When I worked for ESPN full time, I put out a weekly article entitled the Vegas Power Ratings. I still have all the sources that I used to produce that article as it featured my plus/minus ratings which closely resemble Vegas’s numbers as well as three different casinos including the fine folks over at the Westgate Las Vegas Sportsbook @SuperBookSports.

This is not the AP poll but gives you an idea of how much teams would be favored over another team if they met on a neutral field. I use these to get an idea of lines on upcoming games. Keep in mind just because a team beat someone last week does not mean they would be favored over them in the Vegas ratings. Let me give you a couple of examples from this week. I will update these each week during the year. Stanford went into South Bend and beat Notre Dame outright four weeks ago but if they met on a neutral field this week ND would be a 22-point favorite. Illinois just lost at home to Michigan St a few weeks back but if they met again this week at a neutral field Illinois would be a 8 point favorite.

The playoff rankings are out, and they mean absolutely nothing right now. I don’t even pay attention to them until the final week as much will change. I noted Texas was just 4-3 and Kansas St is 6-2 and off a 48-0 blowout win over Oklahoma St and at home yet Texas was favored. You knew that coming in as Vegas had Texas #7 in the country (they were unranked AP) and Kansas St was #18. Texas led that game 31-10 at half. Washington won in Autzen Stadium, and they are 9-2 and Oregon is 9-2. If the two teams played on a neutral field this week Oregon would be favored by 4. Last week South Carolina throttled Tennessee and the Vols lost starting QB Hooker for the season. If the two played this week Tennessee would still be a 13 point favorite on a neutral field.

Here is the thirteenth edition of the 2022 Vegas Power Ratings!