2024 Polls and Rankings

Week 7 SP+

Indiana #17

USC #25

Nebraska # 26

Iowa #29

Wisconsin #39

Rutgers #44

Illinois #47

Also B1G has 4 of the worst 6 P4 teams (and all 4 are behind SDSU and NDSU) - Mich St, UCLA, Northwestern, Purdue


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Maybe I believe we’re only 6 better than them in current SOS? But I think Colorado is a lot better than any team Indiana has beaten. I think Rutgers = Maryland. I think Northwestern and UCLA are somewhat better than Purdue. 

 
Maybe I believe we’re only 6 better than them in current SOS? But I think Colorado is a lot better than any team Indiana has beaten. I think Rutgers = Maryland. I think Northwestern and UCLA are somewhat better than Purdue. 


Using SP+, they best win by either team is Indiana over Maryland (42nd). Rutgers is indeed in that ballpark (44), as is Illinois (47). Adding in Colorado (55), we have played 3 games against top-55 teams and have gone 2-1. A couple things potentially at play - we don't know the actual distance between the 102nd/108th ranked teams in whatever SOS calculation they have. Looking at just the better teams on the schedule, we have played a tougher schedule (44, 47, 55 versus 42, 79, 80).

Also as far as I know only SP+ includes non-FBS teams. UNI is ranked 165 and Western Illinois is 263 - worse than two D3 teams, and almost on par with the best NAIA team. If it's not SP+, they just won't include either FCS game and that makes Indiana's schedule appear tougher. Our average opponent ranking (still technically assumes equal ditance between ranks) is 98.5, or 85.2 without UNI. Indiana's opponents average 123.5, or 95.6 without Western Illinois. So there's definitely a difference, but the difference appears smaller if you assume UNI/W. Illinois are the same. UTEP is really, really bad too.

 
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