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Here we go!
The College Football Playoff committee has finally released its first set of rankings for the 2017 season and it gives us a chance to compare their teams and The Book’s teams in those same spots and some of the methodology each uses to make its case.
The CFP has: #1 Georgia, #2 Alabama, #3 Notre Dame and #4 Clemson, with Oklahoma #5 and Ohio State at #6.
The Book meanwhile has: #1 Alabama, #2 Georgia, #3 Clemson and #4 Wisconsin, with Oklahoma #5 and Penn State #6.
So how did both get there?
With the CFP, the focus seemed to be first your strength of record as opposed to who they felt the best team was. Everyone’s best team appears to be Alabama, but they viewed Georgia’s wins and their overall strength as better. There was also clearly some stack ranking in terms of Oklahoma ahead of Ohio State who was ahead of Penn State and that reflected who beat who.
The Book remember uses a weighted percentage of power rankings and strength of record. After last week, I removed the strength of schedule component from the combined after determining it was too heavily weighting the strength of record.
I promise next week I will note the percentages but for example, Alabama at #1 in the power ranking gets 100%, Georgia at #4 was somewhere .9541 of Bama. Combined that with their SOR, where UGA is #1 and Alabama a .998 of Georgia, the Tide are actually higher overall than the Dawgs.
One of the human intuitive components that comes up a lot is the status of a team when you play them. Take Florida State and how they were when Alabama played them as opposed to when BC played them last week. The committee seems to indicate they view that Bama win as significantly better than BC’s win because of the presence of Deondre Francois.
Seems reasonable on the surface, but ultimately, I am not so sure. That was game one and now 7-8 games into the season for most teams that we truly start to get the idea of who those teams are for real.
Three teams that were ranked in the top 25 preseason were not in the committee’s first poll, those being FSU, Michigan and Louisville.
Which of course brings us to BC.
The Eagles continue to rise, now #35 in the combined poll. #47 in power rankings, #32 in strength of record. No longer looking bizarrely different than the Massey (#34) or Sagarin (#37) polls have them ranked.
Remember that our SOR rankings are cumulative, not averaged. This was to take into account the CFP committee’s stance on playing that extra game for a conference championship. That means that BC is likely to fall in next week’s rankings without playing a game as other teams will build up that half of the equation by playing. BC is also one game ahead of many teams, having played 9 games already to most school’s 8. This then becomes a catch up week of sorts for most to even the playing field in terms of games played. It is also why Miami is at a distinct disadvantage being down a game after losing the Arkansas State game to the hurricane in September.
BC is 5th in the ACC rankings behind Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech and NC State and just a nose ahead of Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.
The Eagles though, hold no wins over teams ranked higher than they are and as mentioned, have two wins against teams who have arguably under achieved more so than any teams in the country.
Still then trying to figure out reality.
Although BC is off this week, some big games on the docket, including at least one CFP elimination game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Not a great week vs Vegas where for the first time since week 1 we were more than two games under .500, but overall, not so bad. According to Prediction Tracker now #10 among now 60 computer polls, picking winners straight up and #21 against the line.
Two of the computer polls, Linear Regression and Logistic Regression, although they jumped in only in the past two weeks are over 60% vs the spread for the year, that’s really impressive. Much like the polls that make up the Massey composite, the longer you wait, the more accurate you can be as opposed to the guessing game that are pre-season polls.
Enjoy the games and Go Eagles!
