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BamaDude
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They gave the Longhorns the second-weakest conference schedule in the league, and handicapped Georgia with three big road games; probably hoping for a Texas-Alabama match-up in Atlanta. But, Georgia persevered, Alabama stumbled, and Texas A&M and Tennessee are still hanging in there.
Before the season started, the SEC could be divided into four quadrants of expectations: Level 1 for the teams most expected to compete for SEC and/or National Championships (Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas); Level 2 for those capable of knocking off a Level 1 team & possibly making the playoffs, but considered a longshot for a championship (LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee); Level 3 for those that might get a win or two against an L1 or L2 team, and probably play in a bowl game (Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas A&M); Level 4 (Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi St., Vanderbilt) are teams expected to struggle just to put together a winning season.
Texas only had to play three true SEC road games (one against a Level 3 team, 2 against a level 4 team, and the only L1 team the faced was a home game. The only L2 team was at a neutral site; and they had two home games against L3 teams & 1 against an L4 team.
Conversely, Georgia played all three of the other Level one teams on the road, while getting their lone L2 opponent at home. Alabama had one home game each against a Level 1 & Level 2 team, and faced 3 L2 teams on the road.
Assignments for measuring schedule strength were computed as follows: 4 points for each L1 opponent, 3 points for L2, 2 points for L3, and 1 point for L4; with an extra 0.25 points for neutral-site games & 0.50 points for road games. Here's how the ratings worked out, top-to-bottom:
1. Oklahoma 25.25
2. Mississippi St. 25.00
3. South Carolina 24.00
(tie) Vanderbilt 24.00
5. Arkansas 23.25
(tie) Florida 23.25
(tie) Georgia 23.25
8. Kentucky 23.00
9. Alabama 22.00
(tie) Auburn 22.00
11. LSU 21.00
12. Ole Miss 20.00
(tie) Tennessee 20.00
14. Texas A&M 19.25
15. Texas 17.75
16. Kentucky 17.00
Before the season started, the SEC could be divided into four quadrants of expectations: Level 1 for the teams most expected to compete for SEC and/or National Championships (Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas); Level 2 for those capable of knocking off a Level 1 team & possibly making the playoffs, but considered a longshot for a championship (LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee); Level 3 for those that might get a win or two against an L1 or L2 team, and probably play in a bowl game (Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas A&M); Level 4 (Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi St., Vanderbilt) are teams expected to struggle just to put together a winning season.
Texas only had to play three true SEC road games (one against a Level 3 team, 2 against a level 4 team, and the only L1 team the faced was a home game. The only L2 team was at a neutral site; and they had two home games against L3 teams & 1 against an L4 team.
Conversely, Georgia played all three of the other Level one teams on the road, while getting their lone L2 opponent at home. Alabama had one home game each against a Level 1 & Level 2 team, and faced 3 L2 teams on the road.
Assignments for measuring schedule strength were computed as follows: 4 points for each L1 opponent, 3 points for L2, 2 points for L3, and 1 point for L4; with an extra 0.25 points for neutral-site games & 0.50 points for road games. Here's how the ratings worked out, top-to-bottom:
1. Oklahoma 25.25
2. Mississippi St. 25.00
3. South Carolina 24.00
(tie) Vanderbilt 24.00
5. Arkansas 23.25
(tie) Florida 23.25
(tie) Georgia 23.25
8. Kentucky 23.00
9. Alabama 22.00
(tie) Auburn 22.00
11. LSU 21.00
12. Ole Miss 20.00
(tie) Tennessee 20.00
14. Texas A&M 19.25
15. Texas 17.75
16. Kentucky 17.00
