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PlactusTX Ballot for 2026 Week 5

Ballot Type: Hybrid

Submitted: Sept. 27, 2026, 3:03 a.m.

Overall Rationale: First divide teams into tiers, then sort within each tier.

At the start of the season, tiers were determined on a projected finish. With spot adjustments – if a team beats a higher-tier team, the winning team will move up and/or the losing team will move down until they're on the same tier – this will serve as a basis until tiers can be properly evaluated based entirely on actual results.

Last week when promoting teams to try to refill my ballot tiers, I left out teams that had a single loss to a team two or more tiers above them; i.e., even after promotion, that loss is still understandable. I corrected that this week. Aside from spot adjustments, this was the only set of changes to tiers this week.

Dropped out: 14 Penn State, 19 Kansas State, 20 Vanderbilt, 21 Tulsa, 22 West Virginia

First five out: Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee, Arizona, Oklahoma

Rank Team Reason
1 Texas Longhorns LW: 1 | Tier 1 (no change) | W Tennessee

Texas remains the most tested team in this top tier.
2 Georgia Bulldogs LW: 5 | Tier 1 (no change) | W Oklahoma

A dominant win over Oklahoma elevates Georgia's resume and brings them to second.
3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish LW: 3 | Tier 1 (no change) | W Purdue

The Wisconsin win's looking better as Notre Dame holds its place.
4 Indiana Hoosiers LW: 4 | Tier 1 (no change) | W Northwestern

We don't know much about Northwestern, but they're still an improvement over Indiana's first three opponents.
5 Ohio State Buckeyes LW: 6 | Tier 1 (no change) | W Illinois

Ohio State has a big prove-it chance next week vs Iowa. For now, the bottom of tier 1 isn't that bad, really.
6 Florida Gators LW: 18 | Tier 2 (up from 3) | W Mississippi

I overrated Mississippi last week, letting them move up as both a spot adjustment and then bumping them up for being undefeated. I'm avoiding doing that again, so Florida's win over Ole Miss settles them in at #6
7 Ole Miss Rebels LW: 2 | Tier 2 (down from 1) | L Florida

Even with the loss to Florida, Ole Miss' wins over LSU and Louisville still look impressive.
8 Iowa Hawkeyes LW: 13 | Tier 2 (no change) | W Michigan

Iowa's biggest test of the season results in their biggest win, moving them into the top ten.
9 Alabama Crimson Tide LW: 10 | Tier 2 (no change) | W South Carolina

Kentucky moving up bumps Alabama up a bit.
10 LSU Tigers LW: 8 | Tier 2 (no change) | W Texas A&M

Even with a good win over Texas A&M, LSU slides a bit as teams jump over them.
11 Miami Hurricanes LW: 11 | Tier 2 (no change) | W Central Michigan

Wake Forest's improvement helps Miami more than a win over Central Michigan.
12 Michigan Wolverines LW: 7 | Tier 2 (no change) | L Iowa

For now, at least, the only real penalty for losing at or above your tier is the lost chance to improve your standing. (Hence why I still have Clemson and Oklahoma in tier 3.) Thus, Alabama, LSU, Miami, and of course Iowa jump Michigan...
13 BYU Cougars LW: 9 | Tier 2 (no change) | bye

But BYU, who had a bye, doesn't...
14 Texas Tech Red Raiders
LW: 12 | Tier 2 (no change) | W Sam Houston

Nor Texas Tech, who may as well have had a bye as well.
15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons LW: NR | Tier 3 (up from 4) | W Louisville

Beating Louisville shoots Wake Forest onto the ballot.
16 Wisconsin Badgers LW: NR | Tier 3 (no change) | W Penn State

Wisconsin was lurking in the next teams out, but a win over Penn State brings them to the ballot.
17 Louisville Cardinals LW: 15 | Tier 3 (no change) | L Wake Forest

Even with the loss to Wake Forest, Louisville still has the win over SMU.
18 Duke Blue Devils LW: 16 | Tier 3 (no change) | W William & Mary

A win over a I-AA team may as well be a bye.
19 Auburn Tigers LW: NR | Tier 3 (up from 4) | W Vanderbilt

Wins over Vanderbilt and Baylor help Auburn make it onto the ballot this week.
20 Virginia Tech Hokies LW: 17 | Tier 3 (no change) | W Boston College

No real change for the Hokies this week; just a few teams looking better bumping them down.
21 Pittsburgh Panthers LW: 25 | Tier 3 (no change) | W Bucknell

It's not the Bucknell win that moves Pitt up but Central Florida looking better.
22 Utah Utes LW: NR | Tier 3 (no change) | W Iowa State

A win over Iowa State move Utah onto the ballot.
23 Clemson Tigers LW: 23 | Tier 3 (no change) | W California

Clemson will face Miami next week, giving them a chance to prove they belong. Otherwise they'll hang out near the bottom of the ballot at least until they go up against Virginia Tech.
24 Kentucky Wildcats LW: NR | Tier 3 (up from 4) | W South Alabama

With a win over Texas A&M and the only loss being to Alabama, Kentucky should have made the ballot last week.
25 SMU Mustangs LW: 24 | Tier 3 (no change) | W Missouri State

Not losing is enough to keep SMU in the final spot.

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