Despite losing to USC on Saturday night, Nebraska actually improved in one of the seven polls and rankings we monitor.
Nebraska’s 21-17 loss to the Trojans didn’t stop ESPN’s Football Power Index from increasing the Huskers’ ranking to 32 from 34.
The Huskers went down in four of the other polls and rankings, and were dropped in the Coaches Poll.
Nebraska’s best ranking is 28th in ESPN’s SP+ poll. The Huskers were 27th last week, also their best ranking. The Huskers’ highest ranking is 36th in The Athletic’s ranking of all FBS teams.
Each Wednesday, we’ll take a look at where seven national polls and rankings place Nebraska’s football team. Nebraska ranks 33.4 in an average of five polls where it is ranked, an increase from last week’s average of 32.
The Huskers (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten), who will move forward without injured sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola, next play at 8 p.m. CT Saturday at UCLA (3-5, 3-2).
The polls and rankings we monitor are:
* Associated Press
* The Athletic
* CBS Sports
* US LBM Coaches Poll
* ESPN’s Football Power Index
* ESPN’s SP+ rankings
* Massey Ratings
Nebraska was not ranked for the third consecutive week in the gold-standard AP Top 25 Poll. Its last appearance was Oct. 12, when the Huskers were ranked 25th after defeating Maryland. Since then, Nebraska has lost to Minnesota and USC, and defeated Northwestern. Eleven teams were among “others receiving votes” in the AP Poll this week but not the Huskers. At No. 36 was Arizona State, which garnered four votes. USC moved up three spots to 20th after defeating Nebraska.
Cincinnati (7-2), a 20-17 loser to Nebraska in Week One, dropped to 25 from 17 after losing to Utah, 45-14, on Saturday.
Nebraska went down eight places, going from 28 to 36. In The Athletic’s preseason rankings, Nebraska was 39th.
Nebraska dropped four places in CBS Sports’ rankings, going to 38 from 34.
The Huskers are not mentioned in this poll. They were 38th last week. Forty teams were among “others receiving votes,” but not the Huskers.
The Huskers improved to 32 from 34. Nebraska’s six previous rankings: 21, 21, 22, 23, 31, 34.
Nebraska’s odds decreased in two of six FPI odds, stayed the same in three of the odds and since the Huskers have won six games, their odds for bowl eligibility is 100 percent. Nebraska’s projected win total is now 7.5 to 4.5 losses, which is down from last week’s 8.0 wins and 4.0 losses.
Here are FPI’s odds for Nebraska (with last week’s odds in parentheses):
* 100 percent chance of winning six games (same as last week; Nebraska is bowl eligible)
* 7.5 projected wins to 4.5 projected losses (8.0 wins and 4.0 losses last week)
* 0.0 percent chance of winning the Big Ten (same as last week)
* 0.0 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff (1.0 percent chance last week)
* 0.0 percent chance of making the national championship game (same as last week)
* 0.0 percent chance of winning the national championship (same as last week)
The Huskers went from 27 to 28.
As ESPN writer Bill Connelly says about his SP+ ratings: “It’s a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency … SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing.
“It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
Massey Ratings are a compilation of 40 different college football rankings. In the consensus of the 40 rankings, the Huskers ranked 33. Last week they were 31.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
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