Number of Ties by Year

[ktffan]

The number of games by I-A teams, the number of ties that year and percentage. Starting in 96 it's the number of overtime games.

Code: Select all

1980   817   12   0.015
1981   804   17   0.021
1982   612   14   0.023
1983   647   13   0.020
1984   644   16   0.025
1985   641   14   0.022
1986   637   10   0.016
1987   633   14   0.022
1988   636   12   0.019
1989   632   15   0.024
1990   642   16   0.025
1991   635   15   0.024
1992   637   13   0.020
1993   632   11   0.017
1994   636   13   0.020
1995   640   10   0.016
1996   662   25   0.038
1997   666   25   0.038
1998   674   24   0.036
1999   686   27   0.039
2000   696   36   0.052
2001   709   17   0.024
2002   772   31   0.040
2003   771   34   0.044
2004   707   32   0.045
2005   718   39   0.054


[openSkies]

A nice, steady, rising trend. Interesting. I always love those random facts.

[mountainman]

The first thing that came to my mind was this is evidence of more parity in the game.

An afterthought, ktffan, or maybe better said, and after-question ..... has the margin of victory followed the same pattern?

[ktffan]

Total games, average margin of victory (ties counting 0):

Code: Select all

1980   817   16.48
1981   804   16.13
1982   612   16.42
1983   647   16.04
1984   644   15.04
1985   641   16.36
1986   637   16.58
1987   633   16.67
1988   636   18.15
1989   632   16.99
1990   642   17.62
1991   635   17.53
1992   637   15.73
1993   632   17.94
1994   636   16.89
1995   640   17.74
1996   662   18.71
1997   666   18.38
1998   674   17.62
1999   686   18.61
2000   696   18.29
2001   709   17.76
2002   772   18.56
2003   771   18.88
2004   707   17.88
2005   718   17.62


[mountainman]

Yep, MECU, but the scoring rules are the same for both teams ....

Hmmm ... not sure the margin of victory numbers support my parity thought .... that is unless the teams that were losing the games in the early years of this sample have now become the winning teams during the later years ...... (kind of reverse parity ... silly thought)

At first glance there appears to be a contradiction as far as the outcome of the games being closer ..... not sure what that is telling me, gonna'' have to think about that one for a bit ...... offensives have become more efficient, but that is on both sidelines too ..... Oh well, need to ponder this data.

[ktffan]

Yep, MECU, but the scoring rules are the same for both teams ....

Hmmm ... not sure the margin of victory numbers support my parity thought .... that is unless the teams that were losing the games in the early years of this sample have now become the winning teams during the later years ...... (kind of reverse parity ... silly thought)

At first glance there appears to be a contradiction as far as the outcome of the games being closer ..... not sure what that is telling me, gonna'' have to think about that one for a bit ...... offensives have become more efficient, but that is on both sidelines too ..... Oh well, need to ponder this data.

There are other ways to look at parity. If you want to look at something else, let me know.

[billybud]

When did the OT rule go into effect?....I could see the rule possibly having some minor effect on the number of ties increasing.

Coaches with bad field position may be more likely to grind it out awaiting OT than fling it down field in regulation....maybe not attempt a long game winning FG if a miss meant the other team had a shot to move it down field...

[ktffan]

When did the OT rule go into effect?....I could see the rule possibly having some minor effect on the number of ties increasing.

Coaches with bad field position may be more likely to grind it out awaiting OT than fling it down field in regulation....maybe not attempt a long game winning FG if a miss meant the other team had a shot to move it down field...

1996

[billybud]

OK...that fits with my hypothesis....

There is a demarkation at 1996/pre 1996...but there is a secondary demarkation breaking 96-99 away from Post 99...my thought might be that it took a few years for the strategies involved in playing for the OT to become assimilated...but, I have to then believe that the 17 ties in the middle of a longer string is a football staistical anomaly...sometimes there aren't as many ties.

[mountainman]

Hey, ktffan. I've heard it both spoken and written about how there is currently more parity in the game. I would like to believe that it's true, but would prefer to have something to base it on.

You posted, "There are other ways to look at parity."

Could you share with the forum some of those ways .... give us something to ponder and think about for developing a basis for deciding one way or the other?

Maybe both pro and con .... such as you just shared in this topic.