Okay, so what if we give out GPAs based on the grades above? Let's give four points for a "very good," three for "good," two for "okay," and one for "bad." How are teams grading out so far?
(Teams' AP rankings are listed below.)
4.0 average
No. 8 Florida State (vs. 2.0 competition)
No. 13 UCLA (vs. 2.0)
No. 6 LSU (vs. 1.8)
No. 2 Oregon (vs. 1.7)
No. 19 Baylor (vs. 1.3)
Forget your preconceptions for a moment; these five teams have looked the most consistently great so far this year. Granted, almost none of them have played anybody, but as I like to say, you can only pass the tests you've been given. The tests will get tougher for all involved soon enough.
3.7
No. 1 Alabama (vs. 3.0)
No. 16 Washington (vs. 2.0)
And this is only if you give Alabama a "very good" for the defensive (and non-offensive) performance against Virginia Tech. Nick Saban has some work to do, but he probably likes it that way.
3.5
No. 7 Louisville (vs. 1.5)
No. 4 Ohio State (vs. 1.3)
Good enough for the schedules at hand.
Seriously, can we redraw the schedules before Saturday? Obviously Wisconsin (in Columbus) and Northwestern (in Evanston) will be a pretty stiff 1-2 punch for Ohio State to handle, but that shouldn't be the stiffest test standing between you and the BCS title game. And what's Louisville's toughest 1-2 punch ... Rutgers-UCF, I guess? Yuck.
3.3
No. 3 Clemson (vs. 2.3)
No. 5 Stanford (vs. 2.0)
No. 27 Georgia Tech (vs. 2.0)
No. 32 Arizona (vs. 1.3)
Either Clemson and Stanford are overrated, or Georgia Tech and Arizona are underrated. Or, you know, neither. It's still early.
3.0
No. 21 Ole Miss (vs. 2.3)
No. 18 Michigan (vs. 2.0)
No. 14 Oklahoma (vs. 2.0)
No. 11 Oklahoma State (vs. 2.0)
No. 24 Texas Tech (vs. 2.0)
No. 15 Miami (vs. 1.7)
No. 29 UCF (vs. 1.7)
No. 35 Missouri (vs. 1.7)
No. 28 Maryland (vs. 1.5)
No. 36 Navy (vs. 1.5)
Michigan is No. 18 in the polls, and Baylor is No. 19.
I'm going to write that again. Michigan is No. 18 in the polls, and Baylor is No. 19. Just want to hammer that home.
Oh yeah, and Nebraska's still receiving more votes than Arizona.
2.7
No. 17 Northwestern (vs. 1.5)
No. 25 Fresno State (vs. 1.3)
These teams have high ceilings, it seems, but have not dominated lesser teams like you're supposed to.
2.5
Colorado (vs. 1.5)
2.3
No. 31 Northern Illinois (vs. 1.7)
Minnesota (vs. 1.3)
Houston (vs. 1.3)
(Teams' AP rankings are listed below.)
4.0 average
No. 8 Florida State (vs. 2.0 competition)
No. 13 UCLA (vs. 2.0)
No. 6 LSU (vs. 1.8)
No. 2 Oregon (vs. 1.7)
No. 19 Baylor (vs. 1.3)
Forget your preconceptions for a moment; these five teams have looked the most consistently great so far this year. Granted, almost none of them have played anybody, but as I like to say, you can only pass the tests you've been given. The tests will get tougher for all involved soon enough.
3.7
No. 1 Alabama (vs. 3.0)
No. 16 Washington (vs. 2.0)
And this is only if you give Alabama a "very good" for the defensive (and non-offensive) performance against Virginia Tech. Nick Saban has some work to do, but he probably likes it that way.
3.5
No. 7 Louisville (vs. 1.5)
No. 4 Ohio State (vs. 1.3)
Good enough for the schedules at hand.
Seriously, can we redraw the schedules before Saturday? Obviously Wisconsin (in Columbus) and Northwestern (in Evanston) will be a pretty stiff 1-2 punch for Ohio State to handle, but that shouldn't be the stiffest test standing between you and the BCS title game. And what's Louisville's toughest 1-2 punch ... Rutgers-UCF, I guess? Yuck.
3.3
No. 3 Clemson (vs. 2.3)
No. 5 Stanford (vs. 2.0)
No. 27 Georgia Tech (vs. 2.0)
No. 32 Arizona (vs. 1.3)
Either Clemson and Stanford are overrated, or Georgia Tech and Arizona are underrated. Or, you know, neither. It's still early.
3.0
No. 21 Ole Miss (vs. 2.3)
No. 18 Michigan (vs. 2.0)
No. 14 Oklahoma (vs. 2.0)
No. 11 Oklahoma State (vs. 2.0)
No. 24 Texas Tech (vs. 2.0)
No. 15 Miami (vs. 1.7)
No. 29 UCF (vs. 1.7)
No. 35 Missouri (vs. 1.7)
No. 28 Maryland (vs. 1.5)
No. 36 Navy (vs. 1.5)
Michigan is No. 18 in the polls, and Baylor is No. 19.
I'm going to write that again. Michigan is No. 18 in the polls, and Baylor is No. 19. Just want to hammer that home.
Oh yeah, and Nebraska's still receiving more votes than Arizona.
2.7
No. 17 Northwestern (vs. 1.5)
No. 25 Fresno State (vs. 1.3)
These teams have high ceilings, it seems, but have not dominated lesser teams like you're supposed to.
2.5
Colorado (vs. 1.5)
2.3
No. 31 Northern Illinois (vs. 1.7)
Minnesota (vs. 1.3)
Houston (vs. 1.3)
