Anybody can put together a ranking of the 25 best teams in the country, but it takes a true college football fan to compile a list of the 25 worst. Every Tuesday during the regular season, CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli does just that.
We have a new No. 1 team, ladies and gentlemen.
I was a fool. I didn't see it coming. I was convinced that, as long as Kansas kept on losing, there was no way anybody was going to catch it. I was also sure that Kansas would keep on losing.
So I was half-right.
In a week that saw the Jayhawks lose 66-7 to Baylor, the fellas at North Texas went and one-upped our blue birds from Lawrence. The Mean Green also lost 66-7 this week, but they happened to do it against Portland State.
That was enough to propel them to the top spot in our rankings. The gap between North Texas and Kansas isn't as great as it was between Kansas and North Texas, so nothing is permanent, but for now, we have a new top dog.
As for the rest of our rankings, we'll get to them right after this quick refresher on how all of this works.
My opinion has absolutely nothing to do with the rankings. They are based on a mathematical formula of my creation. Every week I enter a bunch of different numbers into a spreadsheet, and that spreadsheet then spits out the rankings based on the data I entered. So keep this in mind before you call me an idiot, which I know you will.
There is true equality to start. That means exactly what it says. The math doesn't play favorites. Before the season begins, Ohio State is just as good as our defending Bottom 25 champion SMU Mustangs. It doesn't matter where you're ranked in the AP Top 25, or what you did last season, or any season before it. The only factor that matters in the rankings is how you've performed in 2015.
Wins and losses mean more than anything. I have a lot of different statistics involved, and I factor in strength of schedule (though, remember, everybody begins the season with the same SOS), but at the end of the day whether you won or lost is going to mean more than anything else. Also, just because it's too difficult for me to rank FCS teams as well, my formula doesn't have much respect for FCS teams. If you beat one it won't mean much, and if you lose to one, well, you might show up in The Bottom 25.
I won't tell you what my formula is. I just don't want to. I'm not a mathematician. I know my formula isn't perfect. I don't think a perfect formula can exist. So, I don't share it because I don't care what anybody thinks is wrong with it, or what else it should include. So don't ask.
Let's do it.
25. Maryland: 2-4 (Last week: 25)
Best Win: 35-17 vs. South Florida | Worst Loss: 48-27 vs. Bowling Green
Average Score: 24.3-34.7 | This Week: No game
Apparently being No. 25 in The Bottom 25 just wasn't good enough for the Maryland brass. The question now is whether or not the dismissal of Randy Edsall will help the Terps here, or hurt them. As for what's helping and what isn't, I'll let you decide for yourself.
24. Oregon State: 2-3 (Unranked)
Best Win: 35-21 vs. San Jose State | Worst Loss: 44-7 at Arizona
Average Score: 19.8-29.8 | This Week: at Washington State
Oregon State gives the Pac-12 a representative in our poll following a 44-7 loss to Arizona. The good news for the Beavers, though, is that none of the locals will notice they're here thanks to Oregon's 3-3 start.
23. UMass: 1-4 (24)
Best Win: 24-14 vs. FIU | Worst Loss: 48-14 at Colorado
Average Score: 25.2-42.2 | This Week: vs. Kent State
Offensively, the Minutemen haven't been terrible. The problem is you have to be a lot better than "not terrible" when your defense has allowed more than 60 points in two of the last three games.
22. Old Dominion: 2-3 (18)
Best Win: 38-34 at Eastern Michigan | Worst Loss: 49-0 vs. Appalachian State
Average Score: 16.6-32.8 | This Week: vs. Charlotte
Old Dominion had to take last week off to prepare for its monster matchup with...
21. Charlotte: 2-3 (20)
Best Win: 23-20 at Georgia State | Worst Loss: 73-14 at Middle Tennessee
Average Score: 16.2-31.4 | This Week: at Old Dominion
Statistically, both Old Dominion and Charlotte have been similar this season. So it's likely that this week's game goes at least four overtimes. Four horrible, horrible overtimes.
20. Hawaii: 2-4 (UR)
Best Win: 28-20 vs. Colorado | Worst Loss: 28-14 vs. San Diego State
Average Score: 14.8-32.7 | This Week: at New Mexico
I hate when you're ranked, Hawaii. I just love you too much. Your season-opening win over Colorado could only buy you so much time, but this week's game against New Mexico can be had. Get out of here, Hawaii! Go on, git!
19. UTSA: 1-5 (17)
Best Win: 25-6 at UTEP | Worst Loss: 33-31 vs. Colorado State
Average Score: 22.7-35.7 | This Week: at Southern Miss
UTSA was a Bottom 10 team a couple weeks ago, but it has fallen all the way to 19 after nearly pulling off its second consecutive win this weekend. The Roadrunners are getting feisty!
18. Eastern Michigan: 1-5 (21)
Best Win: 48-29 at Wyoming | Worst Loss: 58-36 vs. Army
Average Score: 29.7-40.7 | This Week: at Toledo
I'm just happy that the Eastern Michigan I know and love is back. I was worried after that win over Wyoming earlier this season, but life has returned to normal in Ypsilanti.
17. Tulane: 2-3 (UR)
Best Win: 45-31 vs. UCF | Worst Loss: 65-10 at Georgia Tech
Average Score: 22.0-37.8 | This Week: vs. Houston
Tulane makes its triumphant return to our rankings. Apparently those two straight wins against Maine and UCF could only hold the Wave back for so long.
