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Robbie Marriage's avatar

I think it'll be fun to include a top 25 ranking in Net EPA/Play in the comments of this. It means nothing, because there is no strength of schedule adjustment, and plenty of room for bias because some teams have played just two games, but it will mean more and more as the season comes along, so here's where we start:

25) Nebraska

24) Memphis

23) Mississippi State

22) Alabama

21) ECU

20) Navy

19) Toledo

18) Ohio State

17) Minnesota

16) Miami

15) Penn State (with the weak competition, only 15th is massively concerning to me)

14) Illinois

13) North Texas

12) Arkansas

11) Vanderbilt

10) Oklahoma

9) Arizona

8) Washington

7) Missouri

6) Indiana

5) Florida State

4) Oregon

3) Utah

2) BYU

1) LOL USC

Once again, these rankings are not especially important right now. LSU is not in the top 25 at all, because they've had some competition already. Nor is Georgia, and etc., but pay attention once things get going and teams get schedules with more FBS opponents in them, and pay special attention to teams with multiple FBS opponents who still appear in this top 25, like Oregon or Utah.

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Griffin Olah's avatar

Robbie, my man, I love the net EPA/play rankings here. They're something I look into while making these rankings each week.

This early, like you pointed out, the system is still figuring itself out (gestures wildly to No. 1 USC). But I agree, it's going to become more and more valuable as the season goes on. At least it shows that Florida State, Oregon and Utah are playing like the contenders I have them billed as (please disregard anywhere those rankings say I'm overrating a team)

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Brian Lennon's avatar

Penn State's slow starts are troubling. If it continues against Oregon in two weeks, we'll be hearing the same old talking points from James Franklin about, "We have to do better. I have to do better." Hey James, you have two weeks starting right now to get better.

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Griffin Olah's avatar

I feel like this season is really the proving ground for if Franklin is going to truly work out at Penn State. He has to compete for real this year or things are going to get difficult. So far, it looks like more of the same. For your sake, I hope he figures it out and gets Penn State going like they should be.

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