Based on Point Spreads & Schedule Strength, is Arkansas 6th in the Country?

Chase Stuart at Football Perspective tabulated Implied SRS rankings for the 2015 college football season based on available point spreads and schedule strength. The results are preliminary and based on a limited sample size of games to compare, but intriguing.

The top five – Ohio State, TCU, Baylor, Alabama, Oregon – looks about right. Though, the Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 6 may surprise some folks. USC (No. 15), Clemson (No. 20) and Notre Dame (No. 22) appear lower than they will in a lot of rankings. Louisville, another team getting some publicity, is (No. 43). Washington is No. 55, behind Vanderbilt.

For anyone projecting an SEC decline, based on last year’s bowl play, 10 of the Top 25 are SEC teams. SEC teams comprise seven of the top 14. Mississippi State is both No. 25 and in 7th place among SEC West teams.

The top three teams in Implied SRS before 2014 did reach the playoffs. Though, TCU, who just missed out, was 47th initially, and went 11-1 against the spread in the regular season as the betting public never really caught up on the Horned Frogs.