What matters more, where a team is ranked when you play them, or where they're eventually ranked?

Question

Texas was ranked 2 when Ohio State beat them. Now Texas is ranked 13. So, who has Ohio State beaten? The second best team they've beaten is Penn State. The third best is Iowa (2-5 in the big ten). NO OTHER TEAMS THEY'VE BEATEN HAVE WINNING RECORDS!!!

Answer 1

It's an established fact --- the BCS is B.S. I think Ohio State has a good team, but they have had a weak schedule. However, OSU has managed to beat all those unranked teams, whereas Texas was knocked off by an unranked opponent.

Oh, and to answer your question, first it matters where the team is ranked when you play them. If you are in contention for rankings/bowls at the end of the season, where the team you beat ends up can also be a factor.

Answer 2

It is true that they may not have played the strongest schedule but all that will be thrown out if they defeat Michigan on Saturday. The Big Ten was clearly weaker than usual this year. Michigan State, Iowa, Purdue and Illinois are all having down years so it was relatively easy for the big two teams to get through unscathed to this point. As far as where it matters most when you play them or a final ranking, it is an excellent question. The answer would have to be the team's eventual ranking, if you beat a team and they went on to some impressive wins and held a high ranking at seasons end that is much more impressive than beating a team with a high ranking who subsequently performs poorly. This is somewhat counterbalanced however the by early season vs. late season phenomenon, that is big wins and to an even greater extent bad losses matter much more in late season than they do in early season.

Answer 3

It seems to countt most when you play them, however as the season goes along and the ranked teams that you played early fall from the ranking it will coun t against you in the later rankings.

I have never carried for the BCS as in the end the only teams that can contend for a championship are the two left at the end. The old way was that on New Years Day the bowl games meant something as a team that was in 3rd or 4th in the polls had an opportunity to come out number 1. Today that never happens so why play in a bowl game for 5th or 6th except for the money.

Answer 4

it matters a whole lot more early in the season what the other teams ranking is because that helps drive the speculation on whether your team goes up or goes down. as the season progresses, obviously everyone that you beat may possibly also lose to someone else so inevitably the more apparent effect is that it matters the ranking when you played. later in the season opponent rankings dont matter as much, per se, because injuries and other things enter the picture. later in the season the win is more impactful than the opponent ranking. by the end of the season win/loss record is much more indicative of where you are ranking, and also in terms of who you have beat with the same record as you.

Answer 5

It matters where you end up. The only exception is if you had injuries to key players down the road that resulted in your demise.
It's interesting that you brought this up because California is the best case. They have so much hype on great expectations in the beginning of the season only to fall out of the top 25 by year's in. In my opinion barring injuries to key players, you played the caliber of the team as they finished the year.

Answer 6

when they play them OS was the one the knocked them off of number 2 if texas won they would still be number 2 or 1 by now, it matters what they are ranked the day they play them

Answer 7

when they are ranked is better to win against them