Which Unbeaten Plays in the Strongest Conference?

Okay, I think I have figured out a formula that will solve the debate over which conference is the strongest. The ACC, Big 12, Pac 10, and SEC all have unbeaten teams and all feel as if they have a claim to the national championship game. Obviously those two teams should come from the two strongest conferences, right? So, here is the My Opinion on Sports formula for deciding which two conferences are the strongest and deserve to send their teams to the Rose Bowl should they all have an unbeaten after December 3.

It’s a simple points formula. The conference with the most points is the strongest conference. Try to stay with me on this, it could get confusing so we will take it step by step.

Step One – Points for ranked teams.
ACC – 4
Big 12 – 3
Pac 10 – 4
SEC – 5

Step Two – Minus points for teams below .500
ACC – 3
Big 12 – 1
Pac 10 – 3
SEC – 5

Step Three – Bonus points for playing a conference championship game. (No crying from the Pac-10. You can’t deny that an extra game against a solid team increases your chances of losing.)
ACC – 1
Big 12 – 1
Pac 10 – 0
SEC – 1

Step Four – Ranking the teams. There are 46 teams between these four conferences. Let’s take the teams and rank them in the order we, or I, feel who the best in a group is. For example, Miami, Colorado, Oregon and LSU are all third place teams in their conferences. I will rank them in order by who I think is the best to the worst, the higher the number the better the team. Each conference will be given the total number of points from their team’s rankings. It’s easier to look at then it is to explain. Here we go.
46. USC - They are simply the best team in America until someone knocks them off.
45. Texas – Could be 46(a), but that would be too confusing.
44. Virginia Tech – Could take USC or Texas under the right circumstances.
43. Alabama – Great season, but come on they are a distant fourth in the unbeatens.
42. Florida State – Defense saved them early in the season.
41. Georgia – This is with a healthy Shockley.
40. Texas Tech – What would Mike Leach do to the UCLA defense?
39. UCLA – Its Okay Bruin fans, you can prove your point at the Holiday Bowl.
38. Miami – Could mess this whole thing up at Virginia Tech Saturday.
37. LSU – Give Les time, he’ll find more ways to choke.
36. Oregon – One loss Ducks blew their shot at the Trojans.
35. Colorado – Would finish 4th in the Big 12 South.
34. Florida – Meyer is learning to adjust his offense to the strength of his players.
33. Boston College – Had a good thing going until Virginia Tech showed up.
32. California – Would lose against two teams above them and have over-time with OU.
31. Oklahoma – Freshman are getting better. Look out the next two years.
30. Auburn – Rapidly improving.
29. Georgia Tech – Not in the same league as Auburn.
28. Missouri – Not in the same league as Georgia Tech.
27. Stanford – We have officially run out of good Pac 10 teams.
26. Virginia – The Cavaliers can be dangerous ask Bobbie Bowden.
25. Arizona St. – What happened?
24. Iowa St. – Two big upsets this season, Iowa and A&M.
23. S. Carolina – Spurrier needs time!
22. Texas A&M – Fran could be in trouble.
21. Maryland – It’s almost basketball season.
20. Oregon St. – Last Pac 10 team you will see for a while.
19. Vanderbilt – The Commodores have maxed their win potential.
18. Tennessee – I just don’t get it. How could things go so wrong?
17. Clemson – Another Bowden boy about to get fired?
16. Nebraska – I saw the game Bill, it was a throat slash.
15. Baylor – It all begins with defense.
14. Wake Forest – Deacons need more power!
13. Mississippi – Any more Mannings left?
12. Arizona – If the offense ever catches up with the defense…
11. Kansas State – JUCO could be a good or a bad thing.
10. North Carolina – Would beat Kentucky in football and basketball.
9. Kentucky – Should be thankful for Arkansas & Miss. St.
8. N.C. State – Duke keeps them from being a door mat.
7. Washington State – Would you take Mike Price back?
6. Kansas – Defense would beat Arkansas.
5. Arkansas – Could be Nutt’s last hurrah!
4. Oklahoma State – Worst in the Big 12, no doubt.
3. Miss. St. – Would finish 8th in the Pac – 10.
2. Washington – Thought they found something good with Ty.
1. Duke – These guys play football?
ACC – 283 points
Big 12 – 277 points
Pac 10 – 246
SEC – 270

Step Five – Add up steps one through four and rank the conferences from strongest to weakest.
1. ACC – 285
2. Big 12 – 280
3. SEC – 271
4. Pac 10 – 247

There you have it! The Pac 10 may have the #1 team in the land but they also have the worst conference and if they remain unbeaten, Virginia Tech and Texas should play each other for the championship. We probably won’t see it happen that way though.