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Updated S&P+ rankings have four SEC teams in Top 10 – A&M not among them
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The worlds of sports and analytics are being blurred together at a ever-continuing pace. These statistical finds not only help to provide a clearer picture when it comes to personnel decisions, but also aids as a mechanism in determining the best teams in the said sport.
On Sunday, Football Outsiders released its new S&P+ rankings — illustrating a list of the top college football teams nationally.
Per the website, “the S&P+ ratings take into account efficiency (Success Rates), explosiveness (IsoPPP), and factors related to field position and finishing drives. It is now presented in two forms: the first is a percentile, and the second is an adjusted scoring margin specific for this specific season’s scoring curve.”
The components for the S&P+ include: efficiency, explosiveness, field position, finishing drives, and turnovers. It’s essentially an advanced method of determining how good a team is based upon quality opposition.
Took forever, but … NEW S&P+ RANKINGS ARE UP. Top 2, next 6, and everybody else.https://t.co/KTBe8QQh21 pic.twitter.com/gA9V13cHVY
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) October 30, 2016
In this ranking, Alabama registers as the No. 2 team in the country. Other top-10 SEC squads include LSU (No. 7), Auburn (No. 8), and Florida (No. 9).
Interestingly enough, Texas A&M — despite its 7-1 record — finds itself ranked at No. 16. This could ultimately be due to fattening up on cupcakes such as New Mexico State and Prairie View A&M.
Ole Miss also finds itself at No. 19. Though the Rebels have a 3-5 record, this study illustrates how Ole Miss is likely better than its record indicates.
