By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL/Designated Writers

The pre-season college football AP poll is out for all to spent time grinding over, analyzing over, fretting over and allowing for rampant speculation on what might happen. And when you get tired of that, the USA Today Coaches Poll has been out there for a few weeks, so have at it as well.

The sole purpose is to create interest at this time of year — you mean the Cornhole National Championship isn’t doing it for you? — and assess the relative strength of the teams as the season begins.

Or does it?

Is the voting based on how good these teams look during summer workouts? How many starters they have coming back? How tough the schedule is?

Or is it based on how the voters think these teams will finish five months from now?

Nebraska didn’t win a single game last year until October 20. For some reason, they are #24 in the AP preseason poll. Once again, they lost twice as many games (8) as they won (4) a year ago. You mean 1-11 Rutgers couldn’t get any love?

What’s a little sad is knowing there is a team or two out there that’s currently in the Top 25, complete with jacked-up fans, who are headed for a miserable season. Wisconsin was #4 last year and lost five games. USC was No. 15 and spit the bit (5-7). Miami was preseason No. 8 and never recovered from losing to LSU in the opening game.

In a college football world that made sense, there wouldn’t be a actual voting process until October. Then there is evidence to support the relative strengths and/or weaknesses of the teams.

Instead, we are left with a lot of talk when there is nothing to talk about.