Rankings

Preseason ranking is determined via a coach's poll.

Week 1 onward uses the formula: [(W X 2) + Opp W] - [(L X 2) + Opp L] + Streak Adjustment - Prev Rank = XFBS SCORE

* If you win, you cannot fall lower than your previous rank

PRESEASON

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

WEEK 7

WEEK 8

WEEK 9

WEEK 10

WEEK 11

 

Note:

*Top 3 seeds will always be the current SUBDIVISION leaders regardless of XFBS Ranking (Noted by asterisk until rankings displayed at end of week 12)

** Human owned teams are highlighted in yellow

 

This poll was created to give coaches an ability to directly impact their playoff chances and seeding. Over time, teams tend to remain in the same place in a power poll unless there is something factored in to account for the team's current winning or losing streak. This poll places extra emphasis on win / loss streaks. In fact, this poll makes it vitally important to end the regular season with a win streak as it could easily affect your XFBS playoff seed. The poll essentially weighs a team's Standings 'Win' Power Ranking and Loss Power Ranking by another factor called the Streak Adjustment (StkAdj). Early in the season, the XFBS rankings may be somewhat turbulent with teams likely to jump or drop considerably; however, this tends to ease considerably later in the season. Hint: The Loss Power Ranking will have a big impact. Don't lose to the really bad teams! It could hurt you if it ever comes to deciding your fate (i.e. if two teams are 10-1 and one lost to a 10-1 team and the other one lost to a 6-5 team, the one that lost to the 6-5 team will need a long win streak to offset that loss).

 

Here is a breakdown of the XFBS ranking formula:

 

[(W X 2) + Opp W] - [(L X 2) + Opp L] + Streak Adjustment - Prev Rank = XFBS SCORE

 

Example: 9 wins, 45 Opp W, 3 losses, 10 Opp L, L1 = [(9 X 2) + 45] - [(3 X 2) + 10] + (-1) - 5 = 63 - 16 - 1 - 5 = 41 XFBS Score

 

W: Purely based on your overall wins as shown in the Standings Power Rankings

Opp W: This equates to a Quality Win Bonus. It is based on the "Opp W" amount on the Standings Power Poll. It essentially rewards teams for beating teams with good records.

 

L: Purely based on your overall losses as shown in the Standings

 

Opp L: This equates to a Quality Loss Penalty. It is the opposite of the "Opp W" amount on the Standings Power Poll in that it totals the losses of the opponents you lost to. It essentially punishes teams for losing to teams with bad records.

 

Streak Adjustment: The Streak Adjustment is based on the team's current winning or losing streak (e.g. "W3" in the Standings). Using W3 as an example, the Streak Adjustment would be +3. Using L1 as an example, the streak adjustment is -1. Your current win / loss streak can send you up or down the rankings each week just like in the NCAA. Most importantly, it makes winning the last game of the regular season pivotal for bubble teams hoping to make the playoffs. *NEW FOR 2026 season and beyond* "To bring more sensibility and reduce volatility of the rankings, if a team wins they cannot fall lower than their previous ranking. This is referred to as the Fall Safe component of the rankings.

 

Prev Rank: This modifier provides some additional stability to the rankings and is particularly critical for week 1. For week 1, we will use each team's final end of season ranking (based on playoff finish) as the Prev Rank modifier to their XFBS score and then in week 2, we will use their week 1 ranking as the Prev Rank modifier, etc. Normal tiebreakers apply after week 1. Keep in mind, if you are having a losing season, this component can potentially help rank you higher at the beginning of the following season if you finish out strong.

 

Tiebreakers: The Streak Adjustment should create a sufficient distinction between teams to avoid requiring a tiebreaker by the end of the season. That said, if needed the T1 Head-to-Head victories followed by T2 highest-to-lowest Total Wins, T3 highest-to-lowest Win Power Score ([your wins X 2] + total wins of opponents that you beat), T4 lowest-to-highest Loss Power Score ([your losses X 2] + total losses of opponents that beat you)and then T5 highest-to-lowest Streak Adjustment will be used as tiebreakers. If 3 or more teams have the same XFBS score, T1 H2H cannot be used as a tiebreaker - in this scenario, the next tiebreaker is used. T6 will be previous ranking. T7 will be H2H if needed.

 

How it seeds the playoffs:

• Top 12 teams make the playoffs.
• Bracket is based on NCAA basketball seeding format (unlike NFL, no re-seeding each around at all)
• Subdivision champions/leaders are seeded 1-3 even if their final XFBS Ranking score is lower than an at large team. Win your subdivision and you are guaranteed a bye week and a 1-3 seed!
• The 4-12 at large seeds are then based on final XFBS ranking.
• Seeds 1-4 get a bye week.
• Seeds 5-8 get home field advantage in the wildcard round

 

Note: Subdivision champion is determined based on final conference record, not overall W/L record. Subdivision leader is determined based on 1) higher Subdivision W/L, 2) Subdivision H2H victory, 3) higher overall W/L %, 4) higher XFBS Ranking. If the top two teams in a subdivision have the same subdivision record, then the one that won the H2H game between them will be the subdivision champion. If three or more teams in a subdivision have the same subdivision record, then the tiebreakers after subdivision H2H will be used to determine the subdivision champion.