JACK'S SMACK: Rankings overhype Kansas & Missouri, but it's a shame we won't see them play

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - I've come to the conclusion that any college basketball poll perpetrated on the average sports fan before Jan. 1 is totally meaningless.

The teams, for the most part, play a very easy non-conference schedule.

I bring this up because -- Kansas is not a top 10 team. Not now. And Missouri is not the 12th-best team in America now, either.

These polls are nothing but a popularity contest based on reputation.

KU surprised everyone last year advancing to the championship game in New Orleans. I've seen nothing in this KU team, other than Ben McLemore, to convince me the Jayhawks are even worthy of winning another Big 12 title this year.

It’s a good time for KU to be reloading because the Big 12 is down this year.

There's at least a half-dozen leagues that are better. It's KU and Oklahoma State -- then everybody else.

Now, Missouri has been a big disappointment to date. The Tigers got rolled by Louisville in the Bahamas.

They've struggled against inferior teams.

Missouri was down by 10 at halftime to Southeast Missouri.

The Tigers are having problems getting use to one another with ten new players. And there's the off-court issue with Mike Dixon.

It has not been a good two months for Missouri basketball, but it’s about to get better. The Tigers are poised to pull off a 180.

They could be a legit Final Four team when Jabari Brown joins the squad next week.

He'll become the best playmaker on the team.

He'll become the Tigers’ biggest scoring threat.

Jabari Brown will be the difference maker.

It bothers me every time we start talking college basketball, and then realizing KU and MU are not scheduled to play this season.

What a bummer.

We can only hope that the NCAA will find a way to match up the two teams in the tournament next March.

If that scenario plays out, it will be very interesting.

What will Bill Self do?

Will he forfeit?

Think about it.

That’s Jack’s Smack.