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MADBuc49 Ballot for 2026 Week 4

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Sept. 22, 2026, 6:42 a.m.

Overall Rationale: Week 4 notes: one of the craziest first polls I can remember. I'm not going to bother changing much after the second layer (aside from head to head) or work to separate a clear next 3-10. Manual override of WMU/Michigan game to count as WMU win per FBS Oversight Committee stating on the record had officially-established review protocols been followed the game would have resulted in a WMU win. General Notes: Methodology: FIRST layer (computer portion): SP+, opponents’ SP+, opponents’ opponents’ SP+, opponents’ win %, opponents’ opponents’ win %. SECOND layer (human portion): home/field/away, key injuries, P4/G6 status, watched game factors (ex: offensive/defensive line domination, rush yards after contact, average point of first contact, defensive penetration on non-inside screens, missed tackles, quarterback throwing release speed, overall turnovers, average starting field position, etc). THIRD layer (human portion): wins/losses vs higher-/lower-/non-ranked teams, recency of those results. FOURTH layer (computer portion): Deservedness = Team A cannot be ranked over Team B that has 2+ fewer losses (ex: 9-3 LSU can be ranked over 10-2 Missouri, but 9-3 LSU cannot be ranked over 11-1 Tulane even if LSU beat Tulane heads up, rankings have LSU over Tulane, and/or I think LSU is better than Tulane) unless Team B is giving a X loss allowance to Team A due to significantly fewer P4 games played. Loss allowances come into play when: P4 teams play 2 fewer P4 games than another P4 team (ex: 9-3 Arizona plays 10 P4 games, 11-1 Syracuse plays 8 P4 games, 10-8=2, 9-3 Arizona can be ranked over 11-1 Syracuse); P4 teams play 6 fewer P4 games than a G6 team (11-1 Syracuse plays 8 P4 teams, 9-3 Charlotte plays 2 P4 teams, 8-2=6, 9-3 Charlotte can be ranked over 11-1 Syracuse) unless the P4 team plays 0 P4 games then it is 7; G6 teams play 9 fewer P4 teams than a P4 team (ex: 9-3 South Carolina plays 10 P4 games, 11-1 Boise State plays 1 P4 games, 10-0=0, 9-3 South Carolina can be ranked over 11-1 Boise State); or G6 teams play 2 fewer P4 games than another G6 team (ex: 9-3 Charlotte plays 2 P4 games, 11-1 Liberty plays 0 P4 games, 2-0=2, 9-3 Charlotte can be ranked over 11-1 Liberty). If the game differential exceeds more than 2/6/9/2 in those scenarios, add another loss allowance for each additional P4 game played difference in that scenario.

Rank Team Reason
1 Texas Longhorns NEW. Would be the #1 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #8 Alabama/#9 Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl
2 Ohio State Buckeyes NEW. Would be the #2 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #7 Indiana/#10 Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl
3 Miami Hurricanes NEW. Would be the #3 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #6 Georgia/#11 Utah in the Peach Bowl
4 Ole Miss Rebels NEW. Would be the #4 playoff seed in this scenario, playing the winner of #5 LSU/#12 Tulsa in the Fiesta Bowl
5 LSU Tigers NEW. Would be the #5 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #12 WMU in the first round
6 Georgia Bulldogs NEW. Would be the #6 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #11 Utah in the first round
7 Indiana Hoosiers NEW. Would be the #7 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #10 Notre Dame in the first round
8 Alabama Crimson Tide NEW. Would be the #8 playoff seed in this scenario, hosting #9 Mississippi State in the first round
9 Mississippi State Bulldogs NEW. Would be the #9 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #8 Alabama in the first round
10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish NEW. Would be the #10 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #7 Indiana in the first round
11 Louisville Cardinals NEW
12 Florida Gators NEW
13 SMU Mustangs NEW
14 Duke Blue Devils NEW
15 UCLA Bruins NEW
16 Utah Utes NEW. Would be the #11 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #6 Georgia in the first round
17 Texas Tech Red Raiders NEW
18 BYU Cougars NEW
19 Northwestern Wildcats NEW
20 Auburn Tigers NEW
21 South Carolina Gamecocks NEW
22 Houston Cougars NEW
23 Virginia Tech Hokies NEW
24 Tennessee Volunteers NEW
25 Iowa Hawkeyes NEW. WMU would be the #12 playoff seed in this scenario, playing at #5 LSU in the first round

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