One of the most interesting metrics we like to follow that correlates to a college football team’s strength and talent is ESPN’s SP+ rankings (subscription required) by ESPN’s Bill Connelly. The model has heaped some love on Ohio State over the last few years and we like to see where things stand from year-to-year, month to month, and week to week.
Early on before the season, the SP+ was bullish on the Buckeyes. And it makes sense because the model takes into account things like historical performance of recent years, recruiting, and returning talent. That’s always going to bode well for a program like OSU. But since the season started, Ohio State has dropped a wee bit in the SP+. But what goes into the ratings, bleeps, and bloops of the model?
According to ESPN:
“The SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing. It is not a resume ranking that gives credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system is. It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
OK. Kind of makes sense, right? Ohio State wasn’t entirely impressive against Notre Dame, looked a bit better against Arkansas State, and then blew the doors off of Toledo and Wisconsin.
Here is what the newly released top 25 of the SP+ looks like, with Ohio State movin’ on up.
25
USC Trojans (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
14.1
Last Week
Not Ranked
24
Washington Huskies (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
14.2
Last Week
Not Ranked
23
Kansas State (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
14.3
Last Week
Not Ranked
22
Texas A&M Aggies (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
14.5
Last Week
No. 11
21
Oregon Ducks (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
15.2
Last Week
No. 20
20
NC State Wolfpack (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
15.3
Last Week
No. 19
19
UCLA Bruins (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
15.4
Last Week
Not Ranked
18
Baylor Bears (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
15.8
Last Week
No. 25
17
Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
15.9
Last Week
No. 23
16
Kentucky Wildcats (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
16.5
Last Week
No. 19
15
Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0)
SP+ Overall Score
16.8
Last Week
No. 13
14
Cincinnati Bearcats (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
16.8
Last Week
No. 17
13
Clemson Tigers (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
17.2
Last Week
No. 7
12
LSU Tigers (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
17.4
Last Week
No. 22
11
Texas Longhorns (2-2)
SP+ Overall Score
18.4
Last Week
No. 14
10
Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
18.5
Last Week
No. 9
9
Utah Utes (ta
SP+ Overall Score
19.0
Last Week
No. 12
8
Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
19.3
Last Week
No. 8
7
Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
20.5
Last Week
No. 16
6
Ole Miss Rebels (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
20.7
Last Week
No. 6
5
Oklahoma Sooners (3-1)
SP+ Overall Score
23.8
Last Week
No. 4
4
Michigan Wolverines (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
25.3
Last Week
No. 5
3
Georgia Bulldogs (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
28.8
Last Week
No. 1
2
Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
29.4
Last Week
No. 3
1
Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)
SP+ Overall Score
30.3
Last Week
No. 2
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on Twitter.
Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
