Why Purdue Falling From the No. 1 Spot in the AP Poll Simply Doesn't Matter
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So what? Big deal.
That was my initial thought when the Associated Press poll was released on Monday. Purdue, which started the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings for the first time in program history, already lost its spot at the top, even after a 2-0 start. Houston leapfrogged the Boilermakers and is now the nation's highest-ranked squad.
Apparently, Purdue didn't pass the "eye test" when voters elected Houston to take over the No. 1 spot. That was presumably due to the team's performance against Oakland on Friday, defeating the Golden Grizzlies 87-77 at Mackey Arena.
Instead of starting the week at No. 1, the Boilermakers are situated in the No. 2 spot. Some thought that was still too high based on Purdue's first two games.
We can all acknowledge that Purdue didn't play its best basketball in the opening week of the college basketball season. Senior guard Fletcher Loyer summed that up pretty well following Friday's game against Oakland.
"Yeah, I mean, we just beat Oakland by 10 points. Credit to them, they played a great game," he said. "But, if we're supposed to be the No. 1 team in the country, we've got to be better than that, and it starts at the defensive end. Shots didn't go in, but shots aren't always going to go in, and that's just how it goes down. We have to be better on defense."
Everyone inside Purdue's locker room understands that the first two performances weren't up to the standard. If this team wants to compete for a Big Ten title and national championship, there is plenty of room for improvement.
Let's also not forget that this is a team in the early stages of developing chemistry and meshing together. This is a squad that has played its first two games without All-Big Ten forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who averaged 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Believe it or not, those two things do make a difference.
Yes, on paper, Purdue looks like it has the most complete roster in college basketball. But Oscar Cluff, Omer Mayer, and Liam Murphy are all still learning to play with a brand new team. Matt Painter is trying to figure out which lineups are the most productive. These things don't happen overnight.
Receiving the No. 1 ranking in the preseason was a fun thing to discuss. Ultimately, though, it didn't matter. Purdue hadn't proved itself to be the best team in America on the basketball court. It was just perceived that way based on paper.
We're one week into the season, and Purdue doesn't look like the best team in the nation. OK, so what? You don't want to be playing your best basketball in November, anyway. That time is reserved for March and April, when the stakes are higher than just a spot atop the AP's top-25 rankings.
Has anyone lost belief that Purdue will have this thing figured out in the next few months?
Purdue has opportunities to prove itself
For those who depend on the "eye test" for rankings, it's understandable why Purdue would drop a spot in the Associated Press poll. But we're about to find out quickly if the Boilermakers are among the best teams in the country, and quickly.
On Thursday, Purdue heads to Tuscaloosa for a top-10 showdown with No. 8 Alabama. Leave the Yellowhammer State with a victory, and there's no doubt the Boilers would be in serious consideration for the No. 1 spot in next week's Associated Press poll.
Whether it would happen or not, it still doesn't matter.
The trek to Alabama is just the first of many tests the Boilermakers will face this year. Purdue will also play Memphis and either Wake Forest or No. 11 Texas Tech later this month in the Baha Mar Championship.
In December, Painter's team will play No. 16 Iowa State, Marquette, and No. 22 Auburn. When conference play tips off, Purdue has matchups with No. 24 Wisconsin, No. 15 UCLA, No. 14 Illinois, No. 6 Michigan, and No. 17 Michigan State.
Those are just matchups against teams currently ranked in the top 25.
Purdue has plenty of opportunities to show why it's the best team in the country, whether it ever earns the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press poll again or not. And, for a third time, it doesn't matter.
This team entered the year with aspirations much higher than the number beside its name. Being ranked No. 1 means nothing at this point in the season. It's only important to be the best team in the nation in April.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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