Home/Road game differentials

[GoneGolfin]

Home/Road differentials (# Home games - # Road games)

(RPI Top 25 - through last Sunday)

Texas A&M +23
North Carolina +21
Clemson +21
Texas +20
Florida State +20
Coastal Carolina +19
East Carolina +19
Stetson +18
Miami +16
Mississippi State +15
Vanderbilt +12
Virginia +12
Mississippi +12
Arizona State +12
Pepperdine +9
South Carolina +7
Long Beach State +6
Wake Forest +6
Rice +5
Arkansas +3
Nebraska +3
Missouri Even
San Diego -1
Wichita State -1
Louisiana -6

Texas A&M leads the way with 23 more home games than road. Texas is right there as well. The ACC has several teams playing considerably more home than road games.

Of course, with respect to the calculation of the RPI, home and road games are treated equally except in the cases of non-conference road games against the Top 75 RPI and non-conference home games against the bottom 75 RPI. Advantage to the schools that can/do schedule a large number of home games.

Brian

[CajunRed]

knowing that the Cajuns and other mid-majors end up having to play most high RPI games on the road, I think you would agree that it puts us at a distinct disadvantage when then throw into a pot with mostly major programs. If we were playing in the Big 12, for instance, we'd play progrms like Texas, A&M, Baylor, Nebraska and so forth at home. As it stand now, MOST of the time we are playing them at their house/

[GoneGolfin]

knowing that the Cajuns and other mid-majors end up having to play most high RPI games on the road, I think you would agree that it puts us at a distinct disadvantage when then throw into a pot with mostly major programs. If we were playing in the Big 12, for instance, we'd play progrms like Texas, A&M, Baylor, Nebraska and so forth at home. As it stand now, MOST of the time we are playing them at their house/

Absolutely, it does. The RPI does somewhat compensate for this with the bonus levels in the formula (for non-conference games only). But yes, playing in an elite conference would be a big advantage as you would play a considerable number of home games against top competition. Also, I think that the heavy road schedule hurts the non-elite programs when evaluating the records against the Top 25/50/75. Which is an important part of the selection criteria and seeding. This is in plain sight with the Cajuns this season.

I think where the non-elite programs are also at a large disadvantage is illustrated in this post. Namely, the disproportionate home/road differential with respect to games that do not involve bonuses or penalties. That is, non-conference games against teams ranked 76 -> 218. Because here, the RPI does not differentiate between home and road.

BTW, I plan on highlighting this to the NCAA Director of Statistics (Jim Wright), with whom I have exchanged email with on a few occasions in the past. But I want to wait until the final conference road series (conclusion of regular season and before the conference tournament).

Brian

[Cajunsmike]

Absolutely, it does. The RPI does somewhat compensate for this with the bonus levels in the formula (for non-conference games only). But yes, playing in an elite conference would be a big advantage as you would play a considerable number of home games against top competition. Also, I think that the heavy road schedule hurts the non-elite programs when evaluating the records against the Top 25/50/75. Which is an important part of the selection criteria and seeding. This is in plain sight with the Cajuns this season.

I think where the non-elite programs are also at a large disadvantage is illustrated in this post. Namely, the disproportionate home/road differential with respect to games that do not involve bonuses or penalties. That is, non-conference games against teams ranked 76 -> 218. Because here, the RPI does not differentiate between home and road.

BTW, I plan on highlighting this to the NCAA Director of Statistics (Jim Wright), with whom I have exchanged email with on a few occasions in the past. But I want to wait until the final conference road series (conclusion of regular season and before the conference tournament).

Brian

One way to address this would be to use the basketball formula for the RPI calculation. Do you think that will eventually occur. I would be interested in the responses you get from the NCAA when you forward the data.

[CajunCharlie]

_ Absolutely, it does. The RPI does somewhat compensate for this with the bonus levels in the formula (for non-conference games only). But yes, playing in an elite conference would be a big advantage as you would play a considerable number of home games against top competition. Also, I think that the heavy road schedule hurts the non-elite programs when evaluating the records against the Top 25/50/75. Which is an important part of the selection criteria and seeding. This is in plain sight with the Cajuns this season.

I think where the non-elite programs are also at a large disadvantage is illustrated in this post. Namely, the disproportionate home/road differential with respect to games that do not involve bonuses or penalties. That is, non-conference games against teams ranked 76 -> 218. Because here, the RPI does not differentiate between home and road.

BTW, I plan on highlighting this to the NCAA Director of Statistics (Jim Wright), with whom I have exchanged email with on a few occasions in the past. But I want to wait until the final conference road series (conclusion of regular season and before the conference tournament).

Brian _

It will be interesting to see his reply, if you choose to post it.