hurricaneatx Ballot for 2023 Week 9
Ballot Type: Human
Submitted: Oct. 22, 2023, 2:12 a.m.
Overall Rationale: "Once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern." Like most human rankings, this is a blend of both a power ranking (reasoning whether higher ranked teams would beat lower ranked teams a majority of the time on a neutral field) and resume ranking (reasoning whether higher ranked teams have proven themselves against competition). The most recent head-to-head results are important, but lose influence the further removed they are from the present. Results against common competition are a useful gauge, but are often not reliable tools to gauge the gap between teams. I don't put much importance in the specific ranking of a team, so teams of similar strengths can be bit "liquid" and move around the poll a bit. Admittedly, I am quite busy, so I don't watch many individual games. I am a Texas Longhorns fan, which could influence my perception. I think analytics like ESPN's FPI efficiencies and strength of record can be useful aids to identify fringe teams whose records don't jump of the page, but have demonstrated success and deserve a shout in a top 25 poll. [Teams in the ranking suburbs (no particular order): Iowa, Tennessee, Wyoming, Fresno State, Kansas State] (Teams in the ranking exurbs (no particular order): Washington State, Clemson, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Miami (FL), Kansas, Maryland, Texas A&M, Memphis, Toledo, Miami (OH), Ohio, Florida, Oklahoma State, Rutgers)
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
(8-0) |
| 2 |
Washington Huskies
|
(7-0) What was that against Arizona State? |
| 3 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
(7-0) |
| 4 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
(7-0) Great win against Penn State |
| 5 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
(7-0) |
| 6 |
Florida State Seminoles
|
(7-0) |
| 7 |
Oregon Ducks
|
(6-1) |
| 8 |
Texas Longhorns
|
(6-1) |
| 9 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
(7-1) |
| 10 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
(6-1) |
| 11 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
(6-1) |
| 12 |
Oregon State Beavers
|
(6-1) |
| 13 |
Utah Utes
|
(6-1) |
| 14 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
(6-2) |
| 15 |
LSU Tigers
|
(6-2) |
| 16 |
UCLA Bruins
|
(5-2) |
| 17 |
North Carolina Tar Heels
|
(6-1) |
| 18 |
Duke Blue Devils
|
(5-2) No good, very bad fourth quarter against Florida State |
| 19 |
Air Force Falcons
|
(7-0) |
| 20 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
(6-1) |
| 21 |
Missouri Tigers
|
(7-1) |
| 22 |
USC Trojans
|
(6-2) |
| 23 |
James Madison Dukes
|
(7-0) |
| 24 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
(6-1) |
| 25 |
Liberty Flames
|
(7-0) |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.13 |
| 2 |
Washington Huskies
|
0.53 |
| 3 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 4 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
-0.32 |
| 5 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
0.00 |
| 6 |
Florida State Seminoles
|
-0.34 |
| 7 |
Oregon Ducks
|
0.00 |
| 8 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 9 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
0.00 |
| 11 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.00 |
| 12 |
Oregon State Beavers
|
0.00 |
| 13 |
Utah Utes
|
0.00 |
| 14 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
LSU Tigers
|
0.00 |
| 16 |
UCLA Bruins
|
2.08 |
| 17 |
North Carolina Tar Heels
|
0.00 |
| 18 |
Duke Blue Devils
|
0.46 |
| 19 |
Air Force Falcons
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
Missouri Tigers
|
-0.78 |
| 22 |
USC Trojans
|
0.05 |
| 23 |
James Madison Dukes
|
0.00 |
| 24 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
0.00 |
| 25 |
Liberty Flames
|
0.00 |
Tennessee Volunteers