2003 Final Rankings

In the off-season, we will be running our computer analysis of each of the previous seasons of college football moving backward through time as far as it makes sense to do so. Here are the final rankings from 2003:

1. USC Trojans (12-1) - 1.2
2. LSU Tigers (13-1) - 2.0
3. Oklahoma Sooners (12-2) - 3.2
4. Miami University RedHawks (13-1) - 3.6
5. Georgia Bulldogs (11-3) - 5.6
6. Kansas State Wildcats (11-4) - 7.0
7. Michigan Wolverines (10-3) - 7.5
8. Iowa Hawkeyes (10-3) - 7.6
9. Boise State Broncos (13-1) - 8.6
10. Texas Longhorns (10-3) - 9.7
11. Miami Hurricanes (11-2) - 11.0
12. Florida State Seminoles (10-3) - 11.5
13. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2) - 12.8
14. Maryland Terrapins (10-3) - 15.2
15. Purdue Boilermakers (9-4) - 16.8
16. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-4) - 17.4
17. Washington State Cougars (10-3) - 18.3
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-3) - 19.1
19. Tennessee Volunteers (10-3) - 20.2
20. Ole Miss Rebels (10-3) - 20.4
21. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3) - 21.1
(tie) Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-4) - 21.1
23. Florida Gators (8-5) - 22.2
24. NC State Wolfpack (8-5) - 22.9
25. Bowling Green Falcons (11-3) - 23.2
26. Clemson Tigers (9-4) - 26.2
27. Utah Utes (10-2) - 27.1
28. Oregon State Beavers (8-5) - 28.5
29. California Golden Bears (8-6) - 29.2
30. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-5) - 30.7
31. Virginia Cavaliers (8-5) - 31.0
32. Auburn Tigers (8-5) - 32.0
33. Michigan State Spartans (8-5) - 32.6
34. West Virginia Mountaineers (8-5) - 34.9
35. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-5) - 35.2
36. Pittsburgh Panthers (8-5) - 37.3
37. Marshall Thundering Herd (8-4) - 38.1
38. Wisconsin Badgers (7-6) - 38.9
39. Northern Illinois Huskies (10-2) - 39.7
40. TCU Horned Frogs (11-2) - 40.1
41. Oregon Ducks (8-5) - 41.2
(tie) Southern Miss Golden Eagles (9-4) - 41.2
43. Louisville Cardinals (9-4) - 43.2
44. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-9) - 43.3
45. Missouri Tigers (8-5) - 43.4
46. Boston College Eagles (8-5) - 43.8
47. Memphis Tigers (9-4) - 45.4
48. Colorado State Rams (7-6) - 49.2
49. New Mexico Lobos (8-5) - 49.5
50. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-6) - 50.9
51. Syracuse Orange (6-6) - 51.3
52. Connecticut Huskies (9-3) - 51.4
53. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-7) - 53.5
54. Toledo Rockets (8-4) - 53.7
55. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-7) - 54.6
56. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-7) - 55.8
57. Washington Huskies (6-6) - 57.0
58. Air Force Falcons (7-5) - 57.2
59. UNLV Rebels (6-6) - 60.4
60. Hawaii Warriors (9-5) - 60.7
61. Fresno State Bulldogs (9-5) - 61.4
(tie) Northwestern Wildcats (6-7) - 61.4
63. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-7) - 62.2
64. North Texas Mean Green (9-4) - 62.6
65. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-5) - 63.6
66. San Diego State Aztecs (6-6) - 68.3
67. UCLA Bruins (6-7) - 68.4
68. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-7) - 68.5
(tie) Kansas Jayhawks (6-7) - 68.5
70. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-9) - 69.6
71. Houston Cougars (7-6) - 71.8
(tie) South Florida Bulls (7-4) - 71.8
73. Colorado Buffaloes (5-7) - 72.5
74. Texas A&M Aggies (4-8) - 74.8
75. BYU Cougars (4-8) - 75.0
76. Kentucky Wildcats (4-8) - 75.3
77. Navy Midshipmen (8-5) - 76.3
78. Cincinnati Bearcats (5-7) - 76.8
79. Nevada Wolf Pack (6-6) - 78.4
80. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5-7) - 80.9
81. Stanford Cardinal (4-7) - 81.5
82. Wyoming Cowboys (4-8) - 82.3
83. UAB Blazers (5-7) - 83.1
84. Akron Zips (7-5) - 83.6
85. Duke Blue Devils (4-8) - 84.1
86. Troy Trojans (6-6) - 84.6
87. Rice Owls (5-7) - 86.7
88. Western Michigan Broncos (5-7) - 87.2
89. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-10) - 88.4
90. Tulane Green Wave (5-7) - 89.2
91. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-10) - 91.1
92. Ball State Cardinals (4-8) - 92.0
93. Kent State Golden Flashes (5-7) - 93.1
94. Arizona Wildcats (2-10) - 93.7
95. San Jose State Spartans (3-8) - 96.0
96. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-10) - 96.2
97. Utah State Aggies (3-9) - 97.3
98. Baylor Bears (3-9) - 97.8
99. New Mexico State Aggies (3-9) - 99.5
100. Illinois Fighting Illini (1-11) - 99.7
101. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (4-8) - 101.0
102. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (4-8) - 101.2
103. Indiana Hoosiers (2-10) - 103.6
104. Arkansas State Red Wolves (5-7) - 104.8
105. Temple Owls (1-11) - 105.1
106. Iowa State Cyclones (2-10) - 105.3
107. Idaho Vandals (3-9) - 105.6
108. Ohio Bobcats (2-10) - 108.1
109. ECU Pirates (1-11) - 109.9
110. UCF Knights (3-9) - 110.5
111. UTEP Miners (2-11) - 110.9
112. Central Michigan Chippewas (3-9) - 111.5
113. Eastern Michigan Eagles (3-9) - 111.7
114. SMU Mustangs (0-12) - 113.2
115. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (1-11) - 115.2
116. Buffalo Bulls (1-11) - 116.1
117. Army Black Knights (0-13) - 117.6

