BCS Unveils Plans For New Harris Poll To Replace AP

BCS Replacing AP Poll With Harris Interactive Poll

The BCS yesterday unveiled the new Harris Interactive College Football Poll that will replace the AP poll in helping determine who will play for the national championship, according to Keith Whitmire of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The panel of 114 voters will be 20% media, with the remainder consisting of former players, coaches and administrators. Harris has already secured more than 80 voters and will reveal the full list once the panel is set. The Harris poll will count for one-third of the BCS poll, as the AP poll did last year; the remaining two-thirds will come from the USA Today coaches’ poll and a combination of six computer polls. The first Harris poll will be conducted September 25, and like the coaches’ poll, only ballots for the final regular-season poll will be made public. BCS Coordinator and Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg said, “We felt it was important to have consistency in the two human polls. To make them public throughout the season would mean each week would focus on who voted for whom and would detract from the games themselves” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/12). In L.A., Chris Dufresne reports each Division I-A conference will be represented by ten voters in an effort “to make the poll regionally balanced” (L.A. TIMES, 7/12).

HEAD START: In Atlanta, Tony Barnhart reports the coaches will continue to conduct their first poll during the preseason. USA Today Managing Editor for Sports Monte Lorell said, “The preseason poll helps set the stage for fans. It gives an early look at who’s considered strong heading into the season, who to watch. And from a competitive standpoint, we want our readers to get a sense of what the coaches are thinking” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/12).

NOT GOING ANYWHERE: AP Sports Editor Terry Taylor said that the AP “will continue to publish a weekly media poll -– perhaps with a reduced number of voters –- and will crown its own national champion the day after the BCS title game” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/12).