Ballot Type: Hybrid
Submitted: Dec. 8, 2024, 12:26 p.m.
Overall Rationale: Week 16 notes: Deservedness keeping highly-rated 3+-loss teams such as Clemson and Iowa State behind 1- loss Boise State and Alabama and Ole Miss behind 1-loss Army; 3-loss teams such as Clemson and Iowa State can be ranked over Army due to loss allowance. General notes: FIRST layer (computer portion): SP+, opponents’ SP+, opponents’ opponents’ SP+, opponents’ win %, opponents’ opponents’ win %. SECOND layer (human portion): home/field/away, key injuries, P5/G5 status, watched game factors (ex: offensive/defensive line domination, rush yards after contact, average point of first contact, defensive penetration on non-inside screens, missed tackles, quarterback throwing release speed, overall turnovers, average starting field position, etc). THIRD layer (human portion): wins/losses vs higher-/lower-/non-ranked teams, recency of those results. FOURTH layer (computer portion): Deservedness = Team A cannot be ranked over Team B that has 2+ fewer losses (ex: 9-3 LSU can be ranked over 10-2 Missouri, but 9-3 LSU cannot be ranked over 11-1 Tulane even if LSU beat Tulane heads up, rankings have LSU over Tulane, and/or I think LSU is better than Tulane) unless Team B is giving a X loss allowance to Team A due to significantly fewer P4 games played. Loss allowances come into play when: P5 teams play 2 fewer P5 games than another P5 team (ex: 9-3 Arizona plays 10 P5 games, 11-1 Syracuse plays 8 P5 games, 10-8=2, 9-3 Arizona can be ranked over 11-1 Syracuse); P5 teams play 6 fewer P5 games than a G5 team (11-1 Syracuse plays 8 P5 teams, 9-3 Charlotte plays 2 P5 teams, 8-2=6, 9-3 Charlotte can be ranked over 11-1 Syracuse); G5 teams play 10 fewer P5 teams than a P5 team (ex: 9-3 Arizona plays 10 P5 games, 11-1 Liberty plays 0 P5 games, 10-0=0, 9-3 Arizona can be ranked over 11-1 Liberty); or G5 teams play 2 fewer P5 games than another G5 team (ex: 9-3 Charlotte plays 2 P5 games, 11-1 Liberty plays 0 P5 games, 2-0=2, 9-3 Charlotte can be ranked over 11-1 Liberty). If the game differential exceeds more than 2/6/10/2 in those scenarios, add another loss allowance for each additional P5 game played difference in that scenario.
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Oregon Ducks
|
+0. #1 playoff seed in this scenario playing the winner of #8 Texas/#9 Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl |
| 2 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
+2. #2 playoff seed in this scenario playing the winner of #7 Indiana/#10 SMU in the Sugar Bowl |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
-1. #5 playoff seed in this scenario hosting #12 Clemson in the first round |
| 4 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
-1. #6 playoff seed in this scenario hosting #11 Tennessee in the first round |
| 5 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
+0. #7 playoff seed in this scenario hosting #10 SMU in the first round |
| 6 |
Texas Longhorns
|
+0. #8 playoff seed in this scenario hosting #9 Notre Dame in the first round |
| 7 |
Arizona State Sun Devils
|
+3. #3 playoff seed in this scenario playing the winner of #6 Penn State/#11 Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl |
| 8 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
-1. #9 playoff seed in this scenario playing at #8 Tennessee in the first round |
| 9 |
SMU Mustangs
|
-1. #10 playoff seed in this scenario playing at #7 Indiana in the first round |
| 10 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
-1. #11 playoff seed in this scenario playing at #6 Penn State in the first round |
| 11 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
+1. Due to Iowa State having 3 losses and no loss allowance over Boise State |
| 12 |
BYU Cougars
|
+1. Due to Iowa State having 3 losses and no loss allowance over Boise State |
| 13 |
Boise State Broncos
|
+1. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Boise State such as Clemson from being ranked ahead of Boise State. #4 playoff seed in this scenario playing the winner of #5 Ohio State/#12 Clemson in the Peach Bowl |
| 14 |
Clemson Tigers
|
+1. Loss allowances over Army, Memphis, and Liberty. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Boise State such as Clemson from being ranked ahead of Boise State. #12 playoff seed in this scenario playing at #5 Ohio State in the first round |
| 15 |
Iowa State Cyclones
|
-4. Loss allowances over Army, Memphis, and Liberty. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Boise State such as Iowa State from being ranked ahead of Boise State |
| 16 |
Illinois Fighting Illini
|
+0. Loss allowances over Army, Memphis, and Liberty. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Boise State such as Illinois from being ranked ahead of Boise State |
| 17 |
Colorado Buffaloes
|
+0. Loss allowances over Army, Memphis, and Liberty. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Boise State such as Colorado from being ranked ahead of Boise State |
| 18 |
TCU Horned Frogs
|
+1. Loss allowances over Army, Memphis, and Liberty. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Boise State such as TCU from being ranked ahead of Boise State |
| 19 |
UNLV Rebels
|
-1. Loss allowances over Army, Memphis, and Liberty |
| 20 |
Army West Point
|
+0. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Army such as Alabama from being ranked ahead of Army |
| 21 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
+0. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Army such as Alabama from being ranked ahead of Army |
| 22 |
Florida Gators
|
+0. Loss allowances over Memphis, Liberty, Missouri, Syracuse, Duke, Washington State, Marshall, Ohio, Louisiana, Navy, and Sam Houston. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Army such as Florida from being ranked ahead of Army |
| 23 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
+0. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Army such as Ole Miss from being ranked ahead of Army |
| 24 |
South Carolina Gamecocks
|
+0. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Army such as South Carolina from being ranked ahead of Army |
| 25 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
+0. Loss allowances over Memphis and Liberty. Deservedness blocking highly-rated 3+ loss teams with no loss allowances over Army such as Louisville from being ranked ahead of Army. |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Oregon Ducks
|
0.00 |
| 2 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.65 |
| 4 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
0.01 |
| 5 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
0.69 |
| 6 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 7 |
Arizona State Sun Devils
|
0.12 |
| 8 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
-0.89 |
| 9 |
SMU Mustangs
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
0.00 |
| 11 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.60 |
| 12 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.82 |
| 13 |
Boise State Broncos
|
-0.67 |
| 14 |
Clemson Tigers
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
Iowa State Cyclones
|
0.46 |
| 16 |
Illinois Fighting Illini
|
1.50 |
| 17 |
Colorado Buffaloes
|
1.07 |
| 18 |
TCU Horned Frogs
|
7.22 |
| 19 |
UNLV Rebels
|
0.83 |
| 20 |
Army West Point
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
-1.19 |
| 22 |
Florida Gators
|
3.08 |
| 23 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
-1.44 |
| 24 |
South Carolina Gamecocks
|
-2.52 |
| 25 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
0.00 |
Omissions:
| Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|
Syracuse Orange
|
0.61 |
Missouri Tigers
|
0.29 |
Memphis Tigers
|
0.14 |
Total Score: 24.81