Back to poll results >>

GenialGiant Ballot for 2018 Week 8

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Oct. 15, 2018, 8:19 p.m.

Overall Rationale: My computer model this year has provided much more extreme results than last year's version, due largely to its reliance on points instead of wins. This has resulted in many 4-3 teams (and even some 3-3 ones) cracking the top 40. Next week, I might try to average the rankings of the two model types, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Teams must be within 15 positions of their computer rank (parentheses). First N Out - Utah (41) Notable Absences - UCF (67), Oregon (64), NC State (76), Cincinnati (44), USF (108), Washington State (94)

Rank Team Reason
1 Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama looked almost mortal for a brief period against Missouri, but they quickly the Crimson Tide quickly dispelled that notion en route to yet another win. (3)
2 Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State continues to look good with a strong win over Minnesota. (2)
3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame escaped by the skin of their teeth, but they remain undefeated. (4)
4 LSU Tigers A dominant win over Georgia catapults LSU up the rankings. (5)
5 Michigan Wolverines Michigan continues to put away opponents, and finds themselves in my top 5. (1)
6 Texas Longhorns Texas has had some great performances this year and has rebounded nicely from their opening loss. (6)
7 Clemson Tigers Clemson looks good, but not according to my model, likely due to the close win over Syracuse. (22)
8 Oklahoma Sooners A week after their loss to Texas, Oklahoma is still sitting in the top 10. (11)
9 Florida Gators Florida has looked good this season, with their loss to Kentucky now seeming much less bad. (7)
10 Georgia Bulldogs A rough loss for Georgia, but they're still clinging to a top 10 spot. (8)
11 Kentucky Wildcats Kentucky still has a solid resume and is part of a glut of SEC teams in this range. (12)
12 Penn State Nittany Lions Penn State and consecutive heartbreaking losses to Ohio State and Michigan State; name a more iconic duo. (14)
13 Washington Huskies Another loss contributes to Washington's decline in this ballot. (16)
14 Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa is looking better and better, though that loss to Wisconsin isn't the best. (10)
15 Mississippi State Bulldogs Some of the luster has come off Mississippi State over the past few weeks, but they're still looking like a solid team. (30)
16 Duke Blue Devils Duke seems to be missing from many rankings, despite a solid start to the season and only one (pretty bad) loss. (26)
17 Texas A&M Aggies A few reasonable losses to good teams helps keep Texas A&M afloat. (13)
18 Michigan State Spartans Michigan State managed to get it done against Penn State and moves back into the top 20. (29)
19 Wisconsin Badgers A tough loss to a good Michigan team pushes Wisconsin down the rankings. (18)
20 Maryland Terrapins Maryland's win over Texas buoys them mightily. (9)
21 Miami Hurricanes I wasn't as high on Miami as many others a week ago (in part due to my computer component), but I'm also not as low on them now; a close road loss to a decent team doesn't torpedo Miami's season. (32)
22 Stanford Cardinal Back-to-back drubbings were not kind to Stanford, but I think they're still a decent team. (37)
23 Boston College Eagles The Eagles have actually looked pretty solid this season and narrowly take a spot in the top 25. (38)
24 West Virginia Mountaineers My computer model's take on West Virginia hasn't changed, and nor has the tolerance I build in, so West Virginia's rank doesn't change here either. (39)
25 Fresno State Bulldogs The only G5 team with no more than one loss in my computer model's top 40, Fresno State has, outside a close loss to Minnesota, looked dominant this season. (27)

Back to poll results >>