Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Sept. 7, 2026, 10:38 p.m.

Overall Rationale: A lot of change from the preseason ballot now that we've seen everyone play. I don't rank any teams with losses for the first few weeks even though there are clearly some exceptional teams who have lost (such as Boise State). There will continue be a lot of movement throughout the season, but for now on-field results from the previous season still matter a great deal. Perhaps more so than other submissions, I see all the conferences as being important and make room at the lower end of the ballot for strong performances or expectations from non-Autonomy conferences, so I include some expected conference champions or those with high expectations for the season. Again, this will change wildly throughout the season in response to what happens on the field of play and I make an effort to avoid biases and poll inertia, even when it provides ballot submissions that differ from other national polls.

• Ballot
• Analysis

Rank	Team	Reason
1	Indiana Hoosiers
2	Oregon Ducks
3	Ohio State Buckeyes
4	Texas Tech Red Raiders
5	USC Trojans
6	Miami Hurricanes
7	Ole Miss Rebels
8	BYU Cougars
9	Notre Dame Fighting Irish
10	Georgia Bulldogs
11	Texas Longhorns
12	Houston Cougars
13	LSU Tigers
14	Utah Utes
15	Virginia Cavaliers
16	Penn State Nittany Lions
17	Oklahoma Sooners
18	Alabama Crimson Tide
19	Washington Huskies
20	Memphis Tigers
21	Navy Midshipmen
22	San Diego State Aztecs
23	North Dakota State Bison
24	Tulsa Golden Hurricane
25	Western Michigan Broncos

Teams Ranked:

Rank	Team	Unusualness
1	Indiana Hoosiers	0.33
2	Oregon Ducks	0.60
3	Ohio State Buckeyes	0.00
4	Texas Tech Red Raiders	1.55
5	USC Trojans	1.18
6	Miami Hurricanes	0.00
7	Ole Miss Rebels	0.14
8	BYU Cougars	1.06
9	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	-0.17
10	Georgia Bulldogs	-0.26
11	Texas Longhorns	-0.38
12	Houston Cougars	2.80
13	LSU Tigers	-0.29
14	Utah Utes	0.88
15	Virginia Cavaliers	0.55
16	Penn State Nittany Lions	0.00
17	Oklahoma Sooners	-0.78
18	Alabama Crimson Tide	-0.75
19	Washington Huskies	0.00
20	Memphis Tigers	0.59
21	Navy Midshipmen	4.03
22	San Diego State Aztecs	3.20
23	North Dakota State Bison	0.45
24	Tulsa Golden Hurricane	0.95
25	Western Michigan Broncos	0.00

Omissions:

Team	Unusualness
Texas A&M Aggies	2.89
SMU Mustangs	0.68
Tennessee Volunteers	0.86
Iowa Hawkeyes	0.69
Louisville Cardinals	0.02

Total Score: 26.05