Topic: "12's Take" Alabama #1 in 2009 Power Rankings (Read 609 times)

12 · « **on:** July 09, 2010, 01:41:45 PM »

I was having a "discussion" with a few of the guys on the USC board over on www.bleachereport.com, and as the conversation got more and more interesting, I decided to counter the argument with Alabama's competition in the SEC. I have to admit, some of what I discovered even surprised me. Here's a link to the actual conversation was having. Warning: it gets a little more sarcastic and heated than some of you may be used to.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/416967-usc-spinning-out-of-control-dillon-baxter-lied

Here's my last post.

Quote

Here are the power rankings for the end of the 2009 season. I'm sure USC fans will find a way to discredit it as they do everything that doesn't state that USC is #1 in EVERYTHING FOOTBALL RELATED, but for the rest of us who are living in the real world, here it is:

Our college football power ratings measure the relative performance of all college football teams using 100% objective college football performance stats and sophisticated computational algorithms.

Our proprietary college football power ratings model iteratively analyzes information on every college football game, including team performance, home/away status, margin of victory, and other factors. As each college football season progresses, the college football power ratings model builds a sophisticated, multi-layered web of knowledge: how each team has performed in various game scenarios, the strength of each team's opponents, the strength of each team's opponents' opponents, and so on.

The college football power ratings model computes unbiased, quantitative ratings that assess both general (e.g. Overall college football power ratings) and situational (e.g. Home/Away college football power ratings) performance for every college football team. The system is complex, unbiased, and dynamic; whenever a new college football game result comes in, the power ratings of many teams will typically change as a result.

Like fine wine, college football power ratings tend to improve with age. As more games are played, the potential impact of good luck on a team's results decreases, and the college football power ratings model can make more "connections" between teams in conferences of varying strength. For some more insight, read more about how we rank teams.

1 Alabama (13-0) 72.8 3-0 4-0 3-0
2 Boise State (13-0) 67.2 1-0 1-0 0-0
3 Florida (12-1) 62.8 1-1 4-0 3-0
4 TX Christian (11-1) 57.7 1-1 1-0 2-0
5 Texas (13-1) 53.8 0-1 3-0 1-0
6 Ohio State (11-2) 52.2 1-0 3-0 0-1
7 BYU (11-2) 48.6 0-1 2-1 2-0
8 Penn State (10-2) 48.3 0-1 1-1 1-0
9 VA Tech (10-3) 47.6 0-1 1-1 2-1
10 Cincinnati (11-1) 47.3 0-1 1-0 4-0
11 Iowa (10-2) 47.0 1-1 2-0 0-1
12 Arkansas (7-5) 44.6 0-2 1-3 2-0
13 LSU (9-4) 44.0 0-3 3-1 1-0
14 Mississippi (7-4) 43.5 0-1 2-1 2-2
15 Utah (10-3) 42.8 0-2 0-1 1-0
16 Nebraska (10-4) 42.0 0-2 1-1 0-0
17 Oregon (10-3) 41.7 0-2 1-0 2-1
18 Auburn (7-5) 41.2 0-1 1-3 4-0
19 Georgia (7-5) 41.1 0-1 3-1 1-2
20 GA Tech (10-3) 40.7 1-0 1-2 4-1
21 Oklahoma (7-5) 40.6 0-2 0-2 2-1
22 Wisconsin (9-3) 40.6 0-1 0-1 1-1
23 Florida St (6-6) 39.7 1-1 0-1 2-2
24 Pittsburgh (9-3) 39.3 0-1 0-0 3-1
25 Texas Tech (8-4) 38.9 0-1 2-0 0-1
26 Connecticut (7-5) 38.8 0-1 0-1 1-3
27 Clemson (8-5) 38.3 0-1 1-2 1-1
28 Air Force (7-5) 38.1 0-2 0-1 0-0
29 Miss State (4-7) 37.9 0-2 1-4 0-0
30 Miami (FL) (8-4) 36.8 0-1 3-1 0-2
31 W Virginia (8-4) 36.6 0-1 1-2 2-0
32 Tennessee (7-6) 36.4 0-3 1-2 1-0
33 Oregon St (7-5) 34.8 0-2 0-1 1-1
34 Oklahoma St (8-4) 34.2 0-1 2-2 0-0
35 N Carolina (6-5) 34.0 1-0 0-3 2-0
36 S Carolina (6-6) 33.4 0-2 1-2 1-2
37 Stanford (8-5) 33.2 0-0 1-1 1-1
38 USC (9-4) 33.2 1-0 0-1 1-1

Alabama...#1...USC...#38. You have to go all the way to #17 before you find Oregon, a Pac 10 team. The next one, OSU is all the way down to #33.

