The first preseason AP Poll of the year is here. Texas is unsurprisingly number one. Ohio State, however, was not the number two team in the nation despite being the defending champs. That honor went to Penn State, which took some of the college football world by surprise.
Count Chris "Mad Dog" Russo among them. The ESPN analyst is known for getting upset about things, and this time, he took aim at the AP for giving Penn State what he views as an undeserved rank.
"[James Franklin] never wins a big game... The quarterback I do not like in a big spot," Russo ranted. "He was terrible down the stretch against the Irish. And Franklin, what is he, 0-10 against the Buckeyes? He never beats them or Michigan... How is Penn State, with their history under Franklin in big spots, how are they... this is stupid. Second in the country?"
Russo said he isn't moved by the talent they brought back or how good their defense is. He doesn't care about the easy schedule, either. "They are not the second-best team in college football here on August 13," he stated.
The ESPN analyst firmly believes that their history has to "go into the equation" when ranking teams. However, the AP Poll doesn't usually operate like that. They believe Penn State has the talent to be the second-best team in the nation, so their inability to win big games in prior years has little to no bearing. "That is a joke," Russo concluded.