2004 Final Rankings

In 2004, Utah was never tested. The first BCS Bowl crashers under Urban Meyer beat everyone they played by at least 14 points. None of the games were even close. But no one could tell how good they were, because they did not play against any really good teams. Even their opponent in the Fiesta Bowl (Pittsburgh) only had the 42nd best season and didn't really deserve to be in a BCS bowl themselves. So very few have made the argument that Utah deserved to be National Champion, because nobody really knew. They may have been the best team in the country, but who could tell? Meanwhile, Auburn seemed to have the biggest complaint, going undefeated through a difficult SEC schedule and being left out of the national championship game.

Well, sorry Tigers (and sorry Trojans for that matter). Our analysis shows that even with the penalties for a weak schedule, Utah had the best season of any team in 2004. Their victories were that consistently impressive - not a single shaky moment all season long - which is tough to do, even against a weak schedule.

In the off-season, we will be running our computer analysis of each of the previous seasons of college football moving backward through time as far as it makes sense to do so. Here are the final rankings from 2004:

1. Utah Utes (12-0) - 1.0
2. USC Trojans (13-0) - 2.1
3. Auburn Tigers (13-0) - 3.0
4. Louisville Cardinals (11-1) - 4.2
5. Oklahoma Sooners (12-1) - 5.3
6. California Golden Bears (10-2) - 6.1
7. Boise State Broncos (11-1) - 7.0
8. Texas Longhorns (11-1) - 7.3
9. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-3) - 9.4
10. Miami Hurricanes (9-3) - 10.3
11. Virginia Cavaliers (8-4) - 11.8
12. Florida State Seminoles (9-3) - 11.9
13. Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2) - 13.4
14. Georgia Bulldogs (10-2) - 14.4
15. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-4) - 15.2
16. Tennessee Volunteers (10-3) - 16.7
17. Arizona State Sun Devils (9-3) - 17.4
18. LSU Tigers (9-3) - 18.9
19. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-4) - 19.9
20. Fresno State Bulldogs (9-3) - 20.3
21. Michigan Wolverines (9-3) - 20.5
22. Bowling Green Falcons (9-3) - 21.5
23. Purdue Boilermakers (7-5) - 22.0
24. Oregon State Beavers (7-5) - 22.9
25. Florida Gators (7-5) - 25.3
26. Wisconsin Badgers (9-3) - 26.6
27. Texas A&M Aggies (7-5) - 27.4
28. West Virginia Mountaineers (8-4) - 28.9
29. Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-5) - 29.1
30. Boston College Eagles (9-3) - 29.2
31. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6) - 32.4
32. UTEP Miners (8-4) - 32.5
33. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-5) - 34.4
34. Northern Illinois Huskies (9-3) - 34.7
35. Arkansas Razorbacks (5-6) - 36.2
36. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-5) - 36.6
37. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6) - 36.7
38. UCLA Bruins (6-6) - 38.7
39. Maryland Terrapins (5-6) - 39.6
40. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-6) - 39.9
(tie) NC State Wolfpack (5-6) - 39.9
42. Pittsburgh Panthers (8-4) - 43.2
43. Kansas Jayhawks (4-7) - 43.4
44. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5) - 44.3
45. Colorado Buffaloes (8-5) - 44.7
46. Clemson Tigers (6-5) - 47.8
47. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-7) - 49.1
48. Stanford Cardinal (4-7) - 49.6
49. Memphis Tigers (8-4) - 49.9
(tie) South Carolina Gamecocks (6-5) - 49.9
51. Toledo Rockets (9-4) - 50.5
52. Iowa State Cyclones (7-5) - 51.2
53. New Mexico Lobos (7-5) - 51.3
54. Syracuse Orange (6-6) - 54.9
55. Miami University RedHawks (8-5) - 56.5
56. Navy Midshipmen (10-2) - 57.2
57. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-7) - 58.0
58. Michigan State Spartans (5-7) - 58.6
59. Connecticut Huskies (8-4) - 58.7
60. Northwestern Wildcats (6-6) - 59.5
61. BYU Cougars (5-6) - 59.9
62. Hawaii Warriors (8-5) - 60.2
63. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (6-6) - 60.5
64. Troy Trojans (7-5) - 61.8
65. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-6) - 62.9
66. Kansas State Wildcats (4-7) - 63.9
67. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-5) - 66.9
68. Missouri Tigers (5-6) - 68.5
69. Washington State Cougars (5-6) - 68.8
70. Oregon Ducks (5-6) - 69.0
71. Marshall Thundering Herd (6-6) - 69.9
72. UAB Blazers (7-5) - 71.4
73. Wyoming Cowboys (7-5) - 72.5
74. Air Force Falcons (5-6) - 73.8
75. Florida Atlantic Owls (9-3) - 74.6
76. TCU Horned Frogs (5-6) - 76.7
77. Ole Miss Rebels (4-7) - 77.1
78. Colorado State Rams (4-7) - 77.2
79. North Texas Mean Green (7-5) - 80.6
80. Arizona Wildcats (3-8) - 81.0
(tie) San Diego State Aztecs (4-7) - 81.0
82. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (5-6) - 82.0
(tie) New Mexico State Aggies (5-6) - 82.0
84. Akron Zips (6-5) - 82.7
85. Indiana Hoosiers (3-8) - 84.1
86. South Florida Bulls (4-7) - 86.1
87. Kent State Golden Flashes (5-6) - 87.6
88. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4-8) - 88.0
89. Tulane Green Wave (5-6) - 88.7
90. Illinois Fighting Illini (3-8) - 89.0
91. Baylor Bears (3-8) - 91.1
92. Houston Cougars (3-8) - 91.7
93. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-9) - 95.1
94. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-7) - 95.5
95. Duke Blue Devils (2-9) - 95.7
96. Rice Owls (3-8) - 97.1
97. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (5-6) - 98.5
98. Nevada Wolf Pack (5-7) - 98.6
99. Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-8) - 98.8
100. UNLV Rebels (2-9) - 100.1
101. Kentucky Wildcats (2-9) - 100.4
102. Army Black Knights (2-9) - 100.6
103. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (4-7) - 100.7
104. Ohio Bobcats (4-7) - 103.4
105. Utah State Aggies (3-8) - 105.3
106. SMU Mustangs (3-8) - 106.0
107. Temple Owls (2-9) - 107.1
108. ECU Pirates (2-9) - 107.5
109. Arkansas State Red Wolves (3-8) - 107.7
110. Washington Huskies (1-10) - 109.7
111. Ball State Cardinals (2-9) - 110.6
112. Idaho Vandals (3-9) - 111.2
113. Central Michigan Chippewas (4-7) - 111.5
114. Eastern Michigan Eagles (4-7) - 114.9
(tie) San Jose State Spartans (2-9) - 114.9
116. Buffalo Bulls (2-9) - 115.2
117. Western Michigan Broncos (1-10) - 116.8
118. UCF Knights (0-11) - 118.0

