Sports Line Power Rankings, Week 1
After just one week of high school football, Sports Line unveiled its first Power Rankings of the 2015 football season Thursday afternoon. The Skyline Grizz top the charts with 132 points after beating CDA 22-0 at the Kibbie Dome Friday night in Moscow. A total of 14 teams from districts Five and Six opened the season with victories, putting them in the top half of our regional rankings.
A new season brings new teams to every high school, so the plus-minus is marked with an asterisk this week to denote the gain or loss by a school from the final rankings of the 2014 season.
Biggest Gain: Skyline (+18)
Biggest Loss: Blackfoot, Firth, South Fremont (-15)
As we settle into the 2015 season, we’ll learn much more about our teams on the eastern side of the Gem State.
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.
Skyline’s victory over CDA used the perfect storm to pick up points in our system. A road win over a quality opponent with a major point differential game the Grizz 132 points. Aberdeen, West Jefferson and Bear Lake also come out of week one with 132. (A note on Bear Lake, Teton and Ririe: The three teams played schools from Wyoming, whose August 28 contests counted as “Zero Week” scrimmages. Idaho counted those games in their schedules.)
Thirteen teams in eastern Idaho began 2015 with a loss. As the season rolls on, more losses could hurt any given school’s chance to move out of the bottom half of the rankings because the formula favors winning above all other factors. However, teams can recover. Hillcrest started in a tie for 24th in 2014 before finishing in the top 10. Century also started the 2014 season with an 0-5 record before winning four straight to sneak into the 4A playoffs. The Diamondbacks, though, finished 22nd on our list.
Looking ahead to Week 2 in Idaho, Madison, Snake River and West Jefferson have perhaps the best chance to pick up more points with wins on the road or over a larger school. Enjoy the games.
You can find a copy of this week’s power ranking at this link.
