Final AP football poll

[Turbine]

Here is how I think the pollsters look at UL's record. There are 5 P5 conferences and 5 G5 conferences. UL plays in the Sun Belt, arguably the 3rd best G5 conference, but only 8th out of 10 FBS conferences. The SBC had 7 teams with losing records. UL's schedule had 8 teams with losing records, including Texas. UL barely beat a 6-5 FCS school and struggled against some teams with losing records. But, we still won and went 13-1. A great accomplishment, but not against great competition.

Louisiana went into the postseason with all the negatives baked in.

All season long the negatives had been baking.

When the regular season was taken out the oven Louisiana was ranked #16.

In the post season teams who couldn't rank higher than UL in the regular season suddenly jumped higher based on nothing burgers.

Postseason losses by teams slightly ahead of Louisiana in the regular season were treated like they didn't actually lose.

Louisiana was penalized twice with the postseason rewrite.

[RaginScotsman]

We got some love in the postseason power rankings:

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...-shakes-top-25

[IberiaCajun]

Attachment 16458

Now you are talkin'!

[HoustonCajun]

Louisiana went into the postseason with all the negatives baked in.

All season long the negatives had been baking.

When the regular season was taken out the oven Louisiana was ranked #16.

In the post season teams who couldn't rank higher than UL in the regular season suddenly jumped higher based on nothing burgers.

Postseason losses by teams slightly ahead of Louisiana in the regular season were treated like they didn't actually lose.

Louisiana was penalized twice with the postseason rewrite.

Post season for the SBC and UL sucks. With conference realignment and the transfer portal, the SBC should be able to renegotiate its bowl alliances. It's not the N O Bowl per se, it is who the SBC conference champion is aligned to play in that bowl. To be a conference champion and #16 ranked and have to play the #3 team from the worse conference in the country only serves to hold back UL and the SBC. Any wonder a win in that game did nothing to help UL's ranking or national perception. It is imperative that UL schedule more P5 OOC games and play a P5 school in a bowl game. In the absence of that, UL will never rise above where it is now. With our schedule, lose a game and we are gone from the Top 25 only to possibly return if we beat Florida State, assuming we don't lose more than 1 game. We have to find a way to parlay our athletic and academic success and a new stadium into a better conference or go Independent until a better conference opportunity avails itself. No team from the SBC has ever made a move upward. The SBC is not a stepping stone to a better conference. I'm afraid our only ability to enhance our program is through Independent status and turn our brand into what BYU has done, something I'm aware that few people want or seem to think is a good move. But, we now have the academic credentials, the power ranking and a new stadium on the horizon to help us navigate through Independence and utilize our status in Louisiana to a greater position. I can't believe scheduling is an issue given our current status and 130 FBS schools looking to fill schedules. And who cares about bowl alliances given what we have. There is always an opening for a Top 25 program. Risk - Reward. What do we have to lose? What can we gain?