The argument made that the SEC plays a weak OOC schedule is laughable when you consider the competition within the conference. Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi are all in the top 15. Auburn and Georgia are #'s 18 and 19. Alabama plays every one of those teams each season with the exception of Georgia and Florida who are in the Eastern Division of the SEC. Bama has played Florida two years in a row in the SECCG, and won the last one convincingly...against an outstanding 13-1 Tim Tebow lead Florida team. They also play #28 Miss. State and #33 Tennessee, all ranked ahead of USC. Add to that the two season opening Chick-Fil-A Bowl games against Clemson and Va. Tech the past two seasons, and you have one helluva tough schedule. Nobody expected Alabama, Florida, or any other SEC team to be able to survive that schedule unscathed. Bama was undefeated (14-0 and BCS National Champions) and Florida was 13-1 (losing only to Alabama).

Why is Alabama ranked #1 and USC ranked #38? It's called tougher competition. USC isn't even close.

Now if you can follow that with an intelligent argument that USC has a tougher schedule than most SEC teams, I'm all freaking ears!

http://www.teamrankings.com/ncf/rankings/

I'll be the first to admit I was surprised to learn the actual weakness of the Pac 10. I knew it wasn't close to the SEC, but I had no idea they were that bad.

BlueMarlin · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2010, 03:21:36 PM »

Our college football power ratings measure the relative performance of all college football teams using 100% objective college football performance stats and sophisticated computational algorithms < Quote from 12

"relative performance" Quote

Good Grief 12
Thats some deep stuff right there boy!

I don't know too much about "relative perforomance"
But I was told that "relative humidity"
is - how much you sweat-
when you're having sex with your cousin.

Throw that at em
and see what they come back with

12 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2010, 03:41:16 PM »

Quote from: BlueMarlin on July 09, 2010, 03:21:36 PM

Our college football power ratings measure the relative performance of all college football teams using 100% objective college football performance stats and sophisticated computational algorithms < Quote from 12

"relative performance" Quote

Good Grief 12
Thats some deep stuff right there boy!

I don't know too much about "relative perforomance"
But I was told that "relative humidity"
is - how much you sweat-
when you're having sex with your cousin.

Throw that at em
and see what they come back with

LOL! Those guys would jump all over that like Kiffin at a Hollywood party!

BlueMarlin · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2010, 03:46:25 PM »

I never really cared too much for those
that fancy themselves

"Just a little bit Superior"

signed:
Rosanne-Rosanne- ADanna

BlueMarlin · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2010, 03:48:00 PM »

Almost forgot 12

You get an A+ - for detail

and you obviously held your own there pretty well.

Rickck48a · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2010, 04:36:02 PM »

Wow, Alabama proves to be #1, BUT how in the world did Boise get up to #2? That really surprised me? RTR!

Red Ryder · « **Reply #6 on:** July 09, 2010, 06:31:45 PM »

great find and great post 12

ApothecaryMark · « **Reply #7 on:** July 11, 2010, 02:26:15 PM »

This really is good info 12. Terrific find, and great job in your presentation.

The ones that jump out to me are Arkansas and Miss St. It is crazy to me that a five loss team can end up ranked #12! Even more shocking is that MSU ended up at 29. That means that they would be competitive--and have a chance to win outright--in any other conference in the country. That is simply amazing to me.

ApothecaryMark · « **Reply #8 on:** July 11, 2010, 02:46:15 PM »

One more thing I noticed, Alabama played an astounding 10 of its 13 games against top 40 opponents. The SEC teams averaged eight top 40 opponents. Oregon played against six, and USC & Stanford played againt four.

BTW, to Rick's point, Boise only played against two highly ranked teams. Granted, they did win both of them, but facing two tough games is a lot easier than TEN like Alabama! There is a strength of schedule ranking, and indeed Alabama is #1 in it too. Boise comes in at #34, which is much higher than I anticipated.

http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/strength-of-schedule-by-team

Rickck48a · « **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2010, 07:25:40 PM »

Now I have a question: Would the all the teams that have a week off before they play Bama, does that create another Power Point? They are all rested and we are not, so does that point all something of strength? RTR!

ApothecaryMark · « **Reply #10 on:** July 11, 2010, 07:56:30 PM »

Quote from: Rickck48a on July 11, 2010, 07:25:40 PM

Now I have a question: Would the all the teams that have a week off before they play Bama, does that create another Power Point? They are all rested and we are not, so does that point all something of strength? RTR!

It should! I doubt these guys are that savvy to notice things like that, but I might also be underestimating them. Someone should query them and ask since that does indeed make a difference.

Rickck48a · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2010, 09:56:09 AM »

I don't know how to query them AM or I would. It seems so obvious that should count. RTR!

12 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2010, 11:25:42 AM »

I'll see what I can find out.

Rickck48a · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2010, 01:34:42 PM »

Quote from: 12 on July 12, 2010, 11:25:42 AM

I'll see what I can find out.

OK 12, if you do let me know what happens. It does seem it should be a ranking. RTR!

12 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 12, 2010, 01:41:55 PM »

I'll post it here.

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