An interesting thought based on an oddity of the first five weeks. What poetic justice would it be if every team that changed conferences this year went completely winless in their new conference until the Colorado-Utah game at the end of the year?
Something new this week: The full ratings are now available in PDF form. I can’t guarantee this will be the case every week, as that will depend on where I calculate the ratings, but it should be the case most weeks. The two “extra” slots are showing B Points this week, but I’m not liking it, and I’m running a poll about some other options. If you have another idea, leave it in the comments, and enjoy the chaos of this week’s rankings.
How the C Ratings are tabulated: First, A Ratings are tabulated by multiplying the total score ratio, which is expressed by (points-opponents’ points)/points, by the winning percentage. Score ratio minimizes the effect of running up the score. Next, B Points for each game are tabulated by (margin of victory)/(opponent’s A rating)+/-1 for wins, and -(margin of loss)/(1-opponent’s A Rating)+/-1 for losses. The “+/-” is + for road games and – for home ones. The total number of B Points is multiplied by the A Rating to get the B Rating. Finally, the C Rating is tabulated by taking one-tenth the difference between the team’s B Rating and the average of his opponents’ B Ratings and taking the result off the B Rating. The three ratings go A, B, C across. Click here to see the complete ratings.
| 1 |  Alabama |
SEC #1 | SEC Leader | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #2 | A Rat: .882 | B Points: | 40.690 | B Rating: | 35.869 | C Rating: | 31.234 | |
| Bama leapfrogs LSU with the win over Florida – for now. But with such a huge lead, they might keep it even if LSU beats the Gators. | |||||||||
| 2 |  LSU |
SEC #2 | ’06 Boise St. | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #1 | A Rat: .830 | B Points | 29.354 | B Rating: | 24.368 | C Rating: | 21.419 | |
| The Tigers have a substantial lead as well, though Kentucky wasn’t on par with the others. But now they get the Gators. | |||||||||
| 3 |  Michigan |
B10 #1 | Big 10 Lead | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #3 | A Rat: .847 | B Points: | 25.691 | B Rating: | 21.769 | C Rating: | 19.298 | |
| The impressive win over Minnesota was their best yet – but it was Minnesota, and Northwestern’s not that much better. What will it mean to escape Wisconsin until the conference title game? | |||||||||
| 4 |  Wisconsin |
B10 #2 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #10 | A Rat: .900 | B Points: | 23.298 | B Rating: | 20.969 | C Rating: | 18.015 | |
| What a performance against the Huskers, proving they deserve the respect they’re getting. But expect them to drop for a bye week. | |||||||||
| 5 |  Stanford |
P12 #1 | Pac-12 Lead | ||||||
| 4-0 | LW: #6 | A Rat: .867 | B Points: | 23.958 | B Rating: | 20.774 | C Rating: | 17.629 | |
| Big blowout victory over UCLA. Will Colorado share the same fate? | |||||||||
| 6 |  Oklahoma |
B12 #1 | Big 12 Lead | ||||||
| 4-0 | LW: #14 | A Rat: .788 | B Points: | 25.002 | B Rating: | 19.700 | C Rating: | 17.043 | |
| With early-season volatility, a big blowout, even over Ball State, is just what the doctor ordered. But the Longhorns are no Ball State. | |||||||||
| 7 |  Clemson |
ACC #1 | Prncton/Yale | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #18 | A Rat: .717 | B Points: | 21.674 | B Rating: | 15.535 | C Rating: | 13.756 | |
| Clemson didn’t just defend their title against the Hokies, they blew them out of the water, and now they’re top ten in the polls. Is the way clear to dominate the ACC – and for the ACC to be relevant again? | |||||||||
| 8 |  Oklahoma State |
B12 #2 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-0 | LW: #8 | A Rat: .692 | B Points: | 19.114 | B Rating: | 13.232 | C Rating: | 11.095 | |
| The Cowboys stood pat despite the idle hands, thanks to a blowout win by Tulsa over North Texas. | |||||||||
| 9 |  Georgia Tech |
ACC #2 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #7 | A Rat: .730 | B Points: | 18.116 | B Rating: | 13.219 | C Rating: | 11.075 | |
| A little too close for comfort against a mediocre NC State team, and now G-Tech has to worry about October 29. | |||||||||
| 10 |  Boise State |
MWC #1 | Non-BCS Lead | ||||||
| 4-0 | LW: #13 | A Rat: .772 | B Points: | 15.505 | B Rating: | 11.976 | C Rating: | 9.979 | |
| The Broncos got their revenge for last year’s loss. Perhaps they can continue to improve their MoV against another ex-conference mate that will soon be again. | |||||||||
| 11 |  Texas |
B12 #3 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-0 | LW: #16 | A Rat: .751 | B Points: | 14.999 | B Rating: | 11.263 | C Rating: | 8.670 | |
| Blowout win over Iowa State + the Cyclones’ first loss = big jump in the ratings. But Oklahoma is definitely no slouch. | |||||||||
| 12 |  Nebraska |
B10 #3 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #5 | A Rat: .510 | B Points: | 15.030 | B Rating: | 7.666 | C Rating: | 6.908 | |
| Wisconsin’s sterling A Rating makes the Huskers our first team with a loss. They will bounce back, but watch out with the Buckeyes coming to town. | |||||||||
| 13 |  Notre Dame |
In Top 25 | |||||||
| 3-2 | LW: #20 | A Rat: .376 | B Points: | 18.151 | B Rating: | 6.831 | C Rating: | 6.291 | |
