Based off the following metrics:

Program power (record from 2012-2016)
Rivalry dominance (versus expectations)
Coaching stability (based on Phil Steele rankings)
Recruiting trend (versus expectations)
Revenue growth (from the Dept. of Education database)
"Twitter buzz" (% of tweets from fans that are positive)

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_...08395967=1

The MAC has 3 in the Bottom 10 - BG at 119, UB at 121, and Kent State at 124. Toledo is highest in the conference at 19. I'm not putting too much stock into the rankings though, any methodology that puts Miami's 'rivalry dominance' at 55 is probably a bit off.

(08-24-2017 07:26 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Based off the following metrics:

Program power (record from 2012-2016)
Rivalry dominance (versus expectations)
Coaching stability (based on Phil Steele rankings)
Recruiting trend (versus expectations)
Revenue growth (from the Dept. of Education database)
"Twitter buzz" (% of tweets from fans that are positive)

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_...08395967=1

The MAC has 3 in the Bottom 10 - BG at 119, UB at 121, and Kent State at 124. Toledo is highest in the conference at 19. I'm not putting too much stock into the rankings though, any methodology that puts Miami's 'rivalry dominance' at 55 is probably a bit off.

what a load of

Not sure how any MAC school could be in the top 50, let alone top 20. No school has sustained consistent enough success to be there except maybe NIU for 5 years. None of our fanbases are nearly big enough.

[quote='george14' pid='14523930' dateline='1503586752']
Not sure how any MAC school could be in the top 50, let alone top 20. No school has sustained consistent enough success to be there except maybe NIU for 5 years. None of our fanbases are nearly big enough.

Past 5 seasons, NIU(48-20 2 MAC titles) averaged 10 wins 4 losses 0-4 Bowls. Toledo(44-19) has averaged 9 wins 4 losses 2-2 Bowls. NIU has trended down the past two seasons(13-13) after a great 35-7 record the three previous years. Those are the MAC's best records during the period. From 2012-2016, the Rockets had wins over #21 Cincinnati, #18 Arkansas, and #24 Temple. CMU's win against #22 OK State and Kent's victory over #18 Rutgers were the MAC's only other wins vs ranked OOC opponents during that period.

(08-24-2017 11:25 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  Past 5 seasons, NIU(48-20 2 MAC titles) averaged 10 wins 4 losses 0-4 Bowls. Toledo(44-19) has averaged 9 wins 4 losses 2-2 Bowls. NIU has trended down the past two seasons(13-13) after a great 35-7 record the three previous years. Those are the MAC's best records during the period. From 2012-2016, the Rockets had wins over #21 Cincinnati, #18 Arkansas, and #24 Temple. CMU's win against #22 OK State and Kent's victory over #18 Rutgers were the MAC's only other wins vs ranked OOC opponents during that period.

I wasn't comparing or taking a shot at any school in particular. I love MAC football. My point was, I think it's difficult to put any MAC school that high. Toledo is a great football school and they show up against the big dogs, but how many MAC titles do they have in recent memory?

For example, Michigan is ranked behind Toledo (ironic since Toledo did beat them in 2008 haha)? Come on now....Michigan is a national powerhouse no matter how much I hate them. USC ranked behind SDSU? I think it was a cool study but these are ridiculous. EMU is ranked ahead of Cincy....CMU is ranked ahead of Notre Dame? They were in the Fiesta Bowl 2 years ago.

(08-24-2017 01:05 PM)george14 Wrote:  

(08-24-2017 11:25 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  Past 5 seasons, NIU(48-20 2 MAC titles) averaged 10 wins 4 losses 0-4 Bowls. Toledo(44-19) has averaged 9 wins 4 losses 2-2 Bowls. NIU has trended down the past two seasons(13-13) after a great 35-7 record the three previous years. Those are the MAC's best records during the period. From 2012-2016, the Rockets had wins over #21 Cincinnati, #18 Arkansas, and #24 Temple. CMU's win against #22 OK State and Kent's victory over #18 Rutgers were the MAC's only other wins vs ranked OOC opponents during that period.

I wasn't comparing or taking a shot at any school in particular. I love MAC football. My point was, I think it's difficult to put any MAC school that high. Toledo is a great football school and they show up against the big dogs, but how many MAC titles do they have in recent memory?

For example, Michigan is ranked behind Toledo (ironic since Toledo did beat them in 2008 haha)? Come on now....Michigan is a national powerhouse no matter how much

hate them. USC ranked behind SDSU? I think it was a cool study but these are ridiculous. EMU is ranked ahead of Cincy....CMU is ranked ahead of Notre Dame? They were in the Fiesta Bowl 2 years ago.

It's how happy or miserable is the fan base over the past five seasons.

Michigan was 5-7 three years ago. Cincy was 4-8 last year. So was ND. Fan bases can't be happy about that.

