≡ Menu

Last week, I introduced the first edition of the SRS for the 2015 college football season. This week, we have a new number one: the Michigan Wolverines.

Michigan scored 38 points in a win over Northwestern yesterday; that matches the number of points allowed by the team all season. Michigan has now posted three consecutive shutouts, and all six games have come against FBS competition, allowing just 6.3 points per game in the process. Boston College is second in points allowed versus FBS competition, at 10 per game, but the Eagles are averaging only six points per game in those contests.

Michigan’s averaging a respectable 29.5 points per game this year; as a result, the Wolverines have an average points differential of 23.2 per game. The only teams better than that? Baylor (with a ridiculous 43.75 points per game differential) and Boise State (24), but Michigan’s tougher SOS gives the Wolverines the jump in the SRS.

Without further ado, below are the SRS ratings through six weeks. As always thanks to Dr. Peter R. Wolfe for providing the weekly game logs.

RkTeamConfDivConf RkGMOVSOSSRSREC
1MichiganB10B10-East1619.839.459.15-1
2BaylorB12B12153323.456.45-0
3UtahP12P12-South1515.937.953.85-0
4AlabamaSECSEC-West1616.337.153.55-1
5Notre DameIndInd-West1614.538.352.85-1
6ClemsonACCACC-Atl1515.836.952.75-0
7Boise StMWCMWC-Mntn1621.729.250.85-1
8StanfordP12P12-North2515.535.250.74-1
9Southern CalP12P12-South3515.434.850.23-2
10FloridaSECSEC-East2615.833.949.86-0
11TCUB12B122619.330.449.86-0
12Texas A&MSECSEC-West3515.833.449.25-0
13OklahomaB12B123512.136.848.94-1
14UCLAP12P12-South4510.837.648.44-1
15Ohio StateB10B10-East2618.129.947.96-0
16NavyAmerAmer-West1513.73447.74-1
17WashingtonP12P12-North55938.347.33-2
18CaliforniaP12P12-North6613.433.847.35-1
19Oklahoma StB12B12461532.247.26-0
20TennesseeSECSEC-East468.338.446.73-3
21West VirginiaB12B125511.335.346.63-2
22MississippiSECSEC-West5618.527.846.35-1
23Brigham YoungIndInd-West261.844.346.14-2
24NorthwesternB10B10-West368.637.546.15-1
25Kansas StB12B126510.335.145.43-2
26IowaB10B10-West4613.132.145.16-0
27North CarolinaACCACC-Coas2516.927.544.44-1
28PittsburghACCACC-Coas358.236.144.34-1
29Florida StACCACC-Atl4516.827.444.25-0
30LSUSECSEC-West6515.628.644.25-0
31ToledoMACMAC-West1516.527.5445-0
32Western KentuckyCUSACUSA-East1616.227.643.85-1
33DukeACCACC-Coas5616.627.143.65-1
34GeorgiaSECSEC-East7612.131.143.24-2
35WisconsinB10B10-West5611.331.7434-2
36Texas TechB12B12769.233.842.94-2
37LouisvilleACCACC-Atl654.138.542.62-3
38HoustonAmerAmer-West2519.922.542.45-0
39Georgia TechACCACC-Coas76636422-4
40North Carolina StACCACC-Atl8615.825.841.54-2
41TempleAmerAmer-East3518.522.741.25-0
42Mississippi StSECSEC-West8612.427.740.14-2
43Virginia TechACCACC-Coas965.734.239.83-3
44ArkansasSECSEC-West96-0.54039.52-4
45Penn StateB10B10-East669.529.639.15-1
46IllinoisB10B10-West765.533.438.94-2
47Georgia SouthernSunSun1513.425.538.94-1
48ArizonaP12P12-South76830.838.84-2
49MemphisAmerAmer-West4518.420.238.65-0
50Utah StMWCMWC-Mntn255.732.838.53-2
51East CarolinaAmerAmer-East560.937.338.23-3
52Arizona StP12P12-South863.934.238.14-2
