I decided to move away from the weekly stat tracking post because at this point of the season not much is really changing, at least statistically. After Saturday's game against LSU, Alabama maintained most of it's defensive ranking positions in the major categories and continued to be balanced on the offensive side of the ball. So again, at this point, we know who Alabama is and who they aren't, and there is no reason to show you the same stats over and over again.
What may be more helpful is to look at Alabama's remaining opponents, and even some potential match-ups in the future, and see how Alabama measures up. And instead of using raw NCAA stats like total offense and defense, rushing defense and offense etc, etc I thought Football Outsiders advanced stats may give us a better view point.
If you want to read up more on how the S&P and FEI numbers are put together, be my guest.
F/+ Combined Ratings | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
1st | 53rd | 17th | 12th | 2nd | |
S&P Defense ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
5th | 26th | 36th | 14th | 3rd | |
S&P Rushing Defense ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
2nd | 11th | 37th | 16th | 27th | |
S&P Passing Defense ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
15th | 32nd | 35th | 19th | 1st | |
S&P Offense ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
10th | 58th | 25th | 14th | 2nd | |
S&P Rushing Offense ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
15th | 51st | 20th | 27th | 11th | |
S&P Passing Offense ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
12th | 52nd | 36th | 21st | 2nd | |
S&P Overall ranking | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
3rd | 36th | 28th | 12th | 1st |
S&P Rankings, Defense
Rk | Defense | Def. S&P | Play Eff. | Rk | Std. Downs S&P | Rk | Pass Downs S&P | Rk | Rushing S&P+ | Rk | Passing S&P+ | Rk | Drive Eff | Rk | DNP | Rk |
1 | Michigan State | 159.5 | 160.9 | 1 | 155.2 | 2 | 161.1 | 2 | 173.7 | 1 | 156.1 | 2 | 158.2 | 8 | -1.19 | 23 |
2 | Virginia Tech | 155.8 | 146.6 | 2 | 157 | 1 | 141.7 | 6 | 143.6 | 3 | 154.2 | 3 | 164.9 | 6 | -0.76 | 48 |
3 | Florida State | 154.7 | 135.4 | 5 | 138.6 | 5 | 132.7 | 11 | 117 | 27 | 159.1 | 1 | 174 | 1 | -2.64 | 2 |
4 | Stanford | 152.9 | 136.5 | 3 | 143.2 | 4 | 141.8 | 5 | 130 | 7 | 150 | 4 | 169.3 | 3 | -0.82 | 46 |
5 | Alabama | 151.8 | 131.8 | 7 | 137.5 | 6 | 129.6 | 14 | 151.3 | 2 | 125.3 | 15 | 171.7 | 2 | -1.89 | 7 |
6 | USC | 149.1 | 133.3 | 6 | 143.9 | 3 | 121.9 | 23 | 125.6 | 13 | 138.5 | 7 | 164.9 | 5 | -0.79 | 47 |
7 | Baylor | 148 | 127.7 | 9 | 127.5 | 10 | 125.6 | 19 | 125 | 14 | 128.6 | 11 | 168.3 | 4 | -2.89 | 1 |
8 | Louisville | 139.6 | 120.1 | 17 | 112.6 | 31 | 125.7 | 18 | 119.3 | 24 | 117.5 | 27 | 159.1 | 7 | -2.03 | 5 |
9 | BYU | 139.4 | 127.3 | 10 | 126.5 | 12 | 137.8 | 7 | 140.9 | 4 | 121.2 | 25 | 151.6 | 9 | -0.6 | 55 |
10 | Wisconsin | 138.8 | 128.2 | 8 | 122.8 | 17 | 143.9 | 4 | 129.2 | 10 | 131.1 | 10 | 149.4 | 10 | -1.61 | 8 |
11 | Florida | 135.8 | 135.6 | 4 | 125.5 | 14 | 177 | 1 | 129.4 | 9 | 148.9 | 5 | 135.9 | 15 | -0.5 | 63 |
