Wareforce Power Index: Season 22, Week 8

By: David Ware (@davidware)

Tip a Cap To a Fantastic Regular Season

It is wild to believe that the regular season has come and gone and it’s playoff time already! This season has shown that the changes over the last few seasons have provided the league with the most parity we have seen in a long time. The Wareforce Power Index Rating has seen several teams come and go in the top 10 this season but there have been two teams constantly at the top and the question is will they flip this week after both of them had huge weeks? Please remember the Wareforce Power Index is an UNOFFICIAL ranking in the CFSL and is intended to provide statistical data for content purposes.

10. Texas A&M (4-4) Grade: B

The Aggies got a huge win this week and they have now won three in a row and have been crowned the Big XII champions! Kade Padgett the Athletic Director has done a great job this season continuing to push through and adapt. The Aggies have proven the adage, that it’s not where you start, but where you finish. They started with three losses but finished with three wins! The Aggies have done all this with the fourth hardest strength of schedule in the CFSL.

9. Auburn (5-3) Grade: B

The Auburn Tigers have had a great season by the normal standard in the CFSL with five wins this year. I know some of the Tigers may be frustrated but their record over the last three seasons has been one of the best runs we have ever seen in the CFSL. The Tigers are prepped to make a third-straight playoff appearance for the first time since seasons 11-13 when former Athletic Director Matt Pack finished up his legendary career as an AD. I would warn any team that has Auburn on their schedule to make sure they do not overlook them in any way.

8. Ohio State (6-2) Grade: A

The Buckeyes have bounced back and moved up three spots after two tough losses in Weeks 5 and 6. They took on rival Michigan for a very important win that secured the third seed in the Big 10. The Buckeyes have won 14 games over the last two seasons and are looking to improve on their first-round exit last season. They are a top 10 in net point differential, points per game, and defensive points allowed per game. This is a complete team that will be in a situation to handle their first-round matchup no matter who winds up drafting them.

7. Oklahoma (5-3) Grade: A

The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the top offenses in the league and a rushing attack that can be nearly impossible to stop. The Sooners Quarterback Himoteo Del Este has played like a player of the year candidate this season as he has been a dual-threat quarterback. Losing to LSU cost Oklahoma three spots as well as an automatic playoff spot and a shot at a conference title. The Sooners are on the ballot for a final playoff spot and I would be shocked not to see them in this year. I also see them as a team that wins their first-round matchup and makes a deep playoff push.

6. Michigan State (5-3) Grade: A

The Spartans remain in the sixth spot this week after beating Penn State this week in a very close battle. The win put them in the second seed in the Big 10 this season and with a very good offense that can be inconsistent and good defense, it makes them a very dangerous team come the playoffs. It will be interesting to see what team Michigan State decides to draft and what offense shows up this week.

5. Miami (6-2) Grade: A

The Hurricanes have been a very good team this season and they have caused havoc all season taking down several big teams such as Bix XII champs Texas A&M Aggies, ACC champs Virginia Tech, and a three-point loss to Big 10 champ USC. This week their loss against heavyweight Florida State had to have a loser and it was the Hurricanes on the losing end. They dropped two spots in the rankings this week but t can promise that there are not many teams that are going to be excited about playing the Hurricanes in round one. The Hurricanes have the third seed in the ACC this season and finished with a very strong six-win season and they don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

4. Florida State (6-2) Grade: A

The Seminoles have had a very strong season and they only lost two games by a total of five points. Both losses were heartbreaking final-drive losses. They have been pushed through and won three straight games including beating Miami in Week 8 to secure the second seed in the ACC and moved them up three spots in this week’s Wareforce Power Index Rating. The four-point loss in Week 5 to Virginia Tech wound up being the ACC championship deciding factor. The Seminoles will have their choice of who they play in the first round, and I wouldn’t imagine many ADs want to hear their team called when it’s time for Florida State to choose.

3. Virginia Tech (6-2) Grade: A

Virginia Tech has built this program up fast as they are in their second season and fighting for an ACC championship in Week 8. Facing the Tar Heels, they walked away with a two-point win to secure their first conference title. What they have accomplished in such a short time has been amazing, to say the least, and they moved up two spots this week in the Wareforce Power Index Rating.. AD Cory Mucci has built this program and its foundation to compete for years to come. Two losses on the season by a total of six points is very strong. A top-five-point differential and top-ten offense and defense is a very scary combination for anyone who has to play them.

2. USC (7-1) Grade: A

The Trojans passed Alabama last week for the top spot, but they were not able to hold on to it this week. Even with a dominant win against Oregon, the Big 10 conference champs had five of their opponents lose which dropped their strength of schedule, while Alabama had four of their opponents win. The back-to-back defending champions are not worried about ranking as they go for the three-peat and they have a team built to win. Being the favorites to win it all this season and winning their first conference title under Jacob Cobb, has the Trojans in a spot to cause havoc for whoever faces them in the first round. The question will be if the official CFSL Rankings will keep USC as number one as they have been most of the year, or will Alabama pass them for the top spot?

1. Alabama (8-0) Grade: A

The Crimson Tide completed the regular season with a huge win at Auburn to claim their first undefeated season under AD David Ware and snapped Auburn’s SEC conference title streak of two straight titles. Entering the season, the Tigers were favorites to clinch a third straight title, but it was the year of the Tide in the SEC. Alabama finished as the only undefeated team in all of the CFSL and had the highest net point differential in the CFSL, the most points scored, and only allowed one more point than league-leading USC Trojans who gave up 199 points compared to the 200 in which the Tide gave up. Their opponents finished strong with four wins this week to help push their strength of schedule up enough to surpass the Trojans for the top spot. The question remains, who will be the number-one seed in the playoffs this year? The Trojans and Tide could be the favorites for the top spot and first pick in the CFSL playoff draft.

In Conclusion

Rivalry Week did not fail to entertain the masses as we saw upsets, close games, and a few dominant performances. First-time conference titles and continued playoff streaks were all part of the final results we saw across the league. Now we have the playoff draft and get ready to start the run for the championship next week. I hope you enjoyed this season’s Wareforce Power Index Rankings and that they helped provide entertaining content and insight into the season. May the best team win the Season 22 National Championship!

Until Next Time, Keep Your Game Face On and Your Spirits High!