The Athletic - CFB Rankings (2024)

[RSTuthill]

Not wasting time on the debate regarding Maryland. It is what it is, this time in UConn's favor. Who'd a thunk it? I hope the guys get a couple days rest and recreation. Finals are on top of them. For the first time in a long time Championship weekend may mean something.

 

[UConnDan97]

Not saying we beat them, but Syracuse is better than them and we hung with them. 1st game of the year with a QB seeing his 1st college game action and they blew the doors off us. Playing them later in the year it probably wouldn't have looked the same. MD peaked game 1, we hadn't gotten started.

And we turned the ball over 3 times.

Scores tend to get pretty ugly when you are -3 on the turnover count...

 

[Kolumbo]

I find it ridiculous that CBS reported UConn had a Huge win over UMass. We came close to losing. But the ranking is fair.

If you are referring to my post #143, "Huge win over UMass" was my take, not CBS. The win launched UConn up 8 spots leapfrogging 7 P4 programs I believe. That was a huge climb based on that one win.

UMass even moved up 1 spot with its loss to UConn.

 

[SwingDog]

That game was honestly inexplicable. For whatever reason UConn was not ready to play. One of the few times in the Mora era. It looked like Edsall 2 had prepped them. Georgia State last year was the other time I thought that. If we were to play Maryland now, I won’t say we’d win but we wouldn’t lose by 35 either. I see it closer to Syracuse with us having a shot.

Scheduling Maryland for the first game was a poor decision in my opinion. Why schedule arguably your toughest opponent of the season for your first game when you're trying to figure things out and build chemistry after so many roster changes?

 

[huskymedic]

Scheduling Maryland for the first game was a poor decision in my opinion. Why schedule arguably your toughest opponent of the season for your first game when you're trying to figure things out and build chemistry after so many roster changes?

Life of an Independent.

Games were scheduled back in 2019.

 

[giddyup]

75-80 is fair recognizing we failed to win any P4 games but gave 3 out of 4 a good fight down to then end.

 

[businesslawyer]

And we turned the ball over 3 times.

Scores tend to get pretty ugly when you are -3 on the turnover count...

I was sitting there. Trust me -- we didn't get blown out because of turnovers. We got blown out because, play after play on both sides of the ball, they outplayed us. That we went the entire rest of the year without being out of a single game, as one walked out of that stadium in College Park, would have been unimaginable.

 

[Glenn]

There are a lot of guys out there doing computer rankings. Massey keeps track of about 60 rankings. UConn has a high of 44 and a low of 99, with an average, or median, of 75. The median seems fair to me. Massey, himself has us at 90, with us winning all our games against teams worse than 100 and our losses among teams 50-100. With our schedule it is hard to judge how good we are relative to teams that are ranked 50 to 90 as we did not play many in this group and have no good wins, just a bunch of good losses.

 

[noeynox]

There are a lot of guys out there doing computer rankings. Massey keeps track of about 60 rankings. UConn has a high of 44 and a low of 99, with an average, or median, of 75. The median seems fair to me. Massey, himself has us at 90, with us winning all our games against teams worse than 100 and our losses among teams 50-100. With our schedule it is hard to judge how good we are relative to teams that are ranked 50 to 90 as we did not play many in this group and have no good wins, just a bunch of good losses.

This is not a knock on you or your post, but we are WAY overthinking this. We got boatraced by Georgia State last year. We progressed to boat racing the likes of Buffalo and FAU and beating all the bad AAC teams on our schedule. We need to string together a few seasons like this one to silence once and for all the "shutter the program noise".

To go from getting killed by bad teams to beating them, is great progress year over year.

 

[UConnDan97]

I was sitting there. Trust me -- we didn't get blown out because of turnovers. We got blown out because, play after play on both sides of the ball, they outplayed us. That we went the entire rest of the year without being out of a single game, as one walked out of that stadium in College Park, would have been unimaginable.

I wasn't commenting on the fact that we lost because of the turnovers. I was commenting on the score being as lopsided as it was because of the turnovers.

It should be obvious to all that even if you took the 21 points away that resulted from the aforementioned turnovers, we would have lost 29 - 7...

 

[RSTuthill]

If you are referring to my post #143, "Huge win over UMass" was my take, not CBS. The win launched UConn up 8 spots leapfrogging 7 P4 programs I believe. That was a huge climb based on that one win.

UMass even moved up 1 spot with its loss to UConn.

A perfect example that every win is worth the effort to play for. I am proud that UConn kept at it and finally prevailed. Never give up.

 

[Patman]

I should post this in here instead of where I was putting it...

sos is a slightly lazy calculation (doesn't include HFA) of rating needed to win half your schedule.

Your anti-Alabama propaganda is to point out that Illinois has a similar strength of schedule having the misfortune of playing both Oregon and Penn State (their bad loss is to Goldie at 36). Otherwise still a lot of 2 loss programs. Michigan at 16 with that gaudy strength of schedule with about half their schedule being teams better than Clemson... the super conference era is going to be like that... schools like IU slipping through a lot of top teams but then Michigans eating a forest of top teams.

