Tennessee is #1 in Sagarin's Recent Performance Ratings

[DiderotsGhost]

This is a fun, but ultimately meaningless fact: we are now #1 in Sagarin's "Recent" rating system, which puts more emphasis on recent games.

Sagarin has 3 ratings that are combined for their ranking system. The "Recent" score is 1/3 of the Sagarin formula. Here are the teams ranked based on that metric:

1. Tennessee 95.09
2. Georgia 95.06
3. Alabama 95.00
4. Ohio State 93.32

Albeit, we are only ahead of Georgia by 0.03 points and only ahead of Bama by 0.09 points. If you used this system to handicap games, it'd basically be 50-50 between us and Georgia (and also Bama). And while we don't win anything for this, it is the first time I can remember any reputable quantitative ranking system putting us at #1 in the last 20 years.

For the record, we are #4 in the actual Sagarin ranking system (which uses the "Recent" score as 1/3 of the rating): behind Georgia, Bama, and Ohio State. Sagarin implies that if we played on a neutral field against Georgia today, we'd be a 3.5 point underdog. We'd be favored by about 1 point over #5 Michigan and about 4 points over #8 TCU.

Essentially, Sagarin is saying "this is no fluke". We didn't get lucky or anything; this team has been improving as the season has gone along.

 

[tnburban]

They put this next to their "Champions of Life" plaque in the ladies room...

 

[DiderotsGhost]

They put this next to their "Champions of Life" plaque in the ladies room...

A statistical ranking system that says we look like the #1 team "right now" is quite a bit different than declaring yourself "Champions of Life" after losing a bunch. The real takeaway from this is that Sagarin thinks we're getting better and that includes a game where we didn't have a lot of our best players. We weren't even #1 on this metric back before the Georgia game; essentially Sagarin thinks we're a lot better now than we were 2-3 months ago.

To me, this is a very promising sign. It's not just a fluke. We are objectively playing among the best in the country right now and that's a bright sign for the future.

 

[arkyvol]

A more logical assessment could be found in any poolhall in America.

 

[tnburban]

A statistical ranking system that says we look like the #1 team "right now" is quite a bit different than declaring yourself "Champions of Life" after losing a bunch. The real takeaway from this is that Sagarin thinks we're getting better and that includes a game where we didn't have a lot of our best players. We weren't even #1 on this metric back before the Georgia game; essentially Sagarin thinks we're a lot better now than we were 2-3 months ago.

To me, this is a very promising sign. It's not just a fluke. We are objectively playing among the best in the country right now and that's a bright sign for the future.

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

 

[VolBricks]

Sagarin is giving Dabo and Clemson too much credit.

 

[WillisWG]

Lost me when he had our SOS at 31.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Well it shoots a hole in the argument that Tennessee should be ranked below Bama because we lost Hooker.

 

[WillisWG]

2022 College Football Power Index | ESPN

On a less brighter note, I see the ESPN FPI has Bammer at 2 and the Vols at #5.

 

[Mimi#1]

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

And...? Only two teams ARE practicing today to play a game next week. Georgia better be ready for TCU.

 

[morristown vol]

I think he said"just for fun"

 

[Dr H Lecter]

I think he said"just for fun"

Reading is FUNdamental!

 

[Pride85]

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

Ok. So that means nothing that has happened this year for UT means anything? Best record in twenty years, two years removed from our worst record in history is trash. Remarkable improvement in YEAR TWO of our new coach means zip? Being relevant again means diddly? Enquiring Minds need to know.

 

[BruisedOrange]

What this is is further proof that our success has not come with smoke and mirrors, nor has it come from guys playing emotionally above their heads.

Heupel is building something of substance and staying power at Tennessee. We are no longer a lower-tier, or even middle-tier SEC program.

Now, with success comes greater challenges, and closer games with our powerful rivals, which will be determined by one or two key plays... so expect some heartbreaking losses in the future, alongside some great wins like this year's.

 

[Stephen Gray]

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

Glass half empty huh?

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

2022 College Football Power Index | ESPN

On a less brighter note, I see the ESPN FPI has Bammer at 2 and the Vols at #5.

That will make some posters in this thread happy. That Sagarin thing was breaking their hearts.

 

[BruisedOrange]

Here's how we anticipate success in the off-season:


Here's how success looks in the real world:

 

[Tman44]

"When ifs and buts are candy and nuts.... "
We had a great season. There are lifelong memories we will all share. Now our season is over. It is nice that a statistical analysis shows the coaching staff and the players are doing what they are supposed to do, getting better over time. Fortunately for us, we have a coach and a staff that can competently achieve a task that other coaches and players have failed to do since the early 2000's. Rest assured during the offseason that the Vols will show up well coached and better developed when we meet Virginia in Nashville on September 2.

 

[Pump Guy]

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

 

[volfanstuckinga]

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

He's not wrong

 

[sjt18]

They put this next to their "Champions of Life" plaque in the ladies room...

Well, no. It says that for the first time in a VERY long time... UT is numbered among the elite programs in CFB. The "champions of life" junk was Jones' excuse for failure on the field. This is DIRECTLY the opposite- a recognition of power on the field.

PS- Heupel appears to be producing more "Champions of Life" too.

 

[overseasorange2]

Here's the one "metric" that matters - UGA players are practicing today to play a game next week. UT players are not.

 

[turbovol]

How can we be ahead of undefeated Georgia when we lost two games "recently"---including to Georgia? Silly.

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

I guess “recent performance” doesn’t go back to the SC game……

 

[DougVol]

This is a fun, but ultimately meaningless fact: we are now #1 in Sagarin's "Recent" rating system, which puts more emphasis on recent games.

Sagarin has 3 ratings that are combined for their ranking system. The "Recent" score is 1/3 of the Sagarin formula. Here are the teams ranked based on that metric:

1. Tennessee 95.09
2. Georgia 95.06
3. Alabama 95.00
4. Ohio State 93.32

Albeit, we are only ahead of Georgia by 0.03 points and only ahead of Bama by 0.09 points. If you used this system to handicap games, it'd basically be 50-50 between us and Georgia (and also Bama). And while we don't win anything for this, it is the first time I can remember any reputable quantitative ranking system putting us at #1 in the last 20 years.

For the record, we are #4 in the actual Sagarin ranking system (which uses the "Recent" score as 1/3 of the rating): behind Georgia, Bama, and Ohio State. Sagarin implies that if we played on a neutral field against Georgia today, we'd be a 3.5 point underdog. We'd be favored by about 1 point over #5 Michigan and about 4 points over #8 TCU.

Essentially, Sagarin is saying "this is no fluke". We didn't get lucky or anything; this team has been improving as the season has gone along.