Which teams have the best scoring offense and defense so far? Here is an update based on adjusted scoring margins. Offense values are corrected for opponents' defenses, and vice versa.
The top 20 best scoring offenses as of October 11, 2008:
# Team rec Margin Off Def
1. Oklahoma 5-1 32.29 50.77 18.48
2. Missouri 5-1 32.03 47.55 15.51
3. Penn State 7-0 36.27 45.59 9.31
4. Texas 6-0 34.84 44.57 9.72
5. Oklahoma St 6-0 22.34 43.49 21.15
6. Tulsa 6-0 14.43 41.40 26.96
7. Oregon 5-2 11.82 40.77 28.95
8. Southern Cal 4-1 35.54 40.70 5.15
9. California 4-1 18.98 40.66 21.67
10. Georgia 5-1 22.08 38.95 16.86
11. Mississippi 3-3 11.97 38.84 26.87
12. Texas Tech 6-0 22.19 38.41 16.22
13. Oregon St 3-3 18.24 38.32 20.08
14. Rice 3-3 1.21 37.93 36.72
15. Florida 5-1 26.82 37.81 10.98
16. Nebraska 3-3 13.57 37.03 23.45
17. North Carolina 5-1 18.13 36.93 18.80
18. Navy 4-2 7.91 36.87 28.95
19. Alabama 6-0 22.49 36.61 14.12
20. Illinois 3-3 12.58 36.58 23.99
Oklahoma replaces Missouri at the top of the list, as Missouri scored a meager 23 points, while the Sooners, despite losing, scored 35 on Texas which is still pretty impressive if not up to their prior 50+ point average. Oklahoma State beat the Tigers but their 28 points drops them as well, while Texas improved to #4 by being the first team to score more than 26 on Oklahoma. The other Oklahoma team in the top ten, Tulsa, was #4 last week but struggled to put up 37 against porous SMU which drops them to #6. Penn State jumped to #3 for scoring 48 on stingy Wisconsin.
Conference-wise, the Big Twelve no longer has the top three teams, but has a stunning four of the top five scoring offenses in the country. In general it's passing that's responsible, though in Oklahoma State's case there is a lot more balance.
Here are the 20 best scoring defenses in the land right now:
# Team rec Margin Off Def
1. Southern Cal 4-1 35.54 40.70 5.15
2. Wake Forest 4-1 14.42 22.29 7.87
3. Penn State 7-0 36.27 45.59 9.31
4. Texas 6-0 34.84 44.57 9.72
5. TCU 6-1 17.50 27.39 9.88
6. Florida 5-1 26.82 37.81 10.98
7. South Carolina 5-2 13.92 25.53 11.61
8. Georgia Tech 5-1 21.25 32.93 11.68
9. Iowa 4-3 16.88 28.64 11.76
10. Boise St 5-0 14.11 26.22 12.11
11. Kentucky 4-2 16.14 28.52 12.38
12. Alabama 6-0 22.49 36.61 14.12
13. Arizona St 2-4 7.64 22.17 14.52
14. Ohio State 6-1 12.54 27.15 14.60
15. Auburn 4-3 3.11 18.24 15.13
16. Missouri 5-1 32.03 47.55 15.51
17. Vanderbilt 5-1 10.44 26.49 16.04
18. Michigan St 6-1 16.10 32.32 16.21
19. Texas Tech 6-0 22.19 38.41 16.22
20. Virginia Tech 5-1 12.37 28.75 16.37
Not much difference this week as USC shut out ASU to solidify their spot at the top and #3 Penn State held Wisconsin to 7. Texas ("held" Oklahoma to 35) moved into the top five. Florida and South Carolina still represent the SEC in the top ten but Kentucky slipped out and Auburn allowed Arkansas 25 points, which is more than the Razorbacks scored against Florida and Alabama combined.
Iowa might be a surprise in the top ten, but the Hawkeyes held their first three opponents to 8 points, held Pitt, Northwestern, and Michigan State below par, and allowed Indiana to just 9 this weekend. Ohio State's D has begun to move up a bit as well, though it still looks nothing like last year's.The surprising gap between Florida's offense and defense is closing, too. Last week Florida's defense ranked #4, their offense only 27th. After their 51-21 crushing of LSU, those numbers are now 6th and 15th, and while it's still backwards from what was expected, it seems a lot more reasonable now.
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