Ballot Type: Computer
Submitted: Oct. 27, 2024, 7:16 a.m.
Overall Rationale: Performance compared to opponent's opponents' performance, with adjustments for quality wins/losses.
Rank | Team | Reason |
---|---|---|
1 | Oregon Ducks | Top-tier offense & defense in all facets, and they keep winning. They'll probably hold onto this spot until the Ohio State rematch, unless... |
2 | Indiana Hoosiers | ...Indiana can go into the shoe in a couple of weeks and knock them out of the B1G race. They've been top-tier in all facets except run defense, so it's possible. |
3 | Miami Hurricanes | Top-tier offense carries a better than average defense, but they keep winning. Barring a fluke, their next challenge will be against Clemson in the ACC championship. |
4 | Penn State Nittany Lions | Lights out defense, and everything but the passing game is top-tier. Not a bad year to have the Buckeyes coming to Happy Valley... |
5 | Ohio State Buckeyes | ...but the Buckeyes are playing the best football in CFB this year. Next week sets the stage for the Oregon rematch (assuming Ohio State can take care of Indiana at home). |
6 | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia's more than made up for the Bama loss, which is hurting them less and less. They have a few challenges in early November before they coast into a three- or four-team tiebreaker for the SEC Championship. |
7 | Pittsburgh Panthers | They can score, you can't run on them, and they keep winning. Clemson in three weeks is the main barrier, but don't overlook SMU in Dallas next week. |
8 | BYU Cougars | You can't pass on them, you can't score on them, and they keep winning. The rest of their schedule has 6 conference wins combined, so it's about time to book tickets to the Big 12 Championship against... |
9 | Iowa State Cyclones | ...another team who you can't score on, AND this one can run the ball & score, but it has a few bigger speedbumps in it's path (but K-State is winnable). |
10 | Texas Longhorns | Like the fortunate of us, the horns escaped a hangover in Nashville. They still have a top-tier defense, and unfortunately for them, their schedule is left full of sneaky teams that aren't worth much if you win, but could show up and be giant-killers on any given Saturday. Then there's... |
11 | Texas A&M Aggies | ...the Aggies, fresh off of a defensive and run game performance, who is so close to the top 10, the value of a win against #122 Utah State would put them ahead of the longhorns. They can run, they can score, they can stop the run, and they can stop scoring, but they're going to have to figure out a passing game at some point. Trap game next week, then prep for Thanksgiving. |
12 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | It might take the rest of the season to wash off the Northern Illinois loss. Hopefully their defense will stay top-tier and they'll figure out a passing game when they face... |
13 | Army West Point | ...the last standing undefeated service academy. Run run run, win win win, and we could see Army-Navy for a championship before (checks notes) the Army-Navy game that counts. |
14 | Tennessee Volunteers | Beating Bama almost finished making up for the Arkansas loss... but it's all tune ups until they go to Athens (then there's always a pesky Vandy game at the end) |
15 | Boise State Broncos | Only Army is running the ball better, and letting Oregon squeak by doesn't seem so bad now, does it? Smurf turf just needs Notre Dame (and maybe Army) to lose and keep banging out yards to get some attention. |
16 | Kansas State Wildcats | They can run, they can score, and they'll need to take out Iowa State if they want a rematch against BYU. |
17 | LSU Tigers | The loss to A&M hurt as much as the wins against Ole Miss, Arkansas, & UCLA helped, combined. They have a week to lick their wounds before a tricky last couple games while hoping to avoid A&M in a tiebreaker scenario. |
18 | Washington State Cougars | The Boise State loss is hurting less and less as weeks go on, but it'll take the rest of the season to stack enough wins to cancel it out. |
19 | SMU Mustangs | SMU is warming up, and has a chance to play spoiler before making a run at an ACC championship tiebreaker scenario. |
20 | Alabama Crimson Tide | Mizzou doesn't make up for Vandy, but there will be a chance to shape the SEC Championship race without actually being in it... |
21 | Clemson Tigers | Just keep winning. There's not enough meat on the schedule to make up for the Georgia loss, but eventually getting a shot in the ACC Championship against Miami will get you in. |
22 | Navy Midshipmen | The bad loss to ND isn't a bad loss... just keep winning in conference so we can see multiple Army-Navy games this year! |
23 | Ole Miss Rebels | Ole Miss is the worst good team. You can't score on them, they can pass on you, but they can't win. |
24 | Illinois Fighting Illini | The loss to Penn State won't look so bad, but that's the difference between championship football and good football. |
25 | Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns | The loss to Tulane isn't good, but this is the right spot for the one-loss Sun Belt West leaders. |
Teams Ranked:
Rank | Team | Unusualness |
---|---|---|
1 | Oregon Ducks | 0.00 |
2 | Indiana Hoosiers | 0.80 |
3 | Miami Hurricanes | 0.18 |
4 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 0.00 |
5 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 0.00 |
6 | Georgia Bulldogs | 0.00 |
7 | Pittsburgh Panthers | 0.70 |
8 | BYU Cougars | 0.00 |
9 | Iowa State Cyclones | 0.00 |
10 | Texas Longhorns | 0.00 |
11 | Texas A&M Aggies | 0.00 |
12 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 0.00 |
13 | Army West Point | 0.65 |
14 | Tennessee Volunteers | 0.00 |
15 | Boise State Broncos | 0.00 |
16 | Kansas State Wildcats | 0.00 |
17 | LSU Tigers | 0.00 |
18 | Washington State Cougars | 0.54 |
19 | SMU Mustangs | 0.00 |
20 | Alabama Crimson Tide | -0.33 |
21 | Clemson Tigers | -1.26 |
22 | Navy Midshipmen | 2.25 |
23 | Ole Miss Rebels | 0.00 |
24 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 0.00 |
25 | Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns | 0.00 |