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MADBuc49 Ballot for 2025 Week 9

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Oct. 19, 2025, 8:56 p.m.

Overall Rationale: Week 9 notes: Navy holding up all of the 2-loss teams except for TCU because of 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 +0. Would be the #1 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #8 Ole Miss/#9 Vanderbilt in the Rose Bowl
2 Ohio State Buckeyes +0. Would be the #2 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #7 Georgia/#10 Louisville in the Orange Bowl
3 Texas A&M Aggies +1. Would be the #3 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #6 Alabama/#11 Texas Tech in the Sugar Bowl
4 Oregon Ducks +1. Would be the #4 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #5 Virginia/#12 Tulane in the Cotton Bowl
5 Virginia Cavaliers +4. Would be the #5 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #12 Tulane in the first round
6 Alabama Crimson Tide +4. Would be the #6 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #11 Texas Tech in the first round
7 Georgia Bulldogs +4. Would be the #7 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #10 Louisville in the first round
8 Ole Miss Rebels -2. Would be the #8 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #9 Vanderbilt in the first round
9 Vanderbilt Commodores +7. Would be the #9 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #8 Ole Miss in the first round
10 Louisville Cardinals +7. Would be the #10 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #7 Georgia in the first round
11 Miami Hurricanes -8
12 Oklahoma Sooners +1. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Georgia Tech
13 Missouri Tigers +2. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Georgia Tech
14 Texas Tech Red Raiders -7. Would be the #11 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #6 Alabama in the first round. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Georgia Tech
15 Cincinnati Bearcats +6. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Georgia Tech
16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +2. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Georgia Tech
17 BYU Cougars +7. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss BYU
18 TCU Horned Frogs +7. Loss allowance vs Navy. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
19 Houston Cougars +4. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
20 Tulane Green Wave NEW. Would be the #12 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #5 Virginia in the first round. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
21 James Madison Dukes NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
22 USF Bulls NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
23 San Diego State Aztecs NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
24 UNLV Rebels NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy
25 Memphis Tigers NEW. Deservedness holding 2-loss teams such as Notre Dame behind 0-loss Navy. Next five: UNT, Navy, Notre Dame, Illinois, Tennessee

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