 rnk               teams.list  w  l ratings.out sos.calc srnk
   1 Oregon                   12  0  11.7767327   5.0772   23
   2 Boise St                 11  1   9.7526532   2.4471   94
   3 Ohio St                  10  2   8.6136900   5.0693   24
   4 Indiana                  11  1   8.2958043   3.9933   65
   5 Penn St                  11  1   8.2141966   4.7228   43
   6 Texas                    11  1   8.0248601   4.4216   53
   7 SMU                      11  1   7.6896769   4.3939   55
   8 Georgia                  10  2   7.6498214   4.9542   33
   9 Notre Dame               11  1   7.5022989   4.1477   61
  10 BYU                      10  2   7.2185749   4.5581   47
  11 Illinois                  9  3   6.9331452   4.8843   36
  12 Miami FL                 10  2   6.8268585   4.1672   59
  13 Tennessee                10  2   6.8049315   3.8655   68
  14 Iowa St                  10  2   6.7110270   4.7222   44
  15 Alabama                   9  3   6.7092315   4.9268   35
  16 Michigan                  7  5   6.6404434   5.9641    2
  17 Arizona St               10  2   6.6245472   4.1179   64
  18 South Carolina            9  3   6.5000684   4.9701   31
  19 UNLV                     10  2   6.3826233   2.7497   80
  20 Montana St               12  0   6.3548730  -2.9325  178
  21 Mississippi               9  3   6.2780266   4.2125   58
  22 Louisville                8  4   6.1512157   4.9653   32
  23 Kansas St                 8  4   6.1251380   5.0135   29
  24 LSU                       8  4   6.0747471   5.2352   16
  25 Syracuse                  9  3   6.0677596   4.4696   51
  26 Baylor                    8  4   6.0147866   4.8733   37
  27 Clemson                   9  3   5.9841594   4.2864   56
  28 Colorado                  9  3   5.9381675   4.4893   50
  29 Texas A&M                 8  4   5.9330194   4.5523   48
  30 Missouri                  9  3   5.9283942   4.1368   62
  31 Duke                      9  3   5.9184143   3.8870   67
  32 Iowa                      8  4   5.7751449   4.7517   40
  33 Georgia Tech              7  5   5.7433134   5.0830   22
  34 Florida                   7  5   5.6657396   5.2678   15
  35 Army                     10  1   5.6639174   1.2889  121
  36 Minnesota                 7  5   5.6191268   5.0357   28
  37 Texas Tech                8  4   5.6037609   4.6464   46
  38 Kansas                    5  7   5.5130779   5.8947    3
  39 USC                       6  6   5.4692221   5.4790    7
  40 TCU                       8  4   5.4314478   4.4167   54
  41 Oklahoma                  6  6   5.3731343   5.4335    9
  42 UCLA                      5  7   5.3242850   5.7416    4
  43 Washington                6  6   5.3129510   5.4313   10
  44 Pittsburgh                7  5   5.2097806   4.7338   42
  45 Rutgers                   7  5   5.2055823   4.7478   41
  46 Boston College            7  5   5.1241318   4.6768   45
  47 West Virginia             6  6   5.0616114   5.0611   25
  48 Nebraska                  6  6   5.0485811   5.2350   17
  49 Virginia Tech             6  6   5.0445995   5.1299   19
  50 Vanderbilt                6  6   4.9472193   4.9432   34
  51 Michigan St               5  7   4.7716533   5.5292    6
  52 Tulane                    9  3   4.7400297   2.6920   84
  53 Marshall                  9  3   4.6707414   2.6411   87
  54 Wisconsin                 5  7   4.6407715   5.0982   20
  55 Cincinnati                5  7   4.5792320   5.0966   21
  56 Houston                   4  8   4.4844682   5.3855   12
  57 Arkansas                  6  6   4.3301310   4.2593   57
  58 Virginia                  5  7   4.3203370   4.8545   38
  59 Memphis                  10  2   4.2614577   1.7622  110
  60 Utah                      5  7   4.2562437   4.7958   39
  61 Louisiana                10  2   4.2307655   1.9988  107
  62 NC State                  6  6   4.1419133   4.1550   60
  63 Ga Southern               8  4   4.0849611   2.8417   76
  64 North Carolina            6  6   4.0335942   4.1197   63
  65 Navy                      8  3   3.9328633   2.2216  101
  66 California                6  6   3.9163406   3.9577   66
  67 Maryland                  4  8   3.9003153   5.3190   13
  68 Arizona                   4  8   3.8088976   4.9749   30
  69 Washington St             8  4   3.7981724   2.4565   92
  70 Northwestern              4  8   3.7891024   5.2725   14
  71 UCF                       4  8   3.7715934   5.0554   26
  72 Auburn                    5  7   3.6867096   4.5379   49
  73 Kentucky                  4  8   3.6642756   5.4007   11
  74 James Madison             8  4   3.5014809   2.2567  100
  75 Wake Forest               4  8   3.4033612   4.4240   52
  76 UC Davis                 10  2   3.3821832  -2.9408  180
  77 Ohio                      9  3   3.3707868   1.3358  120
  78 Stanford                  3  9   3.2866470   5.0424   27
  79 San Jose St               7  5   3.2636921   2.4901   91
  80 Colorado St               8  4   3.2273981   2.0323  106
  81 Oklahoma St               3  9   3.2123885   5.2191   18
  82 Miami OH                  8  4   3.1054556   1.6963  113
  83 Idaho                     9  3   3.0277697  -1.9014  147
  84 Connecticut               8  4   3.0200683   1.7954  109
  85 Appalachian St            5  6   2.8996136   3.1482   73
  86 Old Dominion              5  7   2.8741479   3.3024   71
  87 N Dakota St              10  2   2.7505926  -1.4814  141
  88 Arkansas St               7  5   2.7497975   2.1953  102
  89 Coastal Car               6  6   2.6970586   2.6922   83
  90 Fresno St                 6  6   2.6761586   2.7248   81
  91 Texas St                  7  5   2.6637728   2.1448  104
  92 South Dakota              8  2   2.5362572  -2.3339  153
  93 South Alabama             6  6   2.5166663   2.5773   89
  94 S Dakota St               9  2   2.5030054  -1.3874  140
  95 Sam Houston St            9  3   2.4364769   0.6207  127
  96 Florida St                2 10   2.4318101   5.4431    8
  97 Buffalo                   8  4   2.4201555   0.9965  124
  98 East Carolina             7  5   2.3356351   1.7348  112
  99 Oregon St                 5  7   2.2720803   2.9939   74
 100 North Texas               6  6   2.2453262   2.1710  103
 101 South Florida             6  6   2.1931246   2.1062  105
 102 Bowling Green             7  5   2.1232222   1.5551  116
 103 N Illinois                7  5   2.1219487   1.4837  117
 104 Charlotte                 5  7   2.1107504   2.8225   79
 105 ULM                       5  7   2.0882644   2.6592   85
 106 New Mexico                5  7   1.9952477   2.4499   93
 107 Air Force                 5  7   1.9744936   2.5350   90
 108 WKU                       8  4   1.8676255   0.2936  130
 109 Georgia St                3  9   1.7855704   3.3390   70
 110 Toledo                    7  5   1.7648078   1.1163  123
 111 Hawaii                    5  7   1.7554527   2.2994   98
 112 UT San Antonio            6  6   1.7435440   1.6893  114
 113 Rice                      4  8   1.6583160   2.9429   75
 114 Jacksonville St           8  4   1.6005691   0.1306  131
 115 W Michigan                6  6   1.5262773   1.4531  118
 116 Wyoming                   3  9   1.5209760   3.2124   72
 117 Utah St                   4  8   1.4505942   2.8378   78
 118 Troy                      4  8   1.3063489   2.6544   86
 119 Nevada                    3 10   1.1911427   3.3787   69
 120 Liberty                   8  3   1.1002185  -0.8648  138
 121 UAB                       3  9   0.8620640   2.8389   77
 122 Temple                    3  9   0.8007988   2.7143   82
 123 Akron                     4  8   0.7377993   2.2575   99
 124 San Diego St              3  9   0.5120832   2.3333   97
 125 E Michigan                5  7   0.4014487   1.2121  122
 126 Ball St                   3  9   0.2196928   2.3406   96
 127 C Michigan                4  8   0.1776406   1.4249  119
 128 Missouri St               8  4  -0.1357650  -1.8716  146
 129 FL Atlantic               3  9  -0.1795995   1.8133  108
 130 Tulsa                     3  9  -0.2385353   1.5668  115
 131 Mississippi St            2 10  -0.2510113   5.5378    5
