| Utah | #48 | #23 | 9-3 | - Against BYU (Harbin #23, the spot the BCS standings gives Utah), Utah's beaten opponents earned 167.0 Level 1 points in all (239.5 for BYU's), a Level 2 term of 11.6 to 16.6. Utah beat 7 teams with losing records (New Mexico 1-11, San José St 2-10, Colorado St 3-9, Louisville 4-8 and 3 more), which add little to Level 2; BYU beat 1 team with 9+ wins (Utah 9-3). This accounts for 5.03 of the 5.45-point rating gap (92%).
- Utah has no win over a Harbin top-25 team (best win: Air Force #72).
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| Oregon St | #30 | #18 | 8-4 | - Against Oklahoma St (Harbin #18, the spot the BCS standings gives Oregon St), Oregon St's beaten opponents earned 221.0 Level 1 points in all (270.0 for Oklahoma St's), a Level 2 term of 15.5 to 18.6. Oregon St beat 4 teams with losing records (Washington St 1-11, Arizona St 4-8, UNLV 5-7 and Washington 5-7) and FCS Portland St, which add little to Level 2; Oklahoma St beat no team with 9+ wins. This accounts for 3.40 of the 3.71-point rating gap (92%).
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| North Carolina | #15 | - | 8-4 | - Against Nebraska (Harbin #26, the first spot outside the BCS standings's top 25), North Carolina beat 3 teams with 9+ wins (East Carolina 9-4, Miami 9-3 and Virginia Tech 9-3), so its beaten opponents earned 292.5 Level 1 points in all (255.5 for Nebraska's), a Level 2 term of 20.3 to 17.7; Nebraska beat 5 teams with losing records (Colorado 3-9, Arkansas St 4-8, Baylor 4-8, FAU 5-7 and 1 more), which add little to Level 2. This accounts for 2.57 of the 3.51-point rating gap (73%).
- Nebraska lost the Big 12 title game to Texas (13-0): it was its 13th game and earned 0 points, so its Level 1 average fell from 4.50 to 4.15 and Texas's 13 games went into its divisor with nothing earned; without that game Nebraska would rate 22.24 instead of 20.43. This accounts for 1.82 of the 3.51-point rating gap (52%).
- North Carolina beat 2 Harbin top-25 teams (Miami #11 and Virginia Tech #12) and 3 more in the top 50 (East Carolina #31, Boston College #34 and UConn #43).
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| LSU | #22 | #12 | 9-3 | - Against Virginia Tech (Harbin #12, the spot the BCS standings gives LSU), LSU's beaten opponents earned 247.0 Level 1 points in all (306.0 for Virginia Tech's), a Level 2 term of 16.9 to 20.7. LSU beat 5 teams with losing records (Vanderbilt 2-10, Tulane 3-9, Louisiana Tech 4-8, Mississippi St 5-7 and 1 more), which add little to Level 2; Virginia Tech beat 3 teams with 9+ wins (East Carolina 9-4, Miami 9-3 and Nebraska 9-4). This accounts for 4.01 points, more than the whole 3.88-point rating gap; other factors pull the other way.
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| BYU | #23 | #14 | 10-2 | - Against West Virginia (Harbin #14, the spot the BCS standings gives BYU), BYU's beaten opponents earned 239.5 Level 1 points in all (286.5 for West Virginia's), a Level 2 term of 16.6 to 19.9. BYU beat 6 teams with losing records (New Mexico 1-11, Colorado St 3-9, Tulane 3-9, San Diego St 4-8 and 2 more), which add little to Level 2; West Virginia beat 2 teams with 9+ wins (East Carolina 9-4 and Pitt 9-3). This accounts for 3.26 of the 3.31-point rating gap (99%).
- BYU's wins earn less: 5.15 Level 1 points per win, against 5.78 for West Virginia. 9 of its 10 wins came over teams worth less than a top-tier win (6.5): 9 over other FBS teams (5.0 each: Tulane, Colorado St, Utah State, UNLV and 5 more); West Virginia had 3 (2 over other FBS teams (5.0 each: East Carolina and Marshall) and FCS Liberty (3.0)). This accounts for 0.50 of the 3.31-point rating gap (15%).
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