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Tornadohunter24 Ballot for 2026 Week 5

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Sept. 29, 2026, 10:59 a.m.

Overall Rationale: Welcome back to another weekend recap of college football! I think I was overly optimistic about how good my Yellow Jackets are going to do this year. Going .500? I think I'd be happy with an in-conference win at this point. What losing to a color does to a person...

Before we get started, I just wanted to remind you of a few caveats to my top 25: I'm including at least a few spots for the G5, as an indicator of who I think is favored to make a run at the Playoffs out of those conferences. I also love pre-conference play variance, so you'll see a lot of that too. In addition, this poll, by nature, is meant to be overreactive. I'm not here to try to be predictive - I want this to be strictly resume, even if that resume consists of a single game. I'm not here trying to justify every single one of my top 25 staying in the top 25 week-to-week; that's just lame. And it's not the point of what I want to accomplish when doing these rankings. Even still, before you crucify me for this poll ballot... allow me to explain further.

While preseason rankings, perceived team strength, recruiting rankings, and all of those other factors will still play a role in the value I grant to certain teams, I ultimately want this ranking to be a resume-based one as stated earlier, not a power ranking. I'm always searching for ways to best optimize this and to best balance the two, especially early on, so am open to opinions. That said, this does mean that certain teams that have scheduled a weak opening slate/non-conference schedule will not be ranked until they play someone, and will be held in honorable mentions until proven otherwise. Teams that have gone out of their way to schedule difficult and perform well will also be granted grace, even if it resulted in a loss.

So, a better question: why is the top 25 the way that they are? Well, I'm glad you asked, random stranger I made up in my head to dictate this interaction! There are a few key things that I will always do once everyone enters in-conference play. First, I basically disregard, to the best of my ability, not only last week's rankings but preseason expectations in general, and then rank from that. In addition, I like to include multiple G5 (now G6) frontrunners, even if their resumes lack slightly compared to a P4 team. ALL UNDEFEATED G6 TEAMS WILL BE RANKED. Does this make the poll have unreasonable amounts of instability and deviation from the norm? Probably! Do I care? Not really. It's still early on - everyone who deserves to be ranked will become ranked again soon enough. I'm not the committee; just keep winning, and things will fall into place.

That said, let's get on to the necessary business at the end of this. A lot of movement necessitates a lot of accounting. SOR is taken from ESPN for ease of access. And yes, I know it looks silly early on in the year (even after 4 games played), but considering how much I converge with it by the end of the year, I find it prudent to include. It is not the only metric I consider but it's the easiest to compare with my rankings.

NOTE: Apologies for slightly-abbreviated ballots so far - was meaning to include schedule + last season results, but haven't had the time to fully implement. Should hopefully see this done by next week.

| TEAMS DROPPING OUT (DO): #8 Tulsa Hurricanes [3-1], #9 BYU Cougars [3-0, 1-0 Big 12], #10 West Virginia Mountaineers [3-1, 0-1 Big 12], #12 Northwestern Wildcats [2-1, 0-1 B1G], #14 Tennessee Volunteers [3-1, 0-1 SEC], #19 Louisville Cardinals [2-2, 1-1 ACC], #23 Michigan Wolverines [3*-1, 0-1 B1G]

| HONORABLE MENTIONS (HM): BYU Cougars [3-0, 1-0 Big 12], Tennessee Volunteers [3-1, 0-1 SEC], Virginia Tech Hokies [4-0, 1-0 ACC], Nebraska Cornhuskers [4-0, 1-0 B1G], Cincinnati Bearcats [4-0, 1-0 Big 12], Wisconsin Badgers [3-1, 1-0 B1G], Houston Cougars [3-1, 0-1 Big 12], Northwestern Wildcats [2-1, 0-1 B1G], Kentucky Wildcats [3-1, 1-1 SEC], USC Trojans [4-1, 1-1 B1G]

| ESPN SOR, FPI, and other useful metrics: https://www.espn.com/college-football/fpi/_/view/resume

PRESEASON BALLOT: https://poll.redditcfb.com/ballot/73954 | WEEK 2 BALLOT: https://poll.redditcfb.com/ballot/74364/ | WEEK 3 BALLOT: https://poll.redditcfb.com/ballot/74836/ | WEEK 4 BALLOT: https://poll.redditcfb.com/ballot/75247/

Rank Team Reason
1 Texas Longhorns [4-0, 1-0 SEC] (+1) | SOR: #1 | Notable Results: W 24-23 vs #12 Ohio State [3-1], W 20-17 @ #HM/DO Tennessee [3-1] |

I have no idea what to make of this Texas team. By resume, they are the best team in the country. Their defense is stellar. Special teams (when not hampered by refball) has been delivering. Their offense, on the other hand, looks lackluster and hasn't really found a high gear to shift into at any point, barring the 4th Quarter vs Ohio State. Nonetheless, with Ole Miss suffering a beatdown in the Swamp, they're back to #1. Hopefully, they can use that bye to gain some synergy, because defense alone can only carry you so far (but man, what a defense).
2 Florida Gators [4-0, 2-0 SEC] (+22) | SOR: #2 | Notable Results: W 44-39 @ Auburn [3-1], W 52-28 vs #13 Ole Miss [3-1] |

