Belmore Rankings: Week 14

LSU goes down!  Kansas goes down!  Who’s number 1?  Here’s what I think:

1. West Virginia (10-1, BSOS Rank: #52)
2. Ohio State (11-1, BSOS Rank: #81)
3. Missouri (11-1, BSOS Rank: #90)
4. LSU (10-2, BSOS Rank: #32)
5. Georgia (10-2, BSOS Rank: #46)

Not your typical poll, but then again there is the whole thing of how my poll has absolutely no weight in subjectivity.  So suck it up.  I’ll post the entire top 25 after championship week.

The toughest schedules so far:

1. Nebraska (5-7, BR: #72)
2. Notre Dame (3-9, BR: #101)
3. Washington (4-8, BR: #89)
4. Duke (1-11, BR: #116)
5. Mississippi (3-9, BR: #102)

And the weakest:

1. Hawaii (11-0, BR: #20)
2. Western Kentucky (7-5, BR: #75)
3. Boise State (10-2, BR: #27)
4. Kansas (11-1, BR: #14)
5. Memphis (7-5, BR: #64)

It is still my opinion that Hawaii has not proven anything and should not play in a BCS bowl.  Then again, I would have the top 8 teams at the end of the year be in a playoff, but that’s why they don’t pay me the big bucks.

Belmore Rankings: Week 13

We’re closing in on the end of the college football season.  Pretty crazy season, no?  Here are my top 5:

1. LSU (10-1, BSOS Rank: #30)
2. Ohio State (11-1, BSOS Rank: #77)
3. West Virginia (9-1, BSOS Rank: #65)
4. Arizona State (9-1, BSOS Rank: #71)
5. Missouri (10-1, BSOS Rank: #87)

Kansas will jump back up there (assuming they win) after they play Missouri.  Their schedule is really weak at this point.

Here are the 5 toughest schedules so far:

1. Nebraska (5-6, BR: #61)
2. Washington (4-7, BR: #83)
3. Duke (1-10, BR: #114)
4. Notre Dame (2-9, BR: #107)
5. Mississippi (3-8, BR: #99)

And the 5 weakest schedules so far:

1. Hawaii (10-0, BR: #24)
2. Western Kentucky (7-4, BR: #71)
3. Boise State (10-1, BR: #18)
4. Navy (7-4, BR: #58)
5. Kansas (11-0, BR: #7)

Belmore Rankings: Week 12

Down goes Ohio State! Now that there are only two unbeaten teams left, who will really end up in the national title game? Like I said, Kansas has a chance to jump up with the last few teams on their schedule, although it wouldn’t surprise me to see the rankings (the BCS ones, not mine) stay pretty stagnant if someone at the top doesn’t lose. Even with help in the computers, I don’t think real voters will help out them too much unless they dominate whoever they will face in the Big XII title game (I hope I didn’t just jinx them…).

The top 5 according to my formula:

1. LSU (9-1, BSOS Ranking: #11)
2. Oregon (8-1, BSOS Ranking: #10)
3. Arizona State (9-1, BSOS Ranking: #59)
4. Kansas (10-0, BSOS Ranking: #112)
5. Ohio State (10-1, BSOS Ranking: #86)

As I’m too lame to remember to keep historical rankings, I have no idea what Kansas’ strength of schedule was last week. I have a feeling a lot of the teams on their schedule lost this week. And yes, I’m also too lame to look that up. What, you think a blog needs a fact checker? Pah!

The toughest schedules in the country:

1. Duke (1-9, BR: #112)
2. Notre Dame (1-9, BR: #113)
3. Washington (3-7, BR: #93)
4. Nebraska (5-6, BR: #63)
5. Utah State (0-10, BR: #120)

Husky fans, I think I know how all of us are feeling right now. But as you can see, we’ve had a very hard year, so we should keep our thoughts (and prayers, if that’s your thing) with Jake right now. (Have no idea what I’m talking about? Go here.)

