I'd be all for Auburn being ranked second. I'm just saying it's obviously stupid.
The result is that it's obviously stupid. The reason for the result is because the computer (presumably) took last season into account. Thus, obviously stupid = taking last season into account.
Unless, of course, your stance is taken, which is that last season should be taken into account only somewhat. Then it's only somewhat stupid.
However, we did win our game, so we should be ranked above any team that didn't.
So you're one of these people who thinks that an unbeaten Hawaii, TCU, or Boise State should go to the national championship before a one loss LSU, Oklahoma, or SoCal?
I'm personally of the opinion that the margin of the win/loss and the quality of the opponent should be taken into consideration.
And we are the returning national champions, so we should at least be given the benefit of the doubt that we're good enough to have a number by our name until we actually lose.
Maybe in your world, but that's not how the polls work. If they did, then Auburn wouldn't have been 23rd in the preseason poll.
These polls take into account players lost, coaches lost, players gained, coaches gained, etc. Essentially, they attempt to predict what you
should be able to do
this year. They don't just assume that you're as good (or as bad) as you were last year.
And it would certainly make no sense whatsoever to continue to give a team the "benefit of the doubt" based upon last season after they turn in a poor performance in the new season. Why continue to speculate as to a team's quality based upon last season when you have results from this season?
If for nothing else, for consistency, as that has been the case for every other college football team in history. We're the only returning national champions to be bumped from the 25 after week one despite winning a game ever. That is the opposite extreme.
History lesson.
No defending BCS national champion has ever won its first game against such a shitty school by such a small margin.
1999 - UT 42, Wyoming 17
2000 - Fl. St. 29, BYU 3
2001 - OK 41, NC 27
2002 - Mia 63, FL A&M 17
2003 - Oh. St. 28, Wash. 9
2004 - LSU 22, OR St. 21
2005 - USC 63, Hawaii 17
2006 - Texas 56, N. Tex. 7
2007 - Florida 49, W. KY 3
2008 - LSU 41, App. St. 13
2009 - Florida 62, Charleston S. 3
2010 - Bama 48, San Jose St. 3
The only one that is close is the 2004 matchup between LSU and #23 Oregon State, a team that was 8-5 the previous season. And LSU dropped two spots for beating a ranked opponent. Had LSU not been ranked as highly in the preseason polls, and had the opponent been on par with Utah State, then you bet they would have fallen out of the top 25. There's your consistency: Barely beat a shitty team and you will suffer the consequences.
I'm sorry, I thought this silly computer poll was what we were talking about.
You were talking about it. And then I pointed out the inconsistencies between your stances regarding this poll and the AP poll. Wherefore, premises considered, both polls became the topic of the discussion.