Final Regular Season Rankings

And Voila! Once again, that's how you design a computer ranking system to work. Oklahoma & Florida, #1 & #2. When it comes to straight achievement, these two did the most this season. USC jumps to #3 after easily holding down UCLA, while Utah & Texas round out the top five. Toughest SoS this year belongs to Virginia by far. 11-1 Pac10 Champ USC, 9-4 CUSA Champ East Carolina, and 7-5 UConn plus their ACC schedule - brutal. In fact, the ACC holds down most of the "toughest SoS" spots - 8 of their teams are in the top 13. As a conference they went 37-11 and were by far the most balanced conference this season. But more on that later... I'll be posting more frequently with a bunch of end-of-the-regular-season statistics, bowl matchups, and essays in the upcoming month, so stop by.

A few quick other thoughts...

With all the bitching and moaning of the last few weeks about the BCS, you can't deny that the two teams playing for the championship, Oklahoma & Florida, are extremely deserving. It's not like 2001 when people thought Nebraska was undeserving, or 2003 when they felt Oklahoma was undeserving - both the Sooners & Gators won their conference championships and have been playing the best football in the country the last few weeks. Are other teams deserving of a shot at the title? Sure, some of them - Texas, USC, and Penn State could all make arguments. But is Oklahoma or Florida undeserving? No, of course not. So take that to heart.

In the whole Texas-Oklahoma debacle of the last week, there's been a lot of talk that the Big12 should change their tiebreaker rules, and they've even indicated that they're going to look at the process in the offseason. They've said that the BCS tiebreak was designed to put the team in that had the best chance to play in the national championship game, and this year it worked. In fact, it worked so well that had Oklahoma lost to Missouri, Texas probably would have slid into the #2 spot. So in reality, the rule, while unfair to some of the teams involved, is of great benefit to the conference as a whole. They should really think about that when deciding whether or not to change it.

The BCS honchos should be sending thank you cards and flowers to Oregon right now. Try this one on for size - if the Ducks hadn't beaten the Beavers last week, then Oregon State would've gone to the Rose Bowl to play Penn State, and the Fiesta probably would've matched up Texas with USC. That would've been huge because with a win over the powerful Trojans (combined with a win by Oklahoma over Florida), Mack Brown would have been able to push their banner of the 45-35 win over Oklahoma even harder, probably convincing some pollsters that Texas deserved a piece of a split title. And they might have gotten it too. As it is, Texas is probably going to play Utah or Ohio State, and a win over the Utes or Buckeyes won't impress people nearly as much as a win over USC would. So the Ducks saved a lot more BCS headaches.

Onto the rankings!