 132 Rhode Island             11  2  -0.2804727  -3.3574  193
 133 Illinois St              10  3  -0.2845772  -2.8112  172
 134 Incarnate Word           10  2  -0.8123317  -3.5674  207
 135 Louisiana Tech            5  7  -0.9670682  -0.1390  132
 136 Delaware                  9  2  -0.9687757  -3.5759  209
 137 Villanova                10  3  -1.0101479  -2.7851  171
 138 Purdue                    1 11  -1.0874588   6.0854    1
 139 Tarleton St              10  3  -1.1929522  -2.9400  179
 140 Abilene Chr               9  4  -1.2342617  -2.7013  166
 141 Southern Miss             1 11  -1.2562301   2.5917   88
 142 TN Martin                 9  4  -1.2588882  -2.7035  167
 143 Montana                   9  4  -1.3257828  -2.7335  168
 144 New Mexico St             3  9  -1.4764401   0.7428  126
 145 Florida Intl              4  8  -1.4979786  -0.3125  134
 146 E Kentucky                8  5  -1.5358844  -2.6345  162
 147 Southern Utah             7  5  -1.6483424  -2.3908  155
 148 New Hampshire             8  5  -1.6558189  -2.4673  158
 149 Mercer                   10  2  -1.6562499  -4.3544  230
 150 Harvard                   8  2  -1.7709554  -3.5192  204
 151 MTSU                      3  9  -1.7737465   0.3513  129
 152 UTEP                      3  9  -1.7960750   0.4568  128
 153 S Carolina St             8  2  -1.8532675  -4.8436  243
 154 SE Louisiana              7  5  -1.8760027  -2.6462  163
 155 Dartmouth                 8  2  -1.8839724  -3.7511  216
 156 SE Missouri St            9  4  -1.8925903  -3.2013  185
 157 Kennesaw                  2 10  -1.9507727   0.7648  125
 158 Richmond                 10  3  -1.9643003  -4.0099  221
 159 Tennessee St              9  4  -1.9975116  -3.7505  215
 160 Northern Arizona          7  5  -2.0140498  -2.8840  177
 161 Duquesne                  7  3  -2.1276442  -4.2034  228
 162 Yale                      7  3  -2.1543778  -3.2496  188
 163 Lehigh                    9  3  -2.1624114  -4.2831  229
 164 Tennessee Tech            7  5  -2.2531653  -2.8764  175
 165 Stony Brook               8  4  -2.2994753  -3.5352  205
 166 Towson                    7  5  -2.3450703  -3.1218  184
 167 Monmouth NJ               6  6  -2.3459895  -2.4590  157
 168 Massachusetts             2 10  -2.4308767   1.7439  111
 169 S Illinois                4  8  -2.5702506  -0.6924  137
 170 North Dakota              5  7  -2.5853664  -1.6119  144
 171 Columbia                  7  3  -2.7579948  -3.9314  220
 172 Drake                     8  3  -2.7711198  -4.9225  245
 173 Chattanooga               7  5  -2.7759247  -3.4127  199
 174 Maine                     5  7  -2.7915121  -2.1316  150
 175 W Carolina                7  5  -2.8837842  -3.5454  206
 176 Jackson St                9  2  -2.9016928  -5.3075  257
 177 Youngstown St             4  8  -2.9339396  -1.3567  139
 178 ETSU                      6  5  -2.9353909  -3.3052  189
 179 E Washington              4  8  -2.9462224  -1.5171  142
 180 SF Austin                 6  5  -3.0185123  -3.5157  203
 181 Cent Arkansas             6  6  -3.1239803  -3.0545  183
 182 Idaho St                  4  7  -3.1995334  -2.3062  152
 183 Central Conn              7  6  -3.2963854  -3.7244  214
 184 Elon                      6  6  -3.2987000  -3.2267  186
 185 Portland St               3  8  -3.3405761  -0.6394  136
 186 Holy Cross                6  6  -3.3723535  -3.3583  194
 187 NC Central                7  3  -3.4061516  -5.0348  249
 188 Robert Morris             7  4  -3.4304050  -4.7014  241
 189 Lamar                     7  5  -3.4651829  -4.0360  222
 190 Lindenwood                5  7  -3.4801782  -2.8196  173
 191 William & Mary            7  5  -3.5043670  -4.1085  227
 192 Northern Iowa             3  9  -3.5587678  -0.3422  135
 193 North Alabama             3  9  -3.7944773  -1.9565  148
 194 SUNY Albany               4  8  -3.7987451  -2.4142  156
 195 McNeese St                6  6  -3.8383537  -3.7857  218
 196 W Illinois                3  8  -3.8704009  -2.0960  149
 197 Wofford                   5  7  -3.8858214  -3.4241  200
 198 Austin Peay               4  8  -3.8910163  -2.6986  165
 199 San Diego                 7  3  -3.8952326  -5.4808  259
 200 Penn                      4  6  -3.9325943  -3.3330  191
 201 Houston Chr               4  7  -3.9534961  -2.7542  170
 202 Florida A&M               7  5  -4.0032172  -4.6565  239
 203 Indiana St                4  8  -4.0329195  -2.7490  169
 204 Cornell                   4  6  -4.1170319  -3.6087  210
 205 Gardner Webb              4  8  -4.1836154  -2.8339  174
 206 Southern Univ             7  4  -4.2302282  -5.1104  254
 207 Samford                   4  7  -4.3327892  -3.4104  198
 208 E Illinois                3  9  -4.3483930  -2.2912  151
 209 Merrimack                 5  6  -4.3578164  -4.1079  226
 210 Princeton                 3  7  -4.4660667  -2.9973  182
 211 Nicholls St               4  8  -4.5182091  -3.3718  196
 212 Lafayette                 6  6  -4.5471685  -4.6544  238
 213 Citadel                   4  7  -4.5801954  -3.4759  202
 214 Morehead St               5  5  -4.6022412  -4.6396  236
 215 Brown                     3  7  -4.6174037  -3.2398  187
 216 CS Sacramento             3  9  -4.6323960  -2.5199  160
 217 Morgan St                 4  6  -4.6608767  -3.8604  219
 218 Hampton                   4  7  -4.6619449  -3.6370  211
 219 Weber St                  4  8  -4.6888609  -3.3078  190
 220 LIU Post                  4  8  -4.7025347  -3.3388  192
 221 Campbell                  3  9  -4.7320225  -2.6630  164
 222 Bucknell                  6  6  -4.7569845  -4.6605  240
 223 Alcorn St                 5  6  -4.8358414  -4.6491  237
 224 Cal Poly                  2  8  -4.8597877  -2.3452  154
 225 West Georgia              2  7  -4.8787914  -2.8829  176
 226 Butler                    6  3  -4.9744792  -5.9987  262
 227 Alabama St                5  5  -5.0682003  -5.0859  252
 228 St Thomas MN              5  5  -5.1042991  -5.1061  253
 229 TX Southern               4  6  -5.2015193  -4.6315  235
 230 Georgetown                5  6  -5.3073605  -5.0192  247
 231 Bryant                    1 10  -5.3366544  -2.5215  161
 232 N Colorado                1 11  -5.4927078  -1.6939  145
 233 Utah Tech                 1 11  -5.5541674  -1.6047  143
 234 Alabama A&M               4  6  -5.5899796  -4.8605  244
 235 Dayton                    5  5  -5.6221229  -5.5875  260
 236 Wagner                    3  8  -5.6496953  -3.5702  208
 237 East Texas A&M            3  9  -5.6764180  -3.4275  201
 238 Grambling                 4  7  -5.7616391  -5.0803  251
 239 Colgate                   2 10  -5.8177143  -3.6755  212
 240 Presbyterian              4  6  -5.8678221  -5.0197  248
 241 Prairie View              5  7  -5.8682337  -5.1658  255
 242 Furman                    3  8  -5.8691014  -3.7846  217
 243 Fordham                   2 10  -5.8761478  -3.3742  197
 244 St Francis PA             4  7  -5.9973157  -5.2136  256
 245 Charleston So             1 11  -6.2667865  -2.9535  181
 246 Sacred Heart              4  6  -6.3232530  -5.6399  261
 247 Norfolk St                3  8  -6.3300243  -4.5083  233
 248 Davidson                  4  5  -6.3727493  -6.0087  263
 249 Howard                    3  8  -6.4002701  -4.5406  234
 250 Bethune-Cookman           2  9  -6.5033853  -4.0578  225
 251 Mercyhurst                1  6  -6.8333133  -4.0407  223
 252 Ark Pine Bluff            2  9  -6.9784891  -4.4561  232
 253 Valparaiso                2  7  -7.0583215  -4.8434  242
 254 Murray St                 1 11  -7.1755397  -0.2017  133
 255 Stonehill                 1 10  -7.2061009  -4.0492  224
 256 VMI                       1 11  -7.2721893  -3.6766  213
 257 Delaware St               1 11  -7.6454084  -4.4495  231
 258 MS Valley St              1 11  -8.1022885  -4.9520  246
 259 NC A&T                    0 11  -8.1180537  -2.4847  159
 260 Kent                      0 12  -8.4898053   2.3569   95
 261 Northwestern LA           0 12  -9.3811309  -3.3639  195
 262 Marist                    1 10 -10.8343532  -5.4161  258
 263 Stetson                   0  9 -13.6612582  -5.0772  250

