Ballot Type: Human
Submitted: Dec. 7, 2025, 9:43 p.m.
Overall Rationale: I use a methodology similar to that used by the voter polls that bases teams based primarily on wins/losses, but with other factors such as how those teams looked in their wins and losses, head to head, roster depth, etc, in play.
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
(13-0) (up 1) | W: 13-10 vs #1 Ohio State (12-1) (Big Ten Championship; in Indianapolis) | Bowl: Rose Bowl vs #8 Oklahoma/#11 Alabama (in Pasadena) |
| 2 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
(12-1) (up 1) | W: 28-7 vs #9 Alabama (10-3) (SEC Championship; in Atlanta) | Bowl: Sugar Bowl vs #6 Ole Miss/#16 Tulane (in New Orleans) |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
(12-1) (down 1) | L: 10-13 vs #2 Indiana (12-1) (Big Ten Championship; in Indianapolis) | Bowl: Cotton Bowl vs #5 Texas A&M/#10 Miami (in Dallas) |
| 4 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
(12-1) (no change) | W: 34-7 vs #11 BYU (11-2) (Big 12 Championship; in Dallas) | Bowl: Orange Bowl vs #7 Oregon/#17 James Madison (in Miami) |
| 5 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
(11-1) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Playoff R1 vs #10 Miami (10-2) |
| 6 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
(11-1) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Playoff R1 vs #16 Tulane (11-2) |
| 7 |
Oregon Ducks
|
(11-1) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Playoff R1 vs #17 James Madison (12-1) |
| 8 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
(10-2) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Playoff R1 vs #11 Alabama (10-3) |
| 9 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
(10-2) (up 1) | Bye | Bowl: None (Opted Out) |
| 10 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
(10-2) (up 1) | Bye | Bowl: Playoff R1 @ #5 Texas A&M (11-1) |
| 11 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
(10-3) (down 2) | L: 7-28 vs #3 Georgia (12-1) (SEC Championship; in Atlanta) | Bowl: Playoff R1 @ #8 Oklahoma (10-2) |
| 12 |
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
(10-2) (up 1) | Bye | Bowl: ReliaQuest Bowl vs #27 Iowa (8-4) (in Tampa) |
| 13 |
Texas Longhorns
|
(9-3) (up 1) | Bye | Bowl: Citrus Bowl vs #19 Michigan (9-3) (in Orlando) |
| 14 |
BYU Cougars
|
(11-2) (down 3) | L: 7-34 vs #4 Texas Tech (12-1) (Big 12 Championship; in Dallas) | Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs #25 Georgia Tech (9-3) (in Orlando) |
| 15 |
Utah Utes
|
(10-2) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Las Vegas Bowl vs Nebraska (7-5) (in Las Vegas) |
| 16 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
(11-2) (up 3) | W: 34-21 vs #17 North Texas (11-2) (American Championship) | Bowl: Playoff R1 @ #6 Ole Miss (11-1) |
| 17 |
James Madison Dukes
|
(12-1) (up 1) | W: 31-14 vs Troy (8-5) (Sun Belt Championship) | Bowl: Playoff R1 @ #7 Oregon (11-1) |
| 18 |
USC Trojans
|
(9-3) (up 2) | Bye | Bowl: Alamo Bowl vs TCU (8-4) (in San Antonio) |
| 19 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
(9-3) (up 2) | Bye | Bowl: Citrus Bowl vs #13 Texas (9-3) (in Orlando) |
| 20 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
(10-3) (down 4) | L: 20-27 vs Duke (8-5) (ACC Championship; in Charlotte) | Bowl: Gator Bowl vs #26 Missouri (8-4) (in Jacksonville) |
| 21 |
Arizona Wildcats
|
(9-3) (up 1) | Bye | Bowl: Holiday Bowl vs #28 SMU (8-4) (in San Diego) |
| 22 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
(11-2) (down 5) | L: 21-34 @ #19 Tulane (11-2) (American Championship) | Bowl: New Mexico Bowl vs San Diego State (in Albuquerque) |
| 23 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
(9-2) (no change) | Bye | Next Week: vs Army (6-5) (in Baltimore) | Bowl: Liberty Bowl vs Cincinnati (7-5) (in Memphis) |
| 24 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
(8-4) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Music City Bowl vs Illinois (8-4) (in Nashville) |
| 25 |
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
|
(9-3) (no change) | Bye | Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs #14 BYU (11-2) (in Orlando) | Next 5: | #26: Missouri (8-4) (up 1) | #27: Iowa (8-4) (up 1) | #28: SMU (8-4) (up 1) | #29: Houston (9-3) (up 1) | #30: Duke (8-5) (was unranked) | Fell out of T30: UNLV (10-3) (was #26) | Biggest Riser: Tulane (11-2) (#19 -> #16) | Biggest Fallers: North Texas (11-2) (#17 -> #22); UNLV (#26 -> UR) |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
0.00 |
| 2 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.16 |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.00 |
| 4 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
0.00 |
| 5 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
0.27 |
| 6 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.00 |
| 7 |
Oregon Ducks
|
-0.83 |
| 8 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
0.00 |
| 9 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.00 |
| 11 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.00 |
| 12 |
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
0.00 |
| 13 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 14 |
BYU Cougars
|
-0.28 |
| 15 |
Utah Utes
|
0.00 |
| 16 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
0.00 |
| 17 |
James Madison Dukes
|
0.00 |
| 18 |
USC Trojans
|
0.00 |
| 19 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
Arizona Wildcats
|
0.00 |
| 22 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
0.00 |
| 23 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
0.00 |
| 24 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
0.53 |
| 25 |
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
|
0.00 |