Week 15 Achievement Rankings
Rank	Conf	Team	Pts	W	L	W%	oPts	oW	oL	oW%	rank∆
1	Big12	Oklahoma	669.95	12	1	92.3%	1361.99	101	60	62.7%	00
2	SEC	Florida	608.65	12	1	92.3%	1282.57	99	62	61.5%	03
3	Pac10	USC	524.54	11	1	91.7%	291.05	80	77	51.0%	07
4	MtnWest	Utah	518.79	12	0	100.0%	-387.74	75	72	51.0%	-01
5	Big12	Texas	514.27	11	1	91.7%	1403.08	96	62	60.8%	-03
6	Big10	Penn State	512.56	11	1	91.7%	99.41	76	69	52.4%	02
7	WAC	Boise State	473.29	12	0	100.0%	-772.56	73	74	49.7%	00
8	SEC	Alabama	455.34	12	1	92.3%	392.59	90	79	53.3%	-04
9	Big12	Texas Tech	453.21	11	1	91.7%	52.60	76	60	55.9%	-03
10	BigEast	Cincinnati	407.70	11	2	84.6%	213.29	85	76	52.8%	02
11	Big10	Ohio State	382.91	10	2	83.3%	817.35	89	56	61.4%	00
12	ACC	Virginia Tech	362.97	9	4	69.2%	1383.09	96	65	59.6%	07
13	MAC	Ball State	336.86	12	1	92.3%	-1549.12	71	89	44.4%	-04
14	ACC	Georgia Tech	284.50	9	3	75.0%	549.08	77	59	56.6%	-01
15	BigEast	Pittsburgh	281.46	9	3	75.0%	1066.85	92	66	58.2%	07
16	MtnWest	TCU	273.97	10	2	83.3%	74.17	81	65	55.5%	-02
17	ACC	Boston College	257.57	9	4	69.2%	1040.47	90	69	56.6%	-02
18	ACC	North Carolina	240.79	8	4	66.7%	1109.02	84	63	57.1%	-02
19	SEC	Georgia	235.18	9	3	75.0%	953.90	91	56	61.9%	-02
20	MtnWest	Brigham Young	225.22	10	2	83.3%	-1069.94	65	80	44.8%	-02
21	CUSA	East Carolina	222.90	9	4	69.2%	-187.22	82	88	48.2%	16
22	Big10	Michigan State	222.16	9	3	75.0%	648.85	87	69	55.8%	-02
23	ACC	Florida State	221.95	8	4	66.7%	1057.37	85	53	61.6%	00
24	Big12	Oklahoma State	217.31	9	3	75.0%	542.31	84	64	56.8%	-03
25	Pac10	Oregon	207.82	9	3	75.0%	52.16	78	79	49.7%	-01
26	Big12	Missouri	196.73	9	4	69.2%	694.35	92	67	57.9%	00
27	Pac10	Oregon State	189.58	8	4	66.7%	855.92	90	68	57.0%	00
28	CUSA	Tulsa	181.33	10	3	76.9%	-1510.87	67	92	42.1%	-03
29	SEC	Mississippi	180.39	8	4	66.7%	594.34	86	61	58.5%	-01
30	MAC	Western Michigan	164.19	9	3	75.0%	-742.29	73	75	49.3%	01
31	Big10	Northwestern	161.75	9	3	75.0%	-479.49	69	77	47.3%	-02
32	CUSA	Rice	160.87	9	3	75.0%	-825.06	71	86	45.2%	-02
33	Pac10	California	159.96	8	4	66.7%	271.74	80	77	51.0%	01
34	Big10	Iowa	155.93	8	4	66.7%	11.63	78	67	53.8%	-02
35	Big12	Nebraska	154.48	8	4	66.7%	906.44	89	70	56.0%	-02
36	BigEast	West Virginia	150.24	8	4	66.7%	408.96	80	67	54.4%	08
37	ACC	Wake Forest	146.07	7	5	58.3%	1311.27	87	70	55.4%	-02
38	Indy	Navy	143.97	8	4	66.7%	-125.78	75	71	51.4%	03
39	ACC	Maryland	134.97	7	5	58.3%	825.03	82	65	55.8%	-03
40	ACC	Clemson	129.31	7	5	58.3%	822.09	82	56	59.4%	-01
41	ACC	Miami (FL)	126.30	7	5	58.3%	1065.29	84	64	56.8%	01
42	MtnWest	Air Force	121.37	8	4	66.7%	-240.17	78	67	53.8%	-02
43	BigEast	Rutgers	120.45	7	5	58.3%	547.98	82	64	56.2%	04
44	MAC	Buffalo	119.49	8	5	61.5%	-148.26	88	82	51.8%	16
45	BigEast	Connecticut	109.93	7	5	58.3%	476.70	80	67	54.4%	-07
46	SunBelt	Troy	100.65	8	4	66.7%	-1317.50	67	79	45.9%	07
47	MAC	Central Michigan	100.61	8	4	66.7%	-741.02	72	76	48.6%	-02
48	ACC	NC State	94.06	6	6	50.0%	1245.13	87	60	59.2%	00
49	SEC	South Carolina	93.72	7	5	58.3%	609.59	83	63	56.8%	-03
50	BigEast	South Florida	86.30	7	5	58.3%	80.85	78	69	53.1%	-07
51	Big12	Kansas	83.90	7	5	58.3%	826.17	89	58	60.5%	-02
52	CUSA	Houston	72.29	7	5	58.3%	-533.54	75	72	51.0%	-02
53	SEC	LSU	64.15	7	5	58.3%	333.94	82	65	55.8%	-01
54	WAC	Fresno State	63.34	7	5	58.3%	-579.32	74	83	47.1%	-03
55	ACC	Virginia	46.98	5	7	41.7%	1543.53	85	50	63.0%	01
56	Big10	Wisconsin	45.55	7	5	58.3%	294.30	81	65	55.5%	-02
57	WAC	Nevada	37.98	7	5	58.3%	-161.65	79	68	53.7%	-02
58	Pac10	Arizona	34.52	7	5	58.3%	-545.61	71	86	45.2%	04
59	SEC	Vanderbilt	22.02	6	6	50.0%	776.71	87	71	55.1%	00
60	Big10	Minnesota	21.06	7	5	58.3%	-372.79	74	72	50.7%	-02
