NCAA 1-128 Re-rank: Assessing the unbeatens
Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports 9:31 a.m. EDT September 29, 2014
2014-09-29-Re-rank
(Photo: Shanna Lockwood, USA TODAY Sports)
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Seventeen undefeated teams remain in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with all but two — Marshall and Brigham Young — on the major-conference level. Let's give the entire list: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Baylor, TCU, Marshall, Nebraska, Notre Dame, BYU, Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, Texas A&M, Alabama, Mississippi State, Auburn and Mississippi.

One of Florida State and Georgia Tech will lose once, if to the other in the ACC title game. Likewise with two of Oklahoma, Baylor and TCU; the same with two of Oregon, Arizona and UCLA. By golly, even four of those five teams from the SEC West Division are going to have at least one loss by year's end.

What this means: Technically speaking, there could be eight undefeated teams heading into the postseason — one from the ACC, one from the Big 12, one from the Pac-12, one from the SEC and Marshall, Nebraska, Notre Dame and BYU.

That's down the road. For now, it's a crowded field atop the 1-128 re-ranking: Florida State still leads, trailed closely by Oregon, Auburn, Alabama and Oklahoma — with Auburn leaping ahead of its in-state rival to come in third, behind the Seminoles and Ducks.


USATODAY
Played In/Played Out: For UCLA, A&M, breakouts or blips?
Two notes: one, the re-ranking begins with the preseason rankings as a starting point and works from there; and two, with five weeks in the book, I think it's safe to say we've got a fairly good read on the entire Football Bowl Subdivision.

1. Florida State (4-0, 2-0) | 2. Oregon (4-0, 1-0) | 3. Auburn (4-0, 1-0) | 4. Alabama (4-0, 1-0) | 5. Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0) | 6. Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0) | 7. Baylor (4-0, 1-0) | 8. Notre Dame (4-0, 0-0) | 9. Mississippi (4-0, 1-0) | 10. Michigan State (3-1, 0-0)

11. UCLA (4-0, 1-0) | 12. Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0) | 13. Georgia (3-1, 1-1) | 14. Nebraska (5-0, 1-0) | 15. Stanford (3-1, 1-1) | 16. Brigham Young (4-0, 0-0) | 17. Kansas State (3-1, 1-0) | 18. Ohio State (3-1, 0-0) | 19. LSU (4-1, 0-1) | 20. USC (3-1, 2-0)

21. Marshall (4-0, 0-0) | 22. Oklahoma State (3-1, 1-0) – UP 8 | 23. Clemson (2-2, 1-1) | 24. Missouri (4-1, 1-1) – UP 17 | 25. Arizona (4-0, 1-0) | 26. South Carolina (3-2, 2-2) – DOWN 14 | 27. East Carolina (3-1, 1-0) | 28. Arkansas (3-2, 0-2) | 29. Wisconsin (3-1, 0-0) | 30. TCU (3-0, 0-0)

31. Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0) | 32. Maryland (4-1, 1-0) | 33. Washington (4-1, 0-1) | 34. Arizona State (3-1, 1-1) | 35. Iowa (4-1, 1-0) | 36. North Carolina State (4-1, 0-1) – UP 32 | 37. Oregon State (3-1, 0-1) | 38. Duke (4-1, 0-1) – DOWN 14 | 39. Florida (2-1, 1-1) | 40. Penn State (4-1, 1-1) – DOWN 11

41. Tennessee (2-2, 0-1) | 42. Minnesota (4-1, 1-0) | 43. Louisville (4-1, 2-1) | 44. Miami (Fla.) (3-2, 1-1) | 45. Virginia Tech (3-2, 0-1) | 46. Utah (3-1, 0-1) | 47. West Virginia (2-2, 0-1) | 48. Cincinnati (2-1, 0-0) | 49. Northern Illinois (3-1, 0-0) | 50. California (3-1, 1-1)

51. Rutgers (4-1, 0-1) | 52. Texas (2-2, 1-0) | 53. Virginia (3-2, 1-0) | 54. Colorado State (3-1, 0-1) – UP 19 | 55. San Diego State (2-2, 1-0) | 56. Toledo (3-2, 2-0) | 57. Boise State (3-2, 1-1) – DOWN 21 | 58. Pittsburgh (3-2, 1-0) | 59. Nevada (3-1, 1-0) | 60. Boston College (3-2, 0-1) – DOWN 17

