Following the completion of week 4, all FBS teams are connected to one another through either wins or losses, allowing for the first Network Ranking of the 2014 season. An explanation of how this simple, intuitive, and obviously best ranking method is generated can be found here.
While the AP poll has not yet been released, no doubt the most dramatic difference will be the placement of Florida State. While the media will continue to rank Florida State #1 (due to their biases, including the Seminole's performance last year), the network ranking, which blindly evaluates the quality of wins minus the severity of losses within a season, ranks Florida State at #25. Why? Because their wins are against Oklahoma State, who has only beaten UTSA (who beat Houston, who beat UNLV, who hasn't won an FBS game), and Clemson, who has yet to win against an FBS opponent. If Florida State continues to win, and their opponents perform well, they'll climb in the rankings. But, since the Network Ranking is evidence based and not speculation based, Florida State will have to earn their number 1 spot.
Top 25 - Full Ranking (.xls)
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi State
- Alabama
- Texas A&M
- Auburn
- UCLA
- Brigham Young
- South Carolina
- Penn State
- Georgia Tech
- Arizona
- Oregon
- North Carolina State
- Nebraska
- Washington
- Ole Miss
- Notre Dame
- Duke
- LSU
- Marshall
- Arizona State
- Arkansas
- TCU
- Boise State
- Florida State