 

[uconnbill]

I said it clearly - we dont' deserve to be ranked above them in my book, because we got our ***** handed to us (it wasn't a nailbiter loss like ND/NIU) AND they had to play a B1G schedule, where we played a cupcake G5 schedule mostly. you reverse those schedules and we're 1-11 again --- we'd have beaten Villanova....where they're 10-2 at worst playing our schedule.

Maryland is 100000% a better team than UConn.
"how much" better is open to debate for me - but they are not worse.

Disagree first game of the year makes a big difference. Neither team is the same as they were back in August

 

[Patman]

Disagree first game of the year makes a big difference. Neither team is the same as they were back in August

you need the first week to get through your issues... game would be closer. I don't think we'd win but it'd be closer

 

[AllHusky]

Looking backward and forward at Cuse 25 and Duke 31, we can be top 30 next year. We are going to find out how good a recruiting staff we are now. Mora has stopped the bleeding and we are healing. Now can me be stronger in 25 than 24?

 

[businesslawyer]

Looking backward and forward at Cuse 25 and Duke 31, we can be top 30 next year. We are going to find out how good a recruiting staff we are now. Mora has stopped the bleeding and we are healing. Now can me be stronger in 25 than 24?

I really don’t want to focus much on next year prior to our bowl game, but I’ll make two quick points. First, our roster is a long way from being a top 30 roster. And we’re losing roughly half our starters from this roster. And second, we could be a better team next year and not come near repeating 8 wins. Credit to us for winning 8 games, but we didn’t beat a team within light years of the top 30 you’re aspiring to.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Looking backward and forward at Cuse 25 and Duke 31, we can be top 30 next year. We are going to find out how good a recruiting staff we are now. Mora has stopped the bleeding and we are healing. Now can me be stronger in 25 than 24?

If you are willing and able to donate 5-10 million toward NIL fund it just might be possible. Without that kind of money, no way is top 30 possible in today’s college football world.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

If you are willing and able to donate 5-10 million toward NIL fund it just might be possible. Without that kind of money, no way is top 30 possible in today’s college football world.

Have Army and Boise State gotten that much money donated? I don't know the answer. Just asking.

 

[AllHusky]

Would like to see a listing or ranking(if it is even available) of NIL's in the top 100 of those 263 teams in Patmans post. I would assume accurate data would be hard to come by and in some cases guesstimates.

 

[UCan3]

Scheduling Maryland for the first game was a poor decision in my opinion. Why schedule arguably your toughest opponent of the season for your first game when you're trying to figure things out and build chemistry after so many roster changes?

I don’t know about that. I think that these schedules are decided way in advance and our season turned out just fine. If we just scheduled cupcakes in the beginning of the season, I’m sure some would be posting why we didn’t schedule more competitive games in the beginning of the season. Think UConn's men’s basketball team this season. Yeah two different teams, same principle.I am not ready to blame that loss on where it appeared in the schedule. It kind of is what it is.

 

[CJasmer]

I should post this in here instead of where I was putting it...

sos is a slightly lazy calculation (doesn't include HFA) of rating needed to win half your schedule.

Your anti-Alabama propaganda is to point out that Illinois has a similar strength of schedule having the misfortune of playing both Oregon and Penn State (their bad loss is to Goldie at 36). Otherwise still a lot of 2 loss programs. Michigan at 16 with that gaudy strength of schedule with about half their schedule being teams better than Clemson... the super conference era is going to be like that... schools like IU slipping through a lot of top teams but then Michigans eating a forest of top teams.

