With Penn State (5-0) on a bye week, Ohio State (6-0) takes over the new number one (1) position in my weekly college football rankings. Ohio State has a tough slate of games ahead of them with three (3) of their six (6) remaining games versus currently ranked opponents in the AP and Coaches Polls. Those games being versus, Penn State, Maryland and Michigan. We already know that between still 0-loss Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan; only one (1) could possibly remain a 0-loss programs.
There are (15) 0-loss programs remaining this college football season. Many of these 0-loss programs are household names but interestingly there are some new FBS programs that are achieving success. Only in my ranking process do these non-name brand FBS football programs receive recognitions. Those FBS programs being; James Madison in their first year of FBS seasonal play from the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). Also included in my Top 25 CFB rankings are, Coastal Carolina (SBC), Liberty (IND), Kansas (B12), and Tulane (AAC).
What the AP Voter, ESPN Media and Coaches Polls fail to recognize the hard work and dedication that the student athletes and coaches from these non-name brand FBS programs. These voters of these “respective” polls only place vested interest into those FBS programs from “high profile” conferences or name brands. With that said, it takes more convincing or multiple losses to rank these name brand programs lower in the subjective ranking process. However, if the non-name brand FBS program(s) lose once, they take a significant impact in the subjective ranking process. Thus, the believability concept of the non-name brand FBS program takes longer to convince the subjective voters of the AP, ESPN and Coaches Polls. Furthermore, the ranking process does possess ranking biases amongst the coaches, AP and ESPN voters. They have to protect the brands they support either verbally, financially or as an alum.
I will now post my Week 2 CFB Top 25 rankings. The rankings below used the same categorical variables as explained in my first weeks poll, posted last week.
FBS TEAM | RECORD | FCS | NC OP OVERALL | NC OP ONLY | OVERALL RECORD | CONF. RECORD |
1 OHIO ST | (6-0) | 0 | (9-8) | (4-6) | (39-31) | (10-16) |
2 USC | (6-0) | 0 | (7-8) | (4-7) | (32-31) | (10-16) |
3 MICHIGAN | (6-0) | 0 | (5-13) | (3-12) | (39-32) | (12-14) |
4 CLEMSON | (6-0) | 1 | (9-7) | (5-5) | (38-24) | (11-13) |
5 MISSISSIPPI | (6-0) | 1 | (9-9) | (5-5) | (40-26) | (11-13) |
6 ALABAMA | (6-0) | 1 | (8-10) | (4-6) | (40-25) | (11-11) |
7 COAST CAROLINA | (6-0) | 1 | (6-11) | (3-7) | (28-33) | (7-9) |
8 GEORGIA | (6-0) | 1 | (10-8) | (4-6) | (40-25) | (8-14) |
9 UCLA | (6-0) | 1 | (6-5) | (4-4) | (34-28) | (13-14) |
10 PENN STATE | (5-0) | 0 | (7-11) | (5-6) | (40-31) | (12-12) |
11 TENNESSEE | (5-0) | 1 | (8-10) | (5-6) | (43-23) | (13-10) |
12 JAMES MADISON | (5-0) | 1 | (8-10) | (5-1) | (30-28) | (8-9) |
13 SYRACUSE | (5-0) | 1 | (10-8) | (5-7) | (41-26) | (10-15) |
14 TCU | (5-0) | 1 | (2-8) | (2-5) | (35-26) | (11-13) |
15 OKLAHOMA ST | (5-0) | 1 | (3-9) | (2-5) | (36-27) | (11-13) |
16 WAKE FOREST | (5-1) | 1 | (9-8) | (7-5) | (43-21) | (14-11) |
17 MISSISSIPPI ST | (5-1) | 1 | (9-9) | (5-5) | (44-22) | (14-10) |
18 KANSAS | (5-1) | 1 | (7-5) | (5-3) | (40-22) | (11-12) |
19 OREGON | (5-1) | 1 | (10-2) | (6-1) | (37-23) | (10-16) |
20 NO CAROLINA ST | (5-1) | 1 | (9-10) | (6-6) | (41-25) | (14-12) |
21 CINCINNATI | (5-1) | 1 | (9-9) | (6-3) | (30-30) | (6-9) |
22 TULANE | (5-1) | 1 | (8-9) | (5-6) | (32-31) | (7-9) |
23 LIBERTY | (5-1) | 1 | (15-19) | (10-11) | (27-37) | (4-6) |
24 NO CAROLINA | (5-1) | 1 | (8-9) | (4-6) | (35-29) | (6-12) |
25 KANSAS STATE | (5-1) | 1 | (7-5) | (5-2) | (40-22) | (10-13) |
Also receiving consideration: ILLINOIS
My rankings offer more data and a much clearer explanation to rankings. There are no vested interests based upon my favorite programs. I rank fairly and without a bias.
With many 0-loss programs still remaining, we will witness some of these 0-loss programs losing in the next few weeks to decrease the number of 0-loss programs. The average number of 0-loss programs at the end of the regular season is on average (2.43) FBS programs per season. Wonder which two (2) FBS programs will remain 0-loss by then. There is still many games of CFB to be played. Upsets are still on the tables and many good games to be played.
Wonder how week number three (3) poll will turn out. Many GREAT games this weekend. Who drops, who losses, where are the upsets and where are the common winners.
Please remember, APA/MLA cite your sources if you use any of my information. Always give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions, comments of concerns please contact me through the blog page or at Twitter @cfbpoexpert