ISU finishes #67 in CFN's final poll

[jaretac]

Really

Texas
Ok St
Nebraska
Oklahoma

vs.

Oregon
Stanford
USC
Oregon St.

I would call it a draw. There were a lot of real bad teams in this league.

The Pac 10 was 2-5 in bowl games this year. The Pac 10 and was 0-2 against the Big 12 in bowls and lost those two with a combined score of 64-27. That was 2nd best in Pac 10 against 2nd best Big 12, 4th best Pac 10 against 5th best Big 12. I would say the Big 12 is the better conference this season.

 

[jaretac]

This!

Instead of celebrating the large jump we made this year and exceeding expectations - fans want to whine that CFN isn't giving us enough love. Meh.

The problem I have is that CFN has been getting it wrong all year. For about 4 weeks they had our record wrong giving us a extra loss. At one point they had a team we beat something like 10 spots ahead of us and for all the struggles that Colorado had to begin the season, I don't think they final dropped them below us until after Nebraska.

Their rankings are not based on actual skill or whether team 55 could beat or did beat team 56, it is based on how they think the season should turn out. They have a hard time trashing their preseason predictions and realizing that a team has improved. I bet our preseason prediction for us next year will still be in the 70's and ranked below almost all the other teams in the Big 12.

 

[Sandman]

They had us in the mid 50s throughout the season. We win a bowl and drop to 67. Below losing teams, like a 6-7 Michigan State. CFN used to be my favorite college football site, but nowadays the only things I still respect from them are their opinion articles. Their rankings and analysis have steadily declined through the season, and I'm not just saying that because of this most recent one.

 

[MontyBurns]

I can't argue with anything they say: it's all facts. And their words are pretty similar for all the teams ranked around us. Also, for some reason we're ranked ahead of Texas A&M, Kansas, and K-State despite losing to all 3 of them.

But did any other team make this big of a jump?

2008 final ranking: 110
2009 final ranking: 67

Don't forget that Chizik left us with an ongoing 10 game losing streak. After that, finishing #67 is better than almost anyone thought possible.

 

[Let's Go State]

Sorry if this post sucks - I won won my bowl game but still got shafted by dropping to post number 24....

I still like the excuse writer....

They are still the best college football website... just they dislike our beloved cyclones. What made them so good in the past is their respect for the mid-major teams like ISU... Now if your not Top 20.. they don't care. It really is sad.

 

[michaelrr1]

Wow, did any of you whiners actually read the ranking criteria? It's a formula, not an opinion.


Which teams had the best seasons and who deserves to be ranked where? Forgetting the opinion side of the equation, here's our annual ranking of the teams based on the CFN Season Ranking Formula. Tomorrow, the Top 50, and next week comes the 2010 Pre-Preseason Rankings.

The Formula's Components:
1. Wins. - If you win, everything else falls into place. Each win counts as 1.
2. Quality Wins - The number of wins over teams that finished with a winning record. Each win counts as 1.
3. Elite Wins - The number of wins over teams that finished with two losses or fewer. Each win counts as 1 with a road win over an Elite team getting an extra 0.5. Also counting as 1 is a road win over a team that finished with three losses or fewer (but the extra 0.5 isn't added). A new wrinkle was added this year. A win over a team that finishes with three losses in a bowl game counts as one.
4. Bad Loss - The number of losses to teams that finished with three wins or fewer or a loss to a FCS (DI-AA) team. Each loss counts as minus-1. Take away an additional 0.5 for a Bad Loss at home.
5. Bad Win - The number of wins to teams that finished with three wins or fewer, or a win over a D-IAA team. Each win counts as minus 0.25.
6. Elite Loss - The number of losses to teams that finished with two losses or fewer. Each loss counts as 0.25.
7. Point Differential - Points for minus points against divided by 100.
8. Winning Percentage - To take losses into account, winning percentage is in the mix. Total wins is the tie-breaker followed by winning percentage.

 

[Erik4Cy]

Horrible, horrible write up and coverage all year. I don't think CFN even watches college football games.

 

[Sandman]

Wow, did any of you whiners actually read the ranking criteria? It's a formula, not an opinion.


Which teams had the best seasons and who deserves to be ranked where? Forgetting the opinion side of the equation, here's our annual ranking of the teams based on the CFN Season Ranking Formula. Tomorrow, the Top 50, and next week comes the 2010 Pre-Preseason Rankings.

The Formula's Components:
1. Wins. - If you win, everything else falls into place. Each win counts as 1.
2. Quality Wins - The number of wins over teams that finished with a winning record. Each win counts as 1.
3. Elite Wins - The number of wins over teams that finished with two losses or fewer. Each win counts as 1 with a road win over an Elite team getting an extra 0.5. Also counting as 1 is a road win over a team that finished with three losses or fewer (but the extra 0.5 isn't added). A new wrinkle was added this year. A win over a team that finishes with three losses in a bowl game counts as one.
4. Bad Loss - The number of losses to teams that finished with three wins or fewer or a loss to a FCS (DI-AA) team. Each loss counts as minus-1. Take away an additional 0.5 for a Bad Loss at home.
5. Bad Win - The number of wins to teams that finished with three wins or fewer, or a win over a D-IAA team. Each win counts as minus 0.25.
6. Elite Loss - The number of losses to teams that finished with two losses or fewer. Each loss counts as 0.25.
7. Point Differential - Points for minus points against divided by 100.
8. Winning Percentage - To take losses into account, winning percentage is in the mix. Total wins is the tie-breaker followed by winning percentage.

Yes, I read it, and no, their criteria is not good. Why does a team gain points for elite losses and lose points for a bad win? Do we deserve points for that debacle against Iowa? Whereas we lose points for beating NDSU and will lose points again for playing UNI next year...

 

[cmhawks99]

I don’t know…………I didn’t think it was too out of line. I personally thought you guys would blow out Minne and I think MSU is a way better team than the Gophers even without 14 players. I certainly could make a case that ISU should have been somewhere around 55 but I don’t see them being obviously better than anyone ahead of them. For example I watched Nevada play like 5 times. The team that showed up in the bowl game wasn’t better than ISU but the one from October on was. I do think they were beter than the UW team that ended the season but maybe not the Miss St one that did.

Also as much as I can’t stand ND they could score against most any team in the land and that includes the Iowa and NU’s who I thought had two of the 5 best D’s in the country. So to drop them in at 66 seems low.

I thought the best thing ISU did this year was show their heart and resilience and that was cool. I’ve always said Defense needs to be your guys calling card and I’d agree your D was better than CFN gave it credit for.

A neat anecdote……………My Uncle, only 6 years older than me went to ISU and lives here in Chi-town near me. We don’t talk a ton, but we are close and he regularly calls me to give me kudos for a Big Hawk win and he hates Iowa and the Big 10 but loves me and I am respectful. The night before the NU game I called him and left him a message telling him congratulations ahead of time for the Big ISU win. I had told him earlier they would beat KU (ouch) but when they didn’t I said just wait they’ll beat someone they aren’t supposed to. I just felt good about them beating Nebbie (little did I know how or with a 2nd team QB and Rber) but it was cool all the same.

Chad


PS......................I don't read CFN hardly ever so I'm no fan for sure. In fact I won't get in to see where they drop Iowa as I don't care.

 

[cyclonenate]

I don't know whats wrong... but it doesnt seem right that we only improved 9 spots...