NCAAF Rankings after Week 9

NCAA Football Top 25 Rankings

Updated: Week 09, 1 NOV 2015

(Delta Calc'd from Week 08, 24 OCT 2015)

(Click here for a more detailed explanation of my NCAAF rating system)

Some of these rankings my surprise you, but keep in mind that there is no bias towards any team or preconceived notions, and the only thing considered is what each team has accomplished so far.

(For those viewing from a phone, tap the rankings and rotate to enlarge)

Okay, so I usually only list the Top 25 Teams, but I got a little excited for the first posting of the rankings this season, so there's the Top 60, just because. At least I didn't post all 713 teams included in my standings (from Division IA, IAA, II, and III).

Highlights in the Top 10:

• Iowa ranked #1? Yep. How is this possible? They've played eight games so far (more than 7-0 LSU), so that gives them a little boost. Also, to this point, they've played the toughest schedule of the undefeated teams. So the opponents that they've beaten help raise Iowa's rating above the competition.
• The biggest surprise to me when I saw the rankings for the first time was #4 Notre Dame. Their only loss came to #2 Clemson, but they have beaten #22 USC, #23 Temple, and #26 Navy. The last two teams don't sounds like power houses, but there only losses came to ND. Also, ND has the #12 toughest Strength of Schedule (SoS) so far.
• Michigan State is currently ranked above Ohio State (both 8-0), largely due to beating higher quality opponents (which can be seen by comparing their SoS and Top 3 Wins). This will sort itself out, as these teams are on a collision course set for 21 Nov.
• Speaking of Ohio State... How can the Undefeated, defending National Champions be ranked outside my Top 4? Well, as I've state before, these rankings are a reflection of what has been accomplished so far THIS season. Let's be honest, the teams the Buckeyes have defeated so far aren't exactly top-notch. After Penn St, OSU's highest ranked opponents that they have beaten so far is #59 Indiana and #60 Western Michigan. The Buckeyes have a more difficult schedule in November, so if they keep winning, they will pass some teams ahead of them, if not all. If they can manage victories over #5 MSU and #15 Michigan, and then potentially #1 Iowa in the Big Ten championship, I projected Ohio State to finish at or near the top of my rankings... definitely in my Top 4.
• #10 TCU is the only Big 12 team ranked in my Top 10. TCU (8-0) and #17 Baylor (7-0) have not gotten to the relatively hard parts of their schedules yet (SoS rank of 77 and 109, respectively), so I expect these teams to rise in the rankings if they keep winning.

My Take:

• It's still early. My ratings are very fluid right now... only nine weeks into the season in which most teams have only played 8 games. It will be interesting to see how teams move up and down in the ratings as the season progresses and we get a better idea of these teams... and as my algorithm gets more information to rate them!

Conference Rankings

I struggle with how to rate the conferences based on my ratings. I'm not convinced a simple average of the conference's teams really does the conference justice. But until I come up with a better way, that's the method I post below:

Poll Comparison

How do my rankings compare to the other polls? I'm glad you asked:

Comments? Please share below!