thatoneguyD13 Ballot for 2025 Week 16 & Bowls
Ballot Type: Human
Submitted: Dec. 8, 2025, 2 p.m.
Overall Rationale: Early season rankings are based largely on expected results versus other ranked teams, and as the season goes leans more heavily on results. By the end of the season, rankings are based entirely on resume. I lean heavily into head to head results and results against common opponents. I also sort teams into 6 tiers based on championship/playoff likelihood. Tier 1: Championship Frontrunners who are highly likely to make the playoffs, Tier 2: Playoff Teams who could conceivably win the championship but are behind Tier 1, Tier 3: Playoff Possibilities who are unlikely to compete for a championship, Tier 4: Teams with an outside shot at making the playoffs, Tier 5: Teams that can't make the playoffs except for winning conference or unprecedented chaos Tier 6: Teams that are eliminated from playoff contention. Tiers 5 and 6 don't enter into the top 25 until very late in the year.
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
Tier 1. Two best wins in cfb. 13-0. Easy #1. |
| 2 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
Tier 1. Only loss was by 3 to a team they beat in rematch by 21 plus win over #5. |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
Tier 1. Statistically elite defense with theoretically elite offense. Wins over #15 at home and #18 on the road. Only loss to #1 by 3. |
| 4 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
Tier 1. Only loss was by 4 on the road without QB. Wins over #12 twice, #14, and #23. |
| 5 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
Tier 2. Only loss by 7 on the road to #2. Wins over #10 and #17. |
| 6 |
Oregon Ducks
|
Tier 2. Only loss to #1. Win over #16. |
| 7 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
Tier 2. Only loss to #15 by 10 on road. Win over #9 on road by 1. |
| 8 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
Tier 3. Two unranked losses, but wins over #9 and #24. |
| 9 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
Tier 3. Losses to #7 and #8, wins over #16 and #21. |
| 10 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
Tier 3. Losses to #5 and #15, wins over #11 and #18. |
| 11 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
Tier 4. Loss and win to #2, losses to #10 and unranked. Win over #13. |
| 12 |
BYU Cougars
|
Tier 4. Two losses to #4, wins over #14 and #22. |
| 13 |
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
Tier 4. Losses to #11 and #15, no wins over top 25 teams. |
| 14 |
Utah Utes
|
Tier 5. |
| 15 |
Texas Longhorns
|
Tier 5. |
| 16 |
USC Trojans
|
Tier 5. |
| 17 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
Tier 5. Losses to #5 and unranked, wins over #25 and ACC Champ Duke. Best G5 winner. |
| 18 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
Tier 6. |
| 19 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
Tier 6. |
| 20 |
James Madison Dukes
|
Tier 5. Loss on road to P5. Second best G5 champ. Total resume better than 5-loss ACC champ. |
| 21 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
Tier 6. |
| 22 |
Arizona Wildcats
|
Tier 6. |
| 23 |
Houston Cougars
|
Tier 6. |
| 24 |
USF Bulls
|
Tier 6. |
| 25 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
Tier 6. |
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 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.22 |
| 6 |
Oregon Ducks
|
0.00 |
| 7 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
0.00 |
| 8 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.36 |
| 9 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
0.00 |
| 11 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.00 |
| 12 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.00 |
| 13 |
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
0.00 |
| 14 |
Utah Utes
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 16 |
USC Trojans
|
0.00 |
| 17 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
0.00 |
| 18 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.00 |
| 19 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
James Madison Dukes
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
0.50 |
| 22 |
Arizona Wildcats
|
0.00 |
| 23 |
Houston Cougars
|
0.12 |
| 24 |
USF Bulls
|
0.22 |
| 25 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
-0.19 |
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Iowa Hawkeyes