 rnk               teams.list  w  l ratings.out sos.calc srnk
   1 Oregon                   12  0  11.7767327   5.0772   23
   2 Boise St                 11  1   9.7526532   2.4471   94
   3 Ohio St                  10  2   8.6136900   5.0693   24
   4 Indiana                  11  1   8.2958043   3.9933   65
   5 Penn St                  11  1   8.2141966   4.7228   43
   6 Texas                    11  1   8.0248601   4.4216   53
   7 SMU                      11  1   7.6896769   4.3939   55
   8 Georgia                  10  2   7.6498214   4.9542   33
   9 Notre Dame               11  1   7.5022989   4.1477   61
  10 BYU                      10  2   7.2185749   4.5581   47
  11 Illinois                  9  3   6.9331452   4.8843   36
  12 Miami FL                 10  2   6.8268585   4.1672   59
  13 Tennessee                10  2   6.8049315   3.8655   68
  14 Iowa St                  10  2   6.7110270   4.7222   44
  15 Alabama                   9  3   6.7092315   4.9268   35
  16 Michigan                  7  5   6.6404434   5.9641    2
  17 Arizona St               10  2   6.6245472   4.1179   64
  18 South Carolina            9  3   6.5000684   4.9701   31
  19 UNLV                     10  2   6.3826233   2.7497   80
  20 Montana St               12  0   6.3548730  -2.9325  178
  21 Mississippi               9  3   6.2780266   4.2125   58
  22 Louisville                8  4   6.1512157   4.9653   32
  23 Kansas St                 8  4   6.1251380   5.0135   29
  24 LSU                       8  4   6.0747471   5.2352   16
  25 Syracuse                  9  3   6.0677596   4.4696   51
  26 Baylor                    8  4   6.0147866   4.8733   37
  27 Clemson                   9  3   5.9841594   4.2864   56
  28 Colorado                  9  3   5.9381675   4.4893   50
  29 Texas A&M                 8  4   5.9330194   4.5523   48
  30 Missouri                  9  3   5.9283942   4.1368   62
  31 Duke                      9  3   5.9184143   3.8870   67
  32 Iowa                      8  4   5.7751449   4.7517   40
  33 Georgia Tech              7  5   5.7433134   5.0830   22
  34 Florida                   7  5   5.6657396   5.2678   15
  35 Army                     10  1   5.6639174   1.2889  121
  36 Minnesota                 7  5   5.6191268   5.0357   28
  37 Texas Tech                8  4   5.6037609   4.6464   46
  38 Kansas                    5  7   5.5130779   5.8947    3
  39 USC                       6  6   5.4692221   5.4790    7
  40 TCU                       8  4   5.4314478   4.4167   54
  41 Oklahoma                  6  6   5.3731343   5.4335    9
  42 UCLA                      5  7   5.3242850   5.7416    4
  43 Washington                6  6   5.3129510   5.4313   10
  44 Pittsburgh                7  5   5.2097806   4.7338   42
  45 Rutgers                   7  5   5.2055823   4.7478   41
  46 Boston College            7  5   5.1241318   4.6768   45
  47 West Virginia             6  6   5.0616114   5.0611   25
  48 Nebraska                  6  6   5.0485811   5.2350   17
  49 Virginia Tech             6  6   5.0445995   5.1299   19
  50 Vanderbilt                6  6   4.9472193   4.9432   34
  51 Michigan St               5  7   4.7716533   5.5292    6
  52 Tulane                    9  3   4.7400297   2.6920   84
  53 Marshall                  9  3   4.6707414   2.6411   87
  54 Wisconsin                 5  7   4.6407715   5.0982   20
  55 Cincinnati                5  7   4.5792320   5.0966   21
  56 Houston                   4  8   4.4844682   5.3855   12
  57 Arkansas                  6  6   4.3301310   4.2593   57
  58 Virginia                  5  7   4.3203370   4.8545   38
  59 Memphis                  10  2   4.2614577   1.7622  110
  60 Utah                      5  7   4.2562437   4.7958   39
  61 Louisiana                10  2   4.2307655   1.9988  107
  62 NC State                  6  6   4.1419133   4.1550   60
  63 Ga Southern               8  4   4.0849611   2.8417   76
  64 North Carolina            6  6   4.0335942   4.1197   63
  65 Navy                      8  3   3.9328633   2.2216  101
  66 California                6  6   3.9163406   3.9577   66
  67 Maryland                  4  8   3.9003153   5.3190   13
  68 Arizona                   4  8   3.8088976   4.9749   30
  69 Washington St             8  4   3.7981724   2.4565   92
  70 Northwestern              4  8   3.7891024   5.2725   14
  71 UCF                       4  8   3.7715934   5.0554   26
  72 Auburn                    5  7   3.6867096   4.5379   49
  73 Kentucky                  4  8   3.6642756   5.4007   11
  74 James Madison             8  4   3.5014809   2.2567  100
  75 Wake Forest               4  8   3.4033612   4.4240   52
  76 UC Davis                 10  2   3.3821832  -2.9408  180
  77 Ohio                      9  3   3.3707868   1.3358  120
  78 Stanford                  3  9   3.2866470   5.0424   27
  79 San Jose St               7  5   3.2636921   2.4901   91
  80 Colorado St               8  4   3.2273981   2.0323  106
  81 Oklahoma St               3  9   3.2123885   5.2191   18
  82 Miami OH                  8  4   3.1054556   1.6963  113
  83 Idaho                     9  3   3.0277697  -1.9014  147
  84 Connecticut               8  4   3.0200683   1.7954  109
  85 Appalachian St            5  6   2.8996136   3.1482   73
  86 Old Dominion              5  7   2.8741479   3.3024   71
  87 N Dakota St              10  2   2.7505926  -1.4814  141
