Conference Power Rankings after Week 1

[dystopiamembrane]

Here I have ranked conferences based on Week 1 results.
The rankings are based on power from top to bottom in each conference.

Missouri Valley
Big Sky
Southern
Colonial
Southland
Ohio Valley
Big South
Patriot League
Ivy League
MEAC
NEC
Pioneer
SWAC

[PAllen]

Here I have ranked conferences based on Week 1 results.
The rankings are based on power from top to bottom in each conference.

Missouri Valley
Big Sky
Southern
Colonial
Southland
Ohio Valley
Big South
Patriot League
Ivy League
MEAC
NEC
Pioneer
SWAC

Ah, another useless opinion poll. And how exactly do you rank a conference that hasn't begun play? xnottalkingx

[Gringer1]

I don't even know if the Ivies should count as FCS teams. If you won't play anybody besides the Patriot League and don't compete in the playoffs, you're just occupying space.

[darell1976]

Here I have ranked conferences based on Week 1 results.
The rankings are based on power from top to bottom in each conference.

Missouri Valley
Big Sky
Southern
Colonial
Southland
Ohio Valley
Big South
Patriot League
Ivy League
MEAC
NEC
Pioneer
SWAC

Soon to be #1!!!!!

[dystopiamembrane]

Ah, another useless opinion poll. And how exactly do you rank a conference that hasn't begun play? xnottalkingx
I seed the previous season results into the rating system that I use until the graph is well-connected.
Granted the ratings are skewed in the first few weeks, but a general picture develops quickly.

[dystopiamembrane]

Soon to be #1!!!!!
Not sure the Big Sky will jump the Missouri Valley this year. The difference between the teams in the lower half of the BSC and those in the lower half of the MVFC is great.

[frozennorth]

i would put the bsc 4th.

[darell1976]

Not sure the Big Sky will jump the Missouri Valley this year. The difference between the teams in the lower half of the BSC and those in the lower half of the MVFC is great.

Really? I would think they are almost dead even. Especially with USD possibly going 1-10 this year that could be a new bottom feeder in the MVFC.

[darell1976]

i would put the bsc 4th.

Why because UND is in the Big Sky? Please explain your "Bison-aid" ranking of the BSC.

[frozennorth]

Really? I would think they are almost dead even. Especially with USD possibly going 1-10 this year that could be a new bottom feeder in the MVFC.

the bsc has 3/13 teams in the top 25

the mvfc has 4 or 5/10 teams in the top 25, depending on poll.

[darell1976]

the bsc has 3/13 teams in the top 25

the mvfc has 4 or 5/10 teams in the top 25, depending on poll.

Fair enough but I don't know about 4th.

[PAllen]

I seed the previous season results into the rating system that I use until the graph is well-connected.
Granted the ratings are skewed in the first few weeks, but a general picture develops quickly.

I will then reserve judgement until week 5 or so.

[gotts]

I will then reserve judgement until week 5 or so.

You could also reserve judgement until after the FCS championship game, but I doubt you'd be satisfied then either ;)

[caribbeanhen]

Is Georgia State really bad enough to pull down the CAA to #4??

[UNH Fanboi]

Is Georgia State really bad enough to pull down the CAA to #4??

I think the CAA is still the top conference on terms of depth, but needs to prove itself at the top after last year's playoff performance. Hopefully UNH, JMU or Maine can pick up an FBS win or two. It's too bad Delaware and ODU do not have any FBS games.

[UAalum72]

FWIW, we do play teams outside the Patriot League.
Yes, but 67 of 96 OOC games in the last four years were vl. PL. 3 vs. Pioneer, 10 vs. NEC.

Worse for the perception, before their opener vs. San Diego in a couple of weeks, the flagship Ivy program of the last decade, Harvard, will not have played an OOC other than a Patriot League team since Northeastern in 2004.

[Walkon79]

the bsc has 3/13 teams in the top 25

the mvfc has 4 or 5/10 teams in the top 25, depending on poll.

By your on logic then , they should be in 2nd.

[UAalum72]

Only 3 versus the Pioneer? If the point is that the Ivy League is too isolated from the rest of FCS to be meaningfully ranked, I totally get where you're coming from. I probably agree. Though, looking at it from a different angle, about 1/3 of our games are against opponents from across the country. I'm not sure that playing FBS or Division II opponents provides a whole lot more really good ranking information, and plenty of schools go down that road.
67 vs. PL, 10 vs. NEC. 3 vs. Stony Brook (Big South). 11 vs. CAA were mostly Rhode Island, Villanova, New Hampshire, Wm. & Mary. "Across the country" comes down to 1 vs. The Citadel and 1 vs. Hampton.
D-II games don't tell much, but many FBS games (not the blowouts) do. But those 'plenty of schools' also play games against other FCS conferences, and more importantly match up in the playoffs. Without the playoffs the Ivy is just too insular to get a good read on.