Herman Matthews received an impressive Quartz watch for being a part of the computerized Bowl Championship Series rankings (1999-2001). This token of gratitude from the BCS has worked like a jewel.

"I set that watch with the electronic clock and change it twice a year when the time changes," Matthews said Tuesday. "That thing is amazing because it is almost always within two seconds of the correct time."

If only the Division I college football polls could be so reliable.

"I would say the polls are not as accurate as that watch is," said Matthews, who is a professor in the math department at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn.

He dropped out of the BCS because the margin of victory was reduced in importance and then eliminated from the equation. He has been rating teams since 1945 and devised a system in 1965 that included margin of victory as a key component.

"They say all games are supposed to rate the same, whether it is the first week of the season or the last week," Matthews said, referring to the BCS. "A win is a win. It's supposed to rate the same if you beat Podunk by one point or if you beat Podunk by 50 points. I did not like that and it's the main reason I dropped out."

After widespread complaints, the weight of the BCS formula was significantly reduced before this season.

Guess what? The so-called human polls aren't functioning like clockwork, either.

A case in point: Tennessee's 19-14 victory at Georgia. It apparently did not impress coaches who vote — with anonymity — in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll. Although both teams are 7-1, the Bulldogs are ranked No. 5 and the Vols are No. 11.

"How can this be?" UT fans are practically saying in unison.

Matthews seems to be just as perplexed as anyone. He has continued to do rankings for Scripps Howard News Service and has Tennessee No. 9 and Georgia No. 11.

What explanation would he offer to Tennessee fans?

"Well, I don't know," he said. "They've got a good argument because Tennessee did beat Georgia on that particular day."

The BCS seems to agree and has UT No. 8 and Georgia No. 9. These rankings could be worth millions of dollars — and prestige-- because the top eight teams are eligible to receive bids to the four BCS bowl games.

The 74-year-old Matthews has been around long enough to realize a lot of football has yet to be played. He also has at least one over-riding concern about the human polls.

"People need to realize it's not a single voice. It's just a consensus — that's all it is," he said. "My biggest worry about the polls would be the bias involved."

He stopped short of calling anyone dishonest. After dealing with computers for so long, he also realizes how difficult it can be for some people to remain objective.

Send questions or comments to AskChuck@knews.com. Chuck Cavalaris will host The Ticket Sports Page Live from 3-4 p.m. today on WQBB 1040AM.