How the ELO System Works

What is ELO?

ELO is a rating system originally developed for chess that measures the relative skill level of teams. In college football, it provides a more accurate ranking than traditional polls by empirically considering strength of schedule.

How Teams Gain/Lose ELO

Starting Values

Teams start each season with ELO ratings based on their previous year's final ELO ratings, regressed 5% towards the mean of 1500. New teams or teams without history start at 1500.

Predictions

ELO ratings can predict game outcomes and point spreads. A team with 50 more ELO points is expected to win by about 3 points on a neutral field.

EHAM College Football ELO Rankings

Current Rankings Weekly View ELO Chart Upcoming Games Historical Games
RankTeamELO
1 Indiana 2080
2 Georgia 2013
3 Oregon 2000
4 Ohio State 1994
5 Texas 1944
6 Ole Miss 1942
7 Notre Dame 1912
8 Miami 1903
9 Alabama 1894
10 Texas Tech 1823
11 Oklahoma 1820
12 Michigan 1817
13 BYU 1809
14 Iowa 1787
15 Texas A&M 1785
16 Utah 1776
17 Vanderbilt 1760
18 Penn State 1753
19 Illinois 1751
20 TCU 1742
21 Washington 1740
22 USC 1738
23 James Madison 1730
24 SMU 1728
25 Duke 1724
26 Navy 1715
27 Tulane 1707
28 Tennessee 1692
29 Iowa State 1678
30 Missouri 1671
31 Arizona 1670
32 Minnesota 1664
33 Clemson 1664
34 LSU 1664
35 Virginia 1658
36 Louisville 1657
37 Houston 1655
38 Arizona State 1651
39 Old Dominion 1626
40 Boise State 1621
41 Ohio 1619
42 Georgia Tech 1617
43 Kansas State 1609
44 North Texas 1605
45 NC State 1592
46 East Carolina 1585
47 Florida 1584
48 Western Michigan 1582
49 Northwestern 1572
50 Wake Forest 1572
51 South Carolina 1571
52 UNLV 1571
53 Army 1564
54 Pittsburgh 1564
55 Wisconsin 1543
56 Nebraska 1541
57 South Florida 1533
58 New Mexico 1521
59 Kentucky 1518
60 Rutgers 1517
61 Memphis 1510
62 Jacksonville State 1510
63 Georgia Southern 1501
64 Hawai'i 1501
65 Western Kentucky 1500
66 North Dakota State 1500
67 Sacramento State 1500
68 Fresno State 1497
69 UTSA 1496
70 UConn 1496
71 Cincinnati 1495
72 Kennesaw State 1494
73 Baylor 1491
74 Auburn 1487
75 California 1487
76 West Virginia 1485
77 Arkansas State 1477
78 UCLA 1468
79 Kansas 1466
80 Toledo 1464
81 Texas State 1464
82 Washington State 1451
83 Troy 1450
84 San Diego State 1444
85 Mississippi State 1428
86 Delaware 1422
87 Louisiana 1421
88 Michigan State 1420
89 Miami (OH) 1417
90 Louisiana Tech 1416
91 Colorado 1414
92 Florida State 1409
93 Marshall 1405
94 UCF 1403
95 Arkansas 1398
96 Missouri State 1398
97 Stanford 1391
98 Syracuse 1389
99 Florida International 1374
100 Coastal Carolina 1374
101 Virginia Tech 1372
102 North Carolina 1372
103 Air Force 1367
104 Maryland 1364
105 Boston College 1352
106 Utah State 1347
107 Central Michigan 1328
108 South Alabama 1325
109 App State 1315
110 Temple 1292
111 Southern Miss 1290
112 Eastern Michigan 1284
113 Buffalo 1282
114 Rice 1281
115 Purdue 1278
116 Liberty 1276
117 Wyoming 1249
118 UAB 1248
119 Sam Houston 1236
120 Akron 1233
121 Oklahoma State 1221
122 Middle Tennessee 1220
123 Colorado State 1215
124 San José State 1211
125 Bowling Green 1207
126 Northern Illinois 1203
127 Florida Atlantic 1202
128 Kent State 1200
129 Oregon State 1194
130 Nevada 1194
131 Tulsa 1187
132 Ball State 1178
133 New Mexico State 1178
134 UL Monroe 1159
135 Georgia State 1136
136 Charlotte 1120
137 Massachusetts 1098
138 UTEP 1093