61	WAC	Louisiana Tech	10.00	7	5	58.3%	-1155.52	67	80	45.6%	00
62	WAC	Hawaii	9.42	7	6	53.8%	-95.92	86	75	53.4%	-05
63	MtnWest	Colorado State	-4.82	6	6	50.0%	98.16	82	63	56.6%	00
64	Indy	Notre Dame	-8.16	6	6	50.0%	260.11	78	80	49.4%	00
65	SEC	Kentucky	-19.71	6	6	50.0%	120.09	81	67	54.7%	00
66	CUSA	Southern Miss	-30.61	6	6	50.0%	-409.68	79	78	50.3%	06
67	MAC	Northern Illinois	-34.47	6	6	50.0%	-917.42	74	73	50.3%	02
68	SunBelt	Florida Atlantic	-37.06	6	6	50.0%	-655.42	76	80	48.7%	-02
69	WAC	San Jose State	-37.57	6	6	50.0%	-931.04	63	71	47.0%	-02
70	Big10	Illinois	-37.69	5	7	41.7%	516.70	82	53	60.7%	00
71	SEC	Arkansas	-39.89	5	7	41.7%	945.77	86	50	63.2%	00
72	MAC	Bowling Green	-50.72	6	6	50.0%	-754.75	67	78	46.2%	04
73	Pac10	Stanford	-55.90	5	7	41.7%	237.23	76	69	52.4%	00
74	SunBelt	Arkansas State	-56.64	6	6	50.0%	-1201.85	63	71	47.0%	-06
75	SunBelt	LA-Lafayette	-60.35	6	6	50.0%	-1351.05	60	84	41.7%	05
76	Big12	Colorado	-62.53	5	7	41.7%	463.88	77	58	57.0%	01
77	SEC	Auburn	-74.39	5	7	41.7%	56.66	74	61	54.8%	01
78	ACC	Duke	-80.55	4	8	33.3%	1251.44	81	53	60.4%	04
79	CUSA	Memphis	-81.31	6	6	50.0%	-1165.19	65	81	44.5%	00
80	MAC	Temple	-85.30	5	7	41.7%	-371.69	72	73	49.7%	03
81	BigEast	Louisville	-85.44	5	7	41.7%	123.92	74	61	54.8%	-07
82	SEC	Tennessee	-90.94	5	7	41.7%	465.73	79	67	54.1%	02
83	Pac10	Arizona State	-91.07	5	7	41.7%	-269.93	68	66	50.7%	-08
84	CUSA	UTEP	-92.62	5	7	41.7%	-73.04	76	71	51.7%	02
85	Big12	Kansas State	-93.15	5	7	41.7%	-180.71	70	66	51.5%	00
86	MAC	Akron	-101.03	5	7	41.7%	-628.93	69	78	46.9%	02
87	Big10	Purdue	-106.27	4	8	33.3%	712.27	83	50	62.4%	02
88	MtnWest	UNLV	-107.00	5	7	41.7%	-147.89	73	71	50.7%	-01
89	Big12	Baylor	-109.68	4	8	33.3%	967.19	82	54	60.3%	01
90	SunBelt	FL International	-121.82	5	7	41.7%	-1102.37	63	81	43.8%	02
91	SunBelt	Middle TN State	-126.90	5	7	41.7%	-1304.36	60	84	41.7%	-10
92	Pac10	UCLA	-139.00	4	8	33.3%	289.72	77	68	53.1%	-01
93	MtnWest	New Mexico	-141.72	4	8	33.3%	227.52	81	64	55.9%	01
94	SEC	Mississippi State	-142.58	4	8	33.3%	124.60	75	60	55.6%	-01
95	CUSA	Marshall	-142.99	4	8	33.3%	245.24	81	55	59.6%	00
96	Big12	Texas A&M	-151.38	4	8	33.3%	672.45	79	66	54.5%	00
97	MAC	Ohio	-164.10	4	8	33.3%	-598.96	70	64	52.2%	01
98	CUSA	UAB	-167.09	4	8	33.3%	-777.99	66	69	48.9%	-01
99	CUSA	Central Florida	-170.80	4	8	33.3%	-520.97	68	69	49.6%	00
100	MtnWest	Wyoming	-172.38	4	8	33.3%	-291.77	72	61	54.1%	00
101	BigEast	Syracuse	-175.52	3	9	25.0%	960.23	85	50	63.0%	00
102	WAC	Utah State	-184.16	3	9	25.0%	626.15	87	58	60.0%	00
103	Big10	Indiana	-194.90	3	9	25.0%	383.42	82	53	60.7%	00
104	Big10	Michigan	-204.14	3	9	25.0%	819.69	85	59	59.0%	00
105	MAC	Kent State	-210.16	4	8	33.3%	-935.67	65	71	47.8%	01
106	SunBelt	LA-Monroe	-219.67	4	8	33.3%	-1435.05	57	76	42.9%	-01
107	MAC	Toledo	-231.84	3	9	25.0%	-428.55	73	72	50.3%	00
108	MAC	Eastern Michigan	-252.88	3	9	25.0%	-310.24	73	62	54.1%	01
109	WAC	New Mexico State	-269.47	3	9	25.0%	-604.68	68	67	50.4%	01
110	Indy	Army	-271.09	3	9	25.0%	-635.15	67	67	50.0%	-02
111	Big12	Iowa State	-308.45	2	10	16.7%	-387.60	68	66	50.7%	00
112	WAC	Idaho	-315.85	2	10	16.7%	-604.53	70	65	51.9%	00
113	CUSA	Tulane	-317.32	2	10	16.7%	-143.63	77	70	52.4%	00
114	Pac10	Washington State	-325.47	2	11	15.4%	-72.73	77	69	52.7%	00
115	MtnWest	San Diego State	-326.09	2	10	16.7%	-147.98	74	60	55.2%	01
116	MAC	Miami (OH)	-363.00	2	10	16.7%	-682.27	68	69	49.6%	01
117	Indy	Western Kentucky	-371.32	2	10	16.7%	-833.56	67	60	52.8%	-02
118	CUSA	SMU	-377.01	1	11	8.3%	54.25	78	56	58.2%	00
119	SunBelt	North Texas	-401.22	1	11	8.3%	-604.07	73	72	50.3%	01
120	Pac10	Washington	-422.10	0	12	0.0%	1126.86	87	59	59.6%	-01

