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Alabama continues to rise in computer rankings as human polls catch up

The count is now three computer models with Alabama ranked either No. 2 or No. 3
ByRonald Evans
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Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After Alabama's big win over LSU, the traditional human polls agree that the Crimson Tide should be ranked No. 7. Bill Connelly's SP+ is the computer model that comes close to the AP and Coaches Polls. The SP+ ranks Alabama No. 8.

Three other top computer models rate the Crimson Tide considerably higher than the human polls and the SP+. As discussed earlier, ESPN's FPI ranks Alabama No. 3. Kenneth Massey's ratings also rank the Crimson Tide No. 3. Jeff Sagarin's model is even more bullish, with Alabama ranked No. 2.

Except for the FPI, the models and the human polls have Georgia as college football's consensus No. 1 team. The FPI has Kirby Smart's team ranked No. 2.

Why is there consensus about Georgia, and not about Alabama? One thought is that more than a few poll voters are still influenced by Bama fatigue. Plus, the Crimson Tide's game performances have ranged from very good to (against Tennessee) awful.

There could be another reason. The computer models calculate using Strength of Schedule (SOS). A good guess is that many human voters have, at most, a general sense of disparities in schedule strength. Take Indiana, for example. The Hoosiers are ranked above Alabama in the human polls. According to Sagarin's model, Indiana's SOS is No. 54, and the Crimson Tide's SOS is No. 1. Sagarin's model ranks 8-1 Indiana No. 10. Adding an exclamation point, comparing wins against tanked teams, the Crimson Tide has three and the Hoosiers have none.

The CFB Playoff Selection Committee is a human poll, but the committee uses many data points. Traditional human poll voters may give insufficient consideration to data points.

Alabama and other SEC teams high and low computer model rankings

  • Georgia (8-1) - Bulldogs' high is No. 1 and low No. 2
  • Alabama (7-2) - High is No. 2. Low is No. 8 in Bill Connelly's SP+
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  • Texas Longhorns (7-2) Texas is No. 4 by Sagarin and No. 8 by Kenneth Massey's ratings
  • Tennessee (7-2) - The Vols are closely ranked from No. 9 to No. 11
  • LSU (6-3) - High is No. 6 by Sagarin and low is No. 18 by Massey
  • Ole Miss (6-3) - High No. 11 by Massey and Low, No. 30 by the SP+
  • South Carolina (6-3) - High, No. 16 (Massey) and Low, No. 28 (SP+)
  • Kentucky (7-2) - High, No. 16 (Massey) and Low No. 41 (SP+)
  • Oklahoma (5-4) - High, No. 18 (Sagarin) and Low, No. 45 (SP+)
  • Missouri (6-3) - High, No. 19 (Sagarin), and Low, No. 29 (SP+)
  • Florida (5-4) - High, No. 26 (Sagarin), and Low, No. 47 (SP+)
  • The ranges from high to low of the bottom four SEC teams are: Auburn No. 30 to No. 60; Mississippi State No. 42 - No. 56; Vanderbilt No. 54 to No. 78; and Arkansas No. 57 to No. 88.
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