2005 Final Rankings

In the off-season, we will be running our computer analysis of each of the previous seasons of college football moving backward through time as far as it makes sense to do so. Here are the final rankings from 2005:

1. Texas Longhorns (13-0) - 1.0
2. USC Trojans (12-1) - 2.0
3. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) - 3.0
4. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-1) - 4.3
5. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2) - 5.2
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-3) - 6.3
7. Georgia Bulldogs (10-3) - 7.9
8. LSU Tigers (11-2) - 8.9
(tie) West Virginia Mountaineers (11-1) - 8.9
10. Miami Hurricanes (9-3) - 10.1
11. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) - 10.4
12. Auburn Tigers (9-3) - 10.5
13. Louisville Cardinals (9-3) - 14.3
14. Wisconsin Badgers (10-3) - 14.5
15. Florida Gators (9-3) - 15.0
16. Oregon Ducks (10-2) - 16.0
17. TCU Horned Frogs (11-1) - 16.5
18. Michigan Wolverines (7-5) - 17.7
19. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-3) - 19.0
20. Boston College Eagles (9-3) - 20.5
21. Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5) - 21.9
22. Fresno State Bulldogs (8-5) - 22.8
23. UCLA Bruins (10-2) - 23.3
24. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-5) - 24.5
25. Clemson Tigers (8-4) - 24.7
26. Florida State Seminoles (8-5) - 25.5
27. Iowa State Cyclones (7-5) - 26.0
28. Oklahoma Sooners (8-4) - 27.7
29. California Golden Bears (8-4) - 29.4
30. Northwestern Wildcats (7-5) - 31.2
31. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (9-4) - 31.7
32. Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-4) - 31.8
33. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-5) - 33.8
34. Toledo Rockets (9-3) - 34.2
35. Boise State Broncos (9-4) - 35.2
36. Kansas Jayhawks (7-5) - 36.4
37. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-5) - 37.7
38. Virginia Cavaliers (7-5) - 37.8
39. Colorado Buffaloes (7-6) - 39.7
40. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-5) - 39.9
41. Purdue Boilermakers (5-6) - 40.1
42. Michigan State Spartans (5-6) - 42.7
43. Northern Illinois Huskies (7-5) - 42.8
44. NC State Wolfpack (7-5) - 43.5
45. Missouri Tigers (7-5) - 44.4
46. South Florida Bulls (6-6) - 45.0
47. Tennessee Volunteers (5-6) - 46.0
48. North Carolina Tar Heels (5-6) - 49.7
49. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-5) - 50.7
50. Maryland Terrapins (5-6) - 50.8
51. Baylor Bears (5-6) - 52.5
52. Utah Utes (7-5) - 54.2
53. Texas A&M Aggies (5-6) - 54.6
54. Navy Midshipmen (8-4) - 55.6
55. BYU Cougars (6-6) - 55.8
56. Washington State Cougars (4-7) - 56.0
57. Arkansas Razorbacks (4-7) - 56.4
58. Miami University RedHawks (7-4) - 56.8
59. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-6) - 57.8
60. Kansas State Wildcats (5-6) - 60.2
61. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-4) - 61.6
62. Houston Cougars (6-6) - 62.9
63. New Mexico Lobos (6-5) - 64.5
64. UCF Knights (8-5) - 64.7
65. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-5) - 65.5
66. Memphis Tigers (7-5) - 65.7
67. UTEP Miners (8-4) - 66.6
68. Oregon State Beavers (5-6) - 66.9
69. Central Michigan Chippewas (6-5) - 68.1
70. Bowling Green Falcons (6-5) - 68.9
71. Colorado State Rams (6-6) - 69.1
72. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-7) - 71.4
73. UAB Blazers (5-6) - 72.0
74. Nevada Wolf Pack (9-3) - 73.6
75. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-6) - 74.2
76. San Diego State Aztecs (5-7) - 75.2
77. SMU Mustangs (5-6) - 76.3
78. Western Michigan Broncos (7-4) - 77.3
79. Connecticut Huskies (5-6) - 78.0
80. Air Force Falcons (4-7) - 78.7
81. Akron Zips (7-6) - 81.0
82. Arizona Wildcats (3-8) - 83.1
83. Wyoming Cowboys (4-7) - 83.5
84. Stanford Cardinal (5-6) - 84.0
85. ECU Pirates (5-6) - 84.3
86. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-7) - 86.0
87. Army Black Knights (4-7) - 87.4
88. Hawaii Warriors (5-7) - 88.4
89. Eastern Michigan Eagles (4-7) - 88.7
90. Ball State Cardinals (4-7) - 89.2
91. Washington Huskies (2-9) - 90.1
92. Indiana Hoosiers (4-7) - 90.9
93. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6-5) - 93.4
(tie) Marshall Thundering Herd (4-7) - 93.4
95. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (4-7) - 93.7
96. Ole Miss Rebels (3-8) - 96.0
97. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-7) - 97.1
98. Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-8) - 98.3
99. Ohio Bobcats (4-7) - 99.8
100. Arkansas State Red Wolves (6-6) - 100.0
101. Kentucky Wildcats (3-8) - 100.5
102. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-9) - 102.5
103. UNLV Rebels (2-9) - 103.2
104. FIU Golden Panthers (5-6) - 103.9
105. Tulane Green Wave (2-9) - 105.7
106. Troy Trojans (4-7) - 106.2
107. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (5-6) - 106.3
108. North Texas Mean Green (2-9) - 108.2
109. Syracuse Orange (1-10) - 108.8
110. Duke Blue Devils (1-10) - 110.8
111. Florida Atlantic Owls (2-9) - 110.9
112. Utah State Aggies (3-8) - 111.9
113. Rice Owls (1-10) - 112.0
114. San Jose State Spartans (3-8) - 113.4
115. Idaho Vandals (2-9) - 114.5
116. Kent State Golden Flashes (1-10) - 114.9
117. Buffalo Bulls (1-10) - 117.2
118. Temple Owls (0-11) - 118.0
119. New Mexico State Aggies (0-12) - 118.9

