BYU #56 in computer rankings

[jay santos]

This is the best source for rankings, IMHO. The Las Vegas poll is probably better, but it's not out yet and doesn't rank all teams.

http://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm


We're #56
Ole Miss #83
Texas #10
Utah #46
UCF #73
Utah State #97

Only five games in, computer rankings are not great but they're starting to have enough data to be reasonably accurate.

I think we're slightly overrated for how we've played. We're 3-1 in close games.

But I also think if we move to a more conservative offensive approach, our record and ranking is appropriate.

[Green Monstah]

This is the best source for rankings, IMHO. The Las Vegas poll is probably better, but it's not out yet and doesn't rank all teams.

http://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm


We're #56
Ole Miss #83
Texas #10
Utah #46
UCF #73
Utah State #97

Only five games in, computer rankings are not great but they're starting to have enough data to be reasonably accurate.

I think we're slightly overrated for how we've played. We're 3-1 in close games.

But I also think if we move to a more conservative offensive approach, our record and ranking is appropriate.

Do you think our season would be much different if we had knocked off Texas? Seems like a watershed moment for us. OTOH, the team looked awful against the Utes...

[MarkGrace]

We are the worst 3-2 I've ever seen. This team could rather easily be 0-5.

[Jeff Lebowski]

We are the worst 3-2 I've ever seen. This team could rather easily be 0-5.

Yep. And yet we almost beat Texas in Austin. Go figure.

SU was right about football being somewhat of a crap shoot. Randomness and unpredictability seem to be bigger factors in football than other sports, such as basketball.

[Goatnapper'96]

We are the worst 3-2 I've ever seen. This team could rather easily be 0-5.

Mendenhall has one of the highest winning percentages of all college coaches in games decided by less than 7 points. The Ute game was obviously what one might call "out of the question," but BYU could also have beaten Texas. USU played as well as they could have on Friday, and for sure it took a very lucky/miraculous finish for BYU to win, but I think if BYU and USU play 10 times BYU would win 8-9. I don't think BYU is as bad as you are making them out.

[Flystripper]

This is the best source for rankings, IMHO. The Las Vegas poll is probably better, but it's not out yet and doesn't rank all teams.

http://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm


We're #56
Ole Miss #83
Texas #10
Utah #46
UCF #73
Utah State #97

Only five games in, computer rankings are not great but they're starting to have enough data to be reasonably accurate.

I think we're slightly overrated for how we've played. We're 3-1 in close games.

But I also think if we move to a more conservative offensive approach, our record and ranking is appropriate.

the ranking difference between USU and BYU show just how crappy these rankings are.

[MarkGrace]

Mendenhall has one of the highest winning percentages of all college coaches in games decided by less than 7 points. The Ute game was obviously what one might call "out of the question," but BYU could also have beaten Texas. USU played as well as they could have on Friday, and for sure it took a very lucky/miraculous finish for BYU to win, but I think if BYU and USU play 10 times BYU would win 8-9. I don't think BYU is as bad as you are making them out.

Yeah, I forget the exact stat, but before the Texas game Bronco had won something like 14 of his last 16 decided by 7 points or fewer. I think it's a feather in his cap against fans that want to lambast the staff for being too conservative.

[Goatnapper'96]

the ranking difference between USU and BYU show just how crappy these rankings are.

Gary Anderson is like his mentor Ronnie Mac. He gets his teams up for big games where they play above themselves and then choke like Jenna on Ron against the CSU's or WYO's of the world. Throw in a splash of last minute meltdowns and the polar opposite winning percentage in close games of Mendenhall and you have the future of USU.
.....or at least the beginning of 20111

That type of performance tends to lead to computer rankings not in your favor while Mendnehall's style can give way to an inflated ranking...until he has his annual one game of total ill prepared against a good team, which already happened for BYU.

[byu71]

Yeah, I forget the exact stat, but before the Texas game Bronco had won something like 14 of his last 16 decided by 7 points or fewer. I think it's a feather in his cap against fans that want to lambast the staff for being too conservative.

I wonder how many of those were games we were favored to win by more than 7. Maybe the Utah games are too much on my mind.