12 | Iowa | 130 | 120.2 | 16 | 127.8 | 9 | 108.8 | 46 | 139.9 | 5 | 109.9 | 41 | 139.7 | 12 | -0.63 | 51 |
13 | Clemson | 129.5 | 115.7 | 23 | 120.2 | 20 | 105.1 | 56 | 109.2 | 41 | 126 | 13 | 143.2 | 11 | -1.25 | 19 |
14 | Missouri | 128.3 | 119.7 | 18 | 126.9 | 11 | 108.3 | 49 | 123.4 | 16 | 123.2 | 19 | 137 | 14 | -1.55 | 9 |
15 | Oklahoma State | 127.1 | 114.6 | 27 | 114.6 | 29 | 111.4 | 40 | 122.1 | 19 | 107.9 | 45 | 139.6 | 13 | -1.41 | 14 |
16 | TCU | 126.5 | 121.6 | 13 | 128.1 | 8 | 113 | 38 | 120.2 | 22 | 119.4 | 26 | 131.4 | 18 | -0.61 | 53 |
17 | Washington | 124.7 | 124.9 | 11 | 125.8 | 13 | 133.4 | 10 | 114 | 33 | 142 | 6 | 124.5 | 29 | -0.99 | 34 |
18 | Memphis | 124.6 | 123.3 | 12 | 125.3 | 15 | 124 | 20 | 125.9 | 12 | 123.8 | 17 | 126 | 22 | -0.31 | 74 |
19 | South Carolina | 123.5 | 119 | 19 | 132.2 | 7 | 101.9 | 65 | 122.5 | 18 | 121.5 | 22 | 128.1 | 19 | -1.27 | 18 |
20 | Penn State | 123.1 | 121.6 | 14 | 125.2 | 16 | 117.1 | 28 | 136 | 6 | 114.8 | 31 | 124.7 | 27 | -0.83 | 43 |
21 | Oregon | 122.7 | 112.4 | 31 | 106.1 | 45 | 125.9 | 17 | 107.7 | 49 | 111.7 | 37 | 132.9 | 17 | -2.4 | 3 |
22 | Utah | 122.6 | 118.8 | 20 | 116.7 | 27 | 136.6 | 8 | 121.3 | 21 | 123.6 | 18 | 126.4 | 21 | -0.51 | 62 |
23 | Ole Miss | 121.3 | 117 | 21 | 119.6 | 21 | 119.9 | 25 | 116.6 | 28 | 124.1 | 16 | 125.6 | 24 | -1.17 | 26 |
24 | Arizona State | 121 | 121 | 15 | 120.5 | 19 | 131.5 | 12 | 117.1 | 26 | 131.3 | 9 | 121 | 33 | -1.33 | 16 |
25 | North Texas | 120.5 | 105.5 | 42 | 102.8 | 59 | 107.3 | 52 | 114.2 | 32 | 96.6 | 72 | 135.4 | 16 | -0.99 | 35 |
S&P Rankings, Offense
Rk | Offense | Off S&P | Play Eff. | Rk | Std. Downs S&P | Rk | Pass Downs S&P | Rk | Rushing S&P+ | Rk | Passing S&P+ | Rk | Drive Eff | Rk | DNP | Rk |
1 | Baylor | 157.7 | 157 | 1 | 140.7 | 2 | 208.1 | 1 | 125 | 14 | 203.9 | 1 | 158.4 | 2 | 2.4 | 1 |
2 | Florida State | 154.9 | 147.7 | 2 | 139.7 | 4 | 170.7 | 4 | 126.5 | 11 | 171.9 | 2 | 162.2 | 1 | 2.21 | 2 |
3 | Ohio State | 144 | 140.4 | 4 | 144.5 | 1 | 133.8 | 12 | 155.3 | 1 | 138.6 | 9 | 147.5 | 3 | 1.58 | 6 |
4 | Texas A&M | 138.4 | 139 | 6 | 134.1 | 5 | 160.3 | 6 | 137.8 | 6 | 142 | 8 | 137.8 | 4 | 0.54 | 26 |
5 | Central Florida | 134.6 | 134.4 | 7 | 130.3 | 9 | 155.8 | 7 | 141.5 | 3 | 135.9 | 11 | 134.9 | 5 | 0.82 | 12 |
6 | Oregon | 133.6 | 141.2 | 3 | 140.6 | 3 | 143.5 | 9 | 143.7 | 2 | 142.1 | 7 | 126.1 | 11 | 1.6 | 5 |
7 | Miami | 133.4 | 139.1 | 5 | 131.4 | 8 | 174.7 | 3 | 129.4 | 9 | 161.4 | 3 | 127.7 | 10 | 0.59 | 23 |
8 | Arizona State | 130.9 | 132.2 | 8 | 119.7 | 23 | 184.6 | 2 | 130.5 | 8 | 142.5 | 6 | 129.7 | 8 | 0.58 | 24 |
9 | LSU | 130.5 | 131.6 | 9 | 122.9 | 16 | 164.7 | 5 | 120.7 | 21 | 149.9 | 5 | 129.5 | 9 | 0.71 | 20 |
10 | Alabama | 130.1 | 128 | 10 | 130.1 | 10 | 131.9 | 15 | 124.8 | 15 | 135.7 | 12 | 132.2 | 7 | 1.78 | 3 |
11 | Georgia | 130 | 126.6 | 12 | 131.5 | 7 | 126.8 | 21 | 111.7 | 36 | 154 | 4 | 133.3 | 6 | 0.41 | 29 |
12 | Indiana | 126.3 | 127.5 | 11 | 128.3 | 11 | 135.5 | 11 | 138.2 | 5 | 125.7 | 17 | 125.1 | 12 | -0.05 | 56 |
13 | Wisconsin | 121.9 | 124.6 | 13 | 124.8 | 13 | 127.9 | 19 | 138.7 | 4 | 117.1 | 27 | 119.3 | 19 | 1.15 | 7 |
14 | Missouri | 121 | 118.5 | 19 | 114.6 | 31 | 132.8 | 13 | 117.4 | 27 | 121.6 | 21 | 123.6 | 13 | 1 | 9 |