2006 Final Rankings

Ohio State as 2006 National Champion? Didn't Florida blow out Ohio State in the championship game that year? Yes, that is true, but according to our analysis, Florida had only the 7th best season going into the bowls. Heading into the bowls, Ohio State was clearly the #1 team, but Boise State, Louisville, Michigan, USC and West Virginia all had a better argument for even being in the championship game against Ohio State than Florida did. As it turns out, even with the blowout loss for Ohio State, none of these teams picked up enough ground with their performance in the bowls to overtake the Buckeyes. (Remember, that in our analysis system, the bowl games are just another game - weighted equally with the rest of the season's games.)

In the off-season, we will be running our computer analysis of each of the previous seasons of college football moving backward through time as far as it makes sense to do so. Here are the final rankings from 2006:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) - 1.5
2. Louisville Cardinals (12-1) - 2.0
3. Boise State Broncos (13-0) - 2.9
4. Florida Gators (13-1) - 3.7
5. USC Trojans (11-2) - 5.8
6. Michigan Wolverines (11-2) - 6.4
7. LSU Tigers (11-2) - 7.0
8. West Virginia Mountaineers (11-2) - 7.8
9. BYU Cougars (11-2) - 8.7
10. Wisconsin Badgers (12-1) - 9.9
11. California Golden Bears (10-3) - 11.1
12. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-4) - 12.6
(tie) Rutgers Scarlet Knights (11-2) - 12.6
14. Auburn Tigers (11-2) - 14.7
15. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-3) - 15.0
16. Hawaii Warriors (11-3) - 16.6
17. Oklahoma Sooners (11-3) - 16.7
18. Tennessee Volunteers (9-4) - 17.4
19. Texas Longhorns (10-3) - 18.9
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-3) - 20.7
21. TCU Horned Frogs (11-2) - 20.8
22. Boston College Eagles (10-3) - 21.2
23. Georgia Bulldogs (9-4) - 22.7
24. Oregon State Beavers (10-4) - 24.7
25. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-5) - 25.3
26. Clemson Tigers (8-5) - 25.6
27. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (11-3) - 26.3
28. Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-5) - 28.6
29. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-5) - 29.6
30. Houston Cougars (10-4) - 30.4
31. South Florida Bulls (9-4) - 32.1
32. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4) - 32.2
33. Texas A&M Aggies (9-4) - 32.9
34. UCLA Bruins (7-6) - 33.4
35. Kentucky Wildcats (8-5) - 35.2
36. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-5) - 36.7
37. Missouri Tigers (8-5) - 36.9
38. Oregon Ducks (7-6) - 38.0
39. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (9-5) - 40.1
40. Arizona Wildcats (6-6) - 40.6
41. Florida State Seminoles (7-6) - 41.8
42. Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-6) - 42.0
43. Utah Utes (8-5) - 42.4
44. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-6) - 44.9
45. Central Michigan Chippewas (10-4) - 45.6
46. Navy Midshipmen (9-4) - 45.9
47. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-7) - 46.5
48. Maryland Terrapins (9-4) - 47.0
49. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-5) - 47.7
50. Miami Hurricanes (7-6) - 48.3
51. Pittsburgh Panthers (6-6) - 50.8
52. Nevada Wolf Pack (8-5) - 51.7
53. Washington State Cougars (6-6) - 53.4
54. Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-7) - 54.3
55. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-5) - 54.4
56. Kansas Jayhawks (6-6) - 56.8
57. ECU Pirates (7-6) - 57.3
58. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (7-6) - 59.0
59. Kansas State Wildcats (7-6) - 60.4
60. Washington Huskies (5-7) - 61.0
61. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-7) - 61.3
62. Northern Illinois Huskies (7-6) - 61.6
63. San Jose State Spartans (9-4) - 61.8
64. Vanderbilt Commodores (4-8) - 62.1
65. Western Michigan Broncos (8-5) - 64.7
66. Purdue Boilermakers (8-6) - 66.5
67. Virginia Cavaliers (5-7) - 67.7
68. Wyoming Cowboys (6-6) - 67.8
69. Ohio Bobcats (9-5) - 69.8
70. Troy Trojans (8-5) - 70.0
71. Syracuse Orange (4-8) - 71.6
72. Rice Owls (7-6) - 71.7
73. Ole Miss Rebels (4-8) - 72.2
74. NC State Wolfpack (3-9) - 74.4
75. SMU Mustangs (6-6) - 75.0
76. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (4-8) - 77.3
77. Air Force Falcons (4-8) - 77.6
78. Baylor Bears (4-8) - 78.8
79. Marshall Thundering Herd (5-7) - 79.3
80. Connecticut Huskies (4-8) - 80.3
(tie) Michigan State Spartans (4-8) - 80.3
82. Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-9) - 82.1
83. Indiana Hoosiers (5-7) - 82.4
84. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6-6) - 84.3
85. New Mexico Lobos (6-7) - 85.7
86. UCF Knights (4-8) - 86.5
87. Ball State Cardinals (5-7) - 87.1
88. UAB Blazers (3-9) - 88.5
89. Florida Atlantic Owls (5-7) - 89.0
90. Fresno State Bulldogs (4-8) - 90.4
91. Toledo Rockets (5-7) - 91.0
92. UTEP Miners (5-7) - 91.6
93. Akron Zips (5-7) - 92.2
94. Northwestern Wildcats (4-8) - 94.8
95. Arkansas State Red Wolves (6-6) - 96.1
96. Tulane Green Wave (4-8) - 96.5
97. New Mexico State Aggies (4-8) - 96.6
98. Kent State Golden Flashes (6-6) - 97.6
99. Colorado State Rams (4-8) - 97.7
100. Memphis Tigers (2-10) - 97.9
101. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-10) - 98.6
102. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-9) - 102.1
103. Colorado Buffaloes (2-10) - 104.7
104. San Diego State Aztecs (3-9) - 106.3
105. Miami University RedHawks (2-10) - 106.4
106. Bowling Green Falcons (4-8) - 106.7
(tie) Iowa State Cyclones (4-8) - 106.7
108. Idaho Vandals (4-8) - 107.0
109. Stanford Cardinal (1-11) - 107.1
110. Army Black Knights (3-9) - 108.1
111. North Texas Mean Green (3-9) - 109.0
112. UNLV Rebels (2-10) - 111.1
113. Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-11) - 112.6
114. Buffalo Bulls (2-10) - 113.7
115. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (3-10) - 114.6
116. Temple Owls (1-11) - 115.7
117. FIU Golden Panthers (0-12) - 117.3
118. Duke Blue Devils (0-12) - 118.3
119. Utah State Aggies (1-11) - 119.1

2007 Final Rankings

In the off-season, we will be running our computer analysis of each of the previous seasons of college football moving backward through time as far as it makes sense to do so. Here are the final rankings from 2007:


