Median SP+ (x-axis) shows conference strength. Internal spread (y-axis) shows parity — high = wide variance, low = everyone's close. The ideal quadrant depends on what you're optimizing for.
SP+ ratings via CFBD · 2025 season
Median power:
Internal spread: SD
Best team:
Teams:
Two axes reveal what raw rankings hide.
A high-median conference is strong but may be lopsided (one great team, then a cliff).
A high-spread conference is volatile — you might draw the best team or the worst team.
The SEC has the highest median and the lowest spread: genuinely deep.
The Big Ten has the highest ceiling but the lowest floor of any Power Four.
The G5 conferences cluster near the origin — similar in median, similar in spread.
