Harris Poll Gets More Flack

Looks like I am not the only person noticing the oddities with the Harris Poll. And SI Columnist Phil Taylor has found what is probably the biggest problem. Check out their voter selection methodology:

The 11 major conferences and Notre Dame submitted 300 names of former coaches, players and administrators and current media members as candidates for the panel, and the Harris organization randomly selected 10 voters from each conference. That's how people like Buckner were chosen, as well as congressman Steve Largent, a former Tulsa and Seattle Seahawks star receiver. It's also demonstrates how voters with less impressive credentials were selected, such as Jason Rash, the president of Georgia Masonry Supply, whose only connection to college football is that he's the son-in-law of Troy coach Larry Blakeney. Rash was dropped from the panel after his flimsy qualifications came to light, which indicates that some one involved with the poll is at least paying attention.

At least the coaches poll, writers poll, and the new Master Coaches Survey has people that are known to watch or coach College Football. Not a masonry supply company chief. What is most disconcerting about the Harris Poll is that it is used as part of the formula that makes up the BCS. That may not matter to top teams like USC, Virginia Tech, et al., but it could be the difference between an undefeated non-BCS school getting an invite to a BCS bowl or not. Imagine what would have happened last year had a Harris Poll existed and kept Utah out of the Fiesta Bowl?

The Harris Poll has serious flaws. And it seems as if the BCS will almost have to consider tweaking its formula again for 2006.