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MADBuc49 Ballot for 2025 Week 8

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Oct. 13, 2025, 8:50 a.m.

Overall Rationale: Week 8 notes: first 2-loss team ranked of the year due to loss allowances from Deservedness. 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 Indiana Hoosiers +3. Would be the #1 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #8 LSU/#9 Virginia in the Rose Bowl
2 Ohio State Buckeyes +0. Would be the #2 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #7 Texas Tech/#10 Alabama in the Orange Bowl
3 Miami Hurricanes +0. Would be the #3 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #6 Ole Miss/#11 Georgia in the Cotton Bowl
4 Texas A&M Aggies +3. Would be the #4 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #5 Oregon/#12 Tulane in the Sugar Bowl
5 Oregon Ducks -4. Would be the #5 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #12 Tulane in the first round
6 Ole Miss Rebels +0. Would be the #6 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #11 Georgia in the first round
7 Texas Tech Red Raiders +1. Would be the #7 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #10 Alabama in the first round
8 LSU Tigers +2. Would be the #8 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #9 Virginia in the first round
9 Virginia Cavaliers +2. Would be the #9 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #8 LSU in the first round
10 Alabama Crimson Tide +2. Would be the #10 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #7 Texas Tech in the first round
11 Georgia Bulldogs +2. Would be the #11 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #6 Ole Miss in the first round
12 Tennessee Volunteers +2. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
13 Oklahoma Sooners -8. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
14 USC Trojans +8. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
15 Missouri Tigers +9. Rise in position after loss due to depreciation of other team’s stats/performance/results and better result against Alabama than expected. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
16 Vanderbilt Commodores +0. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
17 Louisville Cardinals +0. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
18 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +5. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
19 Nebraska Cornhuskers -4. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
20 Utah Utes NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
21 Cincinnati Bearcats -3. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
22 Washington Huskies NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
23 Houston Cougars NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
24 BYU Cougars NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
25 TCU Horned Frogs +0. Loss allowance over Memphis, UNLV, and Navy due to playing 11 P4 games to their 1. Rise, or really stay, in position after loss due to other teams losing and not having loss allowances over 0-loss teams. Tulane would be the #12 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #5 Oregon in the first round. Next five: Baylor, Tulane, USF, Memphis, JMU.

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