[CTcard]

[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=13128.msg134324#msg134324 date=1444709351]I don't mean to pull a Teejers here, because I do think we have been playing well, but I would be hard pressed to say that we deserve a higher in-conference power ranking that Utah.

Again, it depends on how you're ranking.
[/quote]

As I understood the phrase, "power ranking" originally meant a ranking based upon how good you thought teams really were (perhaps using advanced stats, perhaps not) rather than any particular evaluation of the won-loss record. This is what made it a power ranking rather than just a ranking. It is true that today that distinction seems to have mostly disappeared, and power ranking is mostly just "ranking" with an extra word that is supposed to sound sexy.

My sense from this thread, and this board generally, is that most people here would rank Utah first in a current Pac 12 ranking, power or otherwise. So, I don't think that there is too much to get worked up over concerning lack of respect for the Utes. There is a bit of homerism (rather mild as these things go) in some statements that Stanford would beat them - but that isn't crazy either.

Also, since I've mostly just been lobbing bombs, I guess I should chime in with my own opinions to be ridiculed. I would probably rank (power rank?) the conference as:

1. Utah - Even given my reservations - but a whisker thin margin.
2. Stanford
3. UCLA - Still a ton of talent, and everyone plays a bad game now and then, right?
4. U$C - Most volatile situation here. This is an average of thinking they could either decide they want to play for Helton and end up near the top, or cash it in for the year and end up in the also-rans.
5. ASU - Maybe they are turning things around, maybe they just hit UCLA at a good time and Colorado is Colorado.
6. Arizona - with Solomon I think they are pretty dangerous. Since they skip both c.a.l. and Oregon, we'll have to look at their game vs WSU to attempt to break the 150 point barrier.
7. c.a.l. - Probably rivalry bias getting a hold  of me here. But still, every game they have played has turned out as I would have predicted preseason, so I am not ready to abandon all my preseason expectations.
8. UW - Don't know how far they can go without an offense, but defense seems class of the conference. $C game has to be considered along with the apparently unavailable full-faculties of the one head coach.
9. Oregon - Terrible defense but still dangerous, particularly if Adams comes back. I just wonder if he really will. 
10. WSU - Winning a game gets them atop the dregs.
11. Colorado - Offense is moving the ball, but haven't come close to winning a conference game in some time.
12. OSU - I guess they have to go last, but for no obvious reason I still think they could pull off a surprise this year.

[CTcard]

[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=13128.msg134324#msg134324 date=1444709351]I don't mean to pull a Teejers here, because I do think we have been playing well, but I would be hard pressed to say that we deserve a higher in-conference power ranking that Utah.

Again, it depends on how you're ranking.
[/quote]

As I understood the phrase, "power ranking" originally meant a ranking based upon how good you thought teams really were (perhaps using advanced stats, perhaps not) rather than any particular evaluation of the won-loss record. This is what made it a power ranking rather than just a ranking. It is true that today that distinction seems to have mostly disappeared, and power ranking is mostly just "ranking" with an extra word that is supposed to sound sexy.

My sense from this thread, and this board generally, is that most people here would rank Utah first in a current Pac 12 ranking, power or otherwise. So, I don't think that there is too much to get worked up over concerning lack of respect for the Utes. There is a bit of homerism (rather mild as these things go) in some statements that Stanford would beat them - but that isn't crazy either.

Also, since I've mostly just been lobbing bombs, I guess I should chime in with my own opinions to be ridiculed. I would probably rank (power rank?) the conference as:

1. Utah - Even given my reservations - but a whisker thin margin.
2. Stanford
3. UCLA - Still a ton of talent, and everyone plays a bad game now and then, right?
4. U$C - Most volatile situation here. This is an average of thinking they could either decide they want to play for Helton and end up near the top, or cash it in for the year and end up in the also-rans.
5. ASU - Maybe they are turning things around, maybe they just hit UCLA at a good time and Colorado is Colorado.
6. Arizona - with Solomon I think they are pretty dangerous. Since they skip both c.a.l. and Oregon, we'll have to look at their game vs WSU to attempt to break the 150 point barrier.
7. c.a.l. - Probably rivalry bias getting a hold  of me here. But still, every game they have played has turned out as I would have predicted preseason, so I am not ready to abandon all my preseason expectations.
8. UW - Don't know how far they can go without an offense, but defense seems class of the conference. $C game has to be considered along with the apparently unavailable full-faculties of the one head coach.
9. Oregon - Terrible defense but still dangerous, particularly if Adams comes back. I just wonder if he really will. 
10. WSU - Winning a game gets them atop the dregs.
11. Colorado - Offense is moving the ball, but haven't come close to winning a conference game in some time.
12. OSU - I guess they have to go last, but for no obvious reason I still think they could pull off a surprise this year.