(04-24-2021 01:07 PM)hammannja Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 12:55 PM)jedclampett Wrote:  No one seemed to take any notice of this, so I'd just like to repost it, because it makes an important point:

Big East Final Football Standings in 2002:

1. Miami 12-1 (AP #2)
2. WVU 9-4 (AP #25)
3. Pitt 9-4 (AP #19)
4. VT 10-4 (AP #18)
5. BC 9-4 (#33 in Massey Composite Rankings)

Average rank for the top five teams: #19.4

(Highest ranked top 5 in the history of the Big East Conference)

American Big East Final Standings in 2019:

1. Memphis 12-2 (AP #17)
2. Navy 11-2 (AP #20)
3. Cincy 11-3 (AP #21)
4. UCF 10-3 (AP #24)
5. SMU 10-3 (#30 in Massey Composite Rankings)

Average rank for the top five teams: #22.4

I agree that this information makes an important point. However, I reach a different conclusion than you. The most important data point from among the 12 you provide is that Miami was ranked 2nd in the AP poll. In our winner-take-all society, averages matter less than bell-cow teams. Until a conference consistently gets a team in the Top 4, the conference average will always be undervalued. The ink and airwaves are spent talking about the best teams during the season and it waterfalls from the top of the rankings to the bottom. Very little national ink and airwaves are spent on teams outside the Top 10 relative to teams in the Top 4.

Just take a look at the declining perception of the Pac-12 for validation of my argument above. I suspect their averages are still reasonably fine.

This. Look no further than the ACC. Take out Clemson and they might as well be the MAC.