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CallingUagoatUgoat Ballot for 2023 Week 9

Ballot Type: Computer

Submitted: Oct. 23, 2023, 12:32 p.m.

Overall Rationale: Wins earn a team points. Losses lose points. How many points earned/lost is dependent on the quality of a team's opponent (both at the time you played them and currently). Opponent quality is determined by SP+ ranking. Margin of victory (MOV) is not factored into these rankings, not because I don't think it's a good indicator of a team's strength, but because, at the end of the season, the CFP committee looks more at who you beat and less about how you beat them.

Rank Team Reason
1 Florida State Seminoles 1 SP+ T-10 win (LSU). 1 SP+ T-25 win (Clemson).
2 Alabama Crimson Tide 0 SP+ T-10 wins. 3 SP+ T-25 wins (Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Tennessee). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Texas).
3 Oklahoma Sooners 1 SP+ T-10 win (Texas).
4 Ohio State Buckeyes 1 SP+ T-10 win (Notre Dame). 1 SP+ T-25 win (Penn State). Oklahoma has a slight edge after Week 8 - partially because Penn State fell out of the SP+ T-10 and partially because Ohio State played an FCS team whereas OU played FBS teams in its non-conference slate.
5 Washington Huskies 1 SP+ T-10 win (Oregon).
6 Texas Longhorns T-6. 1 SP+ T-10 win (Alabama). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Oklahoma).
7 Missouri Tigers T-6. 2 SP+ T-10 wins (Kansas State, Kentucky). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (LSU). Mizzou gained a few extra points this week due to Kentucky jumping into the SP+ T-25. The Tigers are licking their chops as they look ahead to their Week 10 matchup at Georgia. Can they pull off the upset of the season?
8 Ole Miss Rebels T-8. 1 SP+ T-10 win (LSU). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Alabama).
9 Utah Utes T-8. 2 SP+ T-25 wins (Florida, USC). 1 SP+ T-25 loss (Oregon State).
10 Georgia Bulldogs 1 SP+ T-25 win (Kentucky). Kentucky moved into the SP+ T-25 on their bye week, so UGA gains a T-25 win. Starting this week, Georgia's next four games are at SP+ #30 Florida, #18 Missouri, #21 Ole Miss, and at #16 Tennessee. If they win each of those games and those teams can retain their current rankings (or close to them), Georgia will earn at least 25 points over that span and will find themselves in the Top 5. Their opportunity is right in front of them.
11 Michigan Wolverines 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins. Yes, I know they've looked good against the weakest P5 schedule in the country and I know SP+ has them ranked #1, but in the words of Brandon Walker, "They haven't played a game yet!". My rankings don't reward teams for playing soft schedules. And, if I'm honest, I think the CFB committee and the AP poll should have the same mantra and force teams to schedule better teams, specifically in their non-conference schedules.
12 LSU Tigers 1 SP+ T-25 win (Missouri). 2 SP+ T-25 losses (Florida State, Ole Miss). A Week 10 matchup at Alabama looms. If LSU pulls the upset, it'll play spoiler to Alabama's playoff hopes and take the lead in the SEC West race.
13 North Carolina Tar Heels 1 SP+ T-25 win (Miami). 1 FBS loss outside the SP+ T-50 (Virginia). UNC drops 8 spots with their loss to Virginia.
14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish T-14. 1 SP+ T-25 win (USC). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Ohio State). 1 SP+ T-50 loss (Louisville). Notre Dame didn't play this week, but fell four spots and lost an SP+ T-10 win because USC is dropped out of the SP+ T-10.
15 Oregon State Beavers T-14. 2 SP+ T-25 wins (Utah). 1 SP+ T-50 loss (Washington State).
16 Liberty Flames 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins.
17 Oregon Ducks 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins. 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Washington). Oregon will have another shot at a T-25 team this week when they travel to Salt Lake City and take on the SP+ #24 Utah Utes.
18 Duke Blue Devils T-18. 1 SP+ T-25 win (Clemson). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Notre Dame). 1 SP+ T-25 loss (Florida State).
19 Air Force Falcons T-18. 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins.
20 James Madison Dukes T-18. 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins.
21 Louisville Cardinals 1 SP+ T-10 win (Notre Dame). 1 SP+ T-50 loss (Pittsburgh).
22 Penn State Nittany Lions T-22. 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins. 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Ohio State). Penn State missed out on their one opportunity to get their first quality win of the season. James Franklin will have another shot to prove he belongs in the elite group if he can find a way to beat Michigan later this season.
23 Florida Gators T-22. 1 SP+ T-25 win (Tennessee). 2 SP+ T-25 losses (Utah, Kentucky).
24 USC Trojans 0 SP+ T-10 or T-25 wins. 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Notre Dame). 1 SP+ T-25 loss (Utah). Poor Lincoln Riley.
25 Tennessee Volunteers 1 SP+ T-25 win (Texas A&M). 1 SP+ T-10 loss (Alabama). 1 SP+ T-50 loss (Florida).

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