Expert: Thom Brooks - 11/27/2007

Question
QUESTION: How are winning percentages figured out. Can I take a teams over all winning percentage for one year and add them to say nine more to get an average for that ten year period ? Also are bowl games counted in a teams yearly winning average ??

ANSWER: Michael, hello!

If a team wins 6 and loses 4, they have a .600 winning percentage, (Six Wins divided by total games played equals 60%).  So, yes you can take a team's winning pct. and add nine more in the above formula.  Bowl games are not counted in a yearly winning average but it depends on the purpose you seek.  A newspaper may include their SEC Championship record with their regular season record as they enter into the bowl game a month later.  In the website of the NCAA they have records but do show the bowl records differently.   You can go to a website called Div-Football.com and they break it down more clearly.

Have a great day!

Thom Brooks

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Thom,

I really appreciate your help. In addition, could you please tell me if there is a NCAA Football rules book that gives "there" official way of calculating winning percentages. I was told that the NCAA only uses win/lose recorders and it is wrong to average winning percentages. I for one don't see the difference.

Thanks,

Michael

Answer
Click here: http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2007/2007_football_rules.pdf

Michael, hello!

Yes, you can go to the NCAA.org website, to the Football Rules and reference all of their pages of rules.  I will also look at it to see it your question can be answered.  You may need to write to them directly for your answer.

Have a great evening!

Thom Brooks