53Louisiana TechCUSACUSA-West261126.737.74-2
54NebraskaB10B10-West863.73437.72-4
55Bowling GreenMACMAC-East265.131.236.34-2
56Michigan StB10B10-East96927.236.26-0
57Ohio U.MACMAC-East3613.221.935.15-1
58Miami FLACCACC-Coas1058.726.234.93-2
59TexasB12B1286-9.344.134.82-4
60AuburnSECSEC-West105-1.435.934.53-2
61KentuckySECSEC-East115430.334.34-1
62IndianaB10B10-East106-1.335.233.94-2
63Northern IllinoisMACMAC-West465.727.933.63-3
64MissouriSECSEC-East1263.23033.14-2
65VirginiaACCACC-Coas115-11.94533.11-4
66MinnesotaB10B10-West1160.332.732.94-2
67Iowa StB12B1295-1.834.332.52-3
68UNLVMWCMWC-West36-1.533.832.32-4
69ConnecticutAmerAmer-East662.329.732.13-3
70Air ForceMWCMWC-Mntn457.524.5323-2
71Boston CollegeACCACC-Atl1267.124.731.83-3
72VanderbiltSECSEC-East1350.531.231.72-3
73OregonP12P12-North963.128.131.23-3
74Wake ForestACCACC-Atl1362.128.9313-3
75Middle Tennessee StCUSACUSA-East363.727.3312-4
76Washington StP12P12-North1052.82830.83-2
77Appalachian StSunSun2518.512.130.64-1
78San José StMWCMWC-West562.927.230.13-3
79MarshallCUSACUSA-East4612.317.729.95-1
80MarylandB10B10-East126-9.939.329.42-4
81CincinnatiAmerAmer-East755.723.729.43-2
82SyracuseACCACC-Atl1452.626.729.33-2
83BuffaloMACMAC-East554.824.2292-3
84Oregon StP12P12-North115-9.538.5292-3
85Central MichiganMACMAC-West66-129.428.42-4
86TulsaAmerAmer-West850.228.228.43-2
87South CarolinaSECSEC-East146-6.935.228.32-4
88AkronMACMAC-East764.323.828.13-3
89South FloridaAmerAmer-East952.125.427.52-3
90NevadaMWCMWC-West66-2.628.5263-3
91San Diego StMWCMWC-West761.324.425.73-3
92RutgersB10B10-East1351.323.424.72-3
93Florida Int'lCUSACUSA-East565.818.324.13-3
94Western MichiganMACMAC-West85-7.13123.92-3
95Ball StMACMAC-West96-7.230.923.72-4
96ArmyIndInd-West36-6.329.923.71-5
97ColoradoP12P12-South1263.320.423.73-3
98Arkansas StSunSun35-3.527.223.72-3
99PurdueB10B10-West146-8.43223.61-5
100Colorado StMWCMWC-Mntn86-1.925.523.52-4
101SMUAmerAmer-West106-13.93723.11-5
102Southern MissCUSACUSA-West664.118.722.83-3
103TroySunSun45-11.133.422.31-4
104Texas-San AntonioCUSACUSA-West76-10.732.822.11-5
105Louisiana-MonroeSunSun55-10.530.820.31-4
106MassachusettsMACMAC-East105-15.335.520.21-4
107RiceCUSACUSA-West86-4.423.519.13-3
108Hawai`iMWCMWC-West96-14.233.2192-4
109South AlabamaSunSun65-8.527.318.83-2
110Louisiana-LafayetteSunSun75-2.621.218.62-3
111Kent StMACMAC-East116-6.324.618.32-4
112TulaneAmerAmer-West115-11.929.517.62-3
113Florida AtlanticCUSACUSA-East95-8.123.715.61-4
114IdahoSunSun85-18.432.814.41-4
115KansasB12B12105-22.336.3140-5
116New MexicoMWCMWC-Mntn1060.913.1143-3
117Fresno StMWCMWC-West116-18.532.5141-5
118Miami OHMACMAC-East126-15.828.712.81-5
119Central FloridaAmerAmer-East126-14.52712.50-6
120Texas St-San MarcosSunSun95-12.625.112.51-4
121Eastern MichiganMACMAC-West136-11.522.711.21-5
122Old DominionCUSACUSA-East105-12.5229.52-3
123UNC-CharlotteCUSACUSA-East115-11.118.87.72-3
124WyomingMWCMWC-Mntn126-14.822.17.20-6
125New Mexico StSunSun105-18.123.65.50-5
126UTEPCUSACUSA-West126-16.921.44.52-4
127Georgia StSunSun115-13.717.43.71-4
128North TexasCUSACUSA-West135-27.327.90.60-5

