Telling Results Shuffle Blue Football Through and Through Top 25

The #1 factor in ranking teams is their Biggest Wins, losses are most damaging if they are to unranked teams.  This encourages teams to schedule other Top 25 teams.

This poll had Clemson, UCLA, Auburn and Michigan State ranked before anyone else "in the know".  And, everyone now knows how solid those four teams are.  On the other hand, this poll was the last poll to put Baylor into the Top 25, at a time when every other poll in America had them in the Top 10.  The reason is that they hadn't accomplished wins of any stature until they beat Oklahoma.  But last night's humiliating loss to Oklahoma State shows why we were hesitant to give credit to the Bears.  

Fresno State had a good win, but they were hurt when their previous biggest win (over Boise State) was severely diminished with the Broncos' loss.  Now, Fresno State's biggest win is over Rutgers, and as a result, the Bulldogs, which were primed to jump high because of losses ahead of them, were held back.  Fresno State lost its advantage ovr UCF when the latter routed Rutgers.  The entire SEC was hurt bad when Florida lost to an FCS team.  A&M's loss to LSU gave them an 8-3 record, and if two teams have the same record, the winner head-to-head must always be ranked ahead.  See if this poll is the only one that makes sense today in that regard.

We don't consider Duke (which lost to Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech), because they lost to Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech and their biggest win is over an unranked Miami of Florida.  We don't consider Cincinnati (which was creamed by Illinois and lost to South Florida), because they lost to Illinois and South Florida.

Unlike the polls, the Blue Football Through and Through Top 25 uses logic.  Mississippi must be ahead of LSU because both teams have the same record and the Rebels beat the Tigers.  The polls seem to forget the actual results.  We don't.

The SEC has seven teams in the Top 25, while the Pac-12 has five.  Those are (by far) the top two conferences in the nation this year.

1-1.    Alabama (11-0) shut out Chattanooga 49-0, Biggest Wins over #20 LSU, #21 Texas A&M and #24 Mississippi 
2-2.    Florida State (11-0) outclassed Idaho 80-14, Biggest Win over #7 Clemson
4-3.    Auburn (10-1) was idle, Biggest Wins over #21 Texas A&M, #24 Mississippi and Georgia, Lost to #21 LSU
6-4.    Stanford (9-2) whipped California 63-13, Biggest Wins over 9 Arizona State, #13 Oregon, #15 UCLA and Washington, Lost to #24 USC and Utah
8-5.  Ohio State (11-0) beat hapless Indiana 42-14, Biggest Win over #20 Wisconsin

10-6.    Missouri (10-1) topped #25 Mississippi 24-10, Biggest Wins over #25 Mississippi and Georgia, Lost to #10 South Carolina
11-7.  Clemson (10-1) took care of The Citadel 52-6, Biggest Win over Georgia, Lost to #2 Florida State

12-8.  Michigan State (10-1) clobbered Northwestern 30-6, Biggest Win over Michigan, Lost to Notre Dame

20-9.  Arizona State (9-2) scored a big win with a 38-33 upset of #15 UCLA, Biggest Wins over #15 UCLA, #20 Wisconsin and Washington, Lost to #4 Stanford and Notre Dame

13-10.  South Carolina (9-2) ran up the score on Coastal Carolina 70-10, Biggest Wins over #6 Missouri and #11 UCF, Lost to Georgia and Tennessee

15-11.  UCF (9-1) routed Rutgers 41-17, Biggest Win over #17 Louisville, Lost to #10 South Carolina

14-12.  Fresno State (10-0) routed New Mexico 69-28, Biggest Win over Rutgers 

3-13.    Oregon (9-2) was creamed by Arizona 42-16, Biggest Wins over #15 UCLA and Washington, Lost to #4 Stanford and Arizona

22-14.  Oklahoma State (10-1) ripped #18 Baylor 49-17, Biggest Wins over #18 Baylor and Texas, Lost to West Virginia

9-15.    UCLA (8-3) lost to #9 Arizona State on the road 38-33, Biggest Wins over Washington and Arizona, Lost to #4 Stanford, #9 Arizona State and #13 Oregon

17-16.  Northern Illinois (11-0) came from behind to beat Toledo 35-17, Biggest Win over Ball State

18-17.  Louisville (10-1) edged 3-7 Memphis 24-17, Biggest Win over Houston, Lost to #11 UCF

5-18.    Baylor (9-1) was humiliated by #14 Oklahoma State on the road 49-17, Biggest Win over #22 Oklahoma, Lost to #14 Oklahoma State

19-19. Oklahoma (9-2) toppled Kansas State 41-31, Biggest Win over Notre Dame, Lost to #20 Baylor and  Texas

23-20.    LSU (8-3) shocked #20 Texas A&M 34-10, Biggest Wins over #3 Auburn and #21 Texas A&M, Lost to #1 Alabama, #24 Mississippi and Georgia

21-21.    Wisconsin (9-2) mauled Minnesota 30-7, Biggest Win over BYU,  Lost to #5 Ohio State and #9 Arizona State

7-22.    Texas A&M (8-3) fell to #19 LSU 34-10, Biggest Win over #24 Mississippi, Lost to #1 Alabama, #3 Auburn and #19 LSU

24-23.    USC (9-3) crushed Colorado 47-29, Biggest Wins over #4 Stanford and Arizona, Lost to #12 Arizona State, Notre Dame and Washington State

16-24.  Mississippi (7-4) lost to #6 Missouri 24-10, Biggest Wins over #20 LSU and Texas, Lost to #1 Alabama, #3 Auburn, #6 Missouri and #21 Texas A&M

25-25.    Vanderbilt (7-4) prevailed over Tennessee 14-10, Biggest Win over Georgia, Lost to  #6 Missouri, #10 South Carolina, #19 Texas A&M and #24 Mississippi

Dropped Out: None

Also Considered:

Texas (7-3) was idle, Biggest Win over #19 Oklahoma, Lost to #14 Oklahoma State, #24 Mississippi  and BYU

Notre Dame (8-3) Biggest wins over #8 Michigan State, #9 Arizona State and #23 USC, Lost to #19 Oklahoma, Michigan and Pittsburgh

Georgia (7-4) blasted Kentucky 59-17, Biggest Wins over #12 South Carolina and #24 LSU, Lost to #5 Auburn, #7 Missouri, #11 Clemson and Vanderbilt

Washington (7-4) blew away Oregon State 69-27, Biggest Win over Arizona, Lost to #4 Stanford, #9 Arizona State, #13 Oregon and #15 UCLA

Arizona (7-4) Biggest Win over #13 Oregon, Lost to #15 UCLA, #23 USC, Washington and Washington State