Better Know A BCS Computer: Billingsley Report

in Computer Polls by Asher Feldman — July 30, 2010 at 2:03 pm | 1 comment

[Editor's note: In August of 2010, BCS Know How took a look at each of the six BCS computers using all available information and a multitude of sources. Some formulas are more public than others. I aimed to make the most inclusive collection of facts about all of the computers, with a varying degree of success.]

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Let’s continue the learning process with the Billingsley Report, run by Richard Billingsley out of the College Football Research Center.

Unlike Anderson and Hester, Billingsley finds real value in using preseason rankings as a jump-off point for his yearly computer rankings.

Using the previous season’s final rankings, Billingsley simply assigns teams a point value for his preseason ranking. The previous season’s final No. 1 receives 270 points, No. 2 receives 269, No. 3 receives 268 and so on until No. 120 receives 151 points.

Billingsley’s system is based on “point accumulation”, meaning that teams only are credited for winning/losing when the game occurs, only receiving/losing points in the rankings following that weekend. Therefore, a team is not punished for losses a team may suffer in the future, but also cannot gain points for teams getting better down the line.

Billingsley uses his own rankings to calculate strength of schedule, meaning that although teams’ records may be the same, the cost or benefit of a game may be different depending on opponent.

A supreme premium is placed on staying undefeated in the poll, but that is not to say that a team with a loss can’t make a climb in the standings.

In fact, Billingsley has set up his system to make sure that although it is likely for the loser of a head-to-head match up to end up behind the winner, the loser can jump ahead of the winner in the next week’s standings. Billingsley’s point accumulation method allows for a more fluid ranking system.

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