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Our-Gardian-Angel Ballot for 2022 Week 2

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Sept. 5, 2022, 11:38 p.m.

Overall Rationale: My ballot uses metrics like SP+ and FPI as a reference point and places an emphasis on factors such as strength of victory, margin of victory and vibes. All wins aren't created equal and head-to-head isn't the be-all, end-all when filling out a ballot.

Rank Team Reason
1 Georgia Bulldogs Week 1: Georgia 49, Oregon 3 Record: 1-0 Hard not to put Georgia in the top spot for the time being after they absolutely obliterated Oregon. The Bulldogs lost a lot from last year and might get leapfrogged, but talk about an opening statement from the defending champs.
2 Ohio State Buckeyes Week 1: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10 Record: 1-0 With one game in under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, the Ohio State defense looks noticeably improved. We'll see how it plays out with a greater sample size, but a solid defense paired with Ryan Day's offenses might be what finally gets the Buckeyes another national championship.
3 Alabama Crimson Tide Week 1: Alabama 55, Utah State 0 Record: 1-0 Alabama drops a couple spots not because they did anything wrong, but because of what Georgia and Ohio State did against much tougher competition than Utah State. The Crimson Tide are still coached by Nick Saban, still likely to find their way back to No. 1 on my ballot soon enough and still the rightful favorite to win it all this season. We'll let Georgia and Ohio State have this week.
4 Michigan Wolverines Week 1: Michigan 51, Colorado State 7 Record: 1-0 The weird 2020 COVID year aside, Michigan did what they typically do against an inferior opponent under Jim Harbaugh. If J.J. McCarthy gets the nod over Cade McNamara moving forward, the Michigan offense could unlock a new dynamic as it looks to win another Big Ten title.
5 Clemson Tigers Week 1: Clemson 41, Georgia Tech 10 It was a 14-10 lead for Clemson in the third quarter before the Tigers shifted into maximum overdrive. The defense still looked nasty even without Brent Venables and DJ Uiagalelei was solid and would've had a more impressive final line if not for a few drops.
6 Oklahoma Sooners Week 1: Oklahoma 45, UTEP 13 Record: 1-0 The Brent Venables era got off to a strong start with a balanced offensive performance and a solid defensive showing, but we'll see what sort of identity they take as we get further into the season and the Sooners face tougher competition.
7 Baylor Bears Week 1: Baylor 69, Albany 10 Record: 1-0 QB Blake Shapen shined in his debut start under center for the Bears, though I'm sure Baylor fans would've liked to see fewer hits on him — whether it be more slides from Shapen or stronger pass protection up front. A sensational road game against BYU awaits the Bears this Saturday night.
8 Miami Hurricanes Week 1: Miami (FL) 70, Bethune-Cookman 13 Record: 1-0 There has been a ton of hype surrounding the Hurricanes this offseason since the hire of new head coach Mario Cristobal. Handily beating an FCS opponent with balanced offense and a few defensive takeaways is a nice place to start. A Week 3 showdown in College Station against Texas A&M looms large.
9 Texas A&M Aggies Week 1: Texas A&M 31, Sam Houston State 0 Record: 1-0 A lengthy weather delay put a temporary damper on the Aggies' eventual shutout win. The defense was stifling, Haynes King had ups and downs throwing to a stellar receiving corps and the offensive line didn't push around an FCS opponent as much as you would like.
10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Week 1: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10 Record: 0-1 It's another loss for Notre Dame in a big game and I don't think moral victories are what their fans are looking for at this point, but there's nothing for the Irish to hang their heads about in the first game of Marcus Freeman's first full season as head coach. They still look like a team that should be contending for an NY6 bowl.
11 USC Trojans Week 1: USC 66, Rice 14 Record: 1-0 Caleb Williams and the USC offense looked exactly like fans were hoping in the first game under Lincoln Riley. A road game against Stanford in Week 2 will provide a far better measuring stick for how much of an instant improvement the Trojans have made.
12 Tennessee Volunteers Week 1: Tennessee 59, Ball State 10 Record: 1-0 Tennessee is an FPI/SP+ darling in Year 2 under Josh Heupel and looked the part in a blowout win over Ball State behind Hendon Hooker's four-touchdown performance. The Volunteers could put AP voters and the country in general on notice with a road win over Pitt in Week 2.
13 Michigan State Spartans Week 1: Michigan State 35, Western Michigan 13 Record: 1-0 After only leading 21-13 through three quarters, the Spartans put the Broncos away with a couple of touchdowns in the fourth. Pretty much the entire team looked uneven throughout much of the game, but they'll look to improve against Akron before a Week 3 road game against Washington.