How upset can you be if you still fork over boatloads of money to see the team? Seems like the schools that still get really good attendance must be the happiest. Which of course is none of the MAC schools.

are we really supposed to believe Miami football fans are happier than Ohio football fans over the last five years? Ohio has owned Miami during that time; Ohio has gone to MAC title games and bowl games during that time; Ohio has sold out its stadium during that time. I mean, really?!

(08-24-2017 03:24 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  are we really supposed to believe Miami football fans are happier than Ohio football fans over the last five years? Ohio has owned Miami during that time; Ohio has gone to MAC title games and bowl games during that time; Ohio has sold out its stadium during that time. I mean, really?!

For Ohio this is standard fare. After a total of 9 wins the previous four season, almost
knocking off a SEC team in a Bowl might make Miami a bit happier and excited than the Bobcats.

(08-24-2017 02:43 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  It's how happy or miserable is the fan base over the past five seasons.

Michigan was 5-7 three years ago. Cincy was 4-8 last year. So was ND. Fan bases can't be happy about that.

Are you kidding me? Notre Dame was in the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in 2012. They were in the Fiesta Bowl in 2015. They finished #20 in 2013. Great job picking last year as the outlier.

Michigan finished #10 last year and #11 the year before.

Cincy was the co-champ of the Big East and AAC in that time.

But yes, please tell me how Toledo reigns supreme over these teams. How about this: Toledo hasn't won the MAC since 2004 "Fan base can't be happy about that".

(08-24-2017 05:06 PM)george14 Wrote:  How about this: Toledo hasn't even played in a MACC since 2004 "Fan base can't be happy about that".

FIFY

The Rocket will get some MACC's. Personally I believe that getting a win over a ranked team with the Bednarik Award Winner on a national broadcast means more for a program than a MACC.

(08-24-2017 07:26 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  any methodology that puts Miami's 'rivalry dominance' at 55 is probably a bit off.

I'm confused by this as well.

They seem to almost arbitrarily assign values to teams.

Miami
Program Power - 33
Rivalry Dominance - 55
Coaching Stability - 45
Recruiting Trend - 20
Revenue Growth - 18
Twitter Buzz - 61

Ohio
Program Power - 32
Rivalry Dominance - 59
Coaching Stability - 83
Recruiting Trend - 78
Revenue Growth - 91
Twitter Buzz - 76

Miami is only ranked higher in one category (Program Power by a whopping 1 point) and yet their overall ranking is much higher. I should add that for the life of me I can't figure out how Miami would rank higher in that category based on the last five seasons. I'm not arguing whether Miami fans are happier where they are right now compared to the last five seasons. I'm just saying the results they came to don't match the methodology they spelled out.

No one really understands how the data was obtained and what is weighted more... having said that, it's about fan base happiness. Our fanbase likes the head coach, is happy about our last draft, and is looking forward to Logan Woodside at the helm. No one is saying we are better than anyone above or below us. App State is riding high after beating us in the bowl game and should win 10 this season. They are ranked 10th in this. Just because fan bases are smaller and success is subjective to their own goals... doesn't mean as a whole we can't be 85% elated as a fan base versus 82% for Michigan. Or whatever the % value is.

Also a quite a few MAC teams have beaten ranked Toledo teams in the past 5 years. NIU, WMU, Ball State etc.

(08-24-2017 05:06 PM)george14 Wrote:  

(08-24-2017 02:43 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  It's how happy or miserable is the fan base over the past five seasons.

Michigan was 5-7 three years ago. Cincy was 4-8 last year. So was ND. Fan bases can't be happy about that.

Are you kidding me? Notre Dame was in the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in 2012. They were in the Fiesta Bowl in 2015. They finished #20 in 2013. Great job picking last year as the outlier.

Michigan finished #10 last year and #11 the year before.

Cincy was the co-champ of the Big East and AAC in that time.

But yes, please tell me how Toledo reigns supreme over these teams. How about this: Toledo hasn't won the MAC since 2004 "Fan base can't be happy about that".

There's a methodology stated. You can disagree with the methodology but as long as they define their terms and method it's hard to argue the results. Obviously, fans of big time programs have higher expectations that are rarely met. Recent headline I saw "Is this the year Ohio State football makes a comeback"? Nothing short of WINNING an NCAA championship is enough for some fan bases.

Quote:"Twitter buzz"

(08-30-2017 10:41 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  There's a methodology stated. You can disagree with the methodology but as long as they define their terms and method it's hard to argue the results.

Except the results don't match the defined methodology.

(08-30-2017 11:30 AM)OUVan Wrote:  

(08-30-2017 10:41 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  There's a methodology stated. You can disagree with the methodology but as long as they define their terms and method it's hard to argue the results.

Except the results don't match the defined methodology.

This.