1. LSU Tigers (12-2) - 1.9
2. West Virginia Mountaineers (11-2) - 2.3
3. Missouri Tigers (12-2) - 2.5
4. Kansas Jayhawks (12-1) - 3.6
5. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2) - 5.2
6. USC Trojans (11-2) - 6.3
7. Oklahoma Sooners (11-3) - 7.2
8. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3) - 8.8
9. Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) - 9.0
10. Florida Gators (9-4) - 9.1
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3) - 11.3
12. Oregon Ducks (9-4) - 12.0
13. South Florida Bulls (9-4) - 12.9
14. Boston College Eagles (11-3) - 14.4
15. Clemson Tigers (9-4) - 15.8
16. Tennessee Volunteers (10-4) - 15.9
17. Arizona State Sun Devils (10-3) - 18.4
18. Texas Longhorns (10-3) - 19.2
19. Arkansas Razorbacks (8-5) - 19.7
(tie) BYU Cougars (11-2) - 19.7
21. Auburn Tigers (9-4) - 20.2
22. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4) - 21.6
23. Hawaii Warriors (12-1) - 22.9
24. Illinois Fighting Illini (9-4) - 23.0
25. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-4) - 25.9
26. Kentucky Wildcats (8-5) - 26.0
27. Connecticut Huskies (9-4) - 26.1
28. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-4) - 30.5
29. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6) - 31.6
30. Oregon State Beavers (9-4) - 31.9
31. UCF Knights (10-4) - 32.3
32. Wisconsin Badgers (9-4) - 32.6
33. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-5) - 32.8
34. Troy Trojans (8-4) - 34.2
35. Michigan Wolverines (9-4) - 34.7
36. Michigan State Spartans (7-6) - 35.0
37. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-6) - 36.4
38. Boise State Broncos (10-3) - 37.1
39. Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-6) - 37.3
40. California Golden Bears (7-6) - 41.1
41. Florida State Seminoles (7-6) - 41.6
42. Utah Utes (9-4) - 41.7
43. Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-5) - 42.2
44. Purdue Boilermakers (8-5) - 44.4
45. Texas A&M Aggies (7-6) - 45.1
46. Virginia Cavaliers (9-4) - 45.5
47. Air Force Falcons (9-4) - 46.1
48. Maryland Terrapins (6-7) - 48.6
49. TCU Horned Frogs (8-5) - 49.3
50. Fresno State Bulldogs (9-4) - 49.4
51. UCLA Bruins (6-7) - 49.5
52. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-6) - 51.9
53. Arizona Wildcats (5-7) - 52.7
54. Louisville Cardinals (6-6) - 53.7
55. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (10-4) - 53.8
56. New Mexico Lobos (9-4) - 55.7
57. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-7) - 57.0
58. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-7) - 58.8
59. Kansas State Wildcats (5-7) - 59.2
60. Washington Huskies (4-9) - 59.6
61. Colorado Buffaloes (6-7) - 59.7
62. Indiana Hoosiers (7-6) - 62.3
63. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-7) - 63.1
64. Washington State Cougars (5-7) - 64.0
65. ECU Pirates (8-5) - 64.7
66. Houston Cougars (8-5) - 65.6
67. Miami Hurricanes (5-7) - 65.7
68. Florida Atlantic Owls (8-5) - 68.7
69. Ball State Cardinals (7-6) - 70.0
70. Navy Midshipmen (8-5) - 70.7
71. North Carolina Tar Heels (4-8) - 71.6
72. Wyoming Cowboys (5-7) - 72.1
73. NC State Wolfpack (5-7) - 72.9
74. Stanford Cardinal (4-8) - 74.0
75. Bowling Green Falcons (8-5) - 74.3
76. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-6) - 75.4
77. Nevada Wolf Pack (6-7) - 76.6
78. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-6) - 79.1
79. Central Michigan Chippewas (8-6) - 79.6
80. Ole Miss Rebels (3-9) - 79.8
81. Northwestern Wildcats (6-6) - 80.0
82. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (7-5) - 81.3
83. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (5-7) - 83.6
84. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (6-6) - 84.3
85. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-9) - 85.1
86. Colorado State Rams (3-9) - 86.7
87. San Diego State Aztecs (4-8) - 86.9
88. Miami University RedHawks (6-7) - 88.8
89. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5-7) - 89.2
90. Ohio Bobcats (6-6) - 90.0
91. Arkansas State Red Wolves (5-7) - 90.9
92. Western Michigan Broncos (5-7) - 92.2
93. UTEP Miners (4-8) - 92.6
94. Memphis Tigers (7-6) - 93.7
95. San Jose State Spartans (5-7) - 93.8
96. UNLV Rebels (2-10) - 94.3
97. Buffalo Bulls (5-7) - 97.4
98. Marshall Thundering Herd (3-9) - 99.7
99. Eastern Michigan Eagles (4-8) - 99.8
100. Akron Zips (4-8) - 99.9
101. Utah State Aggies (2-10) - 100.6
102. Iowa State Cyclones (3-9) - 101.0
103. Toledo Rockets (5-7) - 103.9
104. Syracuse Orange (2-10) - 104.1
105. New Mexico State Aggies (4-9) - 104.8
106. Kent State Golden Flashes (3-9) - 106.7
107. Temple Owls (4-8) - 106.8
108. Duke Blue Devils (1-11) - 107.4
109. Baylor Bears (3-9) - 109.9
(tie) Tulane Green Wave (4-8) - 109.9
111. Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-11) - 111.0
112. UAB Blazers (2-10) - 111.9
113. SMU Mustangs (1-11) - 112.5
114. Army Black Knights (3-9) - 113.4
115. Rice Owls (3-9) - 113.9
116. North Texas Mean Green (2-10) - 116.8
117. Northern Illinois Huskies (2-10) - 117.0
118. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (3-9) - 117.3
119. FIU Golden Panthers (1-11) - 117.5
120. Idaho Vandals (1-11) - 119.6

2008 Final Rankings

In the off-season, we will be running our computer analysis of each of the previous seasons of college football moving backward through time as far as it makes sense to do so. We begin with the 2008 season. Here are the final rankings from last season's set of games:

