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MADBuc49 Ballot for 2025 Week 5

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Sept. 22, 2025, 11:19 a.m.

Overall Rationale: Week 5 notes: Still not enough of a differentiation for me to worry about where most teams are ranked (or not ranked). Also: apologies for the Texas/Texas A&M error last month. Methodology: 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. Would be the #1 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #8 Florida State/#9 LSU in the Rose Bowl
2 Ohio State Buckeyes +0. Would be the #2 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #7 Oklahoma/#10 Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl
3 Georgia Bulldogs +4. Would be the #3 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #6 Miami/#11 Iowa State in the Sugar Bowl
4 Penn State Nittany Lions -1. Would be the #4 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #5 Indiana/#12 Tulane in the Cotton Bowl
5 Indiana Hoosiers +11. Would be the #5 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #12 Tulane in the first round
6 Miami Hurricanes -1. Would be the #6 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #11 Iowa State in the first round
7 Oklahoma Sooners +2. Would be the #7 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #10 Texas A&M in the first round
8 Florida State Seminoles -2. Would be the #8 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #9 LSU in the first round
9 LSU Tigers -5. Would be the #9 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #8 Florida State in the first round
10 Texas A&M Aggies NEW. Error last week had omitted Texas A&M. Would be the #10 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #7 Oklahoma in the first round
11 Ole Miss Rebels +7
12 Iowa State Cyclones -4. Would be the #11 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #6 Miami in the first round
13 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +1
14 Alabama Crimson Tide -4
15 Tennessee Volunteers -4
16 Texas Longhorns -4
17 Michigan Wolverines -4
18 USC Trojans +4
19 Vanderbilt Commodores -2
20 Texas Tech Red Raiders +4
21 TCU Horned Frogs NEW
22 Auburn Tigers -1
23 Missouri Tigers +0
24 Nebraska Cornhuskers -4
25 Louisville Cardinals +0. Tulane be the #12 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #5 Indiana in the first round

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