Our Bill Gilbert is a Colorado University Alum
The Buffs Didn’t make The Playoffs in 2016, But They Did Begin to Snort Wins Again, Like It Was Once Upon a Time.
A College Football 2016 Wrap-up
By Bill Gilbert
Analyst Bill Gilbert
A valued ongoing contributor to The Pecan Park Eagle.
I usually write about major league baseball but I also have an interest in college football and college baseball with my grandson pitching for LSU. My interest in college football this year was a little greater than usual with my school, the University of Colorado, returning to relevance after a 15 year absence. After a little analysis, I have reached the following conclusions regarding the 2016 season:
1. The ACC has a legitimate claim as the strongest Power 5 conference in 2016 with a National Championship and a bowl game record of 9-4.
2. Alabama has the longest current string of top 25 finishes with 9.
3. In the 17 years (2000-2016), Oklahoma has been ranked in the top 25 fifteen times. LSU and Ohio State are tied for second with 14.
4. Alabama has 4 National Championships since 2000. USC, Florida and Ohio State each have 2.
5. It was not a good year for teams from Texas. No Texas teams finished in the top 25 rankings, for the first time in this century. Six teams from Texas went to bowl games but only Baylor came away a winner.
6. LSU has not finished in the Top 10 since 2011.
7. Colorado was ranked for the first time since 2002.
8. 87 teams have finished a season ranked in the top 25 since 2000.
9. Eleven of the twenty five ranked teams in the preseason poll were not in the rankings at the end of the season, led by Notre Dame, No. 10 in the preseason poll.
10. Other top 10 preseason teams that fell out of the top 10 were LSU (5 to 13), Stanford (8 to 12) and Tennessee (9 to 22).
11. Two preseason unranked teams finished in the top 10, Penn State (7) and Wisconsin (9).
12. Among preseason ranked teams, the biggest upward moves were by USC (20 to 3) and Washington (14 to 4).
Editorial Note: Support for these conclusions is available from Bill Gilbert by e-mail request to Bill Gilbert.
Bill Gilbert
The Pecan Park Eagle 
January 20, 2017 at 11:55 pm |
Bill, LSU won National Championships in 2003 and 2007. The Tigers lost to Alabama in 2011. Good luck to your Grandson, as an Alumnus and explayer I’ll be at Minute Maid the 1st weekend of March. First game Friday night,#1 TCU VS #2 LSU…….Geaux Tigers.