1. Florida Gators (13-1) - 1.5
2. Oklahoma Sooners (12-2) - 1.6
3. Texas Longhorns (12-1) - 3.1
4. Boise State Broncos (12-1) - 4.9
5. Utah Utes (13-0) - 5.3
6. USC Trojans (11-2) - 5.8
7. TCU Horned Frogs (11-2) - 6.3
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2) - 7.7
9. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-2) - 9.1
10. Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-2) - 9.7
11. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-3) - 11.1
12. Ole Miss Rebels (9-4) - 12.4
13. Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-4) - 13.3
14. Oregon Ducks (10-3) - 14.7
15. Missouri Tigers (10-4) - 15.5
16. Georgia Bulldogs (10-3) - 15.9
17. Ball State Cardinals (12-2) - 18.3
(tie) Iowa Hawkeyes (9-4) - 18.3
(tie) Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-4) - 18.3
20. Oregon State Beavers (9-4) - 19.2
21. Florida State Seminoles (9-4) - 21.6
22. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (11-3) - 22.6
23. California Golden Bears (9-4) - 22.7
24. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-4) - 24.8
25. Kansas Jayhawks (8-5) - 25.0
26. Michigan State Spartans (9-4) - 27.2
27. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-5) - 27.3
(tie) Pittsburgh Panthers (9-4) - 27.3
29. BYU Cougars (10-3) - 30.3
30. LSU Tigers (8-5) - 31.1
31. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-4) - 32.2
32. Arizona Wildcats (8-5) - 32.6
(tie) Cincinnati Bearcats (11-3) - 32.6
34. Boston College Eagles (9-5) - 33.1
35. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-4) - 34.1
36. Rice Owls (10-3) - 34.2
37. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-5) - 37.8
38. Clemson Tigers (7-6) - 39.5
39. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-5) - 39.6
40. Connecticut Huskies (8-5) - 39.9
41. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-6) - 40.2
42. Northwestern Wildcats (9-4) - 42.0
43. Miami Hurricanes (7-6) - 42.4
44. Air Force Falcons (8-5) - 43.6
45. Virginia Cavaliers (6-6) - 44.4
46. Houston Cougars (8-5) - 44.9
47. Vanderbilt Commodores (7-6) - 46.3
48. ECU Pirates (9-5) - 47.9
49. Maryland Terrapins (8-5) - 48.4
50. South Florida Bulls (8-5) - 49.1
51. Kentucky Wildcats (7-6) - 51.5
52. Troy Trojans (8-5) - 51.9
53. Navy Midshipmen (8-5) - 53.5
54. Illinois Fighting Illini (5-7) - 54.7
55. Wisconsin Badgers (7-6) - 55.6
56. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-6) - 56.3
57. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-6) - 56.9
58. Western Michigan Broncos (9-4) - 57.5
59. Auburn Tigers (5-7) - 59.3
60. NC State Wolfpack (6-7) - 59.6
61. Nevada Wolf Pack (7-6) - 61.3
62. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-6) - 62.6
63. Buffalo Bulls (8-6) - 63.3
64. Baylor Bears (4-8) - 63.8
65. Duke Blue Devils (4-8) - 65.3
66. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-7) - 66.7
67. Tennessee Volunteers (5-7) - 67.6
68. Arkansas Razorbacks (5-7) - 68.2
69. Northern Illinois Huskies (6-7) - 68.9
(tie) Stanford Cardinal (5-7) - 68.9
71. Fresno State Bulldogs (7-6) - 70.9
72. Temple Owls (5-7) - 73.2
73. Bowling Green Falcons (6-6) - 73.3
74. Central Michigan Chippewas (8-5) - 73.9
75. Colorado Buffaloes (5-7) - 74.5
76. Purdue Boilermakers (4-8) - 76.0
77. Colorado State Rams (7-6) - 77.0
78. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-5) - 77.5
79. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6-6) - 77.7
80. Hawaii Warriors (7-7) - 81.4
81. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-8) - 81.5
82. Arkansas State Red Wolves (6-6) - 81.8
83. Louisville Cardinals (5-7) - 84.2
84. UTEP Miners (5-7) - 84.6
85. Memphis Tigers (6-7) - 85.6
86. Marshall Thundering Herd (4-8) - 86.3
87. Florida Atlantic Owls (7-6) - 87.0
88. New Mexico Lobos (4-8) - 88.5
89. Kansas State Wildcats (5-7) - 88.6
90. FIU Golden Panthers (5-7) - 88.7
91. Michigan Wolverines (3-9) - 90.0
92. UCF Knights (4-8) - 90.7
93. Akron Zips (5-7) - 91.2
94. San Jose State Spartans (6-6) - 93.6
95. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (5-7) - 93.9
96. UCLA Bruins (4-8) - 95.2
97. UAB Blazers (4-8) - 97.5
98. Ohio Bobcats (4-8) - 98.5
99. Texas A&M Aggies (4-8) - 99.9
100. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (4-8) - 100.6
101. Utah State Aggies (3-9) - 100.9
102. Syracuse Orange (3-9) - 103.3
103. Indiana Hoosiers (3-9) - 103.7
104. UNLV Rebels (5-7) - 104.0
105. Iowa State Cyclones (2-10) - 104.1
106. Kent State Golden Flashes (4-8) - 104.8
107. Toledo Rockets (3-9) - 105.3
108. Wyoming Cowboys (4-8) - 107.8
109. Eastern Michigan Eagles (3-9) - 108.4
110. New Mexico State Aggies (3-9) - 109.4
111. Army Black Knights (3-9) - 112.1
(tie) Tulane Green Wave (2-10) - 112.1
113. Miami University RedHawks (2-10) - 112.7
114. SMU Mustangs (1-11) - 114.6
115. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (2-10) - 114.7
116. North Texas Mean Green (1-11) - 116.5
117. Idaho Vandals (2-10) - 117.1
118. San Diego State Aztecs (2-10) - 117.6
119. Washington Huskies (0-12) - 118.6
120. Washington State Cougars (2-11) - 118.9

