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Midnight-Mustang Ballot for 2023 Week 5

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Sept. 25, 2023, 10:16 a.m.

Overall Rationale: Strength of schedule, did you cover, vibes.

Rank Team Reason
1 Texas Longhorns I had Texas at number one last week. They responded this week by beginning conference play with an absolute thumping of Baylor on the road. Defense didn't even allow a touchdown, even though the starters were pulled with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. What more could they have done this week? They deserve to stay at 1.
2 Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State officially has the best win of 2023, joining Texas as one of just two teams with a top-10 win on the road. Ohio State showed some grit in South Bend, and showed me that they're the real deal. With a win like that, they jump to #2.
3 Florida State Seminoles The Boston College performance gave me some doubts-- but it was 1. on the road, 2. the red bandana game, and 3. they still pulled out the win anyway. Their LSU win is still very impressive, and they defeated Clemson, who was probably their toughest conference opponent coming into the season.
4 Penn State Nittany Lions 2-0 in conference play and goose egged an Iowa team that I had at #24 last week. Still look like a very good football team, but everyone above them had better weeks. Penn State stays in my #4 spot.
5 Washington Huskies If Washington had played some tougher opponents I would consider putting them in the top 4-- but you play who's in front of you, and they've manhandled everyone in their way so far.
6 Georgia Bulldogs Georgia looks like $#!T. 21 points... TO UAB???? After going AWOL for a half at home to South Carolina??? I still think Georgia is very good, and far and away the best team in the SEC, but that doesn't mean they deserve to be in the top 5. At least not yet.
7 Michigan Wolverines Yeah, JJ McCarthy is mid. 14-7 against Rutgers at the half. Still a good team, but need to pick it up before they play Penn State / Ohio State.
8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame drops from 5 to 8 this week. I still think they're elite, and have a path to the playoff-- but you don't get to stay in the top 5 at this point if you have a loss. Even if it's the most "quality loss" in college football right now. But... REALLY?! 10 PLAYERS ON A GOALLINE STAND???????? TEN??????????????????????????????????
9 Utah Utes Beat a ranked UCLA team. Jump up one spot as USC falls out of the top 10.
10 Miami Hurricanes Miami looks solid, but another group of 5 blowout can only move you up so far. Still, they handled who was in front of them and they move up one spot to #10 this week. That FSU game is looking like an all timer...
11 USC Trojans Fresno State (who I went round and around about putting at #25 this week, by the way) shutout Arizona State. USC gave up 28 points. Is Caleb Williams still probably the best QB in college football? Yes. Is USC's defense going to prevent them from winning anything meaningful this year? Also yes. USC falls out of the top ten.
12 Oregon Ducks Colorado looks like a bunch of FCS transfers (oh wait) but it was as convincing of a win that I've seen this season. Oregon looks legit, but I'm not going to move them up anymore until they play some stiffer competition, which they won't until they're @ Washington in three weeks.
13 Oklahoma Sooners Solid "conference" (it's Cincinnati... does that count yet) win on the road. OU has still yet to face a good opponent, but they've looked great thusfar. Looks like a team who could spoil Texas' season in the Cotton Bowl in a couple weeks...
14 Alabama Crimson Tide Bama looks like they might be getting around to righting the ship-- but they still don't look like... "Bama." Great win against a top-20 opponent in Ole Miss moves them up one spot though. Their only loss thus far is still #1 Texas, which is certainly not an insurmountable blemish on their resume. They still control their own destiny.
15 Washington State Cougars Awesome win against ranked Oregon State moves Wazzu up 4 spots.
16 LSU Tigers Faltered (but still won) against a (horrifically bad) Arkansas team. LSU drops from 13 to 16.
17 Duke Blue Devils FOOTBALL SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHOOL
18 North Carolina Tar Heels FOOTBALL SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHOOL
19 Missouri Tigers undefeated, K-State win probably should have gotten them ranked last week.
20 Kansas Jayhawks undefeated, 2 P-5 wins. Brutalized a BYU team that smoked the Arkansas team that LSU (ranked #16) struggled against (My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious)
21 Florida Gators Charlotte??????
22 Tennessee Volunteers The worse Florida looks, the worse Tennessee getting hornswoggled by Florida looks. Joe Milton is NOT him.
23 Ole Miss Rebels Lost. Quality loss, but still lost.
24 UCLA Bruins Lost. Quality loss, but still lost.
25 Oregon State Beavers Lost. Quality loss, but still lost.

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