Ballot Type: Hybrid
Submitted: Sept. 14, 2026, 8:20 p.m.
Overall Rationale: Combo of human and computer polls plus my own judgment
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
(+1) |
| 2 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
(+1) |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
(-2) A bit odd to still have them above Texas, but for now I'm valuing a mere 1 point loss on the road. In a neutral stadium, they've shown themselves to be a better team -- for now. It's still so early, so rankings will move a lot as things settle. |
| 4 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
(+2) |
| 5 |
Texas Longhorns
|
(+2) A bit odd to still have them below Ohio St., but for now I'm valuing OSU's mere 1 point loss on the road. In a neutral stadium, I think Ohio St. has shown themselves to be a better team -- for now. It's still so early, so rankings will move a lot as things settle. |
| 6 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
(-1) |
| 7 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
(+2) |
| 8 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
(+2) |
| 9 |
USC Trojans
|
(+2) |
| 10 |
BYU Cougars
|
(+6) I have Arizona as a top 35 team, so good win for BYU |
| 11 |
Utah Utes
|
(+7) Dominant so far. Wins weren't against good teams, but was undervaluing Utah a bit initially. |
| 12 |
LSU Tigers
|
(+5) |
| 13 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
(-5) |
| 14 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
(0) |
| 15 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
(-2) |
| 16 |
Oregon Ducks
|
(-12) Like Alabama and PSU last season, I'm initially going to take this first shock loss as a bit of a fluke. |
| 17 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
(+3) Feel good about not dropping Michigan too far last week, but it means less of a bounce this week. |
| 18 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
(+4) |
| 19 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
(+4) |
| 20 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
(-5) |
| 21 |
SMU Mustangs
|
(0) |
| 22 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
(-10) |
| 23 |
Washington Huskies
|
(-4) |
| 24 |
Kansas State Wildcats
|
(NR) |
| 25 |
Pittsburgh Panthers
|
(NR) |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
0.28 |
| 2 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0.15 |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.40 |
| 4 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.00 |
| 5 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 6 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 7 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.11 |
| 8 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
0.00 |
| 9 |
USC Trojans
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.03 |
| 11 |
Utah Utes
|
0.45 |
| 12 |
LSU Tigers
|
-0.58 |
| 13 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.00 |
| 14 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
0.00 |
| 16 |
Oregon Ducks
|
1.52 |
| 17 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.34 |
| 18 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
0.00 |
| 19 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
SMU Mustangs
|
-0.02 |
| 22 |
Oklahoma Sooners
|
0.11 |
| 23 |
Washington Huskies
|
0.00 |
| 24 |
Kansas State Wildcats
|
0.00 |
| 25 |
Pittsburgh Panthers
|
0.00 |
Omissions:
| Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|
Houston Cougars
|
0.43 |
Missouri Tigers
|
0.47 |
Florida Gators
|
0.00 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
0.15 |
Total Score: 5.04