A lot of people seem to equate opponent’s RPI with our strength of schedule. It’s not even close. As most on this site know, the opponents RPI is made up 25% by its winning percentage and 50% by its opponents winning percentage. While important to their RPI, the final 25% (Opponents’ opponents' win percentage) doesn’t even contribute to our strength of schedule. Our Strength of schedule, which makes up 75% of our RPI is based 66.7% on opponents winning percentage. The other third of our strength of schedule is based on the winning percentage of our opponents’ foes. So, for example the RPI of South Florida is significantly better than that of Memphis. But, winning against Memphis will help our RPI more than winning against South Florida, and that doesn’t even include winning on the road. The same goes for Southern Miss. They add more to our strength of schedule that does South Florida.
Through Sunday’s games, the Math:
South Florida is #28 in RPI and has a .5865 win/loss rate. Its opponents have a .5852 W/L rate. The SOS they bring to Tulane’s RPI calculation is .5861. (twice USF W/L rate plus their opponents' W/L rate all divided by three).
Memphis is #61 in RPI but has a .6600 W/L rate. Its opponents have a .5129 W/L rate to give them a .6111 SOS component within Tulane’s RPI calculation.
Similarly, USM is #62 in RPI with a W/L rate of .6562. Its opponents W/L rate is .5120 for a .6081 SOS component as an opponent of Tulane.
The simple fact is that an opponent's W/L rate is MUCH more important than its RPI in judging whether they will help or hurt our own RPI.
So, in reality, the way to greatly improve your RPI isn't necessarily to schedule high RPI teams, but to schedule teams with superior W/L records. In truth, they tend to coincide.
Roll Wave!!!
Through Sunday’s games, the Math:
South Florida is #28 in RPI and has a .5865 win/loss rate. Its opponents have a .5852 W/L rate. The SOS they bring to Tulane’s RPI calculation is .5861. (twice USF W/L rate plus their opponents' W/L rate all divided by three).
Memphis is #61 in RPI but has a .6600 W/L rate. Its opponents have a .5129 W/L rate to give them a .6111 SOS component within Tulane’s RPI calculation.
Similarly, USM is #62 in RPI with a W/L rate of .6562. Its opponents W/L rate is .5120 for a .6081 SOS component as an opponent of Tulane.
The simple fact is that an opponent's W/L rate is MUCH more important than its RPI in judging whether they will help or hurt our own RPI.
So, in reality, the way to greatly improve your RPI isn't necessarily to schedule high RPI teams, but to schedule teams with superior W/L records. In truth, they tend to coincide.
Roll Wave!!!