Lane Kiffin calls national polls a joke after FAU finishes outside top 25

Lane Kiffin's first season at Florida Atlantic was a success in just about any way you look at it.

The Owls finished the season 11-3 with a Conference USA championship and a dominating win over Akron in the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl. That's a huge turnaround in just a year for a team that was 3-9 in the three previous seasons.

Kiffin believes his team belongs among the top 25 best, but poll voters thought otherwise, leaving FAU out of the final AP and coaches poll. The coach tweeted that yes, the Owls were snubbed, calling the polls a #joke.

FAU received votes in both polls, finishing 30th in the AP poll and in a three-way tie for 28th in the Amway Coaches Poll, along with South Carolina and Fresno State.

The Owls played one ranked team in 2017, losing 31-14 to then-No. 9 Wisconsin in September. Their only other two losses also came in the first month of the season to Navy and then Buffalo.

Kiffin obviously isn't happy his team was excluded from the final ranks, but if the Owls continue improving at the same rate next season, they'll be hard to ignore.

MORE:

Jazz's Rodney Hood smacked phone out of fan's hand after he got ejected

Jerry Rice has a warning for Raiders players about Jon Gruden

Lane Kiffin on why it’s silly to say Jalen Hurts should play another position

NFL Divisional round picks against the spread: Will the Saints pull off an upset of the Vikings?

Terrell Owens' 'Challenge' teammates break down why it was good for him to leave the show