Strength of Schedule 1-23-06

1) Santa Fe ------- 0.624 -- (1) -- -2
2) Wichita Falls --- 0.573 -- (10) -- +6
2) N. Iowa --------- 0.573 -- (8) -- -4
4) Texas ----------- 0.566 -- (2) -- +7
5) Texarkana ------ 0.562 -- (5) -- 0
6) Billings ---------- 0.561 -- (6) -- -2
6) Helena ---------- 0.561 -- (9) -- +2
6) Alpena ---------- 0.561 -- (3) -- +1
6) Traverse ------- 0.561 -- (11) -- +4
10) Minnesota ---- 0.558 -- (7) -- -1
11) Springfield ---- 0.549 -- (4) -- +4
12) Bismark -------- 0.533 -- (12) -- +3
13) Fargo ---------- 0.530 -- (13) -- +2
14) S. Minnesota - 0.523 -- (14) -- -9
15) Wasilla -------- 0.514 -- (15) -- -5
16) Cleveland ---- 0.507 -- (17) -- -4
17) Mahoning ----- 0.501 -- (16) -- 0
18) Bozeman ----- 0.499 -- (18) -- +1
19) USNTDP ------- 0.489 -- (19) -- -2
20) Fairbanks ----- 0.468 -- (20) -- -1

Nearly all the movement this week was in the top half of the rankings. The only movement below #11 being Cleveland and Mahoning swapping #16 and #17 spots. The teams making the biggest moves this week were Wichita Falls moving up 8 spots and Springfield dropping 7.

On a Divisional basis the South continues to have the toughest scheduling.

1) South 0.575 (1) +15
2) Cent. 0.543 (2) -9
3) North 0.524 (3) -1
4) West 0.521 (4) -5

Weekly strength of schedule ranking based on average opponents winning percentage. The number in the ( ) indicates previous weeks rank. The last number listed indicated the Road / Home game differential. A positive number indicates the team has played that many more Road Games while a negative number indicates they have played that many more Home Games.

I know nobody else is commenting much about this but I appreciate the work all you guys do that keep power rankings and strength of schedule ranking etc. I know you can't make execuses for losing but sometimes looking at stats like theis help you gain perspective so thanks.

Bussey,

This morning I took a look at BP's Power Rankings and did a little analysis comparing his Power Rankings with the Strength of Schedule Rankings I have been doing. I looked at the last three week and there appears to be a definate pattern.

If you look at each ranking teams in the top half of the Power Rankings tend to be in the bottom half of the Strength of Schedule Rankings. This is true about 70% of the time. If you look at the top 5 and bottom 5 there is an even stronger correlation. The exception to this were Texarkana and Texas who are in the upper slots in both rankings and Wassilla who is closer to the bottom of both.

This was just looking at a 3 week period, but I bet if the analysis is done over a longer period of time there will be a closer correlation.

Can you see how it looks for the rest of the schedule?

2 FOR,

Looking at the remainder of the season based on the current records of each team the Strength of Schedule looks like this.

1) Helena ---------- 0.630 -- +8
2) Wasilla --------- 0.608 -- +4
3) Wichita Falls --- 0.600 -- -6
4) Santa Fe -------- 0.599 -- +2
5) Billings ---------- 0.597 -- +2
6) Cleveland ------ 0.574 -- +4
7) Alpena ---------- 0.567 -- -1
8) Fairbanks ------ 0.556 -- +2
9) N. Iowa --------- 0.553 -- +4
10) Traverse ------- 0.547 -- -6
11) Bismark -------- 0.537 -- -3
12) Texas ----------- 0.532 -- -7
13) Springfield ----- 0.530 -- -4
14) Minnesota ----- 0.530 -- +1
15) Mahoning ------ 0.520 -- 0
16) Fargo ----------- 0.512 -- -2
17) S. Minnesota -- 0.499 -- +9
18) Texarkana ------ 0.496 -- +1
19) USNTDP -------- 0.484 -- +4
20) Bozeman ------ 0.457 -- -1

Notice that Bozeman and USNDTP continue to have weak schedules the rest of the way through the season.

Unfortunately for Santa Fe who has the toughest schedule for the past 3 weeks things don't get much better.

Southern Minnesota plays 14 of their last 19 games on the road. Thier last home game is Feb 18th followed by 13 on the road. Texarkana also will be road warriors with their lat 9 games on the road and 10 of their last 12.