  88 Arkansas St               7  5   2.7497975   2.1953  102
  89 Coastal Car               6  6   2.6970586   2.6922   83
  90 Fresno St                 6  6   2.6761586   2.7248   81
  91 Texas St                  7  5   2.6637728   2.1448  104
  92 South Dakota              8  2   2.5362572  -2.3339  153
  93 South Alabama             6  6   2.5166663   2.5773   89
  94 S Dakota St               9  2   2.5030054  -1.3874  140
  95 Sam Houston St            9  3   2.4364769   0.6207  127
  96 Florida St                2 10   2.4318101   5.4431    8
  97 Buffalo                   8  4   2.4201555   0.9965  124
  98 East Carolina             7  5   2.3356351   1.7348  112
  99 Oregon St                 5  7   2.2720803   2.9939   74
 100 North Texas               6  6   2.2453262   2.1710  103
 101 South Florida             6  6   2.1931246   2.1062  105
 102 Bowling Green             7  5   2.1232222   1.5551  116
 103 N Illinois                7  5   2.1219487   1.4837  117
 104 Charlotte                 5  7   2.1107504   2.8225   79
 105 ULM                       5  7   2.0882644   2.6592   85
 106 New Mexico                5  7   1.9952477   2.4499   93
 107 Air Force                 5  7   1.9744936   2.5350   90
 108 WKU                       8  4   1.8676255   0.2936  130
 109 Georgia St                3  9   1.7855704   3.3390   70
 110 Toledo                    7  5   1.7648078   1.1163  123
 111 Hawaii                    5  7   1.7554527   2.2994   98
 112 UT San Antonio            6  6   1.7435440   1.6893  114
 113 Rice                      4  8   1.6583160   2.9429   75
 114 Jacksonville St           8  4   1.6005691   0.1306  131
 115 W Michigan                6  6   1.5262773   1.4531  118
 116 Wyoming                   3  9   1.5209760   3.2124   72
 117 Utah St                   4  8   1.4505942   2.8378   78
 118 Troy                      4  8   1.3063489   2.6544   86
 119 Nevada                    3 10   1.1911427   3.3787   69
 120 Liberty                   8  3   1.1002185  -0.8648  138
 121 UAB                       3  9   0.8620640   2.8389   77
 122 Temple                    3  9   0.8007988   2.7143   82
 123 Akron                     4  8   0.7377993   2.2575   99
 124 San Diego St              3  9   0.5120832   2.3333   97
 125 E Michigan                5  7   0.4014487   1.2121  122
 126 Ball St                   3  9   0.2196928   2.3406   96
 127 C Michigan                4  8   0.1776406   1.4249  119
 128 Missouri St               8  4  -0.1357650  -1.8716  146
 129 FL Atlantic               3  9  -0.1795995   1.8133  108
 130 Tulsa                     3  9  -0.2385353   1.5668  115
 131 Mississippi St            2 10  -0.2510113   5.5378    5
 132 Rhode Island             11  2  -0.2804727  -3.3574  193
 133 Illinois St              10  3  -0.2845772  -2.8112  172
 134 Incarnate Word           10  2  -0.8123317  -3.5674  207
 135 Louisiana Tech            5  7  -0.9670682  -0.1390  132
 136 Delaware                  9  2  -0.9687757  -3.5759  209
 137 Villanova                10  3  -1.0101479  -2.7851  171
 138 Purdue                    1 11  -1.0874588   6.0854    1
 139 Tarleton St              10  3  -1.1929522  -2.9400  179
 140 Abilene Chr               9  4  -1.2342617  -2.7013  166
 141 Southern Miss             1 11  -1.2562301   2.5917   88
 142 TN Martin                 9  4  -1.2588882  -2.7035  167
 143 Montana                   9  4  -1.3257828  -2.7335  168
 144 New Mexico St             3  9  -1.4764401   0.7428  126
 145 Florida Intl              4  8  -1.4979786  -0.3125  134
 146 E Kentucky                8  5  -1.5358844  -2.6345  162
 147 Southern Utah             7  5  -1.6483424  -2.3908  155
 148 New Hampshire             8  5  -1.6558189  -2.4673  158
 149 Mercer                   10  2  -1.6562499  -4.3544  230
 150 Harvard                   8  2  -1.7709554  -3.5192  204
 151 MTSU                      3  9  -1.7737465   0.3513  129
 152 UTEP                      3  9  -1.7960750   0.4568  128
 153 S Carolina St             8  2  -1.8532675  -4.8436  243
 154 SE Louisiana              7  5  -1.8760027  -2.6462  163
 155 Dartmouth                 8  2  -1.8839724  -3.7511  216
 156 SE Missouri St            9  4  -1.8925903  -3.2013  185
 157 Kennesaw                  2 10  -1.9507727   0.7648  125
 158 Richmond                 10  3  -1.9643003  -4.0099  221
 159 Tennessee St              9  4  -1.9975116  -3.7505  215
 160 Northern Arizona          7  5  -2.0140498  -2.8840  177
 161 Duquesne                  7  3  -2.1276442  -4.2034  228
 162 Yale                      7  3  -2.1543778  -3.2496  188
 163 Lehigh                    9  3  -2.1624114  -4.2831  229
 164 Tennessee Tech            7  5  -2.2531653  -2.8764  175
 165 Stony Brook               8  4  -2.2994753  -3.5352  205
 166 Towson                    7  5  -2.3450703  -3.1218  184
 167 Monmouth NJ               6  6  -2.3459895  -2.4590  157
 168 Massachusetts             2 10  -2.4308767   1.7439  111
 169 S Illinois                4  8  -2.5702506  -0.6924  137
 170 North Dakota              5  7  -2.5853664  -1.6119  144
 171 Columbia                  7  3  -2.7579948  -3.9314  220
 172 Drake                     8  3  -2.7711198  -4.9225  245
 173 Chattanooga               7  5  -2.7759247  -3.4127  199
 174 Maine                     5  7  -2.7915121  -2.1316  150
 175 W Carolina                7  5  -2.8837842  -3.5454  206
