Ranking the Rankings: Wake Forest Claims the Top Spot; ACC, Big East Rule

Ranking the rankings criticizes the critics as soon as the polls come out.

It shouldn't come as a tremendous surprise that the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, the nation's only remaining undefeated team, are the consensus number one team in the nation. Oh wait, what's that? They're not the consensus team? Interesting.

They are close though -- Duke garnered four AP first place votes and six votes in the coaches poll to lock up the second overall ranking in both polls, while Connecticut and Pittsburgh rounded out the top four. Perhaps Coach K's media scathing resonated with more than just the News & Observer.

This is, the first time that Wake has been No. 1 since Chris Paul graced the hardwood of Lawrence Joel, but it's an interesting change because this is a completely different Deacon team, and one that's dominated by a youthful demeanor.

But, yes, in other words, when it comes to college basketball this year, there is the ACC, there is the Big East, and then there is everyone else. That's not to say that the ACC is necessarily better overall than the Big East; it's probably telling that the latter's two "best" (by record) teams are ranked lower (Louisville is 9 in the AP, 12 in the coaches', while Marquette is 11 and 10, respectively) than the two teams everyone else considers to be the favorites: UConn and Pitt.

North Carolina and Oklahoma round out the top five and while, yes, I may be known for piling on the Tar Heels ... well, I'm going to do it again. They whipped up on two bad teams in Virginia and Miami, they've lost both their tests and they're just not as tough on defense without Marcus Ginyard, who won't be around for the Clemson game. I understand that people have a really, really, really hard time not putting them in the top 10, and that's somewhat understandable, but putting them above Oklahoma, who recently pummeled Texas, seems like a bit of a stretch.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-19-2009 @ 8:58PM

Debbie said...

GO DEACS!

1-19-2009 @ 9:16PM

Saundra said...

GO CARDS!

1-19-2009 @ 10:11PM

patrickprc said...

GO DEACONS. EVEN THOUGH THE SEASON IS FAR FROM OVER, THE DEAC'S REALLY LOOK GOOD. AS THE SMALLEST DIVISION I SCHOOL, THEY MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT IN WINSTON-SALEM.

1-22-2009 @ 10:19AM

Ken said...

Come on. Not one SEC school in the coaches top 25? Talk about no respect! 2 National champions in the past 3 years. 5 DIFFERENT teams in the Sweet 16 in the past 5 years. AK vs the Big 12? What does it take?

1-20-2009 @ 5:00PM

Thomas said...

It doesnt really matter what the SEC did last year, or the year before, or in the 1970s, for that matter; the polls are a snapshot of who's the best right now...and still mean absolutly nothing at that. If the SEC is as strong as you think, Im sure they will prove it in the NCAA tourney...or the NIT :p

On a side not, how did UNC lose both of their tests? Michigan St wasnt a test? Or Notre Dame? Just because UNC won those games easily doesnt discount the teams they beat. BC wasnt a test either; that was simply a good old fashioned backhand to the chops.

1-25-2009 @ 7:31PM

sergeantruss said...

Your theory is very flawed. If teams were ranked by their histories and not current team skills, the likes of UCLA, Indiana, North Carolina and Duke would be ranked for the rest of time, no matter how poorly they did.

1-20-2009 @ 10:36AM

mike peters said...

THE DEACS ARE AN EXCITING TEAM BUT IT'S EARLY YET AND WE REMEMBER THEIR MARCH FADES EVEN WHEN THEY HAD TWO OF GREATEST PLAYER EVER ! PAUL AND DUNCAN...TOO BAD THEY COULDN'T HAVE PLAY TOGETHER ! NOW , THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COOL !

1-20-2009 @ 2:11PM

tpbhome said...

The polls are very bias towards a few big conferences. I happen to follow the A-Ten which has top teams year in and year out and they seldom get any breaks in the polls. Big East teams seldom play road games against teams outside their conference and they should be penalized for it. Also, please tell me how ND can have 5 loses and still be in the top 20. It is a big joke.

1-23-2009 @ 11:34AM

mripjr11 said...

U got to be kidding me, the Big East is the toughest Confrence this year, yea they dont play many away games in the non-conf. but they make it up in the conf. play, not many teams can hang in with the likes of the top teams like Pitt, Louisville, Uconn. all i can say is most teams will not last in the physical game in the big east. GO PITT

1-25-2009 @ 7:21PM

I will take the ACC over the Big East anytime. North Carolina, Duke, and Wake Forest can hang with the likes of Pitt, Louiville and UConn anytime. You make it sound like nobody is in the Big East league. Remember who the top ranked teams are right now. The top two come from the ACC.

1-25-2009 @ 7:16PM

There does seem to be some bias when it comes to the Big East and the rankings. It is not to say that the Big East doesn't have some great teams. However, with Georgetown having 6 losses, two to teams from outside of the conference and two to teams that are not ranked, they should drop out of the top 25. Also, Notre Dame has three losses to outside conference teams and 2 losses to unranked teams. They should also drop out of the top 25 but probably won't.