Final Rankings - 2009 Season

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) - 1.2
2. Boise State Broncos (14-0) - 3.0
(tie) TCU Horned Frogs (12-1) - 3.0
4. Florida Gators (13-1) - 3.4
5. Texas Longhorns (13-1) - 4.4
6. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-3) - 6.6
7. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2) - 7.3
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2) - 7.8
9. Cincinnati Bearcats (12-1) - 8.6
10. Oregon Ducks (10-3) - 10.2
11. Oklahoma Sooners (8-5) - 12.7
12. Arkansas Razorbacks (8-5) - 13.0
13. BYU Cougars (11-2) - 13.3
14. LSU Tigers (9-4) - 14.8
15. Iowa Hawkeyes (11-2) - 15.4
16. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4) - 15.5
17. Miami Hurricanes (9-4) - 16.8
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-3) - 16.9
19. Pittsburgh Panthers (10-3) - 18.8
20. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-4) - 20.1
21. Utah Utes (10-3) - 21.7
22. Ole Miss Rebels (9-4) - 22.6
23. Stanford Cardinal (8-5) - 22.8
24. Auburn Tigers (8-5) - 25.4
(tie) Wisconsin Badgers (10-3) - 25.4
26. Arizona Wildcats (8-5) - 27.4
27. Clemson Tigers (9-5) - 28.0
(tie) USC Trojans (9-4) - 28.0
29. Oregon State Beavers (8-5) - 29.4
30. Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-4) - 30.2
31. Air Force Falcons (8-5) - 30.8
32. Georgia Bulldogs (8-5) - 30.9
33. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-4) - 32.8
34. Central Michigan Chippewas (12-2) - 33.0
35. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-4) - 33.8
36. Connecticut Huskies (8-5) - 34.1
37. Troy Trojans (9-4) - 37.8
38. Florida State Seminoles (7-6) - 38.9
39. Tennessee Volunteers (7-6) - 39.4
40. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-5) - 39.7
41. South Florida Bulls (8-5) - 40.8
42. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-6) - 42.9
43. Boston College Eagles (8-5) - 43.8
44. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-7) - 44.2
45. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6) - 44.9
46. Kentucky Wildcats (7-6) - 45.6
47. California Golden Bears (8-5) - 46.7
48. Houston Cougars (10-4) - 47.1
49. Navy Midshipmen (10-4) - 48.4
50. Missouri Tigers (8-5) - 50.1
51. ECU Pirates (9-5) - 51.1
52. UCLA Bruins (7-6) - 51.4
53. Washington Huskies (5-7) - 53.0
54. Texas A&M Aggies (6-7) - 53.7
55. Michigan State Spartans (6-7) - 55.6
56. Northwestern Wildcats (8-5) - 55.9
57. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (10-3) - 57.0
58. Fresno State Bulldogs (8-5) - 57.7
59. Purdue Boilermakers (5-7) - 58.6
60. Nevada Wolf Pack (8-5) - 60.5
61. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-7) - 61.7
62. Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-7) - 62.7
63. Iowa State Cyclones (7-6) - 63.7
64. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-8) - 64.9
(tie) UCF Knights (8-5) - 64.9
66. Bowling Green Falcons (7-6) - 65.5
67. Kansas Jayhawks (5-7) - 66.8
(tie) Ohio Bobcats (9-5) - 66.8
69. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-6) - 68.1
70. Kansas State Wildcats (6-6) - 68.7
71. Michigan Wolverines (5-7) - 70.1
72. Marshall Thundering Herd (7-6) - 73.5
73. SMU Mustangs (8-5) - 73.9
74. Baylor Bears (4-8) - 74.1
(tie) Northern Illinois Huskies (7-6) - 74.1
76. NC State Wolfpack (5-7) - 77.1
77. Temple Owls (9-4) - 78.0
78. Syracuse Orange (4-8) - 78.4
79. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (4-8) - 80.2
80. Idaho Vandals (8-5) - 80.8
81. UAB Blazers (5-7) - 81.3
82. Colorado Buffaloes (3-9) - 81.6
83. Louisville Cardinals (4-8) - 81.9
84. Illinois Fighting Illini (3-9) - 83.4
85. Buffalo Bulls (5-7) - 85.3
86. Wyoming Cowboys (7-6) - 85.6
87. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (5-7) - 86.2
88. UNLV Rebels (5-7) - 88.4
89. UTEP Miners (4-8) - 90.1
90. Indiana Hoosiers (4-8) - 90.4
91. Duke Blue Devils (5-7) - 92.5
92. Kent State Golden Flashes (5-7) - 93.4
93. Hawaii Warriors (6-7) - 93.9
94. Florida Atlantic Owls (5-7) - 94.2
95. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (6-6) - 94.6
96. Utah State Aggies (4-8) - 94.7
97. Virginia Cavaliers (3-9) - 95.9
98. San Diego State Aztecs (4-8) - 98.6
99. Arkansas State Red Wolves (4-8) - 99.2
100. Maryland Terrapins (2-10) - 99.7
101. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6-6) - 100.0
102. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-10) - 100.2
103. Western Michigan Broncos (5-7) - 101.0
104. Toledo Rockets (5-7) - 103.3
105. Colorado State Rams (3-9) - 104.2
106. Memphis Tigers (2-10) - 105.9
107. FIU Golden Panthers (3-9) - 106.9
108. Army Black Knights (5-7) - 107.9
109. Akron Zips (3-9) - 108.8
(tie) North Texas Mean Green (2-10) - 108.8
111. Tulane Green Wave (3-9) - 111.3
112. Ball State Cardinals (2-10) - 112.6
113. Miami University RedHawks (1-11) - 113.3
114. San Jose State Spartans (2-10) - 113.9
115. Rice Owls (2-10) - 114.3
116. Washington State Cougars (1-11) - 116.1
117. New Mexico State Aggies (3-10) - 116.6
118. New Mexico Lobos (1-11) - 117.2
119. Eastern Michigan Eagles (0-12) - 118.9
120. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (0-12) - 120.6