Week 0 is in the books, which means that it is time to evaluate the performances of the 11 FBS teams that were in action. Before I get into my process of updating teams from a power ratings standpoint, I want to reiterate some key points from last week’s initial posting.
Power ratings are a living organism. They are always changing and adapting to different variables and they are never going to be perfect. The goal is that the lines in the market move towards the lines in your power ratings. If that is happening at a high rate, then your set of power ratings is pretty successful. If not, then there are additional adjustments that need to be made. (Read about how I make my power ratings HERE.)
Power ratings are designed to help get out in front of the market moves. The idea is that if your line on a game is -6 and the market line is -2.5, you can jump in and get a good number with the expectation that the line moves towards yours. Therefore, these are designed to really be utilized the most early in the week, which means making bets early in the week. That can be uncomfortable for some people, but the best indicator of future success is getting value relative to the closing line. That’s the practice we’re aiming for here.
Lastly, this is primarily designed to be an educational and informational tool. I’m looking for early-week bets to get good numbers, but I’m also trying to help readers look at different ways of approaching college football. Most bettors simply take whatever numbers are out there on game day. That isn’t the best strategy for success.