it IS a broadcasting powerhouse in it's studio!Why does anyone from WUNC get a vote? Do the folks at All Things Considered have them?
Head to head is not supposed to be a factor (although in practice is likely is for some voters). Given that Auburn has one loss on the season on the road to the #2 team, and we have two losses to lower-ranked teams, and they have played a much harder schedule, it would be kind of crazy NOT to have Auburn #1. The only justification for putting us at the top would be leaning on advanced metrics that say beating a crappy team by 30 is better than beating a ranked team by 1.Duke's win was in Cameron. Had it been on a neutral floor, I might feel differently about someone ranking us behind Auburn.
Bingo.Just keep winning and the rest will take care of itself.
yeah, if Duke wins all of its remaining games it will eventually be ranked #1!!!Just keep winning and the rest will take care of itself.
The AP top 25 took a beating this week.
1. Auburn
2. Duke
3. Iowa State: lost at Arizona 1/27, lost to Kansas State 2/1
4. Alabama
5. Florida: lost at Tennessee 2/1
6. Houston: lost to Texas Tech 2/1
7. Michigan State: lost at USC 2/1
8. Tennessee: lost to Kentucky 1/28
9. Marquette: lost to Connecticut 2/1
10. Purdue
11. Kansas: lost at Baylor 2/1
12. Kentucky: lost to Arkansas 2/1
13. Texas A&M
14. Mississippi State: lost to Alabama 1/29, lost to Missouri 2/1
15. St. John's
16. Oregon: lost at UCLA 1/30
17. Wisconsin: lost at Maryland 1/29
18. Illinois: lost at Nebraska 1/30
19. Memphis
20. Missouri
21. Louisville: lost at Georgia Tech 2/1
22. Texas Tech
23. Ole Miss: lost to Auburn 2/1
24. Vanderbilt: lost at Oklahoma 2/1
25. Connecticut
It's now Week 14. Despite all of this carnage, the AP Poll still could not bring itself to collectively rank Clemson in the top 25. (They are #26; here's the voter breakdown from College Poll Tracker.) ESPN uses AP rankings, so Duke's big clash on Saturday will be against an unranked team. Also, Louisville dropped out after losing to Georgia Tech.
1. Auburn
2. Duke
3. Alabama
4. Tennessee
5. Houston
6. Florida
7. Purdue
8. Iowa State
9. Michigan State
10. Texas A&M
Also receiving votes: Clemson (essentially #26), Louisville (#28)
Meanwhile, more power to the voters of the Coaches Poll -- if not the coaches themselves filling out that ballot, then their Sports Information Directors, assistant coaches, graduate assistants, family members, or dartboards. Clemson was #25 last week and moved up 4 spots.
1. Auburn
2. Duke
3. Alabama
4. Tennessee
5. Houston
6. Florida
7. Purdue
8. Iowa State
9. Michigan State
10. St. John's
21. Clemson
Also receiving votes: Louisville (#28)
Amazing that Auburn has the one loss. They are such a complete team. Who on earth beat that juggernaut?Auburn remains a unanimous #1 in the AP, but Duke is for the first time this season a unanimous #2. The four voter who had Duke #3 last week all had either Houston or Iowa State in the 2 slot, so Duke moves up with their losses. Looks like Duke has hit its AP ceiling unless and until Auburn drops one.