16. Georgia State: 1-4 (UR)
Best Win: 34-32 at New Mexico State | Worst Loss: 41-33 vs. Liberty
Average Score: 23.6-38.8 | This Week: at Ball State
It's about time. No joke, every Sunday when I'm finishing up my rankings, I look to see if Georgia State is in The Bottom 25 yet. I thought it was a sure thing following the Liberty loss, but nope. Oh well, water under the bridge. It's here now.
15. Virginia: 1-4 (15)
Best Win: 35-29 vs. William & Mary | Worst Loss: 26-19 at Pitt
Average Score: 22.2-35.8 | This Week: vs. Syracuse
Good news, Mike London. Somebody has noticed the work you've done. Following Steve Sarkisian's firing on Monday, the USC Sports Business Association floated London's name as a possible replacement in a since deleted tweet. Who says being in The Bottom 25 is a bad career move?
14. Purdue: 1-5 (14)
Best Win: 38-14 vs. Indiana State | Worst Loss: 41-13 vs. Minnesota
Average Score: 25.8-34.3 | This Week: at Wisconsin
Remember last week when I said that Purdue was going to beat Minnesota? Haha, got you! That's me, always telling jokes!
13. UTEP: 2-4 (19)
Best Win: 50-47 at New Mexico State | Worst Loss: 25-6 vs. UTSA
Average Score: 21.3-43.0 | This Week: No game
UTEP is charging hard. From unranked to No. 13 in two weeks, at this point of the season, is not that easy to do.
12. Louisiana-Monroe: 1-4 (6)
Best Win: 47-0 vs. Nicholls State | Worst Loss: 34-24 at Tulsa
Average Score: 23.2-34.0 | This Week: vs. Appalachian State
Louisiana-Monroe loses by 10 points and it falls six spots in the rankings. I didn't invent math, I just invented the math used in this formula.
11. New Mexico State: 0-5 (13)
Best Win: None | Worst Loss: 50-47 vs. UTEP
Average Score: 24.8-47.0 | This Week: at Georgia Southern
There are only five winless teams remaining in the FBS this season. New Mexico State is one of them, yet it can't crack the Bottom 10 yet. This is unprecendented in the long, two-year history of these rankings. The Aggies might just be the greatest 0-5 team of all time.
10. Troy: 1-4 (16)
Best Win: 44-16 vs. Charleston Southern | Worst Loss: 24-18 vs. South Alabama
Average Score: 20.6-32.4 | This Week: vs. Idaho
There's no shame in losing to Mississippi State, and there's no shame in accepting the ride to the Bottom 10 it provides.
9. SMU: 1-5 (9)
Best Win: 31-13 vs. North Texas | Worst Loss: 48-45 vs. James Madison
Average Score: 30.8-45.2 | This Week: No game
Our defending champions have this week off, and they deserve it after working so hard to get back to the Bottom 10 following an early season win over North Texas.
8. Texas State: 1-4 (10)
Best Win: 63-24 vs. Prairie View A&M | Worst Loss: 49-27 at UL-Lafayette
Average Score: 34.0-49.4 | This Week: No game
Texas State came out on the wrong end (or the right end) of a Bottom 25 matchup against Louisiana-Lafayette last week. The result booted the Ragin' Cajuns from the rankings -- though they have bigger problems right now -- and solidified the Bobcats' Bottom 10 status.
7. Wyoming: 0-6 (8)
Best Win: None | Worst Loss: 24-13 vs. North Dakota
Average Score: 19.0-33.8 | This Week: vs. Nevada
Wyoming keeps on losing, and my formula just keeps on not being all that impressed by it.
6. Miami (Ohio): 1-5 (7)
Best Win: 26-7 vs. Presbyterian | Worst Loss: 20-14 at Kent State
Average Score: 15.0-35.3 | This Week: vs. Northern Illinois
Miami's inability to score points against FBS foes (averaging 12.8 points in five games) makes it a serious threat to the teams ranked ahead of it on this list.
5. Idaho: 1-4 (5)
Best Win: 41-38 vs. Wofford | Worst Loss: 49-35 at Arkansas State
Average Score: 26.6-47.0 | This Week: at Troy
A very important week for the Vandals. They're taking on Troy in The Bottom 25 Game of the Week.
4. UCF: 0-6 (3)
Best Win: None | Worst Loss: 16-15 vs. Furman
Average Score: 15.7-29.7 | This Week: at Temple
The Bottom 25 has claimed its fair share of coaches (it got two this week alone) during its time, but this is the first time it led to somebody firing himself from a job.
3. Fresno State: 1-5 (4)
Best Win: 34-13 vs. Abilene Christian | Worst Loss: 21-7 at San Diego State
Average Score: 20.5-42.8 | This Week: vs. UNLV
Fresno was crushed 56-14 by Utah State over the weekend, and it was enough to help the Bulldogs hop over UCF into The Bottom 3. Truly impressive stuff.
2. Kansas: 0-5 (1)
Best Win: None | Worst Loss: 41-38 vs. South Dakota State
Average Score: 19.0-45.4 | This Week: vs. Texas Tech
I do not want to see you walking around campus with your head down, Kansas. Do not give up hope. I still believe in you. Your schedule is much more difficult than North Texas' going forward. You are not out of this yet, I assure you. Just believe in yourself.
1. North Texas: 0-5 (2)
Best Win: None | Worst Loss: 66-7 vs. Portland State
Average Score: 14.8-49.2 | This Week: vs. Western Kentucky
What we learned this week is that losing by 59 points to an FCS team on Homecoming is horrible for your job security, but beneficial to your Bottom 25 standing.
No Longer Ranked: South Florida, Rice, Western Michigan, Louisiana-Lafayette
