CFL: Power Rankings -- Week Two

In week five of the 2002 Canadian Football League season, five games were on tap.

Winnipeg split a two-game swing by drubbing Toronto and losing in Montreal, who have not improved to 5-0.

Meanwhile, expansion Ottawa beat Hamilton, but barely. The Renegades were up 35-17 at the end of the first half, but staved off a Ti-Cat rally that saw Danny McManus throw for 513 yards.

Continuing on, Calgary got their first victory of the season by virtue of a win against Saskatchewan.

Finally, Edmonton got back on the winning track with a victory over BC.

What does this all mean? A change in the power rankings, of course!

Last week, Winnipeg held a tight grip on No. 1 with thirty points, with Saskatchewan and Montreal right behind.

How drastic of a change will occur in the rankings? Here they are.

Breakdown Rank 1. Ottawa (8-0) 2. Edmonton (6-1-2) 2. Winnipeg (6-1-2) 2. Hamilton (6-1-2) 5. Montreal (4-4) 6. BC (3-5) 7. Calgary (2-6) 8. Saskatchewan (1-7) 9. Toronto (0-8)

Ottawa's 38 points against Hamilton gave the 'Gades the top spot this week. Winnipeg was No. 2 two because they played two games this week and the average of their games came out to 37 points. Edmonton finished ahead of Hamilton and Winnipeg because even though all three teams scored 37 a piece, the Eskimos did not lose this past week.

Losses 1. Montreal (5-0) 2. Edmonton (4-1) 3. Winnipeg (4-2) 4. Saskatchewan (3-2) 5. Ottawa (2-3-0-1) 6. Hamilton (2-3) 7. Calgary (1-4-0-1) 8. BC (1-4) 9. Toronto (1-4)

Montreal remained perfect so far this season with a win over Winnipeg. Edmonton's win and Winnipeg's loss earned them the second spot this week. Saskatchewan's loss to Calgary was costly, but kept them in the top five. Ottawa's OT loss in week one is the difference in their ranking over Hamilton as well as Calgary's ranking over BC and Toronto.

Strength of Schedule 1. Calgary (comb. opp. winning pct.: .680) 2. Toronto (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .667) 3. Ottawa (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .629) 4. BC (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .560) 5. Saskatchewan (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .510) 6. Winnipeg (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .433) 7. Montreal (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .385) 8. Hamilton (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .346) 9. Edmonton (comb. opp. Winning pct.: .320)

Calgary retains the top spot in terms of strength of schedule because of their opponents' combined record of .680, largely due to Montreal remaining perfect thus far. One phenomenon is Hamilton; they're 2-3, but their strength in schedule is almost dead last.

Average Margin of Victory 1. BC (+30) 2. Winnipeg (+27) 3. Saskatchewan (+16) 4. Edmonton (+12) 5. Montreal (+11) 6. Hamilton (+8) 6. Toronto (+8) 8. Calgary (+5) 9. Ottawa (+1)

BC remains at the top of average margin of victory with a +30 even though they've won only one game thus far. Winnipeg is averaging an astonishing forty points per victory while holding opponents to only thirteen points in their victories.

After week five: 1. Winnipeg: 27 points 2. Montreal: 22 points 3. Edmonton: 22 points 4. Ottawa: 22 points 5. BC: 21 points 6. Saskatchewan: 20 points 7. Calgary: 17 points 8. Hamilton: 16 points 9. Toronto: 13 points

Winnipeg keeps the No. 1 spot with 27 points, with Montreal, Edmonton, and Ottawa moving up in the power rankings. The Alouettes move up one spot from No. 3, while the Eskimos moved from sixth to third and the Renegades making the biggest jump from seventh to fourth. BC slipped from a tie for third to fifth, while Saskatchewan made the biggest drop from second to sixth. Hamilton slipped from sixth to eighth, Calgary moved up from eighth to seventh, and Toronto stands pat in dead last, keeping the same point total from last week.

Week six may feature much more fluxuation in the rankings. Ottawa can move up again with a win at Toronto. Saskatchewan and Hamilton will look to bounce back from bad weeks as they face each other in Canada's Steel City. Calgary will attempt to continue their winning ways against BC and Montreal will attempt to remain perfect as they face Edmonton on the campus of McGill University.