Numbers Maze Vol. 3

WOWZER. Were we treated to some awesome games or what. I told you guys to keep an eye for some awesome games. There were tight games, and some blowouts, we also had comebacks. What a treat to get the post season going. I hope everyone enjoyed the games, I know I did. I want to say congratulations to the Conference champions. You guys played a great season and deserve the titles. We are going to keep the conference theme going and look at similar numbers as yesterday but at a conference level. These numbers are generated by taking into account all the teams in the conferences, humans and Sim AI. The numbers also include the conference championship games.

I did an analysis only looking at the human coached teams in the different conferences but I thought that is not the full picture of the conference. So I did the work again and this time included the Sim AI teams since they are part of the conference. Below you will see the full points picture by conference.

The SEC sits at the top of the heap. They are a ways ahead of the conference in second place, the BIG 12 and in third place is the Big East. The Big East is packed with human coaches and to see them close to the top tells me these guys know how to coach. I expected them not to be this high up and I believe it is tough to put up points against a human coach in comparison to a Sim AI. Or maybe the coaches just have offenses that are just too potent to be stopped or maybe the defenses are just not good enough to stop the other team. Whatever the reason, it does not matter, they are sitting in third. The WAC is propping everyone up, which surprises me considering there are only 5 human coaches, I would have expected the coaches to run up the score on the Sim AI teams and have their points average higher, but then again the Sim AI teams would bring it down as they will not be able to put up the points to raise the average.

So now we know which conferences are putting up points, but who is moving the ball? We need to look into that and guess what? We did look into that.

Look at that it is them boys from the south. The SEC gets the gold medal for accumulating them yards. Collecting the silver medal is the Big East, great job guys and the ACC rounds out the podium places. The Big 12 has been bumped out of the top 3 and relegated to the 4th spot, but they were breathing down the necks of the ACC. The WAC again brings up the rear, Conference USA is throwing their weight around in the yardage department. Might it be the shotgun formation that is helping them? Houston is the highest yards getter in the conference and congrats ebel on making the national title game and good luck in the game. Conference USA moved the ball better than 2 power conferences in the PAC 10 and the BIG Ten, this kind of surprised me but this is football and anything can happen. So we know which conference is moving the ball but how are they doing it?

The SEC sure is going against the real SEC, these guys are throwing the ball and not pounding it or are they, we shall see. The SEC sits on top of the pack, with the Big East right on them like a supervisor and the BIG 12 is right on the Big East. There is very little to separate the top 3, Conference USA makes another appearance in the top 5. These guys know what they are doing, pay attention people. I am now starting to feel sorry for the WAC, they prop up everyone again. But then again this just shows them were they stand with respect to the other conferences and they can use this information to see areas of improvement. I expected the PAC 10 to be higher up, you know the whole West Coast offense thing, but what do I know.

Now who is running the ball? Will we see the same schools towards the top and will we have the WAC propping everyone again?

The answer is no, the WAC have moved out of the basement and Conference USA just moved in. It seems we kind of had a swap. Those on top are now at the bottom and those from the bottom and basking at the mountain top. The Sun Belt seems to be the conference for moving the ball on the ground. You have the ACC in second place and the PAC 10 in third place. From this it seems conferences are not balanced on offense, but teams within conferences might be balanced. The SEC is dead in the middle of the pack in the run game, so they try to run the ball a bit but we know they like throwing it more than any other conference. The BIG 12 is not running the ball at all, they are also basement dwellers with Conference USA. All the conferences have at least 100 yards rushing per game, which I guess is good but I expected the number to be higher.

So which conference is beasting on defense? Is it the conference with the team you are going to play in a bowl game? Let us take a look at some numbers on defense.

Yes it is the conference with the team I am playing in my bowl game, how about you? The Big East is just eating up the QBs. The Big East is out ahead by a bit and behind them in second place is Conference USA and rounding out the podium places is the SEC. Now seeing the SEC up there is more normal and what I expected. I am glad in this game these guys are reflecting the real SEC somewhat. The WAC has gone back to the basement, I guess they were missing it a bit. The Big East has double the number of sacks as the WAC and does that mean they are doubly good? I do not think so and I hope to see them move up the charts next season.

Who is taking the ball away from the offense? That is what you want, as it gives you chance to march down the field and score yourself.

Conference USA is out here just yelling give me the ball. They top the list by a biggish chunk too. The DBs just go I'll take that like my mans there. The receiver would be so expectant and then nope it's gone. Throwing picks sucks especially if they go for 6. The silver medal goes to the SEC, they have stepped up their game on the defensive side of the ball. I think Saban would approve of the work being done by the coaches in the SEC. The Big East rounds out the top 3, they are hitting you hard and knocking down your QB and then when he stays upright they just pick him off. Way to go guys. Come on, give others a chance to run their offenses. The WAC back at it again like they left something in the basement. There must be something down there and they are not telling us. Come on guys, what is it?

Now who is hitting hard and getting the RBs to cough up the ball? Who is doing this to people? It is not right to knock people out just to get the ball guys, you can ask for it politely and I am sure they will give it to you.

The Sun Belt tops the list, look at that. The SEC defenses seem like they ain't no joke. They are not to be messed with guys, they will sack you, pick you off and force you to put the ball on the ground. Well done guys, you have built defenses to fear. The BIG 12 comes in, in third place. followed closely by Conference USA and the BIG Ten. The WAC is out of the basement, they traded places with the Big East. With regards to fumbles there does not seem to be a clear differentiation between the power conferences and the mid major conferences. Everyone just seems to be doing okay.

I know this is probably not what you wanted to here about today but you know what, I was on a roll with them numbers and just had to come at you with them again. I will give you guys a break from numbers for now or maybe not, will see how I feel tomorrow. We have the first post season games going on tonight and I hope everyone has had a chance to get ready because this is when you can finish your season with a cherry on top or just finish it with a dud. Everyone in bowl games and playoffs good luck and give them hell. That is enough from the Maze until the next time.