3 teams that are extremely overrated in AP Top 25 Poll after conference championships

The AP Top 25 poll came out on Sunday morning after conference championship week and, as usual, there are some controversies. In the final edition of the rankings before the bowl season, some teams figure to be overvalued.

While the Top 25 doesn't determine which teams will make the College Football Playoff, it's one of the most traditional and respected rankings in the country.

Here are some teams that seem to be overrated in the eyes of the media.

3 overrated teams in the AP Top 25 Poll after Championship Weekend

#3, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Ranking Notre Dame is always a challenge, and the Fighting Irish have played well after their early season loss to Northern Illinois. But the schedule has been kind to the Irish this year. While Army beating Tulane for the AAC championship pushes their profile, it's their only victory over a team that finished the season in the AP top 25.

Their next best wins came against Texas A&M and Louisville, both 8-4. And while they are solid wins and the Irish pass the eye test, they moved up two spots by not playing on Championship Week.

This by no stretch means the Irish aren’t a good team. In fact, they look like a championship contender.

But their profile doesn’t compare favorably to that of Texas or Penn State. Both teams finished the regular season with one loss, but both defeats came against teams that will take part in the CFP. And while they dropped their conference championship games, they shouldn’t be punished for losing close games versus the top two teams in the AP Top 25.

#2, Missouri Tigers

With almost no activity at the bottom of the Top 25, the Tigers dropped one spot to No. 23 after Army defeated Tulane in the AAC Championship Game. Yet there's little to suggest Missouri should even be ranked in the AP Top 25 poll.

It doesn't have any wins against teams that finished the season ranked. In fact, the Tigers’ best win may have come against 7-5 Boston College.

On the other hand, they had two ugly losses against Alabama (34-0) and unranked Texas A&M (41-10). For comparison's sake, while the Aggies lost one more game, they played competitive games versus two teams ranked in the top four (Notre Dame and Texas), beat the Tigers head-to-head and also had solid conference wins over LSU and Florida.

#1, Alabama Crimson Tide

While the Crimson Tide remained at No. 11 in the AP Top 25 poll, it’s the teams that they are in front of that raise questions. Alabama was ranked in front of SMU, despite the Mustangs losing their second game of the season until the ACC Championship Game, on a last-second field goal, no less. But the Tide are also ranked three spots ahead of fellow three-loss South Carolina, four spots in front of two-loss Miami and five places ahead of three-loss Ole Miss.

Alabama’s spot was going to raise controversy either way, but having the Tide jump SMU and stay ahead of ACC champion Clemson, while the aforementioned teams were placed below them raises some questions.

Yes, Alabama had impressive wins over Georgia and South Carolina and a strong one against Missouri. But in the end, losses to unranked Vanderbilt and Oklahoma should also be held against it. Especially considering the Sooners won only two conference games and hadn’t beaten a Power Four team since Sept. 28.