Our rankings, unlike the AP and Coaches polls, are based on actual results and logic. A bad loss counts much more than a big win, but other than than, we evaluate the teams based on the number and quality of good wins and the number and quality of their losses. A bad loss is defined as losing to a team not under consideration, while a quality win is defined as a win over any other team being considered.
We start with each team being equal, then move them up or down based on their season performance vs. that of the teams around them. We separate them by record and then evaluate them against each other, starting with undefeated teams and moving down. When we compare teams with the same record, the ones with any bad losses are always going to be ranked lower, and those with quality wins are going to be ranked ahead of those without. A team with a worse record can be ranked ahead of another if they have less bad losses and/or more quality wins.
Often, especially late in the year, we have situations where a trio of teams have 2-1 records against each other, so the head-to-head matchup is essentially tied between those three. In those cases, we break the tie with the evaluation of their best wins and losses and season records.
The coaches and media were shocked when Utah manhandled Cincinnati. They shouldn't have been--had they used logic and/or seen the Blue Football Through and Through Top 25* last week, they would have known that Utah was by far the superior team. By taking a quick check of our Top 25*, they would have seen that Utah was logically the #14 team in the nation and Cincinnati #26. The 45-14 beating Utah administered was a lot more what one would expect looking at these ratings and not what the coaches or media produced.
Although idle this week, Texas A&M continues to hold on to the #1 spot with the most impressive resume--0 losses and wins over now #8 Utah, #17 Notre Dame and #23 LSU. Ohio State's biggest win is over #20 Texas.
"Giant-killer" North Carolina State struck again, making mincemeat of previously unbeaten Georgia Tech. This had two consequences, calling Tech to fall precipitously and making Louisville's Bad Loss to the Wolfpack just a little more plausible. With four losses, NC State cannot be ranked or even considered, but it's obvious they have talent and are a pretty good 5-4 team.
Miami of Florida's loss to SMU also affected Notre Dame--since Miami beat Notre Dame and the two have the same losses, there is no logical way Notre Dame can be ahead of Miami.
Miami didn't fall because several teams ahead of them lost,
Remember from last week, the proper ranking of these teams is (from using head-to-head results): Virginia (which beat Louisville), Louisville (which beat Miami of Florida), Miami of Florida (which beat Notre Dame), Notre Dame (which beat USC), and USC. Again, the coaches and media were surprised when Miami lost to SMU--although it was an upset, we're not that surprised as we had Miami far lower than the illogical polls.
Notre Dame and South Florida both lost strength as their wins over Boise State are no longer regarded as Quality Wins.
Vanderbilt had to take a big tumble after losing to Texas. The two now have the same number of losses and Texas cannot be ranked higher because of their Bad Loss to Florida. Vandy's loss meant a fall for Missouri, as the Commodores beat the Tigers earlier this year.
UNLV fell out of consideration not only because of its Bad Loss to New Mexico, but the loss to Boise State gives the Rebels two Bad Losses.
At this point in the season, two bad losses disqualifies a team from consideration. They could get back in later in the year.
Most Important: If a team beats another, they cannot ever be ranked below them as long as that team has the same or worse record. In other words, we rank them logically.
Here are the Top 25*:
1-1 Texas A&M (8-0) did not play, (Quality Wins: #7 Utah, #18 Notre Dame and #23 LSU)
2-2 Indiana (9-0) mashed Maryland 55-10, (Quality Wins: #5 Oregon, #28 Iowa and #31 Illinois)
3-3 Ohio State (8-0) routed Penn State 38-14, (Quality Wins: #22 Texas and #27 Washington)
5-4 BYU (8-0) did not play, (Quality Win: #8 Utah)
7-5 Oregon (7-1) was idle this week, (Quality Wins: None; Best Win: Northwestern, Lost to #2 Indiana)
12-6 Texas Tech (8-1) trounced Kansas State 43-20, (Quality Wins: #8 Utah and #29 Houston, Lost to #35 Arizona State)
