Since the top teams in college football rarely lose, I thought it would be interesting to review each of the 1 loss teams based on the loss they sustained....
As we all know, not all losses are created equal, and they should carry great weight in the rankings - the top teams are supposed to win each game, right?
Obviously, Michigan and Ohio State are clear #1 and #2, and I can't figure out where Rutgers should be...
Thoughts on losses:
1. Close ones are better than getting blown out
2. Home losses are much worse than road losses
3. Losing to a good team is not as big of a deal as losing to a average or bad team...
Lot of the above seems obvious, but it bears remembering when reading below:
Here goes:
Texas: 1 loss to Ohio State at Home by 17... I would qualify that as an "bad" loss - pladyed the #1 team, but got blown out at home...
Louisville: 1 loss to Rutgers by 3 on the road... would qualify this as a good loss, playing a good team on the road
Florida: Lost at Auburn on the road by 10... based on Auburn's performance today, I would call this an average loss
USC: Lost on the road by 2 to a decent Oregon State team.. average loss
Notre Dame: Got blown out by Michigan at home by 26.. definitely a bad loss
West Virginia: lost at Louisville by 10.... good loss
Arkansas: blown out at home by USC by 36.. very bad loss
Wisconsin: lost at Michigan by 14... good loss
Wake: Lost at home to Clemson by 10
IMHO, Wake, Arkansas, Notre Dame are all eliminated from consideration due to bad losses
USC is borderline, as Oregon State is not even a top 25 team...
TX had a bad loss at home no less, but to a good Ohio State team
WI lost to a good Michigan team on the road
I would rank the one loss teams, based on who and where they lost:
3. Florida
4. West Virginia
5. Wisconsin
6. Texas
7. USC
8. Louisville
9. Notre Dame
10. Arkansas
11. Wake Forest
This may look shocking, but the problem with our current polls is that it is way too much influenced by where a team starts in the polls....
You are not a top team if you are blown out at home, or lose to a bad team on the road.
IMHO, the only acceptable losses are on the road to a good team, or a close loss at home to a great team.
Given the schedule discrepancies, this seems like the easiest way to compare teams. Again, where this puts Rutgers, I don't know. They had quite a gutty comeback on Thursday night....
As we all know, not all losses are created equal, and they should carry great weight in the rankings - the top teams are supposed to win each game, right?
Obviously, Michigan and Ohio State are clear #1 and #2, and I can't figure out where Rutgers should be...
Thoughts on losses:
1. Close ones are better than getting blown out
2. Home losses are much worse than road losses
3. Losing to a good team is not as big of a deal as losing to a average or bad team...
Lot of the above seems obvious, but it bears remembering when reading below:
Here goes:
Texas: 1 loss to Ohio State at Home by 17... I would qualify that as an "bad" loss - pladyed the #1 team, but got blown out at home...
Louisville: 1 loss to Rutgers by 3 on the road... would qualify this as a good loss, playing a good team on the road
Florida: Lost at Auburn on the road by 10... based on Auburn's performance today, I would call this an average loss
USC: Lost on the road by 2 to a decent Oregon State team.. average loss
Notre Dame: Got blown out by Michigan at home by 26.. definitely a bad loss
West Virginia: lost at Louisville by 10.... good loss
Arkansas: blown out at home by USC by 36.. very bad loss
Wisconsin: lost at Michigan by 14... good loss
Wake: Lost at home to Clemson by 10
IMHO, Wake, Arkansas, Notre Dame are all eliminated from consideration due to bad losses
USC is borderline, as Oregon State is not even a top 25 team...
TX had a bad loss at home no less, but to a good Ohio State team
WI lost to a good Michigan team on the road
I would rank the one loss teams, based on who and where they lost:
3. Florida
4. West Virginia
5. Wisconsin
6. Texas
7. USC
8. Louisville
9. Notre Dame
10. Arkansas
11. Wake Forest
This may look shocking, but the problem with our current polls is that it is way too much influenced by where a team starts in the polls....
You are not a top team if you are blown out at home, or lose to a bad team on the road.
IMHO, the only acceptable losses are on the road to a good team, or a close loss at home to a great team.
Given the schedule discrepancies, this seems like the easiest way to compare teams. Again, where this puts Rutgers, I don't know. They had quite a gutty comeback on Thursday night....