One question that is sure to come up with why are the Wolverines ahead of the Utes? The beauty of the SRS is not that it is perfect, but that it is elegant. It is a closed system where every variable acts in a rational way. The sum of the (adjusted) points differential and strength of schedule equals the team’s SRS rating; in addition, the average of the weekly SRS ratings equals the season rating. So let’s look at the SRS single-game rating for each game this year from Michigan and Utah:

DateTm_ConfPFOppPAH/RW/LDiffMOVOpp_ConfSOSSRS
10-10-2015Michigan_B1038Northwestern0HomeWin3829.5B104675.5
09-26-2015Michigan_B1031Brigham Young0HomeWin3126Ind46.172.1
09-03-2015Utah_P1224Michigan17HomeWin77B1059.166.1
09-26-2015Utah_P1262Oregon20RoadWin4234.5P1231.165.6
10-03-2015Michigan_B1028Maryland0RoadWin2827.5B1029.356.8
10-10-2015Utah_P1230California24HomeWin67P1247.254.2
09-12-2015Michigan_B1035Oregon St7HomeWin2824.5P1228.953.4
09-19-2015Michigan_B1028UNLV7HomeWin2118MWC32.350.3
09-03-2015Michigan_B1017Utah24RoadLoss-7-7P1253.846.8
09-11-2015Utah_P1224Utah St14HomeWin107MWC38.445.4
09-19-2015Utah_P1245Fresno St24RoadWin2124MWC13.937.9

Utah’s win over Michigan scored a +66.1, while Michigan received a +46.8 score in that game; so far, that makes sense. But Utah’s win over Oregon looks a lot less impressive now that the Ducks are 93rd in this system. And Michigan’s blowout wins over Northwestern and BYU are outstanding victories; those teams are 9-1 in all other games, with the one loss being a 3-point road loss against a strong UCLA team.

The other thing hurting Utah? A 21-point win over a Fresno State team that ranks 117th. Utah led 24-3 entering the fourth quarter of that game, where each team scored three touchdowns. A 24-3 win counts the same here as a 45-24 win, but either way, it’s considered unimpressive given that given that Fresno State lost by 26 to San Jose State, 42 to Utah State, and 52 to Ole Miss. Still, even if we pretended that game never existed, Utah would still be behind Michigan. The Utes average in the other five games: an MOV of 13.9, an SOS of 44.0, and a resulting SRS of 57.8.

Finally, below are the single-game SRS scores from week six:

