Seasons
Every season MRI has rated, and what it said when the season was over. Two ratings, two scales, kept apart on purpose: Classic counts cumulative points, where a great season is around 150; MRI 2.0 counts points against an average FBS team, where a great season is around +35. A number from one cannot be read against a number from the other.
MRI 2.0
Points against an average team — the current rating.
| Season | Number one | Rec | Power | Résumé | Teams rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Indiana | 16–0 | 34.52 | 10.41 | 136 |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 14–2 | 33.66 | 8.73 | 134 |
| 2023 | Michigan | 15–0 | 33.35 | 9.15 | 133 |
| 2022 | Georgia | 15–0 | 36.10 | 9.74 | 131 |
| 2021 | Georgia | 14–1 | 34.66 | 8.68 | 130 |
| 2020 | Alabama | 13–0 | 38.52 | 9.44 | 128 |
MRI Classic
The original formula, recomputed from the game logs in Ben's own workbooks; 17 of these reproduce the published top 25 exactly. Classic totals are cumulative, so a season with more games scores higher for that reason alone. 2017's workbook stops before the bowls, which is most of why its number looks small. The per-game column is the comparable one.
| Season | Number one | Rec | MRI | Per game | Teams rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ohio State | 13–1 | 169.63 | 12.12 | 130 |
| 2018 | Clemson | 15–0 | 150.76 | 10.05 | 130 |
| 2017 | Ohio State | 11–2 | 113.74 | 8.75 | 130 |
| 2016 | Alabama | 14–1 | 145.49 | 9.70 | 128 |
| 2015 | Alabama | 14–1 | 130.80 | 8.72 | 128 |
| 2014 | Ohio State | 14–1 | 123.96 | 8.26 | 128 |
| 2013 | Florida State | 14–0 | 143.75 | 10.27 | 126 |
| 2012 | Alabama | 13–1 | 130.19 | 9.30 | 124 |
| 2011 | Alabama | 12–1 | 131.39 | 10.11 | 120 |
| 2010 | Boise State | 12–1 | 132.63 | 10.20 | 120 |
| 2009 | Alabama | 14–0 | 120.40 | 8.60 | 120 |
| 2008 | Florida | 13–1 | 138.98 | 9.93 | 120 |
| 2007 | West Virginia | 11–2 | 118.16 | 9.09 | 120 |
| 2006 | LSU | 11–2 | 116.11 | 8.93 | 119 |
| 2005 | Texas | 13–0 | 154.26 | 11.87 | 119 |
| 2004 | USC | 13–0 | 151.53 | 11.66 | 117 |
| 2003 | Oklahoma | 12–2 | 143.50 | 10.25 | 117 |