The SEC may have 10 bowl teams, but that doesn’t make them the premier conference in 2009 (what it actually means is they collectively play a lot of games against Florida International and friends).
Voters as well as computers seem to agree the Pac-10 had the strongest conference from top to bottom this year. The final BCS standings, which uses two human and six computer polls to arrive at a ranking, gives the Pac-10 more representation than any other conference. It’s especially impressive considering four conferences have more teams and every other league plays at least one fewer conference game (in other words, they all play one extra patsy).
| Conference | Teams Ranked | Percentage Ranked |
| Pac-10 | 5 | 50% |
| Big Ten | 4 | 36% |
| Big East | 3 | 43% |
| Mountain West | 3 | 33% |
| ACC | 3 | 25% |
| Big 12 | 3 | 25% |
| SEC | 3 | 25% |
| WAC | 1 | 11% |
Looking at individual programs, no team played and beat more BCS top 25 opponents than Oregon this season. The Ducks played six teams ranked in the BCS top 25 and beat four of them. Would Texas and Alabama be playing in a national title game if they had to face as many quality opponents? Hard to say, but it certainly is telling that of the unbeaten teams, none played more than three games against opponents ranked in the final BCS standings.
What’s really impressive is that all but one of the ranked Pac-10 teams also played a top 25 BCS team in non-conference play.
| Team | BCS Ranking | Games Against Top 25 | Record Against Top 25 |
| Oregon | 7 | 6 | 4-2 |
| Arizona | 20 | 5 | 3-2 |
| USC | 24 | 5 | 2-3 |
| Oregon State | 18 | 5 | 1-4 |
| Stanford | 21 | 4 | 2-2 |
| Ohio State | 8 | 4 | 3-1 |
| Iowa | 10 | 4 | 3-1 |
| Virginia Tech | 11 | 4 | 2-2 |
| Alabama | 1 | 3 | 3-0 |
| Cincinnati | 4 | 3 | 3-0 |
| Utah | 23 | 3 | 1-2 |
| TCU | 3 | 2 | 2-0 |
| Texas | 2 | 2 | 2-0 |
| Florida | 5 | 2 | 1-1 |
| Georgia Tech | 9 | 2 | 1-1 |
| BYU | 14 | 2 | 1-1 |
| Miami | 15 | 2 | 1-1 |
| West Virginia | 16 | 2 | 1-1 |
| LSU | 12 | 2 | 0-2 |
| Penn State | 13 | 2 | 0-2 |
| Pittsburgh | 17 | 2 | 0-2 |
| Nebraska | 22 | 2 | 0-2 |
| Wisconsin | 25 | 2 | 0-2 |
| Boise State | 6 | 1 | 1-0 |
| Oklahoma State | 19 | 1 | 0-1 |
loading...
Wow. Just wow.
loading...
Go Pac-10 and GO DUCKS!!
loading...
That second spreadsheet is very impressive. Good research Nick! Given the power of the PAC-10 teams I am an advocate that the non-league schedule for Oregon should not include top 25 teams.
loading...
Thanks Nick great work on the stats.
You would think that the folks working with the BCS would have a smiggen of a grasp of reality on this game of football.
GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
loading...
Way to break it down and simply things. Go Ducks!
loading...
Oregon Ducks Football – 2009 Year In Review
Video highlights from the 2009 season.
Youtube disabled the sound on the original version, this is updated and includes a
complete soundtrack, enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3CaC0xsOmM
loading...