T1B

Let's play a game...match the team to their resume:

Choices: USC, Michigan, Florida, Louisville, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Boise State
(the 6 remaining one loss teams and the other unbeaten not named Ohio State)

Note: results against non-Division IA opponents are disregarded

Team A
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .4394
Total Point Differential: +196
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 2
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 4

Team B
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .4729
Total Point Differential: +241
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 3
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 6

Team C
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5214
Total Point Differential: +127
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 5

Team D
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5538
Total Point Differential: +237
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 2
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 8

Team E
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5764
Total Point Differential: +187
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 6

Team F
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5923
Total Point Differential: +189
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 8

Team G
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5985
Total Point Differential: +128
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 8

This isn't really intended to disprove anything...just wondered what everyone thought of a team when you take away name and look strictly at resumes. If we take away the names, we'll lose the obvious biases towards those who don't think Michigan should be jumped in the BCS standings and those who believe Michigan doesn't deserve a second change at Ohio State.

Based on the resumes, who would you pick to be the #2 team in the country?

Until you actually print the names of all those teams with .500 or better records and 8 or more wins the point differentials and the opponent's winning percentages mean precisely squat in the big picture.

Once you factor in weak sister conferences and even worse OOC schedules the thing that truly matters is who did you specifically play? That's far more important than merely adding up everybody's wins and losses and point differentials.

Stick Michigan or USC in the ACC or the Mountain West this season and then let 'em play WVU's OOC schedule and even though we still throw out the D-1AA opponents from this comparo I'm pretty sure their stats would suddenly look a WHOLE lot better than they already do...

Can't do that. Michigan was forced to play Ohio St and Wisconsin and they chose to play ND. USC chose to play their OOC schedule, on top of their conference schedule. Likewise, Florida was forced to play their conference schedule.

Now, take Louisville, Rutgers, Boise St and Wisconsin and make 'em play USC's schedule or Michigan's schedule and try to tell me they'd still be either undefeated or have only one loss. I'd never buy it. Make Boise St have to play Florida or USC's schedule and they've lost by now. Make Louisville have to play Ohio St? Definitely another loss. Hell, make Wisconsin have to play more than just Michigan this entire season and they find another loss or two somewhere.

Bottom line: Raw stats can be made to bolster any argument one wishes to make.

Van wrote: Bottom line: Raw stats can be made to bolster any argument one wishes to make.

um, that may be his point.

88 wrote:Team F. What do I win?

Haven't you guys won enough?

Just to help move things along...here are the teams:

Wisconsin
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .4394
Total Point Differential: +196
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 2 (Purdue, Penn State)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 4 (see above, Minnesota, Iowa)
Loss: Michigan 11-1

Boise State
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .4729
Total Point Differential: +241
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 3 (Oregon State, Hawaii, Nevada)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 6 (see above, Wyoming, Utah, San Jose State)

Rutgers
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5214
Total Point Differential: +127
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4 (Ohio, South Florida, Navy, Louisville)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 5 (see above, Pittsburgh)
Loss: Cincinnati 7-5

Louisville
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5538
Total Point Differential: +237
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 2 (West Virginia, South Florida)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 8 (see above, Kentucky, Miami, Kansas State, Middle Tennessee State, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh)
Loss: Rutgers 10-1

Michigan
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5764
Total Point Differential: +187
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4 (Central Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Penn State)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 6 (see above, Minnesota, Iowa)
Loss: Ohio State 12-0

USC
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5923
Total Point Differential: +189
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4 (Arkansas, Nebraska, California, Notre Dame)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 8 (see above, Arizona, Washington State, Arizona State, Oregon)
Loss: Oregon State 8-4

Florida
Opponent Winning Percentage (as of now): .5985
Total Point Differential: +128
Wins vs. Teams with 8 or more wins: 4 (Southern Miss, Tennessee, LSU, Georgia)
Wins vs. Teams .500 or better: 8 (see above, Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida State)
Loss: Auburn 10-2