penisthightrap_ Ballot for 2026 Week 3
Ballot Type: Hybrid
Submitted: Sept. 15, 2026, 10:07 a.m.
Overall Rationale: Using weighted values from official polls, power rankings, and resume rankings, with little human tweaking for eye test. Every week is a new week with new data. I do not look at the previous poll and move teams from previous positions due to one week's performance. The algorithm looks at the complete set of data again.
This week feels like there's a ton of teams that deserve to be in the 20-25 range, and not many who seem to belong in the 10-20 range. Top 10ish is still mostly unproven, but still looking like what most people are expecting of them.
*To avoid bias, I will not adjust my own team (Missouri's) rating unless I am moving them lower than the algorithm output.
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Texas Longhorns
|
Longhorns have the most impressive win of this young season. |
| 2 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
|
| 3 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
|
| 4 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
|
| 5 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
|
| 6 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
|
| 7 |
LSU Tigers
|
|
| 8 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
Ohio State is still one of the best teams in the country. They will move back up as they stack wins. |
| 9 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
|
| 10 |
USC Trojans
|
|
| 11 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
Tennessee's metrics are better than AP is giving them credit for. |
| 12 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
|
| 13 |
SMU Mustangs
|
|
| 14 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
|
| 15 |
BYU Cougars
|
|
| 16 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
|
| 17 |
Oregon Ducks
|
|
| 18 |
Utah Utes
|
|
| 19 |
Missouri Tigers
|
Missouri appears to be a top 25 team, all of their metrics rank them that way. The consistent ranking across categories raises them (I bumped them down a few spots from the algorithm output), many teams have one category or anther bring them down. Rough schedule will tell very quickly if they will sink or swim. |
| 20 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
|
| 21 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
|
| 22 |
Mississippi State Bulldogs
|
Underrated team. Bulldogs look good. |
| 23 |
Florida Gators
|
Florida never lacks talent. Coaching has been holding them back in previous years, I think their new coach will bring them back to in line to their expectations. |
| 24 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
|
| 25 |
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
|
Tulsa has a great resume so far. Other teams I wanted to rank but couldn't squeeze in, no particular order: Michigan (Well I don't want to rank them, but I do think they're a solid team and Western Michigan is going to be one of the better G6 teams.), Oklahoma (Will definitely be back in, but their resume isn't enough to rank them currently), Boise State, Oklahoma State, UCLA, Pittsburgh Houston |
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 2 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0.15 |
| 3 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.00 |
| 4 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
0.00 |
| 5 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 6 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.40 |
| 7 |
LSU Tigers
|
0.00 |
| 8 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.00 |
| 9 |
Texas A&M Aggies
|
0.00 |
| 10 |
USC Trojans
|
0.00 |
| 11 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
0.42 |
| 12 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.00 |
| 13 |
SMU Mustangs
|
0.28 |
| 14 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.00 |
| 16 |
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
0.00 |
| 17 |
Oregon Ducks
|
1.21 |
| 18 |
Utah Utes
|
0.00 |
| 19 |
Missouri Tigers
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
0.00 |
| 21 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
0.01 |
| 22 |
Mississippi State Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 23 |
Florida Gators
|
0.00 |
| 24 |
Virginia Cavaliers
|
-0.15 |
| 25 |
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
|
0.00 |
Houston Cougars
Michigan Wolverines