I was a bit surprised by the answer (if you go by AP rank).

I was a bit surprised by the answer (if you go by AP rank).
by Private Joker (2021-11-22 06:26:21)

In reply to: The thing about 1988... posted by doolinbanjos

It’s 3.

2012 Stanford finished #7.
2013 Michigan St. finished #3.
2020 Clemson finished #3.

Our scheduling over the last five seasons has been terrible. Four of the eleven teams on our regular season schedule last year finished the season with a winning record (and two of those teams finished 6-5).

While there is a "down season" effect, it's no excuse.

Stanford, USC, FSU and Va Tech have all historically been much better teams. But, when those are all you have, you've got no room for them to have down years without the schedule going to shit.

We're lucky Cincinnati baled our schedule out from being a complete mockery. Of course, we lost to them.