BCS Rankings: TCU leaps Boise

[billybud]

It will all sort itself out, I think.

[RazorHawk]

Not sure that it matters, but how is Arkansas ranked as low as 18. They have two losses that could easily have been two wins against the #2 and #6 ranked teams in Auburn and Alabama. Losses will kill you even against the top teams. Better to play no one.

Personally, I think the winner of the TCU vs Utah game is the biggest threat to make the Championship game, should Oregon, Auburn and Alabama stumble.

[Derek]

This is not surprising. Also consider the fact that TCU has played and won two more games that BSU (9 vs. 7)and I am guessing that factors in as well. TCU still has three games left this season which includes Utah. Boise State has five games left including Hawaii, Nevada, Idaho, Fresno State and Utah State. I think the leap_FROG is basically a temporary thing for TCU if both teams win out. To take the leap over Boise State with a win over UNLV (1-7, sole win was New Mexico) shows the computers were programmed a little strange. I bet the program contains a bias which assumed UNLV would be strong this year because it is a BCS school with a strong schedule (logic dictates if most of the schedule is BCS then it must be assumed it is a stronger schedule, therefore, a non AQ team to beat a BCS team with a strong schedule is worth more in the computer bias (even if the team losing is crappy).

By the time the schedule is completed and all games are factored in I would think TCU will end behind BSU if both teams win out.

TCU's last two games are with San Diego State and New Mexico.

The formulas contain nothing about a schools conference. At least that is what we're told.

[billybud]

A very tough schedule, like that of Arkansas, is only beneficial if you win them all or only lose one. A Loss counts against you so much that the quality of your schedule really isn't as important.

Just look at who is undefeated now...Boise, TCU, Utah...and how many current top 15 teams have this entire crew played amongst them? Not what Arkansas has played.

[donovan]

Not sure that it matters, but how is Arkansas ranked as low as 18. They have two losses that could easily have been two wins against the #2 and #6 ranked teams in Auburn and Alabama. Losses will kill you even against the top teams. Better to play no one.

Personally, I think the winner of the TCU vs Utah game is the biggest threat to make the Championship game, should Oregon, Auburn and Alabama stumble.

A "threat" to whom?

[silverfox]

A very tough schedule, like that of Arkansas, is only beneficial if you win them all or only lose one. A Loss counts against you so much that the quality of your schedule really isn't as important.

Just look at who is undefeated now...Boise, TCU, Utah...and how many current top 15 teams have this entire crew played amongst them? Not what Arkansas has played.

The system sucks, doesn't it!

[RazorHawk]

Not sure that it matters, but how is Arkansas ranked as low as 18. They have two losses that could easily have been two wins against the #2 and #6 ranked teams in Auburn and Alabama. Losses will kill you even against the top teams. Better to play no one.

Personally, I think the winner of the TCU vs Utah game is the biggest threat to make the Championship game, should Oregon, Auburn and Alabama stumble.

A "threat" to whom?

The biggest threat of a non BCS team making the BCS championship.

[donovan]

Not sure that it matters, but how is Arkansas ranked as low as 18. They have two losses that could easily have been two wins against the #2 and #6 ranked teams in Auburn and Alabama. Losses will kill you even against the top teams. Better to play no one.

Personally, I think the winner of the TCU vs Utah game is the biggest threat to make the Championship game, should Oregon, Auburn and Alabama stumble.

A "threat" to whom?

The biggest threat of a non BCS team making the BCS championship.

And that would be then to the BCS schools..being threatened by Boise TCU Utah or several combination thereof. Once again if they are a threat to the inner circle of elitism, a slave becoming king...ala Joseph in Potipher's court..then ban them from entry to the club to begin with. Heck, golf courses figured that out long ago....well..until Tiger came along....

[RazorHawk]

Not sure that it matters, but how is Arkansas ranked as low as 18. They have two losses that could easily have been two wins against the #2 and #6 ranked teams in Auburn and Alabama. Losses will kill you even against the top teams. Better to play no one.

Personally, I think the winner of the TCU vs Utah game is the biggest threat to make the Championship game, should Oregon, Auburn and Alabama stumble.

A "threat" to whom?

The biggest threat of a non BCS team making the BCS championship.

And that would be then to the BCS schools..being threatened by Boise TCU Utah or several combination thereof. Once again if they are a threat to the inner circle of elitism, a slave becoming king...ala Joseph in Potipher's court..then ban them from entry to the club to begin with. Heck, golf courses figured that out long ago....well..until Tiger came along....

No....... Alabama is still a threat to make the championship game also.

[Spence]

Just because most of the starters return doesn't mean anything...maybe they got fatter, slower, and especially lazier...never mind that the other team could have gotten faster, stronger, and (need a good word here)

"better" Six million dollar man reference.

You say that and think I look at this years bowl games a stretch? If either team had lost a significant amount of players, I could buy the argument. If they had played last September, I could still see the point. They played in January - this year. They are both veteran teams, meaning one wouldn't likely get much better then the other in the same period. If they play again could TCU win - sure, but the recent history involving mostly the same team says Boise State is a better team. It does mean something. Saying it doesn't matter at all is as silly as doing an indirect comparison when you have a direct comparison in the same calendar year. You can not get a better comparision than head to head between teams that have changed very little. A very young team can make lots of progress in a year because of experience and coaching. A veteran team is not likely to gain as much. The biggest argument you could make is that after the Bowl win Boise State has lost their hunger - But proving they can beat another non AQ conference team isn't what I would think was the motivation that got them to the BCS. Just my opinion of course.

Also, yes Alabama was in the championship game last year (and they still may get there this year). Alabama lost 9 guys on defense. That means that this years Bama team isn't even close to the same team that played last Jan.


Indirect wins as a comparison means nothing without factoring in other factors. It can be one part of an overall ranking system, but on it's face it is worthless.

[billybud]

Only one way to really know the quality of a team in any given year....that is to watch them play another team of "known quality". See how they match up.

We do that instinctively when we watch teams and it is what the computers are attempting to do in a algorithmn format. That "known quality" part can be the hang up...in defining, etc.

[donovan]

Only one way to really know the quality of a team in any given year....that is to watch them play another team of "known quality". See how they match up.

We do that instinctively when we watch teams and it is what the computers are attempting to do in a algorithmn format. That "known quality" part can be the hang up...in defining, etc.

This is where I see "fuzzy logic" having a downfall. Making the machine have the intangibles humans have really depends that we define those intangibles. Once we define them, then they are no longer intangibles. It works semi well in getting what the majority of people like...e.g. new hearing aids use fuzzy logic to produce the sound most people like. Does not work in all cases, but give a starting point. We just can not pass this stuff off as absolute because a computer spews it out. The a priori assumption that it is true, as in all of this "indirect win/loss" babble is just "junk science."

[warrriorsfan808]

Well...the computers, just like us folks, saw Baylor beat Texas. The computers, like us folks, said "hmmm".

Lord Help in this place of conspricy theories!!!! Roswell, the grassy knoll, the computers helping G.W. twice!!! What happens if the WARRIORS beat the Broncos on the blue turf on saturday? Does that automatically jump us from nowhere to somewhere in the top 25 all the sudden? If so where? As far as computers go I get all giddy when I get something right on this one!!! I'll stop now and let ya'll sort it out.

[Spence]

The butler did it.

[billybud]

I think I'll change my board name to "Grassy"...I kind of like the inspiration that you've given me.

The dimwitted won't figure out the reason...but most of you fast guys will.