8-7 Alabama (7-1) did not play, (Quality Wins: #9 Georgia, #21 Vanderbilt, #22 Missouri and #30 Tennessee, Lost to Florida State), Bad Loss: Florida State)
14-8 Utah (7-2) creamed #27 Cincinnati 45-14, Quality Wins: #27 Cincinnati and #35 Arizona State, Lost to #4 BYU and #6 Texas Tech)
9-9 Georgia (7-1) managed a 24-20 win over Florida, ( Quality Wins: #10 Mississippi and #30 Tennessee, Lost to #7 Alabama)
11-10 Mississippi (8-1) sailed past South Carolina 30-14, (Quality Wins: #23 LSU and #24 Oklahoma, Lost to #9 Georgia)
15-11 Virginia (8-1) took care of California 31-21, (Quality Win: #12 Louisville, Lost to North Carolina State, Bad Loss: North Carolina State)
16-12 Louisville (7-1) was victorious at Virginia Tech, 28-16, (Quality Wins: #16 Miami of Florida and #19 James Madison, Lost to #11 Virginia)
24-13 North Texas (7-1) upended #14 Navy 31-17, (Quality Wins: #14 Navy, Lost to #34 South Florida)
6-14 Navy (7-1) was outclassed by #13 North Texas 31-17, (Quality Wins: None; Best Wins: Air Force and UAB, Lost to #13 North Texas)
4-15 Georgia Tech (8-1) fell from the unbeaten ranks with a 48-36 loss at North Carolina State, (Quality Win: none; Biggest Win: Wake Forest, Lost to North Carolina State, Bad Loss: North Carolina State)
17-16 Miami of Florida (6-2) was upset by SMU 23-20 in overtime, (Quality Wins: #17 Notre Dame and #34 South Florida, Lost to #12 Louisville and SMU, Bad Loss: SMU)
18-17 Notre Dame (6-2) bounced Boston College 25-10, (Quality Win: #18 USC, Lost to #1 Texas A&M and #16 Miami of Florida)
23-18 USC (6-2) nudged Nebraska 21-17, (Quality Win: #26 Michigan, Lost to #17 Notre Dame and #31 Illinois)
22-19 James Madison (7-1) downed Texas State 52-20, (Quality Wins: None; Biggest Win: Old Dominion, Lost to #12 Louisville)
29-20 Texas (7-2) held Off #21 Vanderbilt 41-31, (Quality Wins: #21 Vanderbilt and #24 Oklahoma, Lost to #3 Ohio State and Florida, Bad Loss: Florida)
10-21 Vanderbilt (7-2) fell to #22 Texas 34-31, (Quality Wins: #22 Missouri and #23 LSU, Lost to #7 Alabama and #20 Texas)
20-22 Missouri (6-2) was idle, (Quality Wins: None; Biggest Wins: Kansas, Auburn and South Carolina, Lost to #7 Alabama and #21 Vanderbilt)
27-23 LSU (5-3) did not play, (Quality Wins: None; Biggest Wins, Florida and South Carolina, Lost to #1 Texas A&M, #10 Mississippi and #21 Vanderbilt )
30-24 Oklahoma (7-2) overtook #30 Tennessee 33-27, Lost to #10 Mississippi 34-26, (Quality Wins: #25 Michigan and #30 Tennessee, Lost to #10 Mississippi and #20 Texas
31-25 Michigan (7-2) prevailed over Purdue 21-16, (Quality Win: #26 Washington, Lost to #18 USC and #24 Oklahoma)
Dropped out of the Top 25*: #13 Houston, #19 Tennessee, #21 Tulane and #25 UNLV
Also Considered:
32-26 Washington (6-2) did not play, (Quality Win: #31 Illinois, Lost to #3 Ohio State and #25 Michigan)
26-27 Cincinnati (7-2) was annihilated by #8 Utah 45-14, (Quality Wins: None; Biggest Win: Iowa State, Lost to #8 Utah and Nebraska, Bad Loss: Nebraska)
28-28 Iowa (6-2) was idle this week, (Quality Wins: None, Biggest Win: Minnesota, Lost to #2 Indiana and Iowa State; Bad Loss: Iowa State)
13-29 Houston (7-2) lost to West Virginia 45-35, (Quality Win: #35 Arizona State, Lost to #6 Texas Tech and West Virginia, Bad Loss: West Virginia)
19-30 Tennessee (6-3) lost to #24 Oklahoma 33-27, (Quality Wins: None; Biggest Win: Mississippi State, Lost to #7 Alabama, #9 Georgia and #24 Oklahoma)
33-31 Illinois (5-3) beat Rutgers 35-13, (Quality Win: #18 USC, Lost to #2 Indiana, #3 Ohio State and #26 Washington)
34-32 San Diego State (6-1) smothered Wyoming 30-7, (Quality Wins: None; Best Win: California, Lost to Washington State, Bad Loss: Washington State)
35-33 Memphis (8-1) blasted Rice 38-14, (Quality Win: #34 South Florida, Lost to UAB, Bad Loss: UAB)
36-34 South Florida (6-2) did not play, (Quality Win: #13 North Texas, Lost to #16 Miami of Florida and #33 Memphis)
----35 Arizona State 6-3 beat Iowa State 24-19 (Quality Win: Texas Tech, Lost to #8 Utah, #29 Houston and Mississippi State, Bad Loss: Mississippi State)
-----36 Pittsburgh (7-2) rolled over Stanford 35-20, Lost to #12 Louisville and West Virginia, Bad Loss: West Virginia
21-37 Tulane (6-2) lost to UTSA 48-26, (Quality Wins: None; Biggest Wins: Duke and East Carolina, Lost to #11 Mississippi and UTSA, Bad Loss: UTSA)
Dropped Out of Consideration:
#25 UNLV, #37 Boise State, #38 Wake Forest and #39 Nebraska
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