Final Combined Rankings
RANK | TEAM | WON | LOST | POWER | SOR | MASSEY | SAGARIN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RANK | TEAM | WON | LOST | POWER | SOR | MASSEY | SAGARIN |
1 | ALABAMA | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
2 | GEORGIA | 13 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
3 | OHIO ST | 12 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
4 | OKLAHOMA | 12 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
5 | WISCONSIN | 13 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
6 | CLEMSON | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
7 | PENN ST | 11 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
8 | USC | 11 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 14 | 15 |
9 | WASHINGTON | 10 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
10 | CENTRAL FLORIDA | 13 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 13 |
11 | NOTRE DAME | 10 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
12 | TCU | 11 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
13 | AUBURN | 10 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
14 | OKLAHOMA ST | 10 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 11 |
15 | MICHIGAN ST | 10 | 3 | 23 | 12 | 15 | 23 |
16 | NORTHWESTERN | 10 | 3 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 20 |
17 | MIAMI FL | 10 | 3 | 29 | 14 | 13 | 16 |
18 | LSU | 9 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 22 | 19 |
19 | NORTH CAROLINA ST | 9 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 22 |
20 | STANFORD | 9 | 5 | 14 | 29 | 20 | 14 |
21 | MEMPHIS | 10 | 3 | 28 | 22 | 24 | 31 |
22 | BOISE ST | 11 | 3 | 39 | 17 | 25 | 32 |
23 | VIRGINIA TECH | 9 | 4 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
24 | IOWA ST | 8 | 5 | 22 | 32 | 27 | 25 |
25 | MISSISSIPPI ST | 9 | 4 | 30 | 23 | 21 | 17 |
26 | WASHINGTON ST | 9 | 4 | 36 | 20 | 33 | 37 |
27 | SOUTH CAROLINA | 9 | 4 | 37 | 21 | 30 | 33 |
28 | MICHIGAN | 8 | 5 | 25 | 37 | 26 | 26 |
29 | KANSAS ST | 8 | 5 | 26 | 38 | 37 | 30 |
30 | TEXAS | 7 | 6 | 17 | 42 | 36 | 27 |
31 | FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 11 | 3 | 35 | 27 | 32 | 45 |
32 | IOWA | 8 | 5 | 34 | 30 | 18 | 18 |
33 | WAKE FOREST | 8 | 5 | 31 | 36 | 28 | 29 |
34 | LOUISVILLE | 8 | 5 | 24 | 39 | 31 | 24 |
35 | FLORIDA ST | 7 | 6 | 16 | 46 | 35 | 28 |
36 | SOUTH FLORIDA | 10 | 2 | 44 | 28 | 29 | 40 |
37 | UTAH | 7 | 6 | 21 | 49 | 47 | 34 |
38 | OREGON | 7 | 6 | 33 | 43 | 48 | 39 |
39 | SAN DIEGO ST | 10 | 3 | 53 | 31 | 41 | 57 |
40 | TOLEDO | 11 | 3 | 58 | 26 | 43 | 65 |
41 | DUKE | 7 | 6 | 32 | 48 | 44 | 38 |
42 | BOSTON COLLEGE | 7 | 6 | 40 | 41 | 34 | 35 |
43 | TROY | 11 | 2 | 59 | 33 | 42 | 63 |
44 | FRESNO ST | 10 | 4 | 57 | 35 | 38 | 51 |
45 | ARIZONA ST | 7 | 6 | 49 | 40 | 49 | 43 |
46 | PURDUE | 7 | 6 | 45 | 44 | 39 | 36 |
