Ballot Type: Human
Submitted: Nov. 29, 2025, 11:43 p.m.
Overall Rationale: Next week is conference championship week, the logic there is that for the most part, no team will be dropped far enough to significantly affect their playoff standings (so if a team has a home playoff game, even with a loss they likely keep that home playoff game, playoff teams that lose will almost for sure stay in playoffs, etc.)
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
EVEN. The funny didn't happen. This team might be good. Who really knows. |
| 2 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
EVEN. Winner of the Big 10 championship gets the #1 ranking. Loser still gets a first round bye. |
| 3 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
+1. Still being kept above Georgia because every game has been a steamrolling except for the ASU voodoo. Also just want to put it there, the team that had the closest loss to them? BYU. By 22 points. This is nuts. |
| 4 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
+1. There is an argument for them to go in front of Texas Tech if they end up SEC champions. Still unsure, but it's simple: win and get a first round bye. |
| 5 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
+1. Probably locked in this position barring total chaos above. |
| 6 |
Oregon Ducks
|
+1. Finishes 11-1 with a solid Washington win and only a loss to Indiana. |
| 7 |
BYU Cougars
|
+1. The Texas Tech loss in hindsight is not as bad as it's made out to be. Still pretty bad, but they have a very comparable resume to Texas A&M. Speaking of which... |
| 8 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
-5. Battered Aggie Syndrome happened. At least you're locked in the playoffs? |
| 9 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
EVEN. Nearly screwed it against LSU, but they're playoff bound. |
| 10 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
EVEN. Nearly screwed it against Auburn, but they're playoff bound. Unlike last year, this time they only have 2 losses with 1 being a really silly one. Probably a bit sillier than Oklahoma and Vandy last year, but they have enough in quality wins to just about make up for it. |
| 11 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
+1. Finally gets bumped up in front of Notre Dame via a Pitt rundown, but in playoff standings, probably not getting in. |
| 12 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
-1. I admit, I was hard on this team, and even this seems unfair. But if Navy is your second best win and you have 4 basement P4 teams on your schedule, it's hard to argue you can be much higher. |
| 13 |
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
+1. Very good Tennessee win that unfortunately have not much room to push much further upwards as the sole ranked win. |
| 14 |
Utah Utes
|
-1. Mostly because Vanderbilt had to be bumped up. Still a very solid team. |
| 15 |
Texas Longhorns
|
+7. You are 2024 Alabama. Yes your wins are impressive. That said, getting blown out by Georgia is bad. And then there's Florida. Need I also mention Kentucky and Miss State overtime debacles. |
| 16 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
EVEN. Texas Tech but at a G5 level. That and USF was a worse loss. They should be playing for the AAC Championship. |
| 17 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
EVEN. Took care of Virginia Tech. They are the last hope for the ACC to be in the playoffs. |
| 18 |
James Madison Dukes
|
EVEN. Needs either North Texas or Virginia to screw up to make the playoffs. |
| 19 |
USC Trojans
|
EVEN. Finished with a win over UCLA. |
| 20 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
-5. Can't penalize them that heavily given that they played Ohio State. Oh but what could have been. |
| 21 |
Houston Cougars
|
+3. Somewhat bumped up via H2H over Arizona more than beating Baylor. |
| 22 |
Arizona Wildcats
|
+3. Strong win over ASU. Slightly limited by above ranks having mostly contained movement and Houston H2H. |
| 23 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
(+4). This is an indictment on how strong the American is. |
| 24 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
(+5). Finishes 9-2 with a win over Memphis. Hard to say who will play in the AAC Championship. |
| 25 |
UNLV Rebels
|
(+8). Partially process of elimination as they are a G5 2 loss team. I suppose Hawaii is alright as a win? Next 10: Arizona State, Iowa, TCU, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia Tech, USF, Illinois, Iowa State, Washington. Somewhere roughly around #40 because given the ACC situation I have to mention it: Duke |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.00 |
| 2 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
0.00 |
| 3 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
0.35 |
| 4 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 5 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.04 |
| 6 |
Oregon Ducks
|
-0.13 |
| 7 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.04 |
| 8 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
0.00 |
| 9 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.00 |
| 11 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.00 |
| 12 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
-0.04 |
| 13 |
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
0.00 |
| 14 |
Utah Utes
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 16 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
0.00 |
| 17 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
0.00 |
| 18 |
James Madison Dukes
|
0.00 |
| 19 |
USC Trojans
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
Houston Cougars
|
2.89 |
| 22 |
Arizona Wildcats
|
0.00 |
| 23 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
-0.05 |
| 24 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
0.00 |
| 25 |
UNLV Rebels
|
0.00 |