With another week of data gathering for the model, we are still stuck with the same poll based view we've had to use for the first couple of weeks. The week in college football was fascinating with a bit of history wrapping around a really really wild game in Ann Arbor, and another blue blood meeting which was not nearly as competitive (a Brown alum's sadness). The Georgia-South Carolina tilt was another wildly entertaining game - with the fastest 270 lb'er you'll ever see. But without further yammering - the rankings based on another week of polling.
(as always, last week in parentheses next to the number)
1 (2). Oklahoma (#1 media, #1 coach, #2 computer)
2 (1). Alabama (#2, #2, #1)
3 (3). LSU (#3, #3, #3)
4 (4). Boise State (#4, #4, #4)
5 (5). Stanford (#6, #6, #5)
6 (10). Oklahoma State (#8, #7, #5)
7 (6). Florida State (#5, #5, #11)
8 (7). Texas A&M (#9, #9, #9)
9 (9). Wisconsin (#7, #8, #15)
10 (13). Oregon (#12, #14, #7)
11 (11). Arkansas (#14, #13, #8)
12 (8). Virginia Tech (#13, #12, #9)
13 (15). South Carolina (#10, #11, #13)
14 (14). Nebraska (#11, #10, #18)
15 (17). Florida (#16, #17, #11)
16 (12). Ohio State (#17, #16, #13)
17 (18). Michigan State (#15, #15, #19)
18 (20). Auburn (#21, #19, #16)
19 (23). TCU (#23, #23, #16)
20 (21). West Virginia (#18, #20, #23)
21 (--). Arizona State (#22, #18, #25)
22 (--). South Florida (#20, #22, #26)
23 (22). Baylor (#19, #24, #26)
24 (25). Texas (#23, #21, #26)
25 (19). Missouri (#30, #27, #21)
A few more random thoughts:
- One of the team knocking on the door was Central Florida. They laid a whoopin to Boston College, and profile as an interesting team to track as the season goes.
- One of the metrics that the rankings will use is an RPI calculation. The teams with the best results so far (wins on the road-neutral)? California and South Carolina, who each have won a true road game and a neutral site game.
- Virginia Tech was the biggest dipper in this mini-BCS, falling from 8 to 12. Their struggle at East Carolina, with slippage across all three areas. Top mover was Oklahoma State up to #6. Their huge scalp on National TV over Arizona got them the bounce from #15 to #5 in computer rankings, which moved them up to #6. They have been fast starters in recent years though - so color me skeptical.
Next week ... with Ohio State-Miami, Tennessee-Florida and Oklahoma-Florida State, we will start to get a little separation. I am not sure if the strength of schedule stuff will be mature enough for the rankings to be ready to go - but we'll see.