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I introduced similarity rankings way back in July. I love the concept -- it's a fun way to link the past with the present by seeing what teams from recent history are most similar to the teams we're still trying to figure out today.
Let's look at a few teams and see what we come up with. I chose the five remaining undefeated teams plus Stanford and Oklahoma, since those two teams are playing in huge games on Thursday night. For each team, I found the 5 most similar historical teams as well as the 3 most similar teams from this season.
I won't get into the formula I used, but the inputs are as follows:
- Overall F/+ rating
- Offensive F/+ rating
- Defensive F/+ rating
- S&P+ Rushing Offense & Defense
- S&P+ Passing Offense & Defense
BCS #1: Alabama
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Alabama | 8-0 | 100% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 98% | 99% | 86% |
| 2011 | LSU | 13-1 | 100% | 95% | 94% | 97% | 100% | 100% | 98% |
| 2012 | Alabama | 13-1 | 100% | 98% | 98% | 94% | 100% | 100% | 97% |
| 2009 | Texas | 13-1 | 98% | 90% | 84% | 90% | 98% | 94% | 92% |
| 2009 | Florida | 13-1 | 99% | 93% | 97% | 87% | 99% | 94% | 98% |
| 2009 | Alabama | 14-0 | 99% | 98% | 87% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% |
Combined record: 66-4. Two BCS champs (Bama '09 and '12) plus two title game losers (LSU '11 and Texas '09 -- both of whom were beaten by Alabama teams). Not a bad group.
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Louisville | 7-1 | 95% | 93% | 59% | 96% | 91% | 96% | 83% |
| 2013 | Florida State | 8-1 | 99% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 97% | 90% | 100% |
| 2013 | BYU | 6-2 | 93% | 66% | 93% | 47% | 98% | 99% | 87% |
BCS #2: Florida State
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Florida State | 8-0 | 99% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 97% | 90% | 100% |
| 2009 | Alabama | 14-0 | 99% | 98% | 87% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% |
| 2011 | LSU | 13-1 | 100% | 95% | 94% | 97% | 100% | 100% | 98% |
| 2010 | Boise State | 12-1 | 99% | 90% | 82% | 98% | 99% | 96% | 99% |
| 2009 | Florida | 13-1 | 99% | 93% | 97% | 87% | 99% | 94% | 98% |
| 2010 | Alabama | 10-3 | 98% | 97% | 96% | 95% | 93% | 86% | 91% |
Combined record: 62-6. One BCS champ ('09 Bama).
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Arizona State | 6-2 | 97% | 99% | 97% | 100% | 87% | 81% | 89% |
| 2013 | Alabama | 8-0 | 100% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 98% | 99% | 86% |
| 2013 | Stanford | 7-1 | 99% | 78% | 64% | 91% | 99% | 88% | 99% |
BCS #3: Oregon
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Oregon | 8-0 | 98% | 98% | 100% | 98% | 93% | 74% | 69% |
| 2011 | Okla. State | 12-1 | 98% | 96% | 99% | 89% | 96% | 67% | 83% |
| 2010 | Auburn | 14-0 | 98% | 100% | 99% | 99% | 86% | 82% | 73% |
| 2012 | Oregon | 12-1 | 99% | 95% | 99% | 94% | 97% | 74% | 90% |
| 2010 | Alabama | 10-3 | 98% | 97% | 96% | 95% | 93% | 86% | 91% |
| 2012 | Texas A&M | 11-2 | 97% | 99% | 100% | 85% | 89% | 92% | 87% |
Combined record: 59-7. One BCS champ ('10 Auburn).
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Ohio State | 9-0 | 96% | 99% | 100% | 96% | 73% | 84% | 46% |
| 2013 | Arizona State | 6-2 | 97% | 99% | 97% | 100% | 87% | 81% | 89% |
| 2013 | UCF | 6-1 | 92% | 98% | 100% | 97% | 64% | 16% | 48% |
BCS #4: Ohio State
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Ohio State | 9-0 | 96% | 99% | 100% | 96% | 73% | 84% | 46% |
| 2010 | Auburn | 14-0 | 98% | 100% | 99% | 99% | 86% | 82% | 73% |
| 2012 | Texas A&M | 11-2 | 97% | 99% | 100% | 85% | 89% | 92% | 87% |
| 2011 | Okla. State | 12-1 | 98% | 96% | 99% | 89% | 96% | 67% | 83% |
| 2011 | Wisconsin | 11-3 | 95% | 100% | 98% | 100% | 62% | 47% | 37% |
| 2012 | Georgia | 12-2 | 95% | 95% | 91% | 99% | 88% | 81% | 65% |
Combined record: 60-8. One BCS champ ('10 Auburn).