15 | Louisville | 121 | 122.6 | 15 | 119.7 | 24 | 122.4 | 23 | 103.8 | 59 | 132.5 | 14 | 119.3 | 18 | 1.69 | 4 |
16 | Georgia Tech | 120.5 | 118 | 20 | 117.8 | 27 | 127 | 20 | 137 | 7 | 99.8 | 66 | 123 | 15 | 0.77 | 16 |
17 | Kansas State | 120.5 | 119.9 | 16 | 122.9 | 17 | 118.2 | 31 | 124 | 16 | 123.5 | 20 | 121.1 | 17 | 0.39 | 33 |
18 | Boise State | 119.5 | 115.9 | 25 | 115.3 | 30 | 117.6 | 33 | 116.9 | 28 | 117.1 | 26 | 123.1 | 14 | 0.4 | 31 |
19 | Texas Tech | 119.5 | 117.2 | 21 | 106.6 | 48 | 148.6 | 8 | 107.1 | 52 | 121 | 22 | 121.7 | 16 | 0.22 | 40 |
20 | Clemson | 118.8 | 119.3 | 18 | 118.1 | 26 | 129.5 | 17 | 104.3 | 56 | 137.8 | 10 | 118.3 | 21 | 0.71 | 21 |
21 | South Carolina | 117.5 | 116.6 | 22 | 121.1 | 20 | 114.2 | 36 | 110 | 42 | 130.3 | 16 | 118.5 | 20 | 0.79 | 14 |
22 | Stanford | 116.6 | 115.8 | 26 | 112.5 | 36 | 135.6 | 10 | 111.2 | 41 | 132.2 | 15 | 117.4 | 22 | 0.2 | 41 |
23 | Notre Dame | 115.4 | 124.3 | 14 | 132.4 | 6 | 116.9 | 34 | 121.4 | 18 | 133.6 | 13 | 106.4 | 40 | 0.11 | 43 |
24 | Illinois | 115.4 | 119.8 | 17 | 123.3 | 14 | 122.4 | 24 | 122.4 | 17 | 120.9 | 23 | 111 | 31 | -0.53 | 83 |
25 | Auburn | 113.9 | 116.3 | 24 | 111.4 | 37 | 131.6 | 16 | 120.8 | 20 | 111.1 | 36 | 111.4 | 30 | 0.97 | 10 |
I don't know about you, but looking at the remainder of Alabama's schedule, it looks as if our road is a tad bit tougher to haul than originally expected. Even MSU is a top 40 team in most (some) categories. FSU will be by far the most balanced and most explosive team we play, if we play them. I was surprised at the low rushing offense ranking for Auburn, considering how many yards per game they rush for.
A quick look ahead shows FSU's 27th rushing defense could be a cause for concern against Alabama's #15 rushing attack but then again, FSU's #2 ranked passing offense is sure to cause Alabama's DB's some troubles.
Below are the number of top 25 teams each team has played to date. Just below the number of teams are the teams listed in order of ranking.
Number of S&P Overall top 25 opponents played (to date) | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
VT | TAMU | TAMU | UGA | Clemson | |
TAMU | USCe | LSU | USCe | Miami | |
LSU | |||||
Number of S&P Defense top 25 opponents played (to date) | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
VT | USCe | Ole Miss | Florida | Clemson | |
Ole Miss | USCe | ||||
Number of S&P Offense top 25 opponents played (to date) | |||||
Alabama | MSU | Auburn | Mizzou | Florida St | |
2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
TAMU | TAMU | TAMU | Georgia | Miami | |
LSU | LSU | LSU | USCe | Clemson | |
USCe | |||||
Auburn |
I find it rather amusing, and even a bit concerning, that Miami is ranked as high as they are, especially their passing offense. And the fact VT is ranked 11th overall leaves me scratching my head. I know that defense is fantastic but the offense is ranked 78th. Someone will have to explain that one to me. Just for comparison sake, LSU's offense is ranked 9th and the defense is 59th but overall they fall in at 22nd. I'm surprised LSU hasn't sent a letter to the league office about this yet.