College football rankings, like any human endeavor, are subject to bias. Sportswriters and coaches decide on the polls. They ruin the polls because of the influence of factors beyond an objective evaluation of each team’s performance. Additionally, there are inherent limitations to any system of ranking football teams, which can result in bias even if the individuals involved are not intentionally biased. One potential source of bias in college football rankings is regional bias. Coaches and sportswriters in different parts of the country may have different opinions about which teams are the best based on differences in the quality of competition and exposure to different teams. For example, a coach in the Midwest may have a bias in favor of Big Ten teams, while a coach in the Southeast may have a bias in favor of SEC teams. As a result of this, teams from certain regions are overrated or underrated in the rankings. Another potential source of bias in college football rankings is preseason bias. Preseason rankings are expectations for how teams will perform rather than actual results on the field. Of course, that means that teams expected to do well may be ranked higher at the beginning of the season, even if they have not yet demonstrated their ability to perform at a high level. Contrarily, teams expected to perform poorly may be ranked lower, even if they have a successful season. One example of bias in college football rankings is the controversy surrounding the selection of teams for the College Football Playoff. Many fans and analysts have criticized the selection committee for being biased in favor of teams from certain conferences, such as the SEC. Others have argued that the committee is biased against teams from smaller conferences, such as the American Athletic Conference. These biases are perceptions about the quality of competition in different conferences rather than objective evaluations of each team’s performance. Despite these sources of bias, college football rankings can still provide valuable information about each team’s performance and help fans and analysts evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different teams. It is important to recognize, however, that the rankings are not infallible and should be viewed with a critical eye.
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Are College Football Rankings Biased?
November 7, 2023
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