The weakest schedules:

1. Hawaii (9-0, BR: #29)
2. Western Kentucky (6-4, BR: #74)
3. Florida Atlantic (5-4, BR: #73)
4. Navy (6-4, BR: #66)
5. Nevada (5-4, BR: #72)

I have decided to post my full Top 25 after the regular season, and again after championship week. I might post it again after bowl season, but those games hardly matter (including the BCS championship game) in my opinion due to their large level of separation from the rest of the season.

Belmore Rankings: Week 11

What, you thought just because I was on vacation I wouldn’t update these?  You must be crazy!

1. Oregon (8-1, BSOS Rank: #7)
2. LSU (8-1, BSOS Rank: #8)
3. Ohio State (10-0, BSOS Rank: #98)
4. Oklahoma (8-1, BSOS Rank: #59)
5. Arizona State (8-1, BSOS Rank: #61)

Not too shabby, eh? What I find most amazing is that ASU loses to a good team and doesn’t fall very far.  Isn’t that how the real rankings should work? And on a side note, Kansas (9-0) is at #6, and just needs to play (and win, obviously) the rest of their schedule to hop over ASU and maybe even climb to the top 2.

And the toughest schedules being played:

1. Duke (1-8, BR: #109)
2. Notre Dame (1-8, BR: #110)
3. Washington (3-6, BR: #85)
4. Nebraska (4-6, BR: #75)
5. Colorado (5-5, BR: #52)

I did not think I’d see a team like Colorado in that mix.  Here are the weakest schedules:

1. Hawaii (8-0, BR: #41)
2. Western Kentucky (6-3, BR: #72)
3. Florida Atlantic (4-4, BR: #82)
4. Memphis (4-5, BR: #89)
5. Nevada (5-4, BR: #73)

Belmore Rankings: Week 10

Well, just a jumble of the top 5 this week, but still the same five teams:

1. LSU (7-1, BSOS Rank: #15)
2. Boston College (8-0, BSOS Rank: #91)
3. Arizona State (8-0, BSOS Rank: #93)
4. Oregon (7-1, BSOS Rank: #21)
5. Ohio State (9-0, BSOS Rank: #104)

And for the first time since I started doing these ratings, UW (BR: #99) has fallen below WSU (BR: #82). So sad…

The teams playing the toughest schedules:

1. Notre Dame (1-7, BR: #107)
2. Washington (2-6, BR: #99)
3. Duke (1-7, BR: #108)
4. Mississippi (2-7, BR: #103)
5. Stanford (3-5, BR: #76)

And the teams playing the weakest schedules:

1. Hawaii (8-0, BR: #46)
2. Memphis (4-4, BR: #90)
3. Western Kentucky (5-3, BR: #72)
4. Florida Atlantic (4-4, BR: #80)
5. Southern Miss (4-3, BR: #70)

The only other undefeated team I haven’t already mentioned is Kansas, who comes in at #6. I can’t wait until next week!

Belmore Rankings: Week 9

Everyone keeps talking about parity when they mention all the upsets in college football this year. While I won’t disagree that there are not as many dominant teams are there used to be, I think another thing that should be discussed is the lower talent level of this year. Yes, we have our Mike Harts and our Tim Tebows, but if there was so much “parity”, wouldn’t there be 25-50 different “standout” players we were arguing over for the first round of the NFL? Instead only the frontrunners for the Heisman are in the conversation, and no one else ever gets talked about.

Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know. Just an idea. Anyway, here are my top 5:

1. LSU (7-1, BSOS Rank: #12)
2. Ohio State (8-0, BSOS Rank: #100)
3. Oregon (6-1, BSOS Rank: #33)
4. Arizona State (7-0, BSOS Rank: #103)
5. Boston College (7-0, BSOS Rank: #104)

Clearly ASU and BC had some help because they didn’t have a game this week (especially as the Sun Devils have yet to play Cal, USC, and Oregon), but all we really care about are those top two. I don’t know how the BCS will shake up, but LSU will be at least in the top 3 due to USF losing, so not bad. Maybe my formula will work itself out once all the games are played; who knows.

