http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/scores/results.aspx?state=KY

 

Interesting rankings.

Do Highlands and CovCath have the hardest schedules in the state because they play the Ohio teams? Every year thay are hovering around .500 % but are considered top teams.

Complete Max.prep top 25 here

These are probably the most ridiculous team ratings that I have seen this season. Maybe Johnson Central is no better than the 25th best team in the state, but I am absolutely sure that there are more than 18 teams better than Bethlehem - and I intend no disrespect for Bethlehem, which is having a great season.

 

I admit that I have not registered to read the methodology used to compile the rankings, but it is difficult to imagine a system in which Franklin County could have a "movement" of +6 following a loss to East Jessamine and Johnson Central could have a movement of -11 following a blowout win against Greenup County. Even if the "movement" indicates the opposite of what I think that it does, those big week to week swings just don't make any sense this late in the season.

 

Aside from the top 4 teams, I think that I could take a chimp and a dartboard and do about as well.

These are probably the most ridiculous team ratings that I have seen this season. Maybe Johnson Central is no better than the 25th best team in the state, but I am absolutely sure that there are more than 18 teams better than Bethlehem - and I intend no disrespect for Bethlehem, which is having a great season.

 

I admit that I have not registered to read the methodology used to compile the rankings, but it is difficult to imagine a system in which Franklin County could have a "movement" of +6 following a loss to East Jessamine and Johnson Central could have a movement of -11 following a blowout win against Greenup County. Even if the "movement" indicates the opposite of what I think that it does, those big week to week swings just don't make any sense this late in the season.

 

Aside from the top 4 teams, I think that I could take a chimp and a dartboard and do about as well.

 

 

Pretty sure that Friday's games weren't figured into the ratings...atleast the records aren't updated.

Pretty sure that Friday's games weren't figured into the ratings...atleast the records aren't updated.

You're right, but I stand by my assertion that the system is severely flawed. Not much weight seems to have been given to class or strength of schedule.

 

How doe a team whose best win to date has been a 5 point upset of Louisville Holy Cross warrant a top 20 rating? Massey has Bethlehem ranked 8th in 1A and 63rd overall, which sounds pretty reasonable, IMO.

 

I cannot imagine any statistical model that would rank Danville four places below Bethlehem. On a given night, Bethlehem might upset Danville, but I don't believe many Bethlehem fans would object to the win being described as an upset.

You're right, but I stand by my assertion that the system is severely flawed. Not much weight seems to have been given to class or strength of schedule.

 

How doe a team whose best win to date has been a 5 point upset of Louisville Holy Cross warrant a top 20 rating? Massey has Bethlehem ranked 8th in 1A and 63rd overall, which sounds pretty reasonable, IMO.

 

I cannot imagine any statistical model that would rank Danville four places below Bethlehem. On a given night, Bethlehem might upset Danville, but I don't believe many Bethlehem fans would object to the win being described as an upset.

 

Other than Bethlehem, what else do you see that you don't like?

These are probably the most ridiculous team ratings that I have seen this season. Maybe Johnson Central is no better than the 25th best team in the state, but I am absolutely sure that there are more than 18 teams better than Bethlehem - and I intend no disrespect for Bethlehem, which is having a great season.

 

I admit that I have not registered to read the methodology used to compile the rankings, but it is difficult to imagine a system in which Franklin County could have a "movement" of +6 following a loss to East Jessamine and Johnson Central could have a movement of -11 following a blowout win against Greenup County. Even if the "movement" indicates the opposite of what I think that it does, those big week to week swings just don't make any sense this late in the season.

 

Aside from the top 4 teams, I think that I could take a chimp and a dartboard and do about as well.

 

I told you the rankings were interesting, but I didn't say why.

 

It seems to me that these rankings are just thrown together by the writers at MaxPreps. It also makes me wonder the validity of the other states rankings as well.

I can deal with the top of the poll but it gets iffy towards the bottom.

Other than Bethlehem, what else do you see that you don't like?

The rankings marked in blue seem out of whack compared to the major computer ranking systems.

I told you the rankings were interesting, but I didn't say why.

 

It seems to me that these rankings are just thrown together by the writers at MaxPreps. It also makes me wonder the validity of the other states rankings as well.

There are some odd discrepancies among the Litkenhouse, Cantrall, and Massey ratings, but they are minor compared to some of the MaxPreps differences. MaxPreps rankings for Bethlehem, Tates Creek, Western, and Scott County are way out of line with the other rankings.

There are some odd discrepancies among the Litkenhouse, Cantrall, and Massey ratings, but they are minor compared to some of the MaxPreps differences. MaxPreps rankings for Bethlehem, Tates Creek, Western, and Scott County are way out of line with the other rankings.

 

I believe MaxPreps indicates on their site that their systems is based strictly on objective criteria from this year. I have no idea how Massey calculates their rankings, but I believe the two instate polls start with a "magic number", which is fine if you are a historic power. Is MaxPreps way off base in some cases (maybe), but I don't think that can be judged against other computer rankings. Personally I think it is really interesting to look at a computer system that is based on objective factors from this year only ranks the teams. I think I read where they indicate they don't rank until 3 weeks of the season have been completed and that their model improves with additional results (as you would expect). It will be interesting to see how close they are in predicting say the final four in each class based on their last regular season poll.

I believe MaxPreps indicates on their site that their systems is based strictly on objective criteria from this year. I have no idea how Massey calculates their rankings, but I believe the two instate polls start with a "magic number", which is fine if you are a historic power. Is MaxPreps way off base in some cases (maybe), but I don't think that can be judged against other computer rankings. Personally I think it is really interesting to look at a computer system that is based on objective factors from this year only ranks the teams. I think I read where they indicate they don't rank until 3 weeks of the season have been completed and that their model improves with additional results (as you would expect). It will be interesting to see how close they are in predicting say the final four in each class based on their last regular season poll.

Every ranking system, whether "objective" or "subjective" uses its own version of so-called "magic numbers." The bottom line is that no system is free of human bias. IMO, there is no reasonable basis one could use to rank a 1A school that has played a weak schedule among the top 20 teams from all classes.

 

The better ranking systems contain detailed explanations of the methodology that is used. Both Massey and Sagarin do so, I believe, as does the AP. I am skeptical of people who claim that their rankings are "objective," but do not divulge enough information to allow their results to be checked. I didn't see any such explanation of the MaxPreps ranking method, but maybe it is available to registered users. Whether or not the system is "objective" or not, the MaxPreps methods produce some bizarre results, IMO.

 

As for how well each system picks state semi-finalists in their last regular season rankings, if the process used to rank is not transparent, we cannot be sure that somebody is not applying some "magic numbers" during the season to spare himself some embarrassment. In other words, claiming that a system is objective does not make it so.