Use BennettRank Power Scores to Predict College Football Games

HERO Sports and BennettRank recently reconfigured Power Scores to become a game predictor tool. The underlying algorithms were based on finding the best formulas to predict game outcomes. 

Here is where you can find the Power Scores on the college football rankings page.

It wasn't a stretch to create Power Scores that represented the differences between two teams based on how much BennettRank predicts one team would beat another on a neutral field. 

For FBS football, the BennettRank Power Score (PWR) is now scaled from about 40 to 100. If the top team (100 Power Score) played the worst team (40 Power Score) on a neutral field, BennettRank expects the the No. 1 team to win by about 60 points. 

Power Score also produces a rough 'spread.' Subtract the lower score from the higher score and the result is a similar point spread as one might see in Las Vegas for the same game.

For example, one of this week's marquee matchup is between BR-1 Georgia and BR-9 Auburn. Subtracting their power scores (100.0-92.60) produces an initial prediction that Georgia would win by 7.4 points — on a neutral field. 

Add in the three points for home-field advantage and BennettRank predicts Georgia to beat Auburn by 4.4 points.  Check the line in Vegas, this game opened at Georgia -3.

You can use Power Scores to predict games in other sports, too. Basketball is scaled from approximately 40 to 100, like football. For all other sports, such as soccer, the Power Scores are scaled from approximately 4 to 10, depending upon the sport.  

Week 11 BennettRank Power Scores vs. Vegas Spreads