| A two-loss team already? Pitt’s win outweighs USF’s loss. A blowout win over Purdue doesn’t mean the Domers are back, but Stanford is the only team on their level the rest of the way. | |||||||||
| 14 |  West Virginia* |
BST #1 | Big East Lead | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #59 | A Rat: .546 | B Points: | 13.697 | B Rating: | 7.480 | C Rating: | 6.022 | |
| From the second page to the conference lead? Blowout win over Bowling Green coupled with a blowout win by Maryland. And they’re only now starting conference play against 2-3 UConn. | |||||||||
| 15 |  Penn State |
B10 #4 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #21 | A Rat: .538 | B Points: | 8.336 | B Rating: | 4.482 | C Rating: | 4.189 | |
| Why does Penn State move up so much after a tight game against lowly Indiana? Alabama’s blowout win certainly helps, as does a number of losses by teams ahead of them. | |||||||||
| 16 |  Tennessee |
SEC #3 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 3-1 | LW: #17 | A Rat: .521 | B Points: | 10.799 | B Rating: | 5.630 | C Rating: | 3.982 | |
| Blowout win, but over lowly Buffalo. Losses by teams ahead of them allow them to move up a spot. But Georgia will be more of a challenge, and then comes an onslaught of LSU, Bama, and South Carolina. | |||||||||
| 17 |  South Carolina |
SEC #4 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #11 | A Rat: .496 | B Points: | 8.250 | B Rating: | 4.093 | C Rating: | 3.170 | |
| The Gamecocks don’t fall as far as other teams that lost because they managed to battle Auburn to the bitter end. Perhaps now they can bounce back against Kentucky. | |||||||||
| 18 |  Texas A&M |
B12 #4 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 2-2 | LW: #12 | A Rat: .336 | B Points: | 13.783 | B Rating: | 4.633 | C Rating: | 3.152 | |
| Tough loss to Arkansas, but they battled the Razorbacks until the end. Still in the polls, barely. Perhaps they can get back on the winning track against another rival in Texas Tech. | |||||||||
| 19 |  Illinois |
B10 #5 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 5-0 | LW: #23 | A Rat: .688 | B Points: | 5.211 | B Rating: | 3.584 | C Rating: | 3.124 | |
| Beat Northwestern by only a field goal, so why the relatively large jump? Arizona State got a substantial win that helped Illinois’ strength of schedule but not so much their own C Rating due to Oregon State’s weakness. | |||||||||
| 20 |  Rutgers |
BST #2 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 3-1 | LW: #25 | A Rat: .491 | B Points: | 7.034 | B Rating: | 3.451 | C Rating: | 2.911 | |
| Wins are wins, and teams ahead of them weren’t that great. But now the team that upset USF comes to town. | |||||||||
| 21 |  Arizona State |
P12 #2 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #19 | A Rat: .516 | B Points: | 6.651 | B Rating: | 3.431 | C Rating: | 2.697 | |
| Substantial win, it’s just that Oregon State is absolutely atrocious. Will Utah help them more? | |||||||||
| 22 |  Pittsburgh* |
BST #3 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 3-2 | LW: #60 | A Rat: .360 | B Points: | 9.871 | B Rating: | 3.553 | C Rating: | 2.484 | |
| Pitt didn’t just beat South Florida, they blew them out. This isn’t the team that lost to Iowa and beat Maine by only 6. Now to prove their bona fides against Rutgers. | |||||||||
| 23 |  San Diego State |
MWC #2 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 3-1 | LW: #27 | A Rat: .411 | B Points: | 7.264 | B Rating: | 2.983 | C Rating: | 2.424 | |
| Michigan continues to be a good team to lose to, Army just got a blowout win over Tulane, and losses by teams above them outweighs idle hands. They’ll settle who’s second-best in the conference with TCU on Saturday. | |||||||||
| 24 |  Washington |
P12 #3 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #33 | A Rat: .468 | B Points: | 5.003 | B Rating: | 2.342 | C Rating: | 2.007 | |
| Washington has flirted with relevance before, but they’re five games in and Nebraska is their only loss. Colorado will serve as a tuneup for a clash with Stanford that could decide the North. | |||||||||
| 25 |  North Carolina |
ACC #3 | In Top 25 | ||||||
| 4-1 | LW: #31 | A Rat: .517 | B Points: | 4.072 | B Rating: | 2.107 | C Rating: | 1.657 | |
| Big win over East Carolina. The loss to G-Tech will be tough to overcome, but they look to have bounced back from NCAA trouble last year. | |||||||||
33 teams total with positive C Rating (none with negative B Rating)
2009 Boise State title: #29 Oregon (3-1), .535, 2.108, 1.202
2010 TCU title: #30 Kansas State (4-0), .684, 1.833, .934
Off Top 25: #26 Florida (was #9), #27 TCU (was #22), #29 Oregon (was #24), #31 Virginia Tech (was #15), #49 South Florida (was #4)
Unbeaten teams not on Top 25: #28 Houston, #30 Kansas State, #38 Texas Tech (all in positive B points, Texas Tech not in positive C)
Rest of Watch List: #26 Florida (4-1), #27 TCU (3-2), #29 Oregon (3-1), #31 Virginia Tech (4-1)
Other Positive B Ratings: #32 Western Michigan* (3-2), #33 Toledo* (2-3), #34 Ohio* (4-1), #35 Baylor (3-1), #36 Iowa (3-1), #37 Wake Forest (3-1), #41 California (3-1), #46 Duke (3-2) (*=Newly Positive)
No Longer Positive: #43 Utah, #45 Navy, #49 South Florida, #51 Florida International, #53 Iowa State, #69 Temple, #84 Bowling Green
Bottom 10: #111 Central Michigan, #112 North Texas, #113 Florida Atlantic, #114 Louisiana-Monroe, #115 Idaho, #116 New Mexico, #117 UAB, #118 Tulane, #119 Akron, #120 Memphis
Best game of week: Oklahoma v. Texas, 9am PT, ABC