DateTm_ConfPFOppPAH/RW/LDiffMOVOpp_ConfSOSSRS
10-10-2015Michigan_B1038Northwestern0HomeWin3829.5B104675.5
10-10-2015Notre Dame_Ind41Navy24HomeWin1714Amer47.661.6
10-10-2015Texas Tech_B1266Iowa St31HomeWin3528B1232.460.4
10-08-2015Washington_P1217Southern Cal12RoadWin58P1250.158.1
10-10-2015Arizona_P1244Oregon St7HomeWin3729P1228.957.9
10-10-2015Clemson_ACC43Georgia Tech24HomeWin1916ACC41.957.9
10-10-2015Duke_ACC44Army3RoadWin4134Ind23.657.6
10-10-2015Baylor_B1266Kansas7RoadWin5943B121457
10-10-2015Oklahoma St_B1233West Virginia26RoadWin710B1246.656.6
10-10-2015Western Kentucky_CUSA58Middle Tennessee St28HomeWin3025.5CUSA30.956.4
10-10-2015Texas_B1224Oklahoma17NeutWin77B1248.855.8
10-10-2015TCU_B1252Kansas St45RoadWin710B1245.355.3
10-10-2015Utah_P1230California24HomeWin67P1247.254.2
10-10-2015Florida_SEC21Missouri3RoadWin1821SEC3354
10-09-2015Virginia Tech_ACC28North Carolina St13HomeWin1512ACC41.453.4
10-10-2015Penn State_B1029Indiana7HomeWin2219B1033.852.8
10-10-2015Boise St_MWC41Colorado St10RoadWin3129MWC23.552.5
10-10-2015Minnesota_B1041Purdue13RoadWin2827.5B1023.651.1
10-10-2015Tennessee_SEC38Georgia31HomeWin77SEC43.150.1
10-10-2015Alabama_SEC27Arkansas14HomeWin1310SEC39.549.5
10-10-2015Utah St_MWC56Fresno St14RoadWin4234.5MWC13.948.4
10-10-2015Temple_Amer49Tulane10HomeWin3930Amer17.547.5
10-10-2015Ohio State_B1049Maryland28HomeWin2118B1029.347.3
10-10-2015South Florida_Amer45Syracuse24HomeWin2118ACC29.247.2
10-10-2015California_P1224Utah30RoadLoss-6-7P1253.846.8
10-10-2015Mississippi St_SEC45Troy17HomeWin2824.5Sun22.246.7
10-10-2015LSU_SEC45South Carolina24HomeWin2118SEC28.246.2
10-10-2015Iowa_B1029Illinois20HomeWin97B1038.945.9
10-10-2015Arizona St_P1248Colorado23HomeWin2522P1223.645.6
10-10-2015Brigham Young_Ind45East Carolina38HomeWin77Amer38.245.2
10-10-2015Wisconsin_B1023Nebraska21RoadWin27B1037.644.6
10-10-2015Toledo_MAC38Kent St7HomeWin3126MAC18.244.2
10-10-2015Arkansas_SEC14Alabama27RoadLoss-13-10SEC53.443.4
10-10-2015Florida St_ACC29Miami FL24HomeWin57ACC34.841.8
10-10-2015San José St_MWC33UNLV27RoadWin69MWC32.341.3
10-10-2015Washington St_P1245Oregon38RoadWin710P1231.141.1
10-10-2015Bowling Green_MAC62Massachusetts38HomeWin2421MAC20.141.1
10-08-2015Houston_Amer49SMU28HomeWin2118Amer2341
10-09-2015Marshall_CUSA31Southern Miss10HomeWin2118CUSA22.740.7
10-10-2015Mississippi_SEC52New Mexico St3HomeWin4935Sun5.440.4
10-10-2015Pittsburgh_ACC26Virginia19HomeWin77ACC3340
10-10-2015Kansas St_B1245TCU52HomeLoss-7-10B1249.739.7
10-10-2015Georgia_SEC31Tennessee38RoadLoss-7-7SEC46.639.6
10-10-2015Connecticut_Amer40Central Florida13RoadWin2727Amer12.439.4
10-08-2015Southern Cal_P1212Washington17HomeLoss-5-8P1247.239.2
10-10-2015East Carolina_Amer38Brigham Young45RoadLoss-7-7Ind46.139.1
10-10-2015Ohio U._MAC34Miami OH3HomeWin3126MAC12.838.8
10-10-2015Wake Forest_ACC3Boston College0RoadWin37ACC31.738.7
10-10-2015Navy_Amer24Notre Dame41RoadLoss-17-14Ind52.738.7
10-10-2015Northern Illinois_MAC59Ball St41HomeWin1815MAC23.638.6
10-10-2015Illinois_B1020Iowa29RoadLoss-9-7B1045.138.1
10-10-2015Akron_MAC47Eastern Michigan21RoadWin2626.5MAC11.137.6
10-10-2015Virginia_ACC19Pittsburgh26RoadLoss-7-7ACC44.237.2
10-10-2015West Virginia_B1226Oklahoma St33HomeLoss-7-10B1247.237.2
10-10-2015Miami FL_ACC24Florida St29RoadLoss-5-7ACC44.137.1
10-10-2015Georgia Tech_ACC24Clemson43RoadLoss-19-16ACC52.636.6
10-10-2015San Diego St_MWC28Hawai`i14RoadWin1417MWC18.935.9
10-10-2015Nebraska_B1021Wisconsin23HomeLoss-2-7B1042.935.9