61. Arkansas State (2-2, 0-0) | 62. UCF (1-2, 0-0) | 63. Utah State (2-2, 0-0) | 64. Indiana (2-2, 0-1) | 65. Western Kentucky (2-2, 0-1) – UP 20 | 66. Navy (2-3, 0-0) | 67. Washington State (2-3, 1-1) – UP 17 | 68. Temple (3-1, 1-0) | 69. Kentucky (3-1, 1-1) | 70. Texas Tech (2-2, 0-1) – DOWN 15

71. Bowling Green (3-2, 1-0) | 72. North Carolina (2-2, 0-1) – DOWN 16 | 73. Houston (2-2, 0-0) | 74. Air Force (3-1, 1-1) – UP 24 | 75. Northwestern (2-2, 1-0) – UP 14 | 76. Middle Tennessee State (3-2, 2-0) | 77. Memphis (2-2, 0-0) | 78. Michigan (2-3, 0-1) – DOWN 17 | 79. Akron (2-1, 0-0) – UP 21 | 80. Louisiana-Lafayette (1-3, 0-0)

81. Georgia Southern (3-2, 2-0) | 82. Iowa State (1-3, 0-2) – DOWN 10 | 83. Louisiana-Monroe (3-1, 2-0) | 84. Illinois (3-2, 0-1) – DOWN 10 | 85. Syracuse (2-2, 0-0) | 86. Louisiana Tech (2-3, 1-0) – DOWN 11 | 87. Ohio (3-2, 1-0) | 88. North Texas (2-2, 0-1) | 89. UTSA (1-3, 0-1) – DOWN 19 | 90. Fresno State (2-3, 1-0)

91. Old Dominion (3-2, 1-1) – DOWN 12 | 92. Texas State (2-2, 0-0) | 93. UTEP (2-2, 0-0) | 94. South Alabama (2-2, 1-1) | 95. San Jose State (1-2, 0-0) | 96. Ball State (1-3, 0-1) | 97. Rice (1-3, 1-1) | 98. Wyoming (3-2, 1-0) | 99. Colorado (2-3, 0-2) | 100. Buffalo (3-2, 1-0)

101. Florida Atlantic (2-3, 1-0) – UP 10 | 102. South Florida (2-3, 1-0) | 103. UAB (2-2, 0-1) – DOWN 13 | 104. Vanderbilt (1-4, 0-3) | 105. Wake Forest (2-3, 0-1) | 106. Kansas (2-2, 0-1) | 107. Central Michigan (2-3, 0-1) | 108. Florida International (2-3, 1-0) – UP 14 | 109. Tulsa (1-3, 1-0) | 110. Tulane (1-4, 0-1)

111. Purdue (2-3, 0-1) | 112. Connecticut (1-4, 0-1) | 113. New Mexico (1-3, 0-1) | 114. Southern Mississippi (2-3, 0-1) | 115. Hawaii (1-3, 0-0) | 116. UNLV (1-4, 0-1) | 117. New Mexico State (2-3, 1-0) | 118. Western Michigan (2-2, 0-0) | 119. Army (1-3, 0-0) – DOWN 12 | 120. Appalachian State (1-3, 0-1) | 121. Georgia State (1-3, 0-1) | 122. Massachusetts (0-5, 0-1) | 123. Kent State (0-4, 0-1) | 124. Idaho (0-4, 0-2) | 125. Troy (0-5, 0-1) | 126. SMU (0-4, 0-0) | 127. Eastern Michigan (1-3, 0-0) | 128. Miami (Ohio) (0-5, 0-1)


SUNBELT
61) Arkansas State
80) Louisiana
81) Georgia Southern
83) Louisiana-Monroe
92) Texas State
94) South Alabama
117) New Mexico State
120) Appalachian State
121) Georgia State
124) Idaho
125) Troy

It's nice to see this many in the double-digits again.

Glad to be back to double digits

A lot of how our league is evaluated seems to be predicated on the assumption of UL being one of the top 2 teams in the league.

Looks right to me but I think app should be ranked hifher

(09-29-2014 10:01 AM)GaSouthern Wrote:  Looks right to me but I think app should be ranked hifher

The problem is they haven't done anything to justify it other than a close game against USM.

(09-29-2014 09:46 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  A lot of how our league is evaluated seems to be predicated on the assumption of UL being one of the top 2 teams in the league.

The belt needs a team to reel off an 11-1 or 12-0 type year and knock off a couple name schools in the process. Many thought ULL might do that this year..When the consensus preseason pick struggles it diminishes the perception of a smaller conference... We need a team to do what Boise State did in the last 10 years and it helps all of us..

