Five college football AP/Coaches poll controversies

We’re now through two weeks of the college football season and it’s been every bit as exciting as anticipated. Of course, with that excitement comes fierce debates, and perhaps no debates are larger than those that surround both the AP and Coaches polls.

As there are every week, there were a lot of movers and shakers following the conclusion of Week 2, including some that riled up fans and experts from across the nation.

Here’s a look at five poll controversies ahead of Week 3.

5. Michigan rising in polls despite questionable early schedule

Michigan may have finished the 2015 season strong and they were promptly rewarded for it with a solid placement in the initial 2016 polls. But while teams like Clemson are dropping for failing to dominate on a large scale, the Wolverines are being rewarded for torching teams that most quality programs across the nation could beat.

There’s no doubt Michigan did what they should have done over the first two weeks of the season, but there’s nothing overly impressive about it, either. They outscored Hawaii and UCF by a combined score of 114-17, but that duo is a combined 1-3, with the sole victory coming courtesy of UCF over South Carolina State.

Comparatively, Houston scored an upset victory over No. 3 Oklahoma to open their season, while Clemson defeated a much more talented team in Auburn to start their season. However, both teams now sit behind Michigan in the AP poll.

This isn’t to say Michigan doesn’t deserve a solid ranking — they do — but opening the season with four home games against un-ranked opponents isn’t exactly impressive.

We won’t to see who the Wolverines truly are until they take on Wisconsin in October. And then, should they survive that game, they still have to weave their way through Michigan State, Iowa and Ohio State later this season.

Michigan’s rankings: No. 4 (AP), No. 5 (Coaches)

4. Houston not being given enough love anywhere

The Houston Cougars are riding high and rightfully so. One of the biggest early surprises of the football season, Houston is now 2-0 following a 42-0 trouncing of Lamar in which they allowed fewer than 100 total yards.

Despite that dominance, it’s their upset victory over No. 3 Oklahoma to start the season that still looms the largest, not just because of the scope of that victory, but because it was a relatively sound win.

Sure, the Cougars rank in the top 10 of both key polls, but they are behind teams like Michigan (AP, Coaches), who haven’t beaten anyone noteworthy, and Stanford (Coaches), who gained fewer than 275 total yards in a victory over Kansas State that was a closer game than the score would indicate.

Looking ahead at Houston’s schedule, it’s feasible to think they could be undefeated when they host Louisville come mid-November. Needless to say, they aren’t going away any time soon and deserve more early recognition.

Houston’s rankings: No. 6 (AP), No. 7 (Coaches)

3. Texas somehow still low on Coaches Poll

Texas did jump four spots in the Coaches Poll following a 41-7 win over UTEP, but the No. 16 ranking merely proves they weren’t ranked highly enough to begin with.

Entering the season, Texas was considered a potential surprise team, and they immediately lived up to that hype with a 50-47 win over No. 10 Notre Dame. They went from un-ranked to ranked, but the AP movers and shakers clearly thought more of them than the Amway Board of Coaches.

While the Longhorns sit comfortably at No. 11 in the AP Top 25, their No. 16 Coaches Poll ranking leaves a bit to be desired. If nothing else, they should have been given the nod over teams like Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia, who rides higher than they should simply because they’re from the SEC.

Assuming they get through Cal without any issues, Texas can can prove their worth with back-to-back games against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

Texas’ rankings: No. 11 (AP), No. 16 (Coaches)

2. Second Clemson scare leads to AP fall

When Clemson punt returner Ray-Ray McCloud dropped the football just as he crossed the goal line following a 74-yard return, he may as well have punched the Tigers’ ticket out of the No. 2 spot.

After struggling to a 30-24 victory over Troy, Clemson’s second consecutive narrow escape, the Tigers fell three spots in the AP Top 25 to No. 5. And when winning isn’t enough, leaving seven additional points on the field out of sheer foolishness can be enough to do you in.

“I was kind of shocked because I’ve never done that before,” McCloud told The T&D on Monday. “It just happened so fast, and everything happens for a reason. I know it won’t happen again, but I’ve just got to keep moving. I didn’t realize it until someone came over and asked me if I scored and I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ I looked up and saw the replay.

“[Coach Swinney] never told me about DeSean Jackson, but I know about it from watching it. He told me to finish my plays and give the ball to the ref.”

Those seven points were valuable. So valuable they cost Clemson some serious real estate in the Top 25 — real estate that’s going to be very difficult for them to regain.

But therein lies the controversy. The bone-headed play was bad, but Clemson overcame it for the victory. And after starting the season 2-0, was it really bad enough to drop them three spots in the polls? More specifically, was it enough to drop them in the polls in favor of Florida State, Ohio State and Michigan, who has a little controversy of their own brewing?

Perhaps Florida State deserved that bump up, but falling so far after a victory is never an easy pill to swallow.

Clemson’s rankings: No. 5 (AP), No. 3 (Coaches)

1. Oklahoma State falls out of Top 25 following controversial loss

What’s better than a controversy on top of a controversy? Because that’s exactly what we have with Oklahoma State, who was dropped out of the Top 25 following a highly questionable 30-27 loss to Central Michigan.

Previously ranked No. 22, Oklahoma State received only 22 votes despite the Big 12, MAC and its officiating crews acknowledging they bungled the final play of the game, which saw Central Michigan come away with an improbable Hail Mary turned lateral turned touchdown on an untimed down that never should have happened.

Central Michigan, for the win! FOLLOW for more plays! #HailMary pic.twitter.com/IOYXflQn5a

— Best NCAA Plays ™ (@BestNCAA_Plays) September 10, 2016

On a fourth down play, Oklahoma State attempted to run out the remaining four seconds of the game by throwing the ball away. Appropriately, they were flagged for intentional grounding and penalized with a loss of down.

However, with the game clock reading :00, the referees misinterpreted the rule and awarded Central Michigan one final untimed down. That poor decision led to the miraculous result seen above, which has now obviously had ripple effects for Oklahoma State.

After the game, the Big 12 released a statement acknowledging the error, while the replay crew was suspended for two games. However, the result of the game would not be overturned, ultimately leaving Oklahoma State with a loss that should have been a win.

“NCAA Rules permit instant replay to correct egregious errors, including those involving the game clock (FR 12.3.7). Walt Anderson, Coordinator of Football Officials, acknowledges that the Big 12 replay crew missed an opportunity to stop the game to inform the MAC officiating crew of the misapplication of the intentional grounding penalty as time expired that resulted in the untimed down leading to Central Michigan’s game-winning touchdown in its 30-27 victory over Oklahoma State. Also by Rule 1.1.3.b the result of the game is final and cannot be overturned,” the Big 12 statement read.

What can be more controversial than this set of bizarre circumstances? And how must Oklahoma State now feel from the outside of the Top 25 looking in?

Oklahoma State’s rankings: Unranked (AP), Unranked (Coaches)