The AP and USA Today Coach’s Preseason College Football Polls only serve to elevate blue bloods.

Preseason college football polls are good for two things: 1) giving us something to talk about in August, and 2) artificially elevating the value of programs for which the college football cartel is heavily invested.

Once again (according to the recent USA Today Coaches poll, which I won’t link out of principle), we’re expected to believe Texas is back and that Michigan is worth a damn. Houston is tagged at the bottom because it’s basically a Big 12 team now. As usual, the same five obnoxiously wealthy programs occupy the top slots. Once more, the 1980s are represented with inclusions of USC and Miami. Only Nebraska is missing.

What about the Group of Five? I mean, haven’t we demonstrated year after year that our programs merit consideration? Surely we deserve the same respect afforded to Wake Forrest. Nope! Sure, Houston and Cincinnati receive some bottom-half placements, but they’re Big 12 now, for all intents and purposes. San Diego State is the top true G5 garnering votes – a paltry 25.

So this is sour grapes, right? Absolutely. Every season, the Group of Five must claw and fight its way into the Top 25 while assumptions are made that Pittsburg is some kind of super team. Based on what? Logo recognition and last year’s performance.

For the sake of your souls, AP and USA Today, take a cue from the College Football Playoff Committee and post your first poll later in the season. The first of October sounds good. Reward results over reputation. It will definitely provide a more accurate picture of who is good, but it will also preserve the integrity of the College Football Playoff Committee, who is obviously influenced by your selections (though they pretend not to be).

PHOTO CREDIT: You don’t want it