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Oregon | 8-0 | 98% | 98% | 100% | 98% | 93% | 74% | 69% |
| 2013 | UCF | 6-1 | 92% | 98% | 100% | 97% | 64% | 16% | 48% |
| 2013 | Arizona State | 6-2 | 97% | 99% | 97% | 100% | 87% | 81% | 89% |
BCS #6: Baylor
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Baylor | 7-0 | 98% | 100% | 93% | 100% | 87% | 60% | 84% |
| 2010 | Auburn | 14-0 | 98% | 100% | 99% | 99% | 86% | 82% | 73% |
| 2010 | Stanford | 12-1 | 96% | 96% | 74% | 99% | 90% | 75% | 77% |
| 2010 | Alabama | 10-3 | 98% | 97% | 96% | 95% | 93% | 86% | 91% |
| 2010 | Arkansas | 10-3 | 94% | 96% | 89% | 95% | 84% | 69% | 83% |
| 2012 | Georgia | 12-2 | 95% | 95% | 91% | 99% | 88% | 81% | 65% |
Combined record: 58-9. The Bears' group of similar teams is the weakest of the unbeaten teams, but it's still a very solid group featuring a BCS champ ('10 Auburn). The relatively weak rushing defense might present a problem down the stretch. Oklahoma has the #27 rushing offense in this season's S&P+ ratings.
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Arizona State | 6-2 | 97% | 99% | 97% | 100% | 87% | 81% | 89% |
| 2013 | Oregon | 8-0 | 98% | 98% | 100% | 98% | 93% | 74% | 69% |
| 2013 | Georgia | 5-3 | 91% | 98% | 84% | 99% | 67% | 83% | 89% |
BCS #5: Stanford
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Stanford | 7-1 | 99% | 78% | 64% | 91% | 99% | 88% | 99% |
| 2010 | Boise State | 12-1 | 99% | 90% | 82% | 98% | 99% | 96% | 99% |
| 2009 | Texas | 13-1 | 98% | 90% | 84% | 90% | 98% | 94% | 92% |
| 2009 | Florida | 13-1 | 99% | 93% | 97% | 87% | 99% | 94% | 98% |
| 2009 | Alabama | 14-0 | 99% | 98% | 87% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% |
| 2010 | Ohio State | 12-1 | 97% | 89% | 90% | 81% | 97% | 93% | 97% |
Combined record: 64-4. One BCS champ ('09 Bama). Stanford looks like they belong among the group of unbeatens this year.
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | USC | 6-3 | 95% | 65% | 75% | 54% | 99% | 95% | 97% |
| 2013 | Washington | 5-3 | 89% | 92% | 80% | 76% | 84% | 87% | 98% |
| 2013 | Missouri | 8-1 | 93% | 88% | 90% | 86% | 95% | 88% | 87% |
BCS #10: Oklahoma
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Oklahoma | 7-1 | 83% | 84% | 85% | 73% | 81% | 22% | 83% |
| 2012 | Texas | 9-4 | 80% | 84% | 79% | 75% | 68% | 43% | 82% |
| 2009 | Texas Tech | 9-4 | 84% | 86% | 65% | 77% | 80% | 45% | 87% |
| 2009 | Pittsburgh | 10-3 | 87% | 89% | 85% | 74% | 80% | 57% | 79% |
| 2010 | Pittsburgh | 8-5 | 80% | 79% | 92% | 79% | 76% | 53% | 80% |
| 2009 | USC | 9-4 | 77% | 71% | 87% | 70% | 77% | 49% | 79% |
Combined record: 45-20. This is kind of ugly for the Sooners, especially in contrast with the other teams featured in this post. I had to double-check that rushing defense figure, and sure enough the Sooners are 96th in S&P+ defense this season. Given Baylor's extremely prolific offense, OU will need to be firing on all cylinders tomorrow night in order leave Waco with a win.
Current contemporaries:
| Year | Team | Record | F/+ | Off F/+ | Rush Off | Pass Off | Def F/+ | Rush Def | Pass Def |
| 2013 | Kansas State | 4-4 | 82% | 76% | 77% | 80% | 75% | 54% | 93% |
| 2013 | Auburn | 8-1 | 88% | 83% | 81% | 75% | 86% | 82% | 75% |
| 2013 | Arizona | 6-2 | 82% | 80% | 92% | 48% | 83% | 80% | 68% |
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