(02-02-2019 07:49 AM)micahandme Wrote: (12-31-2018 02:15 PM)Wedge Wrote:
Top 25...breakdown (% OF TEAMS IN TOP 25)
SEC--9 (5 W, 4 E) 64%
Big Ten--5 (1 W, 4 E) 36%
Big 12--2 (no divisions) 20%
Pac-12--5 (2 S, 3 N) 42%
ACC--3 (2 Atlantic, 1 coastal) 21%
Ind--1
Analysis--building a superpower is easiest in the Big 12 and the ACC. You simply don't have as many elite programs to edge out. And once you can establish yourself as the king (like OU over Texas recently, and Clemson over FSU/Miami), it APPEARS as if you are the king over a whole conference; when in reality, you are the king of a bunch of dwarves.
Just looking at the polls can be VERY misleading. For example, this year the SEC had by far the most ranked teams going into bowl season. Here are the results:
Baylor 45, Vandy 38
Auburn 63, Purdue 14
#1 Alabama 45, #4 Oklahoma 34
#10 Florida 41, #7 Michigan 15
Virginia 29, S Carolina 0
#19 Texas AM 52, NC State 13
Oklahoma St 38, #23 Missouri 33
#15 Texas 28, #5 Georgia 21
#11 LSU 40, #8 UCF 32
#14 Kentucky 27, #12 Penn St 24
Iowa 27, #18 Miss. St 22
#2 Clemson 44, #1 Alabama 16
(I'm not picking on the SEC, just using them as an example - this applies to all conferences, but the SEC had the most ranked teams).
In 9 bowls involving ranked SEC teams, those teams went 5-4. In games where the SEC team was ranked but the opponent was not, the SEC was 1-2. POLLS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT.