I just dont understand this

[bucknut7]

When the dust from the roster fiasco ends, me and my friends will be starting an online dynasty. 6 of us in the pac-12 as 3-4 star teams, and I drew Arizona. As I have only really played with Ohio State in the past, I decided to sim a few seasons in dynasty mode and practice recruiting. Because I love sim stats, I still give everything a look. To my amazement, this is what I found in the rankings.

Utah 11-3, South division champs: unranked

Penn State 9-4: #21
Wisky 10-4: #25
Iowa 10-3: #11
Nebraska 9-4: #19
MSU 8-5: #14!!!!!

Notre Dame 8-5: #22

WVU 9-4: #23

Duke 10-4: #24

-----------

All of these are outrageous, but especially MSU at #14. On top of that, Wisconsin played Michigan in the Big10 championship and lost. Ohio State (who was tied with Wisconsin in the conference but lost head-head, beat Michigan but finished second in the division) went to the MNC instead of Michigan when they didn't even play in the conference championship game. I thought that felt a little off. I wonder if EA even tests this stuff

[Pogo27]

Are those post-season ranks or pre-season ranks?

Was Utah receiving votes?

How were the non-conference schedules?

How was the rest of the Pac-12?

When did Utah lose its 3 games? Did it go 11-0 then 0-3?

Quote: Originally Posted by bucknut7

On top of that, Wisconsin played Michigan in the Big10 championship and lost. Ohio State (who was tied with Wisconsin in the conference but lost head-head, beat Michigan but finished second in the division) went to the MNC instead of Michigan when they didn't even play in the conference championship game. I thought that felt a little off. I wonder if EA even tests this stuff

While this hasn't happened before, it almost happened recently with Oklahoma/Texas/Missouri, yeah? I don't think it's necessarily that much of a stretch to happen in the game.

[bucknut7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pogo27

Are those post-season ranks or pre-season ranks? Was Utah receiving votes? How were the non-conference schedules? How was the rest of the Pac-12? When did Utah lose its 3 games? Did it go 11-0 then 0-3? While this hasn't happened before, it almost happened recently with Oklahoma/Texas/Missouri, yeah? I don't think it's necessarily that much of a stretch to happen in the game.

Yeah, they were ranked 26th essentially. Still absurd that MSU was 15. They lost sporadically throughout the season, the Pac-12 was average, no one else ranked

[Pogo27]

Well, that pretty well explains it. Utah went 11-3 in a conference in which no one was ranked, and assuming they didn't play anyone big time in non-conference, I don't have a problem with the ranking.

MSU may have gone 8-5.... but look at how many other teams in their conference were ranked ahead of them... plus they play Notre Dame as a non-conference game.

Michigan State's strength of schedule was extraordinarily tougher.

[dochalladay32]

Quote: Originally Posted by bucknut7

When the dust from the roster fiasco ends, me and my friends will be starting an online dynasty. 6 of us in the pac-12 as 3-4 star teams, and I drew Arizona. As I have only really played with Ohio State in the past, I decided to sim a few seasons in dynasty mode and practice recruiting. Because I love sim stats, I still give everything a look. To my amazement, this is what I found in the rankings. Utah 11-3, South division champs: unranked Penn State 9-4: #21 Wisky 10-4: #25 Iowa 10-3: #11 Nebraska 9-4: #19 MSU 8-5: #14!!!!! Notre Dame 8-5: #22 WVU 9-4: #23 Duke 10-4: #24 ----------- All of these are outrageous, but especially MSU at #14. On top of that, Wisconsin played Michigan in the Big10 championship and lost. Ohio State (who was tied with Wisconsin in the conference but lost head-head, beat Michigan but finished second in the division) went to the MNC instead of Michigan when they didn't even play in the conference championship game. I thought that felt a little off. I wonder if EA even tests this stuff

See Nebraska, circa 2001. They didn't play in the Big 12 title game but made it to the national title game.

And the MNC acronym is getting stale. The current champion is no more mythical than when a champion was named from the polls in previous decades. Every champion since the beginning of time in top level football is mythical in my book.

[ttech10]

It's hard to judge if there's really an issue with that without seeing the full game schedule of each of those teams. But as you say, you lost to three different unranked teams and beat only unranked teams. Sounds decently reasonable.

Like right now Indiana (2*) is #1 in the nation ahead of Oklahoma (6*) and Texas Tech (5*)... the only 3 undefeated teams at week 11. While it does seem weird that they're so low on their OVR and program prestige yet receiving more than half of the 1st place votes their schedule vs ours makes it all understandable. We've both only beaten the current #24 team (Baylor) while Indiana has beaten the current #10 team (Penn State).

Though I will agree there are times when the rankings are completely screwed up/glitched. Last years game a 3 loss team jumped to #1 one week, moving up like 10 ranks, then the week after they were moved back to #11 or whatever it was. Would have been POd if that happened the last week before bowls.