STOP – This data has been updated for the entire season in this entry. Enjoy.

For prior CSRs, check the links at the bottom of this entry. Here are the results as of games completed Saturday, November 3: 

 
Comments on each conference follow, in alphabetical order:

• ACC – No change from prior report.
• Big East – No change from prior report.
• Big 10 – Increased OOC and No Patsy win rates slightly due to an Indiana win over Ball State.
• Big 12 – No change from prior report.
• Pac 10 – No change from prior report.
• SEC – Played 4 OOC games this week, 2 against DIAA teams and 2 against SunBelt teams. Georgia was fortunate to beat Troy at home – this is arguably the second best team in the SEC struggling against SunBelt competition at home. The SEC now has the dubious distinction of playing the most games of any BCS conference against DIAA competition (and yes, at least they’re winning them all unlike Minnesota and Michigan…)

Based on performance to date, on the field, the conference ranking should be:

1. Pac 10 – The gap between the top 3 is not that great, at least the Pac 10 has played only two DIAA opponents. You can argue that the SEC belongs here except…
2. SEC – The SEC has played a much easier schedule – I can’t believe people are blind to the fact that the SEC is .500 against quality competition OOC. Sure, they’re beating up the “sisters of the weak” – an OOC schedule that Hawaii would be embarrassed to play – but the notion of a super-conference is myth. Performance on the field show this conference to be a gaggle of middle-of-the-road “lucky” teams.
3. Big 10 – The reason the Big 10 is third is because of embarrassing losses to App State, North Dakota State, and Duke. If you want to be the best, beat the teams you’re supposed to beat.
4. Big 12 – Surprisingly strong at the top with Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. The rest of the conference is forgettable this year.
5. Big East – Remember this next year: September is for pretenders, November is for contenders. After a surprisingly fast start, the conference has faded top to bottom. Does anyone think USF is the #2 team in the land now? Didn’t think so…
6. ACC – After a start that was rougher than the Big 10’s (The ACC sported a 33% OOC win rate against the Big Boys at the end of September) the conference has rebounded. With Boston College’s loss, the guild is off the lily, but the gap between the ACC and the rest has closed.
7. Notre Dame – Coaching 101, when you’re able to win the game with seconds left and a 41 yard field goal attempt on 4th and 8, you kick the ball. Particularly when your offense has churned out under 30% conversions all year long. The man with the schematic advantage cost his team this week. It’s times like this the Big 10 ought to be happy that Notre Dame is an independent because if it had joined the conference, the stench of this team would drag the conference to the bottom of the rankings.

Come back next week for an update of the Conference Strength Report. Prior reports are available below:

• CSR: Through October 28, 2007
• CSR: Through October 21, 2007
• CSR: Through October 13, 2007
• Original Conference Strength Report: Through September 27, 2007

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