Do you truly believe WVU/UL Could

[USFMikeB]

To my knowledge, none of the computer rankings are using it.  Also, I can only confirm that one of the computer rankings is using opponents' opponents scheduling at all, Anderson.

[72bull]

Holy Crap, Wes Colley "bias free" ranking rates Rutgers No. 7, UL no. 9 & WVU 13!

[USFMikeB]

Keep in mind that the BCS throws out each team's highest and lowest computer ranking in order to try and avoid outliers skewing their rankings.

[Brad]

Dennis Dodd chimes in on the Big East, no losses, and the SEC:

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9763796

[USFMikeB]

Dennis Dodd chimes in on the Big East, no losses, and the SEC:

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9763796

As Dodd states, we can expect to see a whole month of this being dissected.  The bright spot is that the BE has looked much better this year due to last year's defeat of UGA by WVU in a BCS bowl and a much improved OOC record against other BCS teams.

[smazza]

try this formula

Strength of a Team's Schedule

Another computer program helps to determine the third variable -- how a team's strength of schedule compares to other teams nationally. The cumulative win/loss record of not only the team's opponents, but their opponents' opponents are included in this calculation. This makes teams think twice about lining up a bunch of teams they know that they can crush on the field. It also makes coaches and athletic directors once again jump into the world of statistics. They have to plan their schedule in advance, meaning that they have to predict how well their opposition will do in the future as well as who they are likely to play.

The computer program produces a numerical value representing the strength of the opponents schedule (So) and one for the opponents' opponents (Soo). A team's overall strength of schedule (St) is then calculated using these numbers. The opponent's scheduled strength is worth twice as much as their opponents' schedule. Let's put it in the form of an equation:

2 * So + Soo= St

The resulting number, St, is used in ranking a team's schedule relative to all other  Division I schools. Once they have been placed in order, this list is then subdivided into quartiles (1-25, 25-50, 50-75, and so on). Their rank is then converted back to a point total by multiplying it by 0.04. This allows teams to be rated based on their placement within a given quartile.

Here's an example: A team's schedule strength is ranked No. 30 in the nation. Multiplying 30 by 0.04 gives you their point total for this category, 1.2. The 1 tells you that they placed in the second quartile, and the 2 tells you approximately where they placed within that group.

[USFMikeB]

Perhaps you could provide a link to what computer ranking is using this formula so we can see whether or not it is relevant to a BCS discussion...

[Mag Pie]

The so called "Experts" disagree with you Jim, Sports reporters (espn show), Gameday guys (Corso, Herb, Fowler) all believe if the OSU/UM game is close that there is a strong possibility for a re-match for the national championship

Does anyone know if this would be the first #1/#2 rematch in a national championship? Or would this be the first (if the "experts" are correct)?

Florida St, Florida in 96 Sugar bowl. #2 FSU beat #1 UF in season, UF beat FSU in the NC.

R to the izzo is typing, but I forgot to switch to my id

[USFPDiddy]

Holy Crap, Wes Colley "bias free" ranking rates Rutgers No. 7, UL no. 9 & WVU 13!

The Colley matrix is about as objective as it gets.  The explanation of how it works involves some integral calculus, but even if you didn't know that reading through would probably give you a general idea.  This is probably my favoirte computer system, because it factors only wins/losses and SOS based on first an average rating for week 1, and then the real ratings of the teams as they progress week to week.  Because it uses the ratings of opponents to factor SOS(which are based on the ratings of their opponents and so on), SOS is factored in VERY well.

Colley is a true ranking based on only wins and the strength of those wins based on other wins.  If you like objective comparisons, there is nothing better than this by season's end.