Auburn is Proof Positive Why Preseason Rankings Matter

Sep 19, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers defensive end Arden Key (49) tackles Auburn Tigers quarterback Jeremy Johnson (6) during the second half of a game at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Auburn 45-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

In theory, preseason polls shouldn’t matter. A single game hasn’t been played, so how teams are ultimately ranked in the preseason won’t make that much difference. At least that is what we are led to believe.

Nothing could be further from the truth. And Auburn is showing us why.

There isn’t anything to like about what Auburn has done on the football field. The Tigers are terrible on defense. They are anemic on offense. And the quarterback many thought was going to surpass Dak Prescott as the best in the conference is an interception waiting to happen.

But there they are, 25th in the coaches poll.

Granted, they fell out of the AP, but they still managed to get enough votes that if you ranked every team who received votes, they would be 33rd. 4 AP voters voted for them, one voter put them as high as 18th.

The reason preseason polls matter is because some people have a really difficult time letting go of their belief in what a team is supposed to be. There are still people clinging to the idea Auburn was going to be the best team in the SEC this season. Despite what the evidence says, they think Auburn can find a way to get back on track and put together a good season.

And they could be right. Auburn could finally figure out how to use Johnson effectively and they could still win a bunch of games. But to have any faith in something along those lines actually happening is quite the leap of faith.

While it is perplexing to see Auburn still ranked in the Coaches poll and still getting votes in the AP, it’s encouraging for a few reasons. Vegas listed Auburn as a 4 point favorite in this week’s game against Mississippi State, so if you’re a Bulldog fan who enjoys gambling but never wanted to gamble on the Bulldogs because you weren’t sure how smart of a gambling decision you could make betting on your favorite team, now might be a good time to do so. Better hurry though, the line had already fallen to -3 by the time I wrote this.

Also, if they are still worthy of a ranking by some, then Mississippi State has a chance to beat a team people think should be ranked. So there’s that.

Obviously, if you’re a Mississippi State fan, you should be encouraged about the prospects of winning on the Plains. Even though there have been times we thought we would beat the Tigers in Auburn, there have been times the Bulldogs came up short. So lets not count our chickens before they hatch, and go into Auburn and take care of business, and get an “upset” win this weekend.

Next: Mississippi State Versus Texas A&M Game Time and TV Info