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woakley Ballot for 2025 Preseason

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Aug. 18, 2025, 12:13 p.m.

Overall Rationale: Did this last year as well, but what I try to do in the preseason is create a ranking based on recruiting and prior year performance. I got the data from collegefootballdata.com and ESPN and messed around with the weighting until I got a result that made sense to me. This isn't something i'll base my polls off of going forward throughout the season, I only do this for the preaseason polls and do a true human poll for the regular season. Factors used: Recruiting Factor - Weighted 35% of total, meant to be a factor showing overall roster talent (didn't account for transfers out/early leavers for the draft because I have no clue how to do that) Factors within recruiting - 24/7 Composite total - 75% of Recruiting Total - Pulled the composite numbers for 2025 (20%), 2024 (32.5%), 2023 (30%), and 2022 (17.5%). I weighted the importance of recruiting years based on how I feel that each year would impact the current year - 24/7 Rankings - 25% of Recruiting Total - Same as above, just the rankings instead of composite; Composite Poll Factor - Weighted 40% of total - Meant to be a factor bringing in prior year performance and valuing those who had a good year last year - Final AP Poll - 75% of poll factor - This is only the top 25 plus receiving votes (in votes received order, ended up with around 30 numbered teams total) of the prior year, anyone not in this was numbered 55 to not skew these rankings - Final S&P+ rankings - 25% of poll factor - This is a full ranking of the top 130ish teams - thought this would be helpful to add because it actually ranks all teams not just 25; Production Factor - Weighted 25% of total - Meant to be a factor weighing returning production/starters. This is based on Bill Connley's article on returning production - this is from February so it's highly possible that it's outdated, but i'm not sure if there's a more recent one. You can read his article for the methodology he takes https://www.espn.com/college-football/insider/story/_/id/43952974/2025-college-football-returning-production-rankings-136-teams -Weighted Offense Factor - 50% of production factor, made up of following - Returning offense production - 60% of weighted offense - Offense unit rank - 40% of weighted offense - based on the S&P+ offense ranks - Weighted Defense Factor - 50% of production factor, made up of following - Returning defense production - 60% of weighted defense - Defense unit rank - 40% of weighted defense - based on the S&P+ defense ranks I'll put the weighted ranking of each team below in my "reasons" as well

Rank Team Reason
1 Alabama Crimson Tide Recruiting Rank #2 Poll Rank #12 Production Rank #6 Overall Weighted Number 7.0
2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Recruiting Rank #8 Poll Rank #3 Production Rank #14 Overall Weighted Number 7.5
3 Penn State Nittany Lions Recruiting Rank #12 Poll Rank #5 Production Rank #7 Overall Weighted Number 7.95
4 Clemson Tigers Recruiting Rank #15 Poll Rank #16 Production Rank #1 Overall Weighted Number 11.9
5 Tennessee Volunteers Recruiting Rank #13 Poll Rank #8 Production Rank #18 Overall Weighted Number 12.25
6 Texas Longhorns Recruiting Rank #3 Poll Rank #4 Production Rank #44 Overall Weighted Number 13.65
7 LSU Tigers Recruiting Rank #6 Poll Rank #21 Production Rank #13 Overall Weighted Number 13.75
8 Ohio State Buckeyes Recruiting Rank #4 Poll Rank #1 Production Rank #57 Overall Weighted Number 16.05
9 Texas A&M Aggies Recruiting Rank #10 Poll Rank #30 Production Rank #3 Overall Weighted Number 16.25
10 Georgia Bulldogs Recruiting Rank #1 Poll Rank #6 Production Rank #64 Overall Weighted Number 18.75
11 Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Rank #7 Poll Rank #15 Production Rank #35 Overall Weighted Number 17.2
12 Florida Gators Recruiting Rank #11 Poll Rank #31 Production Rank #10 Overall Weighted Number 18.75
13 Oregon Ducks Recruiting Rank #5 Poll Rank #2 Production Rank #67 Overall Weighted Number 19.3
14 Missouri Tigers Recruiting Rank #21 Poll Rank #20 Production Rank #20 Overall Weighted Number 20.35
15 Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Rank #14 Poll Rank #28 Production Rank #24 Overall Weighted Number 22.1
16 Oklahoma Sooners Recruiting Rank #9 Poll Rank #41 Production Rank #12 Overall Weighted Number 22.55
17 South Carolina Gamecocks Recruiting Rank #19 Poll Rank #17 Production Rank #38 Overall Weighted Number 22.95
18 Illinois Fighting Illini Recruiting Rank #42 Poll Rank #19 Production Rank #4 Overall Weighted Number 23.3
19 Auburn Tigers Recruiting Rank #16 Poll Rank #42 Production Rank #16 Overall Weighted Number 26.4
20 Arizona State Sun Devils Recruiting Rank #59 Poll Rank #14 Production Rank #2 Overall Weighted Number 26.75
21 TCU Horned Frogs Recruiting Rank #26 Poll Rank #32 Production Rank #21 Overall Weighted Number 27.15
22 Indiana Hoosiers Recruiting Rank #56 Poll Rank #9 Production Rank #17 Overall Weighted Number 27.45
23 Ole Miss Rebels Recruiting Rank #20 Poll Rank #7 Production Rank #71 Overall Weighted Number 27.55
24 Boise State Broncos Recruiting Rank #65 Poll Rank #11 Production Rank #5 Overall Weighted Number 28.4
25 BYU Cougars Recruiting Rank #55 Poll Rank #13 Production Rank #19 Overall Weighted Number 29.2

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