Rate NCAA Football Programs using EA Video Game Format

[Volbound1700]

So in EA Sports, teams had 1-5 star rankings for their programs based on a variety of criteria. This impacting recruiting and sometimes rankings/bowl placement in the game. Using a 5 star formula, how would you rate teams today? I am going to do the SEC:

SEC:

Alabama - 5 Stars
Arkansas - 3 Stars
Auburn - 4 Stars
Florida - 4 Stars
Georgia - 5 Stars
Kentucky - 3 Stars
LSU - 5 Stars (They won a title in 2019 and are still considered Elite by most)
Missouri - 3 Stars
Mississippi State - 3 Stars
Ole Miss - 4 Stars
South Carolina - 3 Stars
Tennessee - 4 Stars
Texas A&M - 5 Stars
Vanderbilt - 2 Stars (on EA, they didn't have a 1 star Power 5 team, at least not in initial rankings)

Future\Potential SEC:

Oklahoma - 5 Stars
Texas - 5 Stars
Clemson - 5 Stars
Florida State - 4 Stars
Miami - 4 Stars
North Carolina - 4 Stars
Virginia Tech - 4 Stars
NC State - 4 Stars

 

[Kburjr]

So in EA Sports, teams had 1-5 star rankings for their programs based on a variety of criteria. This impacting recruiting and sometimes rankings/bowl placement in the game. Using a 5 star formula, how would you rate teams today? I am going to do the SEC:

SEC:

Alabama - 5 Stars
Arkansas - 3 Stars
Auburn - 4 Stars
Florida - 4 Stars
Georgia - 5 Stars
Kentucky - 3 Stars
LSU - 5 Stars (They won a title in 2019 and are still considered Elite by most)
Missouri - 3 Stars
Mississippi State - 3 Stars
Ole Miss - 4 Stars
South Carolina - 3 Stars
Tennessee - 4 Stars
Texas A&M - 5 Stars
Vanderbilt - 2 Stars (on EA, they didn't have a 1 star Power 5 team, at least not in initial rankings)

Future\Potential SEC:

Oklahoma - 5 Stars
Texas - 5 Stars
Clemson - 5 Stars
Florida State - 4 Stars
Miami - 4 Stars
North Carolina - 4 Stars
Virginia Tech - 4 Stars
NC State - 4 Stars

I really think you give A&M too much credit. Looking forward, maybe. But hell, they have only made 1 NY6 bowl.

 

[Volbound1700]

I really think you give A&M too much credit. Looking forward, maybe. But hell, they have only made 1 NY6 bowl.

True but if you play EA sports games, they generally buy into the hype. However, point taken, they could be 4 star.

Give me a B1G list .

 

[Kburjr]

True but if you play EA sports games, they generally buy into the hype. However, point taken, they could be 4 star.

Give me a B1G list .

I have no experience at all playing video sports games, so I have no basis. But, I will say that I place Wisconsin #2 in the B1G. Probably 4 star

 

[Volbound1700]

I have no experience at all playing video sports games, so I have no basis. But, I will say that I place Wisconsin #2 in the B1G. Probably 4 star

You don't need experience with Video Games and 4 star is a great pick for Wisconsin. Here is my best guess at current B1G:

B1G

Illinois - 3 Star
Indiana - 3 Star
Iowa - 4 Star
Maryland - 3 Star
Michigan - 5 Star (yes, that is right)
Michigan State - 4 Star
Minnesota - 4 Star
Nebraska - 4 Star
Northwestern - 2 Star
Ohio State - 5 Star
Penn State - 4 Star
Purdue - 3 Star
Rutgers - 2 Star
Wisconsin - 4 Star

Future and Potential

USC - 5 Star
UCLA - 4 Star

Oregon - 4 Star
Washington - 4 Star
Colorado - 3 Star
Kansas - 2 Star
Iowa State - 3 Star
Notre Dame - 5 Star
Utah - 4 Star

 

[Kburjr]

You don't need experience with Video Games and 4 star is a great pick for Wisconsin. Here is my best guess at current B1G:

B1G

Illinois - 3 Star
Indiana - 3 Star
Iowa - 4 Star
Maryland - 3 Star
Michigan - 5 Star (yes, that is right)
Michigan State - 4 Star
Minnesota - 4 Star
Nebraska - 4 Star
Northwestern - 2 Star
Ohio State - 5 Star
Penn State - 4 Star
Purdue - 3 Star
Rutgers - 2 Star
Wisconsin - 4 Star

Future and Potential

USC - 5 Star
UCLA - 4 Star

Oregon - 4 Star
Washington - 4 Star
Colorado - 3 Star
Kansas - 2 Star
Iowa State - 3 Star
Notre Dame - 5 Star
Utah - 4 Star

Not a bad stab, but I think you overrate Michigan based on 1 year. Wisconsin is 6-4 over last 10 matchups.

 

[Volbound1700]

Not a bad stab, but I think you overrate Michigan based on 1 year. Wisconsin is 6-4 over last 10 matchups.

EA format kind of does that. It is really based on Prestige and Perception moreso than the actual quality of team.

Michigan and Ohio State are seen as the two blue-bloods of B1G. Michigan in the past would have fallen to 4 star some years (they are in the game) but they are most of the time a 5 star program.

