A statistical look at the WAC vs the SBC last year in FB and BB:
(Sagarin Ratings)
Football:
59. Fresno St - 63. MTSU (WAC)
70. Nevada - 69. Troy (Sun Belt)
85. Idaho - 109. ULM (WAC)
99. La Tech - 114. FAU (WAC)
100. Utah St - 123. ULL (WAC)
105. Hawaii - 129. Arkansas St (WAC)
138. San Jose St - 134. FIU (Sun Belt)
153. New Mex St - 160. North Texas (WAC)
- - 187. Western Kentucky
Basketball:
44. Utah St - 137. WKU (WAC)
74. Nevada - 157. North Texas (WAC)
97. NMSU - 164. Troy (WAC)
99. La Tech - 179. MTSU (WAC)
159. Idaho - 187. Denver (WAC)
162. Fresno St - 206. Arkansas St (WAC)
175. San Jose St - 214. FAU (WAC)
232. Hawaii - 222. ULL (Sun Belt)
- - 228. USA
- - 269. ULM
- - 282. UALR
- - 302. FIU
- - 315. UNO
I realize some folks don't like to face facts, but Sagarin difference is very close to what the line would be for head to head with a home advantage of 3 points. So...
Fresno favored at EVERY Sunbelt location.
Nevada a slight dog at Middle and Troy.
Idaho a favorite over every team other than Troy and Middle.
Same for Tech.
The oddsmakers don't often make mistakes, but taking hardheads do.
I have to agree. We beat Fresno 2 times when they were nationally ranked and supposed to be in the BCS hunt, and I think we finished below .500 in both years. Hawaii gets some talk because no one can beat them on the island- big friggin deal. Nevada can't hang with a BCS school any day. Go back and look at the Mizzou and Notre Dame games for the proof.
I will give you that we can't really tell unless you put both conferences against the same competition or head to head. However, some on this board don't want the head to head because we are too good for it. So, can you really say that it is fact that across the board the WAC is better than the belt? I think not. And, I would add, your stats go out the window when the game is actually played. Especially considering who is the home team. See Boise v Tech last year for the proof. Also see Tech v Hawaii last year.
I didn't remember that about 2005, thanks for keeping me honest.
We've done the head to head thing with Sunbelt teams and in our worst years, beat them handily save the Bicknell giveaway to Middle. I suppose folks forget after a few years. The Sunbelt has REALLY imporoved since then.
So pick another metric instead.
You don't want Sagarin, try BCS rankings. Don't like those? How about top 25 finishes? Bowl bids? Bowl wins? OOC wins? "Big name" wins? Head-to-head (limited as it is). Recruiting rankings. BCS bowls. Attendence. TV deal. Go ahead, find something measurable in which the SB beats the WAC (you can even take out Boise). I want to say that as a conference they may have beaten us on NFL players drafted in 2009 (I think we've got them in any other period, and ours this year were taken higher).
If we're just supposed to take your word for it, we're kind of stuck aren't we? You and Fox and the guy that blogged this say the conferences will be nearly equal, the rest of the non-SB world thinks not.
Last edited by inudesu; 07-02-2010 at 10:32 AM.
The offseason....
I'm so HAPPY! I focus on the World Cup, Tour de France, Women's Beach Volleyball
else I might get caught up in a stoooooooooopid thread arguing about just how bad the belch is!
Glad it ain't me.
Glad to see you have been doing your home work Sean.