My measure is how often do you beat teams ranked in the top 25. You ought to win at least 40% of those games if you are a higher echelon program, shouldn't you. I know they did in the Oklahoma game, TCU game one year, any others?

[BoylenOver]

USU played as well as they could have on Friday, and for sure it took a very lucky/miraculous finish for BYU to win, but I think if BYU and USU play 10 times BYU would win 8-9. I don't think BYU is as bad as you are making them out.

Finishing games and "knowing how to win" aren't subject to chance or a mystical art, but through ~50 minutes Utah St was having their way with BYU, just like they were having a lot of success against Auburn (who also seems to be charmed in terms of winning close games under Chizik).

I think the 10-game series would be a lot closer to .500.

[Goatnapper'96]

Yeah, I forget the exact stat, but before the Texas game Bronco had won something like 14 of his last 16 decided by 7 points or fewer. I think it's a feather in his cap against fans that want to lambast the staff for being too conservative.

I think it is his conservative playing the numbers and his head strong confidence. It pisses fans off who hate his stubborness and lack of humility, but I think that confidence is part of the reason that BYU has had significantly more miraculous wins than miraculous losses. The only real bad choke job loss of that nature I can remember under the Mendnehall tenure was the Utah loss last year. He is what he is and when things are not going real well it gives those who dislike him the opportunity to whine like the women of Srbrnca because usually he is winning enough to keep them on squelch. Much like my company running a facebook page, giving folks an opportunity to whine is healthy. It gets it out of the system and sometimes critcism is legitimate. Right now the whiners see the upcoming schedule and are tapping it like a soldier who knows he is deploying to Iraq in a week!

The TCU loss in 2005 was bad, but I think the attrition of defensive players was a primary reason and that is outside of his control, to some extent.

[Goatnapper'96]

I wonder how many of those were games we were favored to win by more than 7. Maybe the Utah games are too much on my mind.

My measure is how often do you beat teams ranked in the top 25. You ought to win at least 40% of those games if you are a higher echelon program, shouldn't you. I know they did in the Oklahoma game, TCU game one year, any others?

Oregon State and Utah in 2009.

[Goatnapper'96]

Finishing games and "knowing how to win" aren't subject to chance or a mystical art, but through ~50 minutes Utah St was having their way with BYU, just like they were having a lot of success against Auburn (who also seems to be charmed in terms of winning close games under Chizik).

I think the 10-game series would be a lot closer to .500.

Coming into that game I thought I read where USU had turned the ball over almost as much as BYU. USU played its cleanest and best game all year, IMO. I doubt they do that all 10 times against BYU. Despite playing their best game they still lost. But I will agree that my prediction is colored by homerism!

[Goatnapper'96]

I wonder how many of those were games we were favored to win by more than 7. Maybe the Utah games are too much on my mind.

My measure is how often do you beat teams ranked in the top 25. You ought to win at least 40% of those games if you are a higher echelon program, shouldn't you. I know they did in the Oklahoma game, TCU game one year, any others?

There are clearly a few of those but I think Mendenhall rates higher than most against the spread. Mendenhall's issue, IMO, are the annual meltdown when the program is right on the cusp. The FSU and TCU games in 2009 were just crushing. His other issue is I think he struggles if things don't develop has he has planned. I think he is great at preparation, which causes me to disbelieve the crap about him going home at 6:00 and placing football as a 5th priority, but if things don't develop as planned he appears a bit like a deer in the headlights and things get away from him.

But his biggest issue is his embracing of the spiritual side and pacifying the mullahs. This causes the enlightened cool kids in his fanbase to lamblast him so that their edgy friends (you know the goatee and blue shirt to Church crowd) know that they are not lockstep lemmings.

[byu71]

But his biggest issue is his embracing of the spiritual side and pacifying the mullahs. This causes the enlightened cool kids in his fanbase to lamblast him so that their edgy friends (you know the goatee and blue shirt to Church crowd) know that they are not lockstep lemmings.

It is unfortunate he hasn't been able to convert those who aren't part of the "best and brightest" or as some have said "the churches finest".

Those folks (the churches finest) do get it. Wins are nice, but kids who are willing to cut their hair when they become the number 1 QB, show what is truly important in life, obedience.