Heckscher/Miles FBS Ranking System

Heckscher/Miles FBS Ranking System (abbreviated Heck/Miles) is part of the emerging new class of comprehensive historical ranking systems for all 118 NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship programs. Created in 2005, by Northwestern University alumni Carl Heckscher and David Miles, both mathematicians, the use of the rankings have become a key tool in the debate in the college football community. With its emphasis on complex mathematical formulas with multiple variables, Heck-Miles is a direct philosophical offshoot of the Bill James-led sabermetric school of analytical thought.

Ranking methodology

What makes this system unique is its comprehensive, regression-based, proprietary algorithm consisting of traditional broad-based metrics as Championships, Won-Loss Record, Strength of Opposition with more narrowly focused statistics such as All-American nominations, Average NFL Draft Positions, and Recruiting Success ranks. All told there are rumored to be over 130 different components comprising the ranking.

Current rankings

Updated 1/9/10

Growing media popularity

Prior to 2008, this ranking system was to a small audience. However, it has been steadily gaining mainstream exposure. During the November 7, 2009 pre-game telecast of LSU-Alabama game, on air hosts Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman debated the latest rankings, specifically the validity of the relative low ranking of LSU compared to Alabama. Chris Fowler has also been known to bring up Heck-Miles occasionally on College GameDay and is noted as saying "It's hard to measure greatness, but Heck-Miles comes pretty darn close to doing just that."

Criticisms

The most frequent criticism of Heckscher-Miles is that its opponents claim that Pacific-10 Conference teams are rated too low compared to the other conferences, with the Washington St. and California rankings often cited as issues. David Miles has been vocal in response to critics, his most memorable response being "Just because Mickey Mouse hands you a big TV contract, it does not automatically make you a great team. Money and exposure are simply not objective criteria we can use in our formula." Miles was referring to the current lucrative broadcast contract that the PAC-10 teams have with American Broadcasting Company television network, currently owned by the The Walt Disney Company

External links

• Football Outsiders
• Sabermetrics 101: The Analysis of Baseball
• NCAA College Football Statistics and Rankings
• Statistical Analysis by Football Frontier
• Web Site Brings Vox Populi to College Football Polling New York Times January 5, 2008]
• College Football Conference Rankings
• The Quad College Football Blog New York Times