(09-29-2014 11:47 AM)augustis13 Wrote:  

(09-29-2014 09:46 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  A lot of how our league is evaluated seems to be predicated on the assumption of UL being one of the top 2 teams in the league.

The belt needs a team to reel off an 11-1 or 12-0 type year and knock off a couple name schools in the process. Many thought ULL might do that this year..When the consensus preseason pick struggles it diminishes the perception of a smaller conference... We need a team to do what Boise State did in the last 10 years and it helps all of us..

I honestly think that almost all of the current SBC Teams can progress to the point of being a national G5 player but that won't happen until next year at the earliest. This is without knowing the composition of the other teams' rosters. I just hope this year is an aberration.

Let me get this right, the two teams that beat us with a combined 5 points are ranked 31st and 36th but we are still only ranked 81st....after ULL, or any other G5 2 lose teams.

Well maybe Southern will get some respect eventually. I mean I guess those "garbage" ACC teams we actually gave a game to arent really that good. Its not like one gave the #1 team a fight. Speaking of #1 why is FSU is still #1. Yea try again polls.

And please guys. Stop saying we are not playing the 2 best teams in the Sun Belt. The only really good team we wont play this year is Ark St. Until ULL shows something THIS year they are not #2. As of right now #2 is ULM and #3 belongs to us. ULL should be happy they aren't playing us.

(09-29-2014 12:54 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:   Let me get this right, the two teams that beat us with a combined 5 points are ranked 31st and 36th but we are still only ranked 81st....after ULL, or any other G5 2 lose teams.

Well maybe Southern will get some respect eventually. I mean I guess those "garbage" ACC teams we actually gave a game to arent really that good. Its not like one gave the #1 team a fight. Speaking of #1 why is FSU is still #1. Yea try again polls.

And please guys. Stop saying we are not playing the 2 best teams in the Sun Belt. The only really good team we wont play this year is Ark St. Until ULL shows something THIS year they are not #2. As of right now #2 is ULM and #3 belongs to us. ULL should be happy they aren't playing us.

While some of this is bold (#3 Might have to go through TX St. before many agree on that), I agree with it.

But let's not forget that we started around 120something? That's a climb of about 40 spots in five weeks that while we played good against good teams.. include 2 losses. Not all losses are created equal, same as wins and one of our wins was Sav. State.

All we can do is stay on a winning streak and not stumble again and will earn more respect. BUT - a climb of 40 spots is no lack of respect.

This poll is pretty flawed anyway. I mean, how is UL ranked higher than L.Tech? I like it! But doesn't make sense to me given each teams record and the head to head defeat.

(09-29-2014 01:28 PM)The4thOption Wrote:  

(09-29-2014 12:54 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:   Let me get this right, the two teams that beat us with a combined 5 points are ranked 31st and 36th but we are still only ranked 81st....after ULL, or any other G5 2 lose teams.

Well maybe Southern will get some respect eventually. I mean I guess those "garbage" ACC teams we actually gave a game to arent really that good. Its not like one gave the #1 team a fight. Speaking of #1 why is FSU is still #1. Yea try again polls.

And please guys. Stop saying we are not playing the 2 best teams in the Sun Belt. The only really good team we wont play this year is Ark St. Until ULL shows something THIS year they are not #2. As of right now #2 is ULM and #3 belongs to us. ULL should be happy they aren't playing us.

While some of this is bold (#3 Might have to go through TX St. before many agree on that), I agree with it.

But let's not forget that we started around 120something? That's a climb of about 40 spots in five weeks that while we played good against good teams.. include 2 losses. Not all losses are created equal, same as wins and one of our wins was Sav. State.

All we can do is stay on a winning streak and not stumble again and will earn more respect. BUT - a climb of 40 spots is no lack of respect.

This poll is pretty flawed anyway. I mean, how is UL ranked higher than L.Tech? I like it! But doesn't make sense to me given each teams record and the head to head defeat.

I certainly wouldn't put UL in front of LaTech at this point. Pretty sure it has a lot to do with the loss to Northwestern State (FCS). Those hurt a lot! Also, not a lot was expected of Tech before the season started, so they, just like Ga Southern, had to slowly move up the rankings; then they hit the speed bump in Ruston.
But these polls are simply someone's guesstimate. Most of them don't really watch the G5 that much; so they just look at overall record and any headliners to judge whether a team is doing good or not. So today, LaTech is 2-3; with one of those losses to an FCS. Nuff said.