47 | ARMY | 10 | 3 | 62 | 34 | 40 | 58 |
48 | TEXAS A&M | 7 | 6 | 42 | 47 | 45 | 42 |
49 | MISSOURI | 7 | 6 | 38 | 59 | 53 | 49 |
50 | WEST VIRGINIA | 7 | 6 | 47 | 45 | 51 | 47 |
51 | ARIZONA | 7 | 6 | 46 | 53 | 58 | 50 |
52 | TEXAS TECH | 6 | 7 | 48 | 56 | 54 | 46 |
53 | UCLA | 6 | 7 | 54 | 50 | 59 | 54 |
54 | GEORGIA TECH | 5 | 6 | 43 | 66 | 50 | 41 |
55 | NAVY | 7 | 6 | 55 | 54 | 46 | 53 |
56 | PITTSBURGH | 5 | 7 | 41 | 72 | 62 | 44 |
57 | KENTUCKY | 7 | 6 | 63 | 51 | 56 | 62 |
58 | MISSISSIPPI | 6 | 6 | 52 | 67 | 60 | 55 |
59 | CALIFORNIA | 5 | 7 | 50 | 69 | 70 | 52 |
60 | HOUSTON | 7 | 5 | 61 | 57 | 52 | 59 |
61 | APPALACHIAN ST | 9 | 4 | 65 | 55 | 55 | 56 |
62 | OHIO | 9 | 4 | 67 | 58 | 57 | 61 |
63 | INDIANA | 5 | 7 | 51 | 84 | 61 | 48 |
64 | TEMPLE | 7 | 6 | 66 | 68 | 63 | 67 |
65 | WYOMING | 8 | 5 | 69 | 64 | 67 | 70 |
66 | FLORIDA | 4 | 7 | 56 | 81 | 71 | 64 |
67 | NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 8 | 5 | 75 | 60 | 64 | 73 |
68 | MARSHALL | 8 | 5 | 78 | 61 | 68 | 79 |
69 | VIRGINIA | 6 | 7 | 77 | 65 | 72 | 76 |
70 | COLORADO | 5 | 7 | 64 | 83 | 85 | 66 |
71 | MINNESOTA | 5 | 7 | 71 | 76 | 69 | 60 |
72 | COLORADO ST | 7 | 6 | 73 | 75 | 79 | 78 |
73 | CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 8 | 5 | 90 | 62 | 75 | 91 |
74 | NORTH TEXAS | 9 | 5 | 101 | 52 | 65 | 93 |
75 | SYRACUSE | 4 | 8 | 70 | 86 | 74 | 69 |
76 | SOUTHERN MISS | 8 | 5 | 82 | 70 | 82 | 94 |
77 | SMU | 7 | 6 | 88 | 71 | 66 | 80 |
78 | NEBRASKA | 4 | 8 | 72 | 87 | 76 | 72 |
79 | VANDERBILT | 5 | 7 | 76 | 85 | 78 | 77 |
80 | NORTH CAROLINA | 3 | 9 | 60 | 102 | 89 | 68 |
81 | MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7 | 6 | 87 | 77 | 88 | 92 |
82 | LOUISIANA TECH | 7 | 6 | 85 | 79 | 77 | 75 |
83 | ARKANSAS | 4 | 8 | 74 | 92 | 83 | 71 |
84 | FLORIDA INTL | 8 | 5 | 102 | 63 | 86 | 101 |
85 | MARYLAND | 4 | 8 | 89 | 82 | 73 | 74 |
86 | WESTERN MICHIGAN | 6 | 6 | 79 | 89 | 81 | 81 |
87 | ARKANSAS ST | 7 | 5 | 83 | 88 | 84 | 82 |
88 | TULANE | 5 | 7 | 80 | 93 | 80 | 84 |
89 | UTAH ST | 6 | 7 | 86 | 91 | 93 | 83 |
90 | TENNESSEE | 4 | 8 | 81 | 95 | 92 | 85 |
91 | BUFFALO | 6 | 6 | 93 | 90 | 87 | 87 |
92 | EASTERN MICHIGAN | 5 | 7 | 84 | 98 | 94 | 88 |
93 | TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO | 6 | 5 | 92 | 94 | 96 | 97 |
94 | AIR FORCE | 5 | 7 | 91 | 97 | 91 | 86 |
95 | NEW MEXICO ST | 7 | 6 | 105 | 80 | 98 | 99 |
96 | RUTGERS | 4 | 8 | 94 | 96 | 95 | 90 |
97 | UAB | 8 | 5 | 108 | 73 | 97 | 106 |
98 | AKRON | 7 | 7 | 109 | 74 | 90 | 102 |
99 | BAYLOR | 1 | 11 | 68 | 119 | 106 | 89 |
100 | GEORGIA ST | 7 | 5 | 115 | 78 | 99 | 114 |
101 | MIAMI OH | 5 | 7 | 98 | 104 | 100 | 96 |
102 | BYU | 4 | 9 | 96 | 108 | 103 | 98 |
103 | UNLV | 5 | 7 | 104 | 101 | 102 | 103 |
104 | MASSACHUSETTS | 4 | 8 | 95 | 110 | 105 | 104 |
105 | WESTERN KENTUCKY | 6 | 7 | 107 | 100 | 104 | 110 |
106 | LOUISIANA MONROE | 4 | 8 | 106 | 106 | 110 | 111 |
