Coinciding with the release of the BCS comes this week’s version of the Elite Selection Playoff (ESP). For you first timers an explanation of the ESP can be found here. I’ve also attached the links to the BCS standings and Sagarin Computer Ranking for comparison purposes.

Nota Bene, Sagarin’s strength of schedule calculation is very different from that used by the AV Ranking. Sagarin includes every opponent on a team’s schedule. The AV Ranking strength of schedule only includes opponents a team has faced to date. Sagarin’s method results in less variation and is a better indicator of the final picture. The AV Ranking, on the other hand, is a better predictor of the current college football landscape since teams are not given credit or debit for opponents they haven’t played.

On to the results…

Elite Selection Playoff

No surprises here. Texas heads up the top spot in the ESP followed by Alabama, Oklahoma, and USC. However, the drop between Alabama and Oklahoma is pretty steep.

Elite Selection Playoff

[table id=11 /]

Strength of Schedule

After temporarily losing the top spot for strength of schedule the Huskies have climbed back in the lead. Nebraska dropped three spots from the previous week allowing Purdue and Syracuse to rise to spots two and three. In fact, the Boilermakers are very close to claiming the top spot. For the Irish faithful in the audience, Notre Dame’s strength of schedule comes in at number 80.

Strength of Schedule

[table id=12 /]

The AV Ranking

The AV Ranking looks just like the ESP with the exception of Oklahoma State taking USC’s spot. Only the top 25 teams are shown. Coming in at 53, the Irish didn’t make the cut. This is largely due to their relatively easy strength of schedule and 0-2 road record.

AV Ranking

[table id=13 /]