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	Ohio State	12–2	30.62	7.17	136
2024	Ohio State	14–2	31.12	8.66	134
2023	Michigan	15–0	31.07	9.19	133
2022	Georgia	15–0	34.40	9.88	131
2021	Georgia	14–1	35.45	8.95	130
2020	Alabama	13–0	40.78	10.26	128

MRI 2.0 — Retroactive

MRI 2.0 did not exist for these seasons - this is the same formula, computed after the fact from the same game logs (Classic's own workbooks for 2003-2019, the play-by-play feed for 1978-2002, before either existed). The first three seasons (1978-1980) start the rating chain cold, with no real prior behind them yet, so treat those as less settled than the rest. An asterisk marks a team whose season was several games shorter than that year's typical schedule, for a reason not yet confirmed.

Season	Number one	Rec	Power	Résumé	Teams rated
2019	Ohio State	13–1	37.73	8.42	130
2018	Clemson	15–0	34.58	9.34	130
2017	Alabama	13–1	31.92	7.84	130
2016	Alabama	14–1	34.50	9.39	128
2015	Alabama	14–1	29.81	9.61	128
2014	Oregon	13–2	29.72	7.81	128
2013	Florida State	14–0	33.57	6.91	125
2012	Alabama	13–1	32.39	7.50	124
2011	Alabama	12–1	30.56	6.51	120
2010	Oregon	12–1	27.71	6.65	120
2009	Florida	13–1	27.84	7.49	120
2008	Florida	13–1	33.84	7.93	120
2007	West Virginia	11–2	24.34	5.46	119
2006	USC	11–2	27.16	7.29	119
2005	USC	12–1	34.96	7.88	119
2004	USC	13–0	32.17	8.61	117
2003	USC	12–1	29.17	6.91	117
2002	Miami (FL)	12–1	27.79	6.94	117
2001	Miami (FL)	12–0	33.26	7.43	117
2000	Florida State	11–2	33.00	6.00	116
1999	Florida State	12–0	27.86	7.30	114
1998	Ohio State	11–1	28.78	6.60	112
1997	Nebraska	13–0	34.04	7.59	112
1996	Nebraska	11–2	35.95	6.94	111
1995	Nebraska	12–0	37.71	6.84	108
1994	Penn State	12–0	28.84	7.63	107
1993	Florida State	12–1	33.67	6.95	106
1992	Florida State	11–1	25.01	6.31	107
1991	Washington	12–0	33.98	7.39	107
1990	Miami (FL)	10–2	29.40	6.19	107
1989	Miami (FL)	11–1	29.43	5.64	106
1988	Miami (FL)	11–1	30.95	6.45	104
1987	Oklahoma	11–1	28.72	4.54	104
1986	Oklahoma	11–1	32.35	5.79	105
1985	Michigan	10–2	23.48	5.95	106
1984	Nebraska	10–2	23.17	4.33	106
1983	Nebraska	12–1	30.25	6.20	105
1982	Nebraska	12–1	26.44	6.04	105
1981	Penn State	10–2	28.52	7.18	136
1980	Nebraska	10–2	31.98	5.37	138
1979	Alabama	12–0	25.74	6.34	138
1978	Oklahoma	11–1	23.84	5.35	138

MRI Classic

The original formula, recomputed from the game logs in Ben's own workbooks; 16 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	12–2	124.14	8.87	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