ToeInDigDeep Ballot for 2025 Final
Ballot Type: Human
Submitted: Jan. 22, 2026, 10:47 a.m.
Overall Rationale: A lot of changes post-bowl season that mix up my usual ranking strategy of "not losing is most important, and head-to-head wins next-most important." I still functionally treat all of college football like a giant conference, viewing conferences as largely being equivalent to each other, but overall conference performance in CFP, bowls, and throughout the season is taken into account with more emphasis on recent results.
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
16-0, won national championship |
| 2 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
13-3, last lost national championship |
| 3 |
Oregon Ducks
|
13-2, last lost to national champions in CFP |
| 4 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
12-2, last lost to national runners-up in CFP |
| 5 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
13-2, last lost to national runners-up in CFP |
| 6 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
12-2, last lost to Oregon in CFP |
| 7 |
BYU Cougars
|
12-2, last lost to Texas Tech in conference finals; bowl win |
| 8 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
12-2, last lost to Mississippi in CFP |
| 9 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
11-3, last lost to national runners-up in CFP and Texas |
| 10 |
Utah Utes
|
11-2, last lost at BYU in regular season; bowl in |
| 11 |
James Madison Dukes
|
12-2, last lost at Oregon in CFP |
| 12 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
10-2, last lost at Texas A&M in regular season |
| 13 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
11-3, last lost at Mississippi in CFP |
| 14 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
11-3, last lost to Duke in conference championship; bowl win |
| 15 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
11-2, last lost to Notre Dame in regular season; bowl win |
| 16 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
12-2; last lost to Tulane in conference championship; bowl win |
| 17 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
11-4; last lost to national champion in CFP |
| 18 |
Houston Cougars
|
10-3; last lost to TCU in regular season; bowl win |
| 19 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
10-3, last lost to Alabama in CFP |
| 20 |
Texas Longhorns
|
10-3, last lost at Georgia in regular season; bowl win |
| 21 |
Old Dominion Monarchs
|
10-3; bowl win |
| 22 |
Western Michigan Broncos
|
10-4; bowl win |
| 23 |
TCU Horned Frogs
|
9-4; last loss at BYU in regular season; bowl win |
| 24 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
9-4; bowl win |
| 25 |
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
|
9-4; bowl win |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
0.00 |
| 2 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.00 |
| 3 |
Oregon Ducks
|
0.16 |
| 4 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.00 |
| 5 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
-0.04 |
| 6 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
0.00 |
| 7 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.63 |
| 8 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
-1.33 |
| 9 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
Utah Utes
|
0.49 |
| 11 |
James Madison Dukes
|
0.84 |
| 12 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0.00 |
| 13 |
Tulane Green Wave
|
0.75 |
| 14 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
0.36 |
| 15 |
Navy Midshipmen
|
1.92 |
| 16 |
North Texas Mean Green
|
0.74 |
| 17 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
-1.33 |
| 18 |
Houston Cougars
|
0.75 |
| 19 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
-1.60 |
| 20 |
Texas Longhorns
|
-1.56 |
| 21 |
Old Dominion Monarchs
|
4.04 |
| 22 |
Western Michigan Broncos
|
3.05 |
| 23 |
TCU Horned Frogs
|
0.00 |
| 24 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
-0.60 |
| 25 |
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
|
0.24 |
Omissions:
| Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|
Vanderbilt Commodores
|
1.71 |
USC Trojans
|
0.79 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.68 |
Total Score: 23.58