What are Rutgers?

While the Pizza Parlor Index was away, a few developments have taken place, most notably a shakeup in the Big East. Last week West Virginia's national championship hopes (and that of perhaps the most interesting BCS National Championship possible) went into the Ohio River as Louisville thwarted them at Papa John's Stadium. The next week, yesterday, Louisville's hopes went into the Raritan to Rutgers leaving the Scarlet Knights as the Big East's only unbeaten in probably the most exciting moment of the season to date. A couple thoughts:

1) I fully endorse Rutgers' place in the BCS National Championship Game if they are to go the full season undefeated. They will have beaten two top 10 teams, Louisville and West Virginia (although I expect they will lose in Morgantown simplifying things for their critics). The only argument against Rutgers seems to be "yeah, but they're Rutgers" that does not suffice as that kind of logic would have kept George Mason and the Detroit Tigers out of their postseasons.

2) I can't remember looking forward to a regular season sporting event not involving one of my teams than the Ohio State-Michigan game on November 18. The minutes before kickoff to that game will be like a Tyson fight to me. Pageantry's biggest game ever!

3) Here's what I expect to happen. Boise State could trip up at San Jose State this weekend, breaking my heart but making the arguments simpler for some teams that may be better than them. Likewise I expect Rutgers to be overwhelmed against West Virginia. Furthermore Florida and Auburn should win their remaining games making the Florida-Auburn SEC Championship Game to decide the who plays the Ohio State-Michigan winner in Glendale. I expect Florida to win that game, lose to Ohio State while teams like the USC-Cal winner and Texas are shut out. So the system will still crown the best team in the country its national champion but leaving just enough gray area to make us wonder if the system is really working for any of us.

Here's the Index, Syracuse is like 82nd now.



Rnk Team PPIndex
1 Michigan 82.890
2 Ohio State 82.327
3 Rutgers 80.513
4 Boise State 78.424
5 Florida 76.197
6 Texas 75.825
7 Auburn 75.784
8 USC 75.656
9 Louisville 75.408
10 West Virginia 74.104
11 California 74.100
12 Notre Dame 73.686
13 Arkansas 73.401
14 Wisconsin 73.349
15 Wake Forest 71.668
16 Tennessee 69.172
17 LSU 69.112
18 Texas A&M 68.121
19 Oklahoma 67.888
20 Brigham Young 67.606
21 Boston College 66.882
22 Maryland 66.718
23 Oregon 66.039
24 Virginia Tech 65.946
25 Georgia Tech 64.997
26 Tulsa 64.200
27 Western Michigan 64.152
28 Hawaii 63.524
29 Clemson 62.915
30 Nebraska 61.408
31 TCU 61.346
32 Missouri 60.688
33 Oregon State 59.409
34 San Jose State 59.304
35 Pittsburgh 58.928
36 Central Michigan 58.896
37 Ohio 58.156
38 Houston 58.069
39 Navy 57.884
40 Washington State 57.423
41 South Florida 57.086
42 Nevada 56.977
43 Alabama 56.557
44 Middle Tennessee State 55.832
45 Florida State 55.631
46 New Mexico 55.578
47 Penn State 55.251
48 Iowa 54.693
49 Texas Tech 54.502
50 Georgia 54.088
51 Kansas State 53.344
52 South Carolina 53.243
53 Cincinnati 53.169
54 Purdue 52.820
55 Oklahoma State 52.372
56 Indiana 52.023
57 Kentucky 51.790
58 East Carolina 51.448
59 Air Force 50.578
60 Miami, FL 50.541
61 Arizona State 50.524
62 Utah 49.290
63 Kent State 49.140
64 Southern Methodist 48.848
65 Arkansas State 48.788
66 UCLA 48.714
67 Southern Miss 48.710
68 Akron 48.481
69 Wyoming 45.922
70 Rice 45.883
71 Washington 45.362
72 Michigan State 45.327
73 Northern Illinois 44.909
74 Arizona 44.631
75 UTEP 43.936
76 Virginia 43.928
77 Kansas 43.543
78 Minnesota 43.459
79 Louisiana-Lafayette 42.430
80 Troy 42.356
81 Vanderbilt 41.727
82 Syracuse 41.560
83 Bowling Green 41.385
84 Baylor 41.141
85 Northwestern 40.841
86 Marshall 40.820
87 Colorado State 40.233
88 Connecticut 40.032
89 Tulane 39.338
90 Ball State 39.066
91 Idaho 38.379
92 Toledo 37.932
93 UAB 37.376
94 North Carolina State 36.563
95 Louisiana Tech 35.880
96 Mississippi State 35.069
97 Mississippi 34.658
98 Army 33.683
99 Iowa State 32.921
100 Florida Atlantic 31.489
101 Buffalo 31.331
102 North Texas 30.632
103 Illinois 29.848
104 San Diego State 28.311
105 Fresno State 26.864
106 Colorado 26.615
107 UCF 26.072
108 Utah State 25.964
109 Eastern Michigan 25.465
110 Temple 25.422
111 Miami, OH 24.392
112 North Carolina 21.669
113 Stanford 21.497
114 Duke 20.452
115 UNLV 19.145
116 New Mexico State 18.806
117 Memphis 18.535
118 Florida International 17.501
119 Louisiana-Monroe 17.409