Bassett Football Model

The Bassett football model is a system for ranking the relative strengths of football teams. A key feature of this model is that it recognizes that if two teams could play more than once the same team would not always win (there is an element of chance involved). The system is based on a simple model of a football game. For a given match-up of two teams, a number of model games are simulated by a computer and the average scores and the percentage of times each team wins is computed. Each week during the football season the best fit of offensive and defensive strengths is found for each team consistent with the actual scores. I do include considerations for home field advantage and for the possibility that teams may score less than expected in a blow-out if they choose to run out time instead of score more points in the latter part of a game.

Attention: The Bassett Football Model is retiring

I will be handing off NFL to someone else, so NFL will continue.

There wll be no new forecasts, results or rankings for NCAA.

If you are looking for an alternative I recommend ThePredictionTracker

Another good source of ranking and prediction systems can be found by looking at those listed in the

  • College Football Ranking Comparasion web page.

    More about the model ...

    Questions and answers ...


    Final full season results before retiring the model:

    2023 College Football Forecast (NCAA Div IA & IAA)

    Bassett Model rankings:

    The Stephenson Earned Rank shows what a team has earned from its wins. It ranks by how much better a given team's winning record is when compared against how all other teams would have faired if they had played the same schedule. (Available after the 5th week in the season.)
    The Power Rankings measure the strength of each team by how well they have played on average, going by point performance.

    18 Jan 2024: Stephenson Earned Rank (NCAA Div I & IAA)
    (ranked by team wins subtracted by average number of wins if all other teams played their schedule as simulated by the Bassett Football Model)

    18 Jan 2024: Average Model Power Rankings (NCAA Div I & IAA)
    (average power ranking for entire season)


    Past Seasons


    2023 NFL Forecast

    30 Jan 2024: Average model rankings (NFL) (average rank over entire season)


    Past Seasons



    Please email comments or questions to bfm@BassettFootball.net