2017 NCAA Playoff Points: Week 3

I was sick over the weekend, so I'm running a little behind where I normally am with these rankings. Fortunately, coming up with the Playoff Points rankings is fairly quick and easy and I'm not that far behind.

Last week's rankings were the first of the season, given that we're not that far into it. Playoff Points are hard to come by this early in the season, but as the sample sizes get larger, so do the average scores. You can view explanations for how all three sets of Playoff Points scores work in my season introduction post.

Let's get to it!


American Athletic
Wins: 1.58 (7th)
PP1: 1.17 (6th)
PP2: 0.25 (T-5th)
aPP: 0.92 (6th)

ACC
Wins: 1.79 (5th)
PP1: 1.64 (4th)
PP2: 0.48 (1st)
aPP: 1.14 (4th)

Big Ten
Wins: 2.14 (T-2nd)
PP1: 2.14 (1st)
PP2: 0.46 (2nd)
aPP: 1.93 (2nd)

Big XII
Wins: 1.90 (4th)
PP1: 1.20 (5th)
PP2: 0.22 (7th)
aPP: 1.00 (5th)

Conference USA
Wins: 1.29 (10th)
PP1: 0.43 (10th)
PP2: 0.14 (8th)
aPP: -0.50 (T-9th)

Independents
Wins: 1.25 (11th)
PP1: 0.75 (7th)
PP2: 0.25 (T-5th)
aPP: -0.75 (11th)

MAC
Wins: 1.50 (8th)
PP1: 0.67 (8th)
PP2: 0.11 (9th)
aPP: -0.25 (7th)

Mountain West
Wins: 1.33 (9th)
PP1: 0.58 (9th)
PP2: 0.10 (10th)
aPP: -0.50 (T-9th)

Pac-12
Wins: 2.33 (1st)
PP1: 2.00 (1st)
PP2: 0.43 (3rd)
aPP: 1.83 (1st)

SEC
Wins: 2.14 (T-2nd)
PP1: 1.93 (3rd)
PP2: 0.43 (4th)
aPP: 1.64 (3rd)

Sun Belt
Wins: 1.67 (6th)
PP1: 0.25 (11th)
PP2: 0.04 (11th)
aPP: -1.33 (11th)

To see the updated spreadsheet, click here.

Photo by Steven Branscombe (Getty Images)

One note first: With some of the ties, the numbers are exactly the same, and I've tried to denote that here. Other ones that seem to be ties (looking in particular at both the Pac 12 and SEC each having a 0.43 PP2 average) I went into the actual numbers and ranked them accordingly; they just happened to round to the same number. When every team has at least one win, this will become much easier.

I'm intrigued by the Sun Belt; they have the sixth highest win average among all FBS conferences, but rank dead last in every other category. Odds are that will probably remain the same, but with some non conference games left, they're probably going to drop in the wins ranking. The Pac 12, meanwhile, ranks first in everything but PP2, which the ACC currently leads in. The Big Ten is no worse than second in every category, leading in PP1 at the moment. We'll have to see how much that changes as time goes on.

That's it for Week 3! Now that I'm back on schedule, I'll return tomorrow morning with a look at the Week 4 NCSS rankings!