107 | NEVADA | 3 | 9 | 100 | 114 | 107 | 100 |
108 | ILLINOIS | 2 | 10 | 103 | 112 | 111 | 105 |
109 | CINCINNATI | 4 | 8 | 113 | 105 | 101 | 107 |
110 | TULSA | 2 | 10 | 99 | 117 | 108 | 95 |
111 | OREGON ST | 1 | 11 | 97 | 122 | 119 | 109 |
112 | OLD DOMINION | 5 | 7 | 119 | 99 | 113 | 118 |
113 | IDAHO | 4 | 8 | 110 | 109 | 114 | 112 |
114 | EAST CAROLINA | 3 | 9 | 118 | 107 | 109 | 108 |
115 | LOUISIANA | 5 | 7 | 122 | 103 | 117 | 119 |
116 | SOUTH ALABAMA | 4 | 8 | 112 | 113 | 115 | 121 |
117 | CONNECTICUT | 3 | 9 | 114 | 111 | 112 | 113 |
118 | NEW MEXICO | 3 | 9 | 111 | 115 | 116 | 115 |
119 | KANSAS | 1 | 11 | 116 | 118 | 123 | 122 |
120 | BOWLING GREEN | 2 | 10 | 117 | 121 | 118 | 116 |
121 | COASTAL CAROLINA | 3 | 9 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 123 |
122 | HAWAII | 3 | 9 | 123 | 116 | 122 | 120 |
123 | GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 2 | 10 | 121 | 123 | 121 | 117 |
124 | KENT ST | 2 | 10 | 126 | 124 | 124 | 127 |
125 | SAN JOSE ST | 2 | 11 | 127 | 125 | 125 | 125 |
126 | RICE | 1 | 11 | 124 | 128 | 127 | 124 |
127 | CHARLOTTE | 1 | 11 | 125 | 129 | 128 | 129 |
128 | TEXAS ST | 2 | 10 | 128 | 127 | 126 | 126 |
129 | BALL ST | 2 | 10 | 130 | 126 | 129 | 128 |
130 | UTEP | 0 | 12 | 129 | 130 | 130 | 130 |
The Massey Composite rankings are as of Thursday afternoon, January 11 |
Final ACC Rankings
RANK | TEAM | WON | LOST | POWER | SOR | MASSEY | SAGARIN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RANK | TEAM | WON | LOST | POWER | SOR | MASSEY | SAGARIN |
1 | CLEMSON | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
2 | MIAMI FL | 10 | 3 | 29 | 14 | 13 | 16 |
3 | NORTH CAROLINA ST | 9 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 22 |
4 | VIRGINIA TECH | 9 | 4 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
5 | WAKE FOREST | 8 | 5 | 31 | 36 | 28 | 29 |
6 | LOUISVILLE | 8 | 5 | 24 | 39 | 31 | 24 |
7 | FLORIDA ST | 7 | 6 | 16 | 46 | 35 | 28 |
8 | DUKE | 7 | 6 | 32 | 48 | 44 | 38 |
9 | BOSTON COLLEGE | 7 | 6 | 40 | 41 | 34 | 35 |
10 | GEORGIA TECH | 5 | 6 | 43 | 66 | 50 | 41 |
11 | PITTSBURGH | 5 | 7 | 41 | 72 | 62 | 44 |
12 | VIRGINIA | 6 | 7 | 77 | 65 | 72 | 76 |
13 | SYRACUSE | 4 | 8 | 70 | 86 | 74 | 69 |
14 | NORTH CAROLINA | 3 | 9 | 60 | 102 | 89 | 68 |
Final vs Vegas Point Spread
Vs The Vegas Spread | Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vs The Vegas Spread | Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. |
Week | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Previous | 379 | 370 | 16 | .506 |
Total | 380 | 370 | 16 | .507 |
Straight Up | Won | Lost | Pct | |
Week | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | |
Previous | 564 | 210 | .729 | |
Total | 565 | 210 | .729 | |
Boston College Games | Won | Lost | Pct | |
vs Spread | 9 | 4 | .692 | |
Straight Up | 10 | 3 | .769 |