First, the computer polls will correct themselves over the next two weeks.  Only 1 or 2 of the 6 polls used base rankings statically (i.e. you can't be punished for not playing).  The rest are all in our favor as we have the SECC as an extra game and that will help enormously in the computer rankings.

Second, while you are correct that the score the BCS uses from both the Harris and Coaches poll are a % of the total votes,  when we beat Bama, we will get the lions share of the 1st place votes and UT and OK will still split between 2nd and 4th as they are now. 

As of this point in time, if the 6 computer polls ranked us on average 2 spots higher, we would be in 2nd.  Interestingly enough, the computers rate the ACC as the toughest conference this year (and this is how we decide a National Champion?) so our game against SOW will increase our computer scores.  Probably not enough this week, but definitely after the SECC.

You can check out a pretty cool tool at http://www.colleyrankings.com/playgod.html
The Colley rankings are one of the six used in the BCS, on this site you can see what outcomes of certain games do to his rankings.  Keep in mind, this is just one of six, but if we win out, regardless of who wins the Big12, then we are ranked no worse than 2 in the Colley.

Ken K.
MNGator

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] [YahooSports] ]BCS standings favor
Texas, for now
From: John Vega <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, November 25, 2008 11:12 am
To: [email protected]


On Nov 24, 2008, at 3:44 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Texas plays Texas A&M (4-7) on Thanksgiving, a game that will weigh down the Longhorns' strength of schedule—a vital part of the computer ratings—and won't give voters much reason to move them up.

This is an interesting misunderstanding.

Under the old-BCS formula, it mattered whether a team was #2 or #3 in the polls, as a #2 received a certain fixed score, #3 a different score, and so on down the line.

In the current formula, a teams actual points in the poll by 2,850 - representing the best possible score in the Harris Poll (and 1,525 in the USA Today).

So, if a few voters switch and UT and Texas flip-flop in their positions, it won't make a hill of beans difference; 2,598 divided by 2,850 and 2,577 divided by 2,850 are essentially the same number.

Only if Oklahoma makes a move in the computers will it matter. As the computers treat its 0 point loss to Texas the same as a 1 point loss, and its 40+ point victory over Texas Tech the same as a 1 point victory, it is not clear that Oklahoma will make up the ground that it needs. I would even call it unlikely.

For those that assume that strength of schedule will vault Oklahoma, it is worth looking at some of the individual computer polls week by week. UF's strength has been as high as #9th in SOS and as low at 20th in the last five weeks in the Anderson/Hester poll, yet its score has barely changed week to week (.783 currently with the #20th SOS, and a score of .784 on Nov.2nd when we had the #9 SOS).

FWIW, we will never overcome Utah in that computer ranking, and that extra spot between us and OK and Texas will create problems.

-Zeb



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