How My Ratings Work.

Ratings for Oregon football, 2008.

The ratings are done in the following manner: Each team is assigned to a rank determined by their current won-loss record. A team that has won 2/3 or more of their games is classified rank 1, a team that has won less than 1/3 of their games is rank 3, and the teams in between are rank 2. At this point in the season, 2-1 or better is rank 1, and anyone 1-3 or worse is rank 3.

A win over a rank 1 team is worth 50 points, a win over a rank 2 team is worth 45 points, and a win over a rank 3 team is worth 40 points. A loss to a rank 1 team is worth 38 points, a loss to a rank 2 team is worth 33 points, and a loss to a rank 3 team is worth 28 points.

Any team that plays a team in a classification one level above them gets 2 bonus points. Playing 2 levels or more up is worth 5 bonus points. There is no penalty for playing a team in a classification lower than yours. Point spread means absolutely nothing in this system. Win by 93, win by 1, it's the same.

This system is intended to do two things: Seed a potential playoff structure and determine wild-card teams for said playoffs. As playoff time approaches, I will offer up alternative scenarios to what the OSAA has provided, more as a topic for discussion than any kind of suggestion that this is what the OSAA ACTUALLY should do.

This system is similar to one used in Nebraska for all its sports.