Mandel’s Disdain for the Pac

SI.com has again graced it’s web pages with Stewart Mandel’s weekly college football power rankings. He currently has Arizona State (8-2) at the bottom of the list, barely making it in at number 16. Mandel is clearly delusional. To prove it, let’s look at the other two-loss teams ranked above ASU in the poll in descending order of ridiculousness . . .

Most ridiculous – Iowa (Mandel ludicrously ranks at #10!?!?!)
The fact that Mandel sees Iowa as better than ASU is odd considering ASU destroyed them 44-7. FORTY-FOUR TO SEVEN. That should be enough to ensure that ASU be ranked above them, but there’s more evidence. ASU has beaten a total of two ranked team this year (Iowa, #17; UTEP, #24), while Iowa has managed to beat zero. Further, both of ASU’s two losses (USC, #1; Cal, #4) are also of higher quality than Iowa’s (Michigan, #5; ASU, #20).

2d most ridiculous – Boston College (Mandel ranks at 15?!?!?!)
Mandel must have gone to BC if he really believes this team is better than ASU. BC lost to Wake Forest (NR) and Pitt (NR). ASU lost to USC (1) and Cal (4). ASU has beaten two ranked teams (Iowa, #17; UTEP, #24), BC has only beaten one, the highly-overrated West Virginia (21). The fact that this team may be going to be in a BCS Bowl only goes to show that the Big East should be taken out of the system.

3d most ridiculous – Miami (Mandel ranks at 14)
Mandel reveals his love for all things south of the Mason-Dixon line with this one. Miami lost to TWO UNRANKED TEAMS. A team really has to try to lose to North Carolina, and Clemson is garbage. Miami does have three redeeming wins against Louisville (#8), Florida State (very overrated at #10), and Virginia (#19). Good wins, but come on – THEY LOST TO TWO UNRANKED, BAD TEAMS. ASU lost to SC and Cal, and still beat two ranked teams. ASU should be looking down the rankings at Miami like a blue state looks down on a red state.

4th most ridiculous – Tennessee (Mandel ranks at 12)
I love the SEC. I love the SEC. Say it to yourself enough, and you may become Mandel. Tennessee is a good football team, don’t get me wrong. But losing to Notre Dame, at home? Come on guys. If you lose to an unranked team, you should be punished for it. Tennessee does have a high-quality win against Georgia, but again, ASU has two wins over ranked teams.

Marginally ridiculous to non-ridiculous – Georgia (Mandel ranks at 13)
Granted, Mandel has a clear SEC bias. But to his credit, Georgia is good. Their two losses are quality (TN and Auburn) and they have a quality win against LSU (although LSU basically lost to Oregon State). I could sleep at night not hating Mandel if he put Georgia where Iowa is in the rankings – above ASU. I’m a reasonable man, Stew.

Here’s how the power rankings should go for two-loss teams:
10. Georgia
11. Boise State (no losses, but they play only junior high teams)
12. Arizona State
13. Tennessee
14. Iowa
15. Miami
16. Boston College (hanging on by their fingernails)