Strengths of Schedule

Here's my Top 25's Strengths of Schedule:

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1) Notre Dame	-14.54545455
2) Alabama	-16.63636364
3) Georgia	-23
4) Florida	-12.90909091
5) Stanford	-9.727272727
6) Oregon	-18.90909091
7) Kansas State	-18.63636364
8) LSU	-13.90909091
9) Texas A&M	-18.27272727
10) Ohio State	-24.90909091
11) Oklahoma	-15.9
12) Florida State	-30.27272727
13) Kent State	-33.81818182
14) Oregon State	-12.4
15) South Carolina	-18.54545455
16) Rutgers	-26.8
17) Clemson	-25.36363636
18) UCLA	-20.90909091
19) Texas	-17.6
20) Northern Illinois	-37.45454545
21) Louisville	-30
22) Nebraska	-17.18181818
23) Boise State	-32.63636364
24) Washington	-13.72727273
25) San Jose State	-26					And here it is in order of SoS:

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5) Stanford	-9.727272727	Pac-12
14) Oregon State	-12.4	Pac-12
4) Florida	-12.90909091	SEC
24) Washington	-13.72727273	Pac-12
8) LSU	-13.90909091	SEC
1) Notre Dame	-14.54545455	Independent
11) Oklahoma	-15.9	Big 12
2) Alabama	-16.63636364	SEC
22) Nebraska	-17.18181818	Big Ten
19) Texas	-17.6	Big 12
9) Texas A&M	-18.27272727	SEC
15) South Carolina	-18.54545455	SEC
7) Kansas State	-18.63636364	Big 12
6) Oregon	-18.90909091	Pac-12
18) UCLA	-20.90909091	Pac-12
3) Georgia	-23	SEC
10) Ohio State	-24.90909091	Big Ten
17) Clemson	-25.36363636	ACC
25) San Jose State	-26	WAC
16) Rutgers	-26.8	Big East
21) Louisville	-30	Big East
12) Florida State	-30.27272727	ACC
23) Boise State	-32.63636364	MWC
13) Kent State	-33.81818182	MAC
20) Northern Illinois	-37.45454545	MAC

 

Some of my observations:

- Stanford has played a crazy hard schedule, which is why I think they ought to be ranked ahead of Oregon for the time being.  They are 3-2 against My Top 25, with a win over one-loss Oregon and a loss to undefeated Notre Dame.  Imagine the conversations we would be having if they beaten either Notre Dame or Washington.  Their SoS is only going to rise, playing UCLA once more, maybe twice more.

- The SEC is the toughest conference, followed closely by the Pac-12, with Alabama, LSU, and Florida all having very hard schedules.  The biggest exception is Georgia, who has one quality win, over Florida.  Other than that, they have exactly one win over a team with a winning record, 7-4 Vanderbilt.  If Georgia gets to the BCS, this will be a big issue.

- I was surprised at how weak UCLA's schedule is, despite wins over Nebraska and USC.  They'll get a big boost after they play Stanford, but they also lucked out by avoiding both Oregon and Washington this year.  

- What claim will the winner of Florida-Florida State have to the BCS?  FSU's schedule looks like poop, with 2 FCS teams and only one team - Clemson - guaranteed to win more than six games.  The Massey computer right now has the Seminoles 27th, behind teams like 8-3 Northwestern and 7-4 Vanderbilt.  They probably can't get to the BCS game, as they would remain behind Notre Dame even if they lose.  Florida, on the other hand, already has the hardest schedule of all 1-loss teams, and are already #2 in the Massey computer.  If they win and Notre Dame loses, the voters would have to move en masse to Oregon or Kansas State (or Notre Dame) in order to avoid an all-SEC championship.