 176 Jackson St                9  2  -2.9016928  -5.3075  257
 177 Youngstown St             4  8  -2.9339396  -1.3567  139
 178 ETSU                      6  5  -2.9353909  -3.3052  189
 179 E Washington              4  8  -2.9462224  -1.5171  142
 180 SF Austin                 6  5  -3.0185123  -3.5157  203
 181 Cent Arkansas             6  6  -3.1239803  -3.0545  183
 182 Idaho St                  4  7  -3.1995334  -2.3062  152
 183 Central Conn              7  6  -3.2963854  -3.7244  214
 184 Elon                      6  6  -3.2987000  -3.2267  186
 185 Portland St               3  8  -3.3405761  -0.6394  136
 186 Holy Cross                6  6  -3.3723535  -3.3583  194
 187 NC Central                7  3  -3.4061516  -5.0348  249
 188 Robert Morris             7  4  -3.4304050  -4.7014  241
 189 Lamar                     7  5  -3.4651829  -4.0360  222
 190 Lindenwood                5  7  -3.4801782  -2.8196  173
 191 William & Mary            7  5  -3.5043670  -4.1085  227
 192 Northern Iowa             3  9  -3.5587678  -0.3422  135
 193 North Alabama             3  9  -3.7944773  -1.9565  148
 194 SUNY Albany               4  8  -3.7987451  -2.4142  156
 195 McNeese St                6  6  -3.8383537  -3.7857  218
 196 W Illinois                3  8  -3.8704009  -2.0960  149
 197 Wofford                   5  7  -3.8858214  -3.4241  200
 198 Austin Peay               4  8  -3.8910163  -2.6986  165
 199 San Diego                 7  3  -3.8952326  -5.4808  259
 200 Penn                      4  6  -3.9325943  -3.3330  191
 201 Houston Chr               4  7  -3.9534961  -2.7542  170
 202 Florida A&M               7  5  -4.0032172  -4.6565  239
 203 Indiana St                4  8  -4.0329195  -2.7490  169
 204 Cornell                   4  6  -4.1170319  -3.6087  210
 205 Gardner Webb              4  8  -4.1836154  -2.8339  174
 206 Southern Univ             7  4  -4.2302282  -5.1104  254
 207 Samford                   4  7  -4.3327892  -3.4104  198
 208 E Illinois                3  9  -4.3483930  -2.2912  151
 209 Merrimack                 5  6  -4.3578164  -4.1079  226
 210 Princeton                 3  7  -4.4660667  -2.9973  182
 211 Nicholls St               4  8  -4.5182091  -3.3718  196
 212 Lafayette                 6  6  -4.5471685  -4.6544  238
 213 Citadel                   4  7  -4.5801954  -3.4759  202
 214 Morehead St               5  5  -4.6022412  -4.6396  236
 215 Brown                     3  7  -4.6174037  -3.2398  187
 216 CS Sacramento             3  9  -4.6323960  -2.5199  160
 217 Morgan St                 4  6  -4.6608767  -3.8604  219
 218 Hampton                   4  7  -4.6619449  -3.6370  211
 219 Weber St                  4  8  -4.6888609  -3.3078  190
 220 LIU Post                  4  8  -4.7025347  -3.3388  192
 221 Campbell                  3  9  -4.7320225  -2.6630  164
 222 Bucknell                  6  6  -4.7569845  -4.6605  240
 223 Alcorn St                 5  6  -4.8358414  -4.6491  237
 224 Cal Poly                  2  8  -4.8597877  -2.3452  154
 225 West Georgia              2  7  -4.8787914  -2.8829  176
 226 Butler                    6  3  -4.9744792  -5.9987  262
 227 Alabama St                5  5  -5.0682003  -5.0859  252
 228 St Thomas MN              5  5  -5.1042991  -5.1061  253
 229 TX Southern               4  6  -5.2015193  -4.6315  235
 230 Georgetown                5  6  -5.3073605  -5.0192  247
 231 Bryant                    1 10  -5.3366544  -2.5215  161
 232 N Colorado                1 11  -5.4927078  -1.6939  145
 233 Utah Tech                 1 11  -5.5541674  -1.6047  143
 234 Alabama A&M               4  6  -5.5899796  -4.8605  244
 235 Dayton                    5  5  -5.6221229  -5.5875  260
 236 Wagner                    3  8  -5.6496953  -3.5702  208
 237 East Texas A&M            3  9  -5.6764180  -3.4275  201
 238 Grambling                 4  7  -5.7616391  -5.0803  251
 239 Colgate                   2 10  -5.8177143  -3.6755  212
 240 Presbyterian              4  6  -5.8678221  -5.0197  248
 241 Prairie View              5  7  -5.8682337  -5.1658  255
 242 Furman                    3  8  -5.8691014  -3.7846  217
 243 Fordham                   2 10  -5.8761478  -3.3742  197
 244 St Francis PA             4  7  -5.9973157  -5.2136  256
 245 Charleston So             1 11  -6.2667865  -2.9535  181
 246 Sacred Heart              4  6  -6.3232530  -5.6399  261
 247 Norfolk St                3  8  -6.3300243  -4.5083  233
 248 Davidson                  4  5  -6.3727493  -6.0087  263
 249 Howard                    3  8  -6.4002701  -4.5406  234
 250 Bethune-Cookman           2  9  -6.5033853  -4.0578  225
 251 Mercyhurst                1  6  -6.8333133  -4.0407  223
 252 Ark Pine Bluff            2  9  -6.9784891  -4.4561  232
 253 Valparaiso                2  7  -7.0583215  -4.8434  242
 254 Murray St                 1 11  -7.1755397  -0.2017  133
 255 Stonehill                 1 10  -7.2061009  -4.0492  224
 256 VMI                       1 11  -7.2721893  -3.6766  213
 257 Delaware St               1 11  -7.6454084  -4.4495  231
 258 MS Valley St              1 11  -8.1022885  -4.9520  246
 259 NC A&T                    0 11  -8.1180537  -2.4847  159
 260 Kent                      0 12  -8.4898053   2.3569   95
 261 Northwestern LA           0 12  -9.3811309  -3.3639  195
 262 Marist                    1 10 -10.8343532  -5.4161  258
 263 Stetson                   0  9 -13.6612582  -5.0772  250

