DISCLAIMER:
This will be a quantitative analysis only. It won’t mention players or coaches, or consider factors like injuries or schematic match-ups. Author doesn’t have enough up-to-date knowledge to consider all of these, and will therefore consider none.
Instead we’ll focus using proprietary ‘Game Power’ ratings that Hierank produces week-to-week.
If you can add better insights to analyses like these, please do! Paid writer positions available, email info@hierank.com.
Snapshots
A quick look at the performance of each team, to-date.
REMINDER:
For all power ratings, ‘50.0’ represents the average performance of all teams in Division I.
All rankings are within the whole CFB, and therefor extend #1-256, including all FBS & FCS teams.
#1 Ohio State (Away)
OVERALL: 90.2 (11-0)
42 Volatility, 72-108 Normal Power
HOME POWER: 96.7 (7-0)
AWAY POWER: 78.8 (4-0)
Top Three Weeks:
- 42-0 W vs #33 Cincinnati (119)
- 38-7 W vs #12 Wisconsin (117)
- 28-17 W vs #13 Penn State (103)
Worst Three Weeks:
- 56-21 W @ #213 Rutgers (59)
- 34-10 W vs #64 Michigan State (79)
- 73-14 W vs #147 Maryland (79)
#15 Michigan (Home)
OVERALL: 77.2 (9-2)
56 Volatility, 57-98 Normal Power
HOME POWER: 83.7 (6-0)
AWAY POWER: 69.6 (3-2)
Top Three Weeks:
- 45-14 W vs #8 Notre Dame (130)
- 10-3 W vs #23 Iowa (90)
- 44-10 W vs #64 Michigan State (83)
Worst Three Weeks:
- 14-35 L @ #12 Wisconsin (55)
- 24-21 2OT W vs #104 Army (59)
- 21-28 L @ #13 Penn State (63)
Comparison Breakdown
Schedule Difficulty
MICHIGAN
#80 Average Opponent, 61 Power
OHIO STATE
#88 Average Opponent, 58 Power
VERDICT:
MICHIGAN
Destination Power
MICHIGAN AT HOME
83.7 Power (6-0)
OHIO STATE AWAY
78.8 Power (4-0)
VERDICT:
MICHIGAN
Adjusted Destination Power
(Average of Overall + Home/Away)
MICHIGAN OVERALL & AT HOME
80.5 Power
OHIO STATE OVERALL & AT HOME
84.5 Power
VERDICT:
OHIO STATE
Season Trending
MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE
VERDICT:
MICHIGAN, STRONGLY
Shared Opponents Power
vs #64 Michigan State, #59 Indiana, #12 Wisconsin, #147 Maryland, #213 Rutgers, #13 Penn State
MICHIGAN
72 Power (4-2)
OHIO STATE
88 Power (6-0)
VERDICT:
OHIO STATE, STRONGLY
Standard Performance Power
MICHIGAN
77.2 Power, 56 Volatility, 57-98 Normal Power
OHIO STATE
90.2 Power, 42 Volatility, 72-108 Normal Power
FINAL VERDICT
Ohio State has the upper hand in most areas, and has played better throughout the season as well as against opponents that both teams have faced.
But don’t write off the up-trending Wolverine squad with a substantial Home field performance advantage.
Ohio State probably, but the good guys have a shot. 😛
