As we reach the last quarter mile of the FBS season, the Clemson Tigers (9-0) are ranked Number One in my weekly college football rankings this week. They are the ONLY (9-0) FBS team with six other 0-loss FBS programs at (8-0). I know that Clemson is ranked 5th in the first College Football Playoff (CFP) Rankings, but its only the first set of rankings. The reigning FBS Champions still have plenty of fight in them to make it in the CFP. Many will argue why I do not have Ohio State, LSU, Penn State or Alabama Number One. The answer is, 9 is larger than 8. In any other professional sports standings they would place teams in rank order by number of wins in hierarchy order based upon wins and losses, not an eye test or subjective assessment.
The remaining schedule for Clemson is; NC State (4-4), Wake Forest (7-1) and South Carolina (4-5). Two FBS programs looking to earn bowl eligibility and one FBS program looking to take control of the division race in the ACC. Clemson has no FCS games left on their schedule, not like the 5 SEC programs of Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Of the remaining 0-loss FBS programs ONLY Alabama still has an FCS game at the end of the season. Interesting dichotomy is CFP committee talks about resume and strength of schedules, but Alabama is ranked 3rd in the CFP. With approximately 4 weeks remaining in the college football season, there are many great games to be played and many more upsets to appear.
As we start to close out the 2019 FBS college football season, the CFP will try to select the most deserving four FBS teams to compete for the $50 Million on the table, the Gold Trophy and the notoriety of being called “National Champion”. However, I have published research in book format that supports that an expanded playoff format of 16 FBS teams could be implemented at the end of the regular FBS season. No Conference Championships needed and you there is no need to explain to the 1-loss programs or ANY FBS program why they are not part of the playoff process.
Below are the POLL 6 FBS college football rankings. I did make some adjustments to the rankings and what statistical data I am publishing. Thought it was time to show more important information on why scheduling and FCS program or not playing any traditional non conference road games should be held against you in your strength of schedule and ranked position. Those are a few of the variables I use when ranking. If you examine deeper into this weeks rankings only 16% of my Top 25 DID NOT schedule or play an FCS program.
GRID: Ranked Team(Record)– indicates the rank of the FBS program and their current record; OPP OVRL– indicates the combined records of each specific ranked FBS programs scheduled win loss records and percentage rate of the whole 2019 schedule; CONF– indicates the combined records of each specific ranked FBS programs conference schedule win loss records and percentage rates of the 2019 FBS season to assist in conference strength of schedule, FCS GAME– If the ranked FBS program scheduled, played or yet to play an FCS program and NC TRAD RD GM– the number of games played by the ranked FBS program in which they scheduled and played a traditional non conference road game. Playing a traditional non conference road game means you took a TRUE RISK of playing on the road outside of conference games to test your skills and abilities against other FBS programs:
RANK TEAM RECORD | OVRL | CONF | FCS GAME | NC TRAD RD GM |
1 CLEMSON (9-0) | (48-47) .505 | (18-26) .409 | YES | 1 |
2 OHIO STATE (8-0) | (54-49) .524 | (22-29) .431 | NO | 0 |
3 LSU (8-0) | (53-41) .564 | (21-24) .467 | YES | 1 |
4 MINNESOTA (8-0) | (47-46) .505 | (20-31) .392 | YES | 1 |
5 PENN STATE (8-0) | (59-36) .621 | (27-23) .540 | YES | 0 |
6 ALABAMA (8-0) | (47-48) .495 | (20-25) .444 | YES | 0 |
7 BAYLOR (8-0) | (45-46) .495 | (21-26) .447 | YES | 0 |
8 MEMPHIS (8-1) | (49-44) .527 | (21-17) .553 | YES | 2 |
9 SMU (8-1) | (53-50) .515 | (17-22) .436 | YES | 2 |
10 OREGON (8-1) | (50-44) .532 | (20-30) .400 | YES | 1 |
11 UTAH (8-1) | (45-49) .479 | (21-29) .420 | YES | 1 |
12 CINCINNATI (7-1) | (56-48) .538 | (13-25) .342 | NO | 2 |
13 LOUISIANA TECH (7-1) | (39-55) .415 | (18-20) .474 | YES | 3 |
14 NAVY (7-1) | (50-47) .515 | (14-25) .359 | YES | 2 |
15 BOISE STATE (7-1) | (48-48) .500 | (16-22) .421 | YES | 2 |
16 APPALACHIAN STATE (7-1) | (42-49) .462 | (14-18) .438 | YES | 2 |
17 SAN DIEGO STATE (7-1) | (42-52) .447 | (16-21) .432 | YES | 2 |
18 GEORGIA (7-1) | (52-42) .553 | (21-23) .477 | YES | 1 |
19 OKLAHOMA (7-1) | (50-42) .543 | (22-25) .520 | YES | 1 |
20 WAKE FOREST (7-1) | (48-47) .505 | (22-22) .500 | YES | 1 |
21 MICHIGAN (7-2) | (61-41) .598 | (27-22) .551 | NO | 0 |
22 AIR FORCE (7-2) | (49-45) .521 | (18-18) .500 | YES | 2 |
23 CENTRAL FLORIDA (7-2) | (48-47) .505 | (12-25) .324 | YES | 2 |
24 AUBURN (7-2) | (62-33) .653 | (24-19) .558 | YES | 0 |
25 INDIANA (7-2) | (46-48) .489 | (22-29) .431 | YES | 0 |
As of this weekly posting, the current results are; there are 7 0-loss FBS programs left. Which will be the last two standing at the end of the season? There are 13; 1-loss FBS programs left, which 6 or 7 will end the 2019 regular season with 1-loss? There are 22 5-win FBS programs, which will earn their SIXTH win this weekend to earn bowl eligibility? Finally, there are 43 Bowl eligible FBS programs entering into the last four weeks of the season, how high will bowl eligibility climb and who will be left out of a bowl game? All these answers and more as the 2019 FBS season concludes.
The data and statistics do not lie. It does however provide a different perspective on how the reality of each FBS football team can be evaluated with an improved understanding. The subjective assessment in which coaches vote and rank are dependent on their credibility to rank efficiently without possessing a bias. Proving that no matter what your conference affiliation is, who your coaching friends are or what constituencies have financially backed you. Rankings are not meant to be miss leading but possess a true reality to how programs are performing against each other, at the same level of play and by the same rules.
As always, please cite the source in APA/MLA format if you use any of my information. To the sports media in print, television or radio; I am available for interview to discuss my college rankings, college football content and more specifically the college football playoffs. If you have any questions, comments or would like to discuss this further, reach out to me on twitter @cfbpoexpert or leave a comment in the comment section. I am also available for interview to discuss my perspective on college football and my research into expanding the playoffs for college football.
SOURCE: Clemson Tiger Image(2019). Image retrieved form the World Wide Web on November 6, 2019. Using Google Search Engine entering the phrase Clemson Tigers Images.