The Exact SoV Formula
SoV = (Wins of Defeated Opponents) / (Total Games Played by Defeated Opponents)
Strength of Victory answers a fundamental question: Did you beat good teams or bottom-feeders? If two teams finish 10–7 with identical division and conference records, the team whose defeated opponents won more total games advances to the postseason.
SoV vs. SoS: What Is the Difference?
| Metric | What It Evaluates | Where It Ranks in Tiebreakers | When Is It Used? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength of Victory (SoV) | Combined winning % of only the teams you defeated. | Step 5 (Division) / Step 5 (Wild Card) | Decides playoff seeding and division crowns between teams with identical records. |
| Strength of Schedule (SoS) | Combined winning % of all 17 opponents on your schedule. | Step 6 (Division) / Step 6 (Wild Card) | Primary tiebreaker for NFL Draft order (where the lower SoS picks first). |
Step-by-Step Calculation Example
Imagine Team A and Team B both finish the regular season at 11–6 in the same division:
- They split their head-to-head series (1–1).
- They finish with identical 4–2 division records.
- They both finish 8–4 against conference opponents.
- They have identical records against common opponents.
The division title now goes to Strength of Victory:
Team A Defeated Opponents: Combined record of all 11 defeated teams is 98–89 (.524 SoV).
Team B Defeated Opponents: Combined record of all 11 defeated teams is 82–105 (.438 SoV).
Result: Team A wins the division title and hosts a playoff game because their victories came against higher-caliber opposition.
The Double-Count Rule for Division Opponents
If a team sweeps an opponent in their division (beating them twice in the regular season), that opponent’s final win-loss record is counted twice in the SoV calculation. For example, if you sweep a 10–7 division rival, you add 20 wins and 14 losses to your numerator and denominator.