14 Mississippi State Bulldogs Week 1: Mississippi State 49, Memphis 23 Record: 1-0 Mike Leach's Bulldogs are a talented, experienced bunch that metrics like FPI and SP+ love this year, but face a brutal schedule in 2022. QB Will Rogers was electric in a complete performance for Mississippi State that not even a lightning delay could derail.
15 Florida Gators Week 1: Florida 29, Utah 26 Record: 1-0 Hell of a start to the Billy Napier era for Florida with a win against a potential College Football Playoff contender. I decided to ensure that I kept the Gators ahead of Utah on my ballot for this week, and I could see this proving to be a bit of an overrank. That said, I don't want to bet too much against Anthony Richardson after his performance Saturday night.
16 Utah Utes Week 1: Florida 29, Utah 26 Record: 0-1 Utah went into a tough environment and narrowly lost to a Florida team that might prove to be better than expected. Honestly part of me thinks dropping them 9 spots is overly harsh, but it has more to do with what the teams ahead of them did rather than dinging the Utes for a close defeat in The Swamp. I also think it wouldn't have been wrong to rank them ahead of Florida still — Vegas traditionally gives 3 points in homefield advantage and Utah lost by 3 on the road — but I'll give the Gators the nod for now.
17 Wisconsin Badgers Week 1: Wisconsin 38, Illinois State 0 Record: 1-0 Wisconsin did what Wisconsin traditionally does against an inferior opponent: run the ball down their throat and stifle them on defense. The Badgers had some explosive plays, the defense didn't miss a beat despite several key departures and QB Graham Mertz looked better than he did at almost any point in 2021. It was only an FCS foe, but some encouraging signs for Wisconsin.
18 Penn State Nittany Lions Week 1: Penn State 35, Purdue 31 Record: 1-0 The roller coaster ride of Penn State QB Sean Clifford featured a pick-six that gave Purdue the lead midway through the fourth quarter, followed by the go-ahead TD pass with under a minute to go. Ohio is up next, followed by a Week 3 game at Auburn where the Nittany Lions could land a pivotal non-conference win to back up their love from SP+ and FPI.
19 NC State Wolfpack Week 1: NC State 21, East Carolina 20 Record: 1-0 NC State fans are confronting their worst fear this season: rooting for a team with high expectations. They nearly fell on their face out of the gates with a tricky road game against East Carolina, but a missed field goal and PAT by Owen Daffer late let the Wolfpack escape. NC State dropped five spots on my ballot, but I'm not going to read too much into their narrow win over the Pirates.
20 Pittsburgh Panthers Week 1: Pittsburgh 38, West Virginia 31 Record: 1-0 The Backyard Brawl is back after 11 years away and boy did it deliver. The Panthers trailed 31-24 late before a touchdown pass and a pick-six vaulted them into the lead. USC transfer QB Kedon Slovis looked the part for Pitt, who welcome in Tennessee for another huge non-conference clash next weekend.
21 Oklahoma State Cowboys Week 1: Oklahoma State 58, Central Michigan 44 Record: 1-0 In the first game since former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left to assume the same role at Ohio State, Oklahoma State looked more like the offense-dependent Cowboys of old. Oklahoma State led 51-15 at one point in the third quarter before the Chippewas came roaring back. The good news for the Cowboys: Spencer Sanders might be the best QB in the state this year.
22 Ole Miss Rebels Week 1: Ole Miss 28, Troy 10 Record: 1-0 It was far from a masterpiece to start the season for Ole Miss, though running back Zac Evans is the truth. The Rebels looked like a team that needs time to iron out the wrinkles on offense, which they should be able to do thanks to a schedule that's largely backloaded.
23 Kentucky Wildcats Week 1: Kentucky 37, Miami (OH) 13 Record: 1-0 The 13-10 halftime lead was concerning, but the Wildcats put any upset bid dreams to bed with a dominating second half. Mark Stoops tied Bear Bryant for the all-time UK lead with his 60th win. He's turned Kentucky into a consistent winner that occasionally features ugly victories, so a sluggish start in Week 1 is nothing to worry about.
24 Arkansas Razorbacks Week 1: Arkansas 31, Cincinnati 24 Record: 1-0 The Razorbacks did just enough to hold off Cincinnati in what was a bit of an ugly game between the two AP ranked teams. KJ Jefferson continues to shine under center for Arkansas and likely will need to continue to do so as a young defense finds its legs.
25 Cincinnati Bearcats Week 1: Arkansas 31, Cincinnati 24 Record: 0-1 The Bearcats missed out on a chance for a marquee non-conference win as they pursue another AAC title and NY6 bowl appearance. Desmond Ridder left huge shoes to fill at quarterback for Cincinnati, and Ben Bryant wasn't quite up to the task Saturday.

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