10-10-2015Florida Int'l_CUSA52UTEP12HomeWin4030.5CUSA4.434.9
10-10-2015Michigan St_B1031Rutgers24RoadWin710B1024.634.6
10-10-2015Appalachian St_Sun37Georgia St3RoadWin3430.5Sun3.734.2
10-10-2015Louisiana-Lafayette_Sun49Texas St-San Marcos27HomeWin2219Sun12.431.4
10-10-2015Texas-San Antonio_CUSA31Louisiana Tech34HomeLoss-3-7CUSA37.630.6
10-10-2015Maryland_B1028Ohio State49RoadLoss-21-18B1047.929.9
10-10-2015Northwestern_B100Michigan38RoadLoss-38-29.5B1059.129.6
10-10-2015Louisiana Tech_CUSA34Texas-San Antonio31RoadWin37CUSA2229
10-10-2015Nevada_MWC35New Mexico17HomeWin1815MWC13.928.9
10-10-2015Missouri_SEC3Florida21HomeLoss-18-21SEC49.728.7
10-10-2015Western Michigan_MAC41Central Michigan39HomeWin20MAC28.428.4
10-09-2015North Carolina St_ACC13Virginia Tech28RoadLoss-15-12ACC39.827.8
10-10-2015Oklahoma_B1217Texas24NeutLoss-7-7B1234.727.7
10-10-2015Tulsa_Amer34Louisiana-Monroe24HomeWin107Sun20.227.2
10-10-2015Rutgers_B1024Michigan St31HomeLoss-7-10B1036.226.2
10-10-2015South Carolina_SEC24LSU45RoadLoss-21-18SEC44.126.1
10-08-2015SMU_Amer28Houston49RoadLoss-21-18Amer42.324.3
10-10-2015Boston College_ACC0Wake Forest3HomeLoss-3-7ACC30.923.9
10-10-2015Central Michigan_MAC39Western Michigan41RoadLoss-20MAC23.823.8
10-10-2015Rice_CUSA27Florida Atlantic26RoadWin17CUSA15.622.6
10-10-2015Colorado St_MWC10Boise St41HomeLoss-31-29MWC50.821.8
10-10-2015Louisiana-Monroe_Sun24Tulsa34RoadLoss-10-7Amer28.321.3
10-10-2015UNLV_MWC27San José St33HomeLoss-6-9MWC3021
10-10-2015Wyoming_MWC17Air Force31RoadLoss-14-11MWC31.920.9
10-10-2015Oregon_P1238Washington St45HomeLoss-7-10P1230.720.7
10-10-2015Indiana_B107Penn State29RoadLoss-22-19B1039.120.1
10-10-2015Ball St_MAC41Northern Illinois59RoadLoss-18-15MAC33.518.5
10-10-2015Middle Tennessee St_CUSA28Western Kentucky58RoadLoss-30-25.5CUSA43.718.2
10-10-2015Air Force_MWC31Wyoming17HomeWin1411MWC7.218.2
10-10-2015Kent St_MAC7Toledo38RoadLoss-31-26MAC43.917.9
10-10-2015Colorado_P1223Arizona St48RoadLoss-25-22P123816
10-10-2015Troy_Sun17Mississippi St45RoadLoss-28-24.5SEC4015.5
10-10-2015Massachusetts_MAC38Bowling Green62RoadLoss-24-21MAC36.215.2
10-10-2015Iowa St_B1231Texas Tech66RoadLoss-35-28B1242.914.9
10-10-2015Kansas_B127Baylor66HomeLoss-59-43B1256.313.3
10-10-2015Florida Atlantic_CUSA26Rice27HomeLoss-1-7CUSA1912
10-09-2015Southern Miss_CUSA10Marshall31RoadLoss-21-18CUSA29.911.9
10-10-2015New Mexico St_Sun3Mississippi52RoadLoss-49-35SEC46.311.3
10-10-2015Tulane_Amer10Temple49RoadLoss-39-30Amer41.111.1
10-10-2015New Mexico_MWC17Nevada35RoadLoss-18-15MWC25.910.9
10-10-2015Oregon St_P127Arizona44RoadLoss-37-29P1238.79.7
10-10-2015Army_Ind3Duke44HomeLoss-41-34ACC43.69.6
10-10-2015Syracuse_ACC24South Florida45RoadLoss-21-18Amer27.49.4
10-10-2015Miami OH_MAC3Ohio U.34RoadLoss-31-26MAC359
10-10-2015Hawai`i_MWC14San Diego St28HomeLoss-14-17MWC25.78.7
10-10-2015Purdue_B1013Minnesota41HomeLoss-28-27.5B1032.85.3
10-10-2015Central Florida_Amer13Connecticut40HomeLoss-27-27Amer325
10-10-2015Fresno St_MWC14Utah St56HomeLoss-42-34.5MWC38.43.9
10-10-2015Eastern Michigan_MAC21Akron47HomeLoss-26-26.5MAC28.11.6
10-10-2015Georgia St_Sun3Appalachian St37HomeLoss-34-30.5Sun30.50
10-10-2015Texas St-San Marcos_Sun27Louisiana-Lafayette49RoadLoss-22-19Sun18.5-0.5
10-10-2015UTEP_CUSA12Florida Int'l52RoadLoss-40-30.5CUSA24-6.5
10-10-2015North Texas_CUSA766HomeLoss-59-43fcs29.8-13.2

As always, please leave any questions or comments you may have in the comments.

{ 3 comments }