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MADBuc49 Ballot for 2025 Week 12

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Nov. 9, 2025, 3:52 p.m.

Overall Rationale: Week 12 notes: head-to-head results still driving a lot of rankings. 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 BYU 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 Utah in the Orange Bowl
3 Texas A&M Aggies +0. Would be the #3 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #6 Oregon/#11 Virginia in the Sugar Bowl
4 Alabama Crimson Tide +0. Would be the #4 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #5 Georgia/#12 Tulane in the Cotton Bow
5 Georgia Bulldogs +0. Would be the #5 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #12 Tulane in the first round
6 Oregon Ducks +0. Would be the #6 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #11 Virginia in the first round
7 Texas Tech Red Raiders +3. Would be the #7 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #10 Utah in the first round
8 Ole Miss Rebels -1. Would be the #8 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #9 BYU in the first round
9 BYU Cougars +2. Would be the #9 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #8 Ole Miss in the first round. Rise despite loss partially due to other teams losing
10 Utah Utes +2. Would be the #10 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #7 Texas Tech in the first round
11 Virginia Cavaliers -3. Would be the #11 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #6 Oregon in the first round. Head-to-head over Louisville
12 Louisville Cardinals -3. Head-to-head over Miami and Pitt
13 Miami Hurricanes +0. Head-to-head over Notre Dame
14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish +0. Head-to-head over USC
15 USC Trojans +0. Head-to-head over Michigan
16 Texas Longhorns +0. Head-to-head over Oklahoma and Vanderbilt
17 Oklahoma Sooners +0. Head-to-head over Michigan
18 Vanderbilt Commodores +0
19 Michigan Wolverines +0
20 Cincinnati Bearcats +4
21 Pittsburgh Panthers +4
22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets NEW
23 TCU Horned Frogs +0. Stay despite loss due to Deservedness loss allowance over JMU (11 P4 games - 1 P4 games = 10 difference = +1 loss allowance)
24 Houston Cougars NEW
25 Tulane Green Wave NEW. Would be the #12 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #5 Georgia in the first round. Next five: Memphis, USF, JMU, Iowa (Deservedness loss allowance over North Texas (10 P4 games - 0 P4 games = 10 difference = +1 loss allowance), Illinois (Deservedness loss allowance over North Texas (10 P4 games - 0 P4 games = 10 difference = +1 loss allowance). Missouri, Washington drop out due to no Deservedness loss allowance over either JMU or North Texas. Iowa drops out due to no Deservedness loss allowance over JMU

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