The ACC takes the regular season crown by a landslide. Sure they had the same basic record as the Big12 & SEC at 37-11, but their conference SoS was much tougher than those two. The BigEast slides into the #3 spot, while the Big10, MtnWest, and Pac10 round out the top seven. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the bowls. I'll have a bigger breakdown of each conference's non-conf schedule later this week.

Week 15 Conference Achievement Rankings
Rank	Avg Points	Conference	non-conf W	non-conf L	non-conf W%	non-conf oPts	non-conf oW	non-conf oL	non-conf oW%
1	152.70	ACC	37	11	77.1%	-3724.64	237	195	54.9%
2	106.67	Big12	38	10	79.2%	-5253.93	225	250	47.4%
3	100.28	BigEast	29	12	70.7%	-2766.00	212	211	50.1%
4	91.04	SEC	38	11	77.6%	-4886.74	236	259	47.7%
5	65.79	Big10	32	12	72.7%	-4290.84	216	219	49.7%
6	30.81	MtnWest	25	11	69.4%	-5180.97	148	211	41.2%
7	-4.22	Pac10	14	17	45.2%	1313.84	206	147	58.4%
8	-34.31	WAC	18	19	48.6%	-2223.65	200	176	53.2%
9	-62.15	MAC	22	30	42.3%	-3436.32	275	271	50.4%
10	-65.42	CUSA	18	30	37.5%	-878.47	280	225	55.4%
11	-116.65	SunBelt	13	27	32.5%	-2512.66	217	233	48.2%