..
Rank Team
Points
1. Alabama
2106
2. Florida State
1960
3. California
1918
4. Colorado
1881
5. Arizona
1856
6. Notre Dame
1838
7. Georgia Tech
1833
8. UCLA
1823
9. Southern Cal
1807
10. Tennessee
1795
11. Florida
1783
12. Texas Tech
1774
13. Iowa
1768
14. Purdue
1750
15. Washington State
1743
16. Iowa State
1738
17. North Carolina
1734
18. Michigan State
1707
19. Stanford
1703
20. Texas A&M
1687
21. Syracuse
1671
22. Miami FL
1670
23. West Virginia
1664
24. Oklahoma
1652
25. Auburn
1651
26. Ohio State
1650
27. South Carolina
1646
28. Wake Forest
1643
29. Arkansas
1638
30. Indiana
1633
31. Northwestern
1629
32. Georgia
1626
33. Mississippi State
1624
34. Nebraska
1613
35. Boston College
1605
36. Texas
1603
37. Temple
1577
38. Baylor
1556
39. Vanderbilt
1546
40. Oregon
1544
41. Virginia
1537
42. Clemson
1535
43. Duke
1535
44. NC State
1513
45. Washington
1505
46. Penn State
1503
47. Wisconsin
1499
48. Louisiana State
1491
49. Pittsburgh
1491
50. Michigan
1489
51. Missouri
1439
52. Oregon State
1439
53. Illinois
1428
54. Arizona State
1411
55. Kentucky
1388
56. Mississippi
1376
57. Virginia Tech
1369
58. Brigham Young
1352
59. Oklahoma State
1321
60. Rutgers
1298
61. Maryland
1280
62. Fresno State
1274
63. Kansas
1226
64. Kansas State
1142
65. East Carolina
1119
66. Minnesota
1086
67. Louisiana Tech
1077
68. UNLV
1025
69. San Diego State
1011
70. Southern Miss
989
71. Utah
989
72. UAB
949
73. Troy State
945
74. Army
919
75. Colorado State
919
76. Ball State
915
77. Houston
895
78. UTEP
892
79. Wyoming
892
80. New Mexico
874
81. Hawaii
869
82. Nevada
861
83. Miami OH
850
84. Kent State
846
85. Tulane
845
86. Cincinnati
825
87. SMU
798
88. Bowling Green
794
89. New Mexico State
793
90. Memphis
792
91. Western Michigan
786
92. San Jose State
782
93. Ohio
776
94. Buffalo
774
95. Marshall
766
96. Connecticut
764
97. Northern Illinois
735
98. North Texas
726
99. UL-Monroe
722
100. UCF
721
101. Toledo
714
102. Tulsa
703
103. Rice
700
104. Louisville
693
105. Utah State
680
106. Central Michigan
675
107. UL-Lafayette
660
108. TCU
642
109. Boise State
632
110. Middle Tennessee
632
111. Eastern Michigan
605
112. Air Force
573
113. Idaho
569
114. Navy
503
115. Akron
454
116. Arkansas State
415
N/A South Florida
(incomplete)

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN THE NATION!
Alabama takes the 2003 crown with a brutal slate consisting of three legitimate Top 10 teams - Georgia, Auburn and Oklahoma. Other SEC Top 25 competition - Tennessee and LSU - gives the Tide a full slate. The non-conference games all contain possible conference champion candidates with Northern Illinois (MAC), Southern Miss (Conf USA) and Hawaii (WAC). Good luck Coach Shula, you are going to need it more ways than one.

 

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS
The formula used to obtain these results is based on a simple sliding-scale that translates into a ranking point system. Bonus points for playing games at home, as well as on the road, are also utilized based on stadium winning percentages. After months of tinkering with the formula, one of the philosophies being emphasized in the system includes higher rewards for playing a Top 5 team as opposed to playing two teams ranked 25th in consecutive weeks. Accordingly, a sliding scale is implemented.

At the same time, differentiating between many of the lower ranked teams is like splitting hairs, with way too much inaccuracy. There is no way to predict such scenarios, so the margin(s) between each of those schools is minimum. Rankings here become categorized as a group, instead of incrementally breaking each down as an exact science.

Teams are penalized heavily for playing I-AA competition. However, the ground can be made up with more consistency from remaining opponents on the list. In other words, playing a single I-AA opponent should not destroy the entire ranking when other competition exists on the list, such is the case for the Gators vs. Florida A&M. The simplest test rests in the human eye itself - as we went over our sequential calculations, many of the first SOS results just did not add up, so adjustments were made to the formula. Yes, opinions matter. But the numbers are still based on an equation.

 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PARITY CONTINUES TO GROW
We are beginning to see more and more parity between teams and conferences as the years move on. Out of the Top 14 teams on our SOS list, the conference breakdowns are as follows:

Pac Ten - 4 teams
SEC - 3 teams
ACC - 2 teams
Big XII - 2 teams
Big Ten - 2 teams
Independents - 1 team

 

MOST DIFFICULT NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Florida State brings to the table the toughest non-conference list by a landslide with games against Colorado, Miami, Notre Dame and Florida. Not exactly the type of schedule the Noles are looking for if they desire to locate those by-gone dynasty days.

 

PAC TEN RULES
The Pac Ten takes a major step up with a complete turnaround from what was being said just four seasons ago regarding the level of play in the conference. Reasons for such high SOS rankings exist due to the nature of parity from top to bottom, and the void of any extremely low ranking teams.

Not only that, but many of these schools continue to maintain a high level of competitive non-conference games. Accordingly, all three California schools (USC, Cal, UCLA) crack the Top 10. A non-conference list with heavyweights such as Auburn, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Colorado and Oklahoma keep many of these teams at the front.

 

SEC WEST RESURGANCE
Power in the SEC has appeared to shift somewhat from the East to the West. Not so much with a scenario where the powerhouses in the East have diminished, but the overall improvement with most West teams has forced more of a competitive balance. The grindstone of parity is evident with the resurgence of Auburn, LSU, Arkansas and Alabama. The difficulty of playing Eli Manning Univ. or a trip to Starkville doesn't appear to dim the upset possibilities from top to bottom.

 

BETTY CROCKER CUPCAKE AWARDS
These teams win the award for weakest schedule…a steady diet of cupcakes.
1. (TIE) - Kansas State & Maryland
2. Virginia Tech
3. Louisville

There is an apparent pattern with this group, which has been noted over the last decade (or so) with these teams and their desire(s) to maintain such cupcake schedules. Call the man in charge either a genius or a coward, possibly both. Won/loss records generally translate into high rankings, and the first three of this group ride such easily-attained records for all they're worth. Smart man's money says Kansas State, Maryland and Virginia Tech will reap the benefits of such a structure. Count them…four I-AA teams get divided up as folly. Louisville doesn't appear to necessarily fit under this umbrella, but given the dominance and track record as of late, most feel Louisville (104th toughest schedule) could have landed a date with at least one Top 25 opponent. Well, you can't blame the front office for trying, with teams such as Syracuse and Kentucky on the schedule while at the same time avoiding lower division targets.