Sports Line Power Rankings, Week 2
The Sports Line power rankings for week two featured the most movement of teams in any ranking since Sports Line began tracking teams with its mathematical formula. Overall, 24 teams shifted positions after the second game of the season. Included in the fluctuation are three new teams to the top five.
Biggest Gain: 14. Century (+11)
Biggest Loss: 9. Skyline; 11. West Jefferson; 12. Bear Lake (-8)
Rigby, West Side and Madison all jump into the top five for the first time this season, along with Snake River and Aberdeen. Rigby’s 39-0 blowout of Idaho Falls and Madison’s three-quarter 49-0 trouncing of Bonneville gave both the Trojans and ‘Cats big road wins, and subsequently, the road-win bonus. Rigby received an even bigger bonus by beating Idaho Falls, a team in a higher classification.
The Panthers leaped the Tigers after Snake River defeated Shelley. While Aberdeen beat Wendell, the Tigers only dropped three spots because the four teams ahead of them had a monster week.
Sports Line’s power-rankings formula measures a team’s total performance using win-loss record, point differential and strength of schedule. In 2014, the top five teams in SL’s rankings all played their way into their respective state championship games. Three of those teams; Highland, Snake River and West Side, ultimately won their titles. Blackfoot and Aberdeen were the only two inside the top five to lose in the final weekend.
Firth, Century and South Fremont climbed out of the bottom-third of the rankings with their first victories of the season. The Cougars sit one spot ahead of the Diamondbacks, despite Century holding the biggest jump of the week. Of the three, Century has the toughest task Friday night as the Diamondbacks “visit” Highland at Holt Arena. A Gino Mariani versus Travis Hobson chess match could be fun to watch, but Century is still young. Plus, Highland always scores lower in our rankings for the Rams’ tendency to stay within the friendly confines of Caccia Field. I have a slight hunch that game could be a bit lopsided.
Three of the four teams which did not move in the rankings fell at the very bottom of the list. Soda Springs, Idaho Falls, and American Falls round out the basement. The Cardinals get the edge on the other two because they have given up the fewest points among the three, and the Tigers and and Beavers each have a loss to a smaller school on their record. I am a bit surprised Idaho Falls didn’t drop to dead last this week. The Tigers have given up 107 points in two weeks while getting shutout in both games. American Falls has at least put 49 points on the board.
Looking ahead to Week 3 in Idaho, I see some games that’ll be tough to call until the final gun. I’m looking forward to Rigby at Hillcrest, Sugar-Salem at Snake River, and Aberdeen at North Fremont. Plus, Idaho Falls and Blackfoot each have a chance to pick up their first win of the season when the Tigers visit the Broncos. Upset of the week: Shelley over Preston on the road. Enjoy the games.
