FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt unloaded on AP voters for their latest top-25 poll.
It all started with Klatt throwing his support behind the USC Trojans, declaring them one of the top teams in the country.
Speaking on his creatively-named “Joel Klatt Show” podcast, he praised USC’s strong start to the season and was shocked that they weren’t voted into the top-10.
“You’re staring at a USC team that looks like they are for real. I put them in my Top Ten, and they deserve to be in the Top Ten,” he said.
Klatt’s comments came amid criticism of the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, released Sunday, which left the Trojans at No. 11.
Frustrated with what he viewed as questionable rankings, Klatt vented about the inconsistency he sees among AP voters, calling the poll “terrible.”
“The AP Voters are terrible. They just move them up and down,” he said. “I’m sorry if you have an AP vote and you’re listening to this. I love your passion for the sport… Give me a break with what you gave us in the AP Poll. That was terrible.”
In his critique of the poll, Klatt pointed out that both USC and Tennessee are deserving of higher rankings, asserting that these teams should be firmly cemented in the top-10.
“Tennessee and USC are clearly two of the best top ten teams in the country. That’s where they should be. You don’t have them there. I think that’s garbage,” he stated.
Klatt also voiced his opinion that Miami belongs in the top ten conversation as well.
Despite sitting at No. 11 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls, USC has been making waves in the national spotlight after an impressive start to the season.
The Trojans opened the year with a resounding win over then-No. 13 LSU, followed by a dominant home opener against Utah State.
As the Trojans continue their pursuit of a top-10 ranking, the Big Ten and SEC remain kings of the polls.
The Big Ten boasts six teams in the AP poll and seven in the Coaches Poll, while the SEC leads the way with eight teams in both rankings and an ultra-impressive dominance at the top.
USC has a challenging schedule ahead, with a Week Three bye before facing No. 17 Michigan on the road.
The Trojans’ remaining opponents include five ranked teams: Michigan, Penn State, Washington, Nebraska, and Notre Dame.
Though USC is idle this week, the Trojans could still climb in the rankings, especially with key matchups between current top-10 teams on the horizon.
No. 4 Alabama faces unranked Wisconsin, No. 9 Oregon takes on in-state rival Oregon State, and No. 24 Boston College will attempt to upset No. 6 Missouri.
USC’s rise is largely due to the standout play of quarterback Miller Moss, a dark-horse Heisman candidate.
Moss has been electric through two games, amassing over 600 passing yards, with his breakout performance coming in USC’s win over LSU in Las Vegas.
With Moss under center and a vastly improved defense, the Trojans may very well be national title contenders this season.
What are your thoughts on Klatt’s comments?
Are you buying USC? … Or do you think Lincoln Riley will end up holding them back???