The problem is playing a tough schedule causes starters to get injured. Teams like Boise State do not have the depth by position to survive a season in the BIG or SEC.

 

[SwingDog]

I don’t know about that. I think that these schedules are decided way in advance and our season turned out just fine. If we just scheduled cupcakes in the beginning of the season, I’m sure some would be posting why we didn’t schedule more competitive games in the beginning of the season. Think UConn's men’s basketball team this season. Yeah two different teams, same principle.I am not ready to blame that loss on where it appeared in the schedule. It kind of is what it is.

I am not saying they should schedule all easy games at the beginning of the season. I questioned going against a Power 4 team in the very first game, considering all of the questions marks we had. I'm pretty sure the Terrapins were licking their chops when they saw UConn as their first opponent. Anyway, I agree that our season turned out fine and actually exceeded the expectations of most of us.

 

[SwingDog]

I don’t know about that. I think that these schedules are decided way in advance and our season turned out just fine. If we just scheduled cupcakes in the beginning of the season, I’m sure some would be posting why we didn’t schedule more competitive games in the beginning of the season. Think UConn's men’s basketball team this season. Yeah two different teams, same principle.I am not ready to blame that loss on where it appeared in the schedule. It kind of is what it is.

I confess I wasn't thinking about the game being scheduled a few years ago as some have asserted.

 

[AllHusky]

If you are willing and able to donate 5-10 million toward NIL fund it just might be possible. Without that kind of money, no way is top 30 possible in today’s college football world.

Would love to say the check is in the mail, but I am also active on the thread "looking for an economical, reliable used truck" As soon as I buy my truck, I'll see what is left over.

 

[AllHusky]

The problem is playing a tough schedule causes starters to get injured. Teams like Boise State do not have the depth by position to survive a season in the BIG or SEC.

Point well taken. A common mistake, especially by young coaches is to over schedule as you try to build a program. It is done with a "guilt by association" mentality, thinking that the more you compete with the best, the more you become like them. If you are too frequently in over your head, all you get is a team that is used to getting its butt kicked. Winning is its own lesson. Thought this was a great schedule this year. Yeah we can debate the MD game until the cows come home. You might also postulate that the kids woke up right quick after that butt kicking, and showed their character and competitiveness the rest of the way.

Win a bowl. Recruit like crazy. Enjoy 2024 accomplishments.