Coaches Poll history - blantant homerism, conference nepotism and odd voting

Two more years of relying on the Coaches Poll. Some highlights.

Brian Kelly - voted his team Cincy #1 following the '09 regular season.

Bob Stoops - When Oklahoma went 11-2 in '07, the Sooners had two first place votes. One of those was from Stoops, and the other was from Steve Spurrier, Stoops' former employer at Florida.

In 2005, Oklahoma went 7-4 and finished outside the Top 25. Yet Stoops had his team at No. 21.

Les Miles - In '07, LSU became the first team to win the BCS title after having lost twice during the regular season, including its final regular season game and his voting habits throughout the season helped that tremendously.

Miles voted his team No. 1 after it defeated Tennessee in the SEC title game, not a surprising move by any measure. But he also voted six SEC teams an average of five spots ahead of where those teams actually finished in the final poll to increase his strength of schedule. He voted Arkansas and Auburn a full nine spots ahead of their final resting places.

Hal Mumme - in 2007 he voted Hawaii #1 in his final regular season ballot. The former Kentucky head coach left Tennessee completely off his ballot, which was submitted mere minutes after the Vols lost by seven to the eventual national champion LSU in the SEC title game. Georgia beat Hawaii 41-10 in the Sugar Bowl.

Steve Spurrier - hates tOSU - In '07, he ranked #1 (10-1) Ohio State No. 5, behind four two-loss teams. In '05, Spurrier ranked the Buckeyes at No. 8 - they finished at No. 4. In 2009, Spurrier ranked Ohio State No. 11—three spots below their No. 8 finish.

Gary Pinkel hates mid-majors - In '09, he ranked Oregon (10-2) No. 7 while he put Boise State, who defeated the Ducks head-to-head AND finished 13-0, at No. 9. In 2008, Utah and Boise State were both undefeated and finished No. 6 and No. 9, respectively. Pinkel ranked the two at No. 15 and No. 16, respectively. TCU, who finished 10-2 and ranked No. 11, was voted No. 16 by Pinkel.

Houston Nutt loves him some SEC - In 2005 Nutt placed (9-2) No. 7 Auburn at No. 3 in the country in his final regular season ballot over Penn State (10-1) and Ohio State. (Auburn finished 14th after losing to Wisconsin in the Cap One Bowl.)

Nutt ranked all SEC teams an average of four spots ahead of where they actually finished. All this while not even ranking No. 11 West Virginia at all (West Virginia finished at #7 in the final rankings) after beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Charlie Weatherbie - Louisiana-Monroe. In '09 he ranked National Title participant Texas its lowest ranking at No. 4 in his final regular season ballot.

He also left #13 LSU completely off his ballot as well. He was the only coach to do so. But gave Troy one of its two votes.

Anonymous - At the end of the 1995 season, when all votes were still anonymous, two coaches dropped Florida to 11th and 13th after the Gators lost the title game to Nebraska.