College Football News very rarely pays us much credit...and then this in their final season rankings...
http://collegefootballnews.com/2017/2016...st-seasons
5. Washington (12-2)
Season Score: 20.73
2016 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2016 CFN Preseason Opinion Ranking: 11
This is where the schedule hurts. The Cougars have five Quality Wins and didn’t generate an Elite Win – joining Western Michigan as the only teams in the top nine not to get one. Winning the Pac-12 championship turned out to push the Huskies this high – only the top four teams came up with more wins.
4. Western Michigan (13-1)
Season Score: 20.98
2016 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2016 CFN Preseason Opinion Ranking: 80
What?! How could Western Michigan possibly be this high? Remember, this was one of the two teams that came into the bowl season unbeaten. The 13 wins fell just behind Clemson and Alabama overall, and the five Quality Wins turned out to matter. Yeah, winning the MAC isn’t like winning the Pac-12 or Big 12, but it’s all about winning, and WMU did that in a historic season.
3. Ohio State (11-2)
Season Score: 24.21
2016 Preseason Prediction: 11-1
2016 CFN Preseason Opinion Ranking: 6
How amazing is it that the Buckeyes got this high in the Season Rankings without a Big Ten title and with a Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson? Beating Oklahoma and Wisconsin on the road was a huge deal in the ranking, and the seven wins over teams that finished with winning records is amazing.
2. Alabama (14-1)
Season Score: 29.55
2016 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2016 CFN Preseason Opinion Ranking: 4
The Crimson Tide defense was one defensive stop away from coming up with the all-time greatest Season Ranking – it would’ve been a 15-0 season. As is, it was a phenomenal year with ten wins over teams that went bowling including USC, Western Kentucky, and Tennessee. And yeah, winning the SEC championship matters.
1. Clemson (14-1)
Season Score: 31.86
2016 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2016 CFN Preseason Opinion Ranking: 3
Winning the national title will crank up the Season Ranking just a smidge. The Tigers win 11 games over teams that went bowling, and led the nation with three Elite Wins. How did this season compare to Alabama of last year? It was a little bit below – 2015 Alabama finished with a score of 32.37 – but Clemson fans will worry about that as they’re figuring out which National Champions t-shirts they want to buy.
/
Color Me Surprised...
