Why I hate polls and ranking...

[Easton Pa ND Fan]

systems. Just checked the Sagarin site and it is hard to be-
lieve the ordering of the first four teams:

1st U of Tx (8-0) with a SoS of 18th.
2nd Penn St (9-0) with a SoS of 64th??????
3rd So Cali (6-1) with a SoS of 06th.
4th Alabama (8-0) with a SoS of 49th.

I do not care if Penn St had one more win than Texas or Ala-
bama, that strength of schedule stinks...Tom

USATODAY.com

 

[Junkhead]

ND's SOS is 60th.

 

[ACamp1900]

USC has had the sixth hardest sch. in the country??????????? wow that's hard to believe

 

[irishmarine]

that is hard to believe

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Well you guys know the Pac10 has teams who are the cream of t... sorry couldn't finish writing that with a straight face.

 

[SoCalDomer]

USC has had the sixth hardest sch. in the country??????????? wow that's hard to believe

i guess it depends on how they calculate SOS. If all they do is compare wins versus losses of opponents, that my explain it. I personally think that overly simplifies SOS, since your opponents may have loaded up with patsies giving them many wins, but they themselves aren't a quality opponent.

 

[irishfan]

Probably because USC surprisingly always has a respectable schedule and it is no different this year:

at Virginia
vs. Ohio State
at Oregon State
vs. Oregon
Arizona State
at Washington State
at Arizona

Only Washington State and Arizona State have losing records, and neither even scored against USC. And the average score of their games has been 38-8. I hate USC just like all of you, but besides one bad game against Oregon State and an off game against USC, they have been amazing. Take away those two games, and the average score has been 46-4. Maybe they shouldn't necessarily be ahead of Alabama, but I can see how USC can be ranked so high by a computer going by statistics.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

probably because usc surprisingly always has a respectable schedule and it is no different this year:

At virginia
vs. Ohio state
at oregon state
vs. Oregon
arizona state
at washington state
at arizona

only washington state and arizona state have losing records, and neither even scored against usc. And the average score of their games has been 38-8. I hate usc just like all of you, but besides one bad game against oregon state and an off game against usc, they have been amazing. Take away those two games, and the average score has been 46-4. Maybe they shouldn't necessarily be ahead of alabama, but i can see how usc can be ranked so high by a computer going by statistics.

fusc.