Here are the five toughest schedules to date:

1. Washington (2-5, BR: #89)
2. Notre Dame (1-7, BR: #108)
3. Duke (1-6, BR: #107)
4. Stanford (3-4, BR: #71)
5. Auburn (5-3, BR: #26)

And the five weakest:

1. Hawaii (7-0, BR: #64)
2. Memphis (3-4, BR: #96)
3. USC (6-1, BR: #40)
4. Western Kentucky (4-3, BR: #74)
5. Kansas (7-0, BR: #10)

Hawaii is not getting any help from their opponents. Not including FCS teams, their opponents have a collective winning percentage of 14.8%, the worst by far in the FBS. To put that in perspective? USC, third on that list, has an opponent’s winning percentage of almost double that, at 28.6%.

Meanwhile, the poor Huskies are stuck with the highest caliber of opponents, collectively winning 79.1% of their games. Rebuilding is a tough road…

Belmore Rankings: Week 8

The sky has fallen, my formula has officially failed me (or has it?).  Rankings for week 8 (I’m putting them up now even though the BSU game hasn’t been played):

1. South Florida (6-0, BSOS Rank: #61)
2. LSU (6-1, BSOS Rank: #11)
3. Arizona State (7-0, BSOS Rank: #97)
4. Kentucky (6-1, BSOS Rank: #37)
5. Oregon (5-1, BSOS Rank: #29)

I know, I know.  That doesn’t look too great.  Later today I’ll look at the BCS rankings and see how far off I am (I don’t want to emulate the BCS, but it is a good barometer to go by).  I’m sorry, USF fans, they are not the number one team in the country.  Maybe next week I’ll have some kinks worked out.

Now, for all the Dawg fans out there, don’t feel too bad.  Yes, we played poorly last night, but look at the toughest schedules:

1. Washington (2-4, BR: #82)
2. Notre Dame (1-6, BR: #105)
3. Stanford (2-4, BR: #85)
4. Duke (1-6, BR: #107)
5. North Carolina (2-5, BR: #91)

Yup, that’s right.  Through seven weeks, UW has the toughest schedule in the nation.  We should still be better than 2-4, but at least we can take solace in the fact that the cards are stacked against us.

And the weakest schedules:

1. Hawaii (7-0, BR: #55)
2. Memphis (2-4, BR: #102)
3. Arkansas State (3-3, BR: #86)
4. Northern Illinois (1-6, BR: #116)
5. Texas Tech (6-1, BR: #36)

I’m sorry, people, Hawaii is not playing in a BCS game this year.   They are not the Boise State of last year.  They are a dominate team in a bad conference who hasn’t played anyone.  Their opponents have a combined record of 8-25 (not including the TWO FCS teams they have played).  If you want to be taken seriously, try playing against someone who matters.  Beating up on a bunch of bad teams does not make you a good one.

Belmore Rankings: Week 7

Due to the Boise State game playing tonight, these are a tad late:

1. LSU (6-0, BSOS Rank: #34)
2. Arizona State (6-0, BSOS Rank: #63)
3. South Florida (5-0, BSOS Rank: #64)
4. Missouri (5-0, BSOS Rank: #77)
5. Illinois (5-1, BSOS Rank: #21)

Not your average poll, huh?  I like the way the number are working out (I did another tweak since last week), but I’m sure I’ll change it some more as the season goes on.

The toughest schedules:

1. Stanford (2-3, BR: #67)
2. Minnesota (1-5, BR: #103)
3. Duke (1-5, BR: #104)
4. Akron (3-3, BR: #50)
5. Washington (2-3, BR: #73)

And the weakest:

1. Hawaii (6-0, BR: #70)
2. Connecticut (5-0, BR: #28)
3. Northern Illinois (1-5, BR: #115)
4. Texas Tech (5-1, BR: #49)
5. Memphis (2-3, BR: #98)