In most my CFB games, even Tennessee is still a 5 star program as crazy as it sounds. They stopped making the games around 2012/2013 so they only had about 3-4 years of our ugly period and game creators assumed that we would get back to the top, I guess.

 

[Volbound1700]

@Kburjr

Oh by the way, EA had some major producer back in the day from Florida State so FSU was always good on the game even in the years they were bad... It kind of became an inside joke. In fact, the entire ACC was usually better than real life.

 

[Knight&Day]

SEC:

Alabama, 5 star
Arkansas, 3 star
Auburn, 4 star
Florida, 4 star
Georgia, 5 star
UK, 3 star
LSU, 5 star
Mizzou, 3 star
MSST, 3 star
Ole Miss, 4 star
SCar, 2 star
Tennessee, 3 star
TX A&M, 3 star
Vandy, 2 star

 

[Knight&Day]

B1G:

Illinois, 1 star
Iowa, 4 star
Indiana, 2 star
Maryland, 2 star
Michigan, 4 star
Michigan St., 4 star
Minnesota, 3 star
Nebraska, 3 star
NW, 2 star
Ohio St., 5 star
PSU, 4 star
Purdue, 3 star
Rutgers, 2 star
Wisky, 4 star

 

[Knight&Day]

ACC:

BC, 3 star
Clemson, 5 star
Duke, 2 star
FSU, 3 star
GT, 2 star
UL, 3 star
Miami (FL), 3 star
UNC, 3 star
NCST, 3 star
Pitt, 3 star
Syracuse, 2 star
UVA, 2 star
VT, 3 star
Wake Forest, 2 star

 

[Knight&Day]

Current Big XII:

Baylor, 3 star
ISU, 3 star
KU, 1 star
KSU, 3 star
OU, 4 star
OKST, 4 star
TCU, 3 star
Texas, 3 star
TTU, 3 star
WVU, 3 star

 

[NinerSpartan]

B1G:

Illinois, 1 star
Iowa, 4 star
Indiana, 2 star
Maryland, 2 star
Michigan, 4 star
Michigan St., 4 star
Minnesota, 3 star
Nebraska, 3 star
NW, 2 star
Ohio St., 5 star
PSU, 4 star
Purdue, 3 star
Rutgers, 2 star
Wisky, 4 star

Nebraska is a 2*

and only b/c recruiting sites try to be nice and not give anyone a 1*

 

[broncosmitty]

B1G:

Illinois, 1 star
Iowa, 4 star
Indiana, 2 star
Maryland, 2 star
Michigan, 4 star
Michigan St., 4 star
Minnesota, 3 star
Nebraska, 3 star
NW, 2 star
Ohio St., 5 star
PSU, 4 star
Purdue, 3 star
Rutgers, 2 star
Wisky, 4 star

I’d give NW more credit than that.

They’ve finished Top 20 3 of the last 5 years.

Nebraska has one since 2010 and MN has one since 2003. And NW has won the West more recently than the others. Unless they both get bumped down with the Fighting Fitzgeralds. That I’m okay with as well. But they aren’t in better shape as a program moving forward.

 

[Knight&Day]

I’d give NW more credit than that.

They’ve finished Top 20 3 of the last 5 years.

Nebraska has one since 2010 and MN has one since 2003. And NW has won the West more recently than the others. Unless they both get bumped down with the Fighting Fitzgeralds. That I’m okay with as well. But they aren’t in better shape as a program moving forward.

Did zero research before posting any of that. So you’re probably right.

 

[iowajerms]

B1G

Illinois - 2 stars
Indiana - 3 stars
Iowa - 4 stars
Maryland - 3 stars
Michigan - 4 stars
Michigan State - 4 stars
Minnesota - 3 stars
Nebraska - 3 stars
Northwestern - 3 stars
Ohio State - 5 stars
Penn State - 4 stars
Purdue - 4 stars
Rutgers - 2 stars
Wisconsin - 4 stars

 

[Volbound1700]

B1G

Illinois - 2 stars
Indiana - 3 stars
Iowa - 4 stars
Maryland - 3 stars
Michigan - 4 stars
Michigan State - 4 stars
Minnesota - 3 stars
Nebraska - 3 stars
Northwestern - 3 stars
Ohio State - 5 stars
Penn State - 4 stars
Purdue - 4 stars
Rutgers - 2 stars
Wisconsin - 4 stars

Keep in mind that program history is a part of the process as well. I don't think Nebraska is weak enough to fall to 3 stars in the game. Purdue is also not strong enough to get to 4 stars. However, the rest looks pretty dang good.

Michigan was my controversial pick but I do think they would be 5 star if the game was released today.

 

[iowajerms]

Keep in mind that program history is a part of the process as well. I don't think Nebraska is weak enough to fall to 3 stars in the game. Purdue is also not strong enough to get to 4 stars. However, the rest looks pretty dang good.

Michigan was my controversial pick but I do think they would be 5 star if the game was released today.

I think Nebraska is that team that after having a good season, they bump up to 4-stars.
Purdue was borderline for me. IMO, they are too good for 3-stars and not good enough for 4-stars.
Michigan and Penn State were that 4-star and 5-star borderline. But I think 5-star standard should be high.