RANKING EXPLANATION

#26 USC

See which factors helped or hurt this team’s ranking.

Back to rankings
Moderate boost

Avoiding bad losses

Rewards teams whose worst result was still competitive.

Your importance: 3 out of 10
Moderate boost

Game control

Rewards teams that consistently outscore opponents, with schedule strength considered.

Your importance: 8 out of 10
Moderate boost

Scoring punch

Rewards teams that put points on the board, adjusted for who they played.

Your importance: 5 out of 10
Small effect

Defensive toughness

Rewards teams that keep opponents off the scoreboard, adjusted for who they played.

Your importance: 5 out of 10
Moderate boost

Winning

Rewards teams for simply winning the games on their schedule.

Your importance: 8 out of 10
Small effect

Tough schedules

Rewards teams that have faced stronger opponents.

Your importance: 6 out of 10
Moderate boost

Big-game wins

Gives extra credit for beating strong opponents.

Your importance: 6 out of 10
Small effect

Wins away from home

Gives extra credit for winning road and neutral-site games.

Your importance: 3 out of 10
Moderate boost

Statement wins

Rewards teams for wins by 14 or more points.

Your importance: 3 out of 10
Not used: evidence unavailable

Close-game grit

Rewards teams that win games decided by eight points or fewer.

Your importance: 2 out of 10
Moderate boost

Team talent

How much proven player talent is already on the roster.

Your importance: 5 out of 10
Moderate boost

Recruiting strength

Rewards teams that have stacked several strong recruiting classes.

Your importance: 5 out of 10
Small effect

Returning production

Rewards teams bringing back more of last season's on-field production.

Your importance: 4 out of 10
Small effect

Transfer portal impact

Rewards teams whose rated transfer additions outweigh their departures.

Your importance: 3 out of 10
Small effect

Previous-season performance

Lets last season's results matter until this season builds its own story.

Your importance: 4 out of 10
Moderate boost

Recent form

Emphasizes how a team performed in its three most recently completed games.

Your importance: 4 out of 10
Show the technical details
FactorRaw valueAdjusted valueContribution
Avoiding bad losses16.0001.1790.055
Game control12.1280.6300.079
Scoring punch42.3920.6960.054
Defensive toughness35.494-0.300-0.023
Winning1.0001.1650.145
Tough schedules-4.728-0.246-0.023
Big-game wins1.9870.8950.084
Wins away from home0.000-0.389-0.018
Statement wins1.0001.6410.077
Close-game gritNot available0.0000.000
Team talent847.5301.4220.060
Recruiting strength280.1742.0050.085
Returning production0.5920.6570.022
Transfer portal impact-10.220-1.815-0.046
Previous-season performance13.6911.2060.041
Recent form23.3331.0420.065

This ranking used completed results through week 3. The stored values below reproduce this ranking’s explanation.