It has truly been a true reversal of fortunes for Gainesville, as they went from outside the top 20 last week to running roughshod all over last week's #1 team Ole Miss, in a game that turned into a boat race. That rushing attack continues to look absolutely lethal, and the offense as a whole is humming under Philo and Buster Faulkner (oh what could've been for my Jackets...). If there is a criticism to be leveled at these Gators so far, it's that the defense doesn't seem to have a ton of depth and are somewhat leaky. But with a runningback like Baugh, who needs defense right?
3 Georgia Bulldogs [4-0, 2-0 SEC] (+4) | SOR: #8 | Notable Results: Made Mateer forget how to hold a football (investigation pending) |

And now, we come to a team that has played like the most dominant team in the nation, but simply lacks the resume to currently challenge the 2 in front of them just yet. The (Georgia) Bulldogs [we'll get to the other one in the SEC later, don't you worry] have pretty much been able to pick the scoreline in their first 4 games, and while none of those opponents (barring an Oklahoma squad that is absolutely floundering) have really had the talent to match up in any respect, it's still quite the feat seeing just how oppressive uGA has been on both sides of the ball. One has to wonder, though, if the saying "them dawgs is hell, don't they?" has a more sinister meaning behind the dark force that has taught Mateer how to "throw" the football...
4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish [4-0] (-) | SOR: #12 | Notable Results: W 41-13 vs #HM Wisconsin [3-1] |

While not quite as dominant or firing on all cylinders like the Bulldogs above, the Fighting Irish still have been one of the more dominant teams in the nation, and with Wisconsin's upset of Penn State this past weekend, that opening night smothering of the Badgers in Lambeau just looks better and better. However, what holds Notre Dame back from challenging for a higher spot on this list is, predictably, the rest of their schedule so far. Despite being one of the few teams that can brag about having faced 3 P4 opponents so far, both Michigan State and Purdue do not appear to be good football teams. For now, the Irish have run into a soft cap, just outside the top 3.
5 Alabama Crimson Tide [4-0, 2-0 SEC] (-2) | SOR: #3 | Notable Results: W 45-17 @ #HM Kentucky [3-1] |

The third year of life after Saban has apparently treated the Crimson Tide well, as Coach DeBoer has seemingly assembled one of the best teams in college football once again. While it has taken them late in each of their P4 games to truly put the contest out of reach, that offense has been electric and the defense has been quite solid, if a little overlooked in effectiveness. What holds Bama back despite a top-3 SOR from higher up is them getting into dogfights for most of the game before finally putting it away, although that win over Kentucky still looks quite impressive (if not as good as last week). Keep winning and that October 10th matchup against uGA will be can't miss television.
6 Miami Hurricanes [4-0, 2-0 ACC] (-1) | SOR: #14 | Notable Results: W 33-20 @ #21 Wake Forest [3-1] |

Last year's runners-up in the Hurricanes have reloaded and are firing on all cylinders... mostly. A closer than it probably should've been game against a somewhat surprisingly stout Wake Forest squad and three blowouts against Stanford, Florida A&M, and Central Michigan haven't really told us much about just how good this Hurricanes squad is yet. However, Darian Mensah has been great under center so far, they look impressive in the trenches, and Malachi Toney might just be the best wide receiver in the country... or second best, depending how you feel about Jeremiah Smith. Ultimately, there are some roadblocks ahead, but Miami has done nothing to ultimately show me they don't belong here. Their slight slide is more to do with other teams notching a "better" win than any weakness they've shown.
7 Utah Utes [4-0, 1-0 Big 12] (-1) | SOR: #13 | Notable Results: W 31-17 @ Iowa State [2-2] |

The Utes absolutely slaughtered their non-conference slate, but ran into a little bit of a slowdown against a feisty Cyclones squad this past weekend. Morgan Scalley still has this program rolling without missing a beat, but a slightly worse game control and a less impressive marquee win to date has me slotting them in just behind the Hurricanes. Dampier and the offense has remained potent, and that defense is as impressive as ever. I still think this team should be the favorite for the Big 12 auto-bid; they just currently lack the high-end result that teams above them have achieved, and so can't be placed any higher until then.
8 Indiana Hoosiers [4-0, 1-0 B1G] (NEW) | SOR: #15 | Notable Results: W 29-23 vs #HM Northwestern [2-1] |

Last year's national champions are a bit of an enigma, so far. While they haven't always covered the spread against their dismal non-conference slate, they were completely dominant and didn't break a sweat. It was a bit of a different story last weekend against Northwestern, who may be a solid squad in their own right. Indiana didn't look bad, per se, but they definitely had to struggle to grit out a win against the Wildcats, and so are ultimately prevented from a higher ranking. This team has the potential to go back-to-back, but Hoover needs to get on the same page as his pass catchers, and the offense has to stop sputtering in the redzone. That defense is as promised, however.
9 Iowa Hawkeyes [4-0, 1-0 B1G] (+9) | SOR: #5 | Notable Results: W 20-19 @ #DO Michigan [3*-1], W 16-13 vs Iowa State [2-2] |

It may have taken some incredibly fortunate catches and some last-second heroics (along with a perfectly-timed injury stoppage), but Iowa is 4-0 and have just taken down their first B1G ranked opponent on the road since 2015. Kirk Ferentz has once again assembled a mighty defense alongside longtime DC Phil Parker, and the offense has come up big when they've had to against both of their P4 opponents so far. Special teams has also been crucial once again. However, a huge test in the form of an angry Buckeye awaits them alongside College Gameday next week, and the Hawkeyes will need to be firing on all cylinders for all 60 minutes if they want to weather the storm. Impressive results but mediocre game control knocks them down to just inside the top 10.
10 Mississippi State Bulldogs [4-0, 1-0 SEC] (+3) | SOR: #4 | Notable Results: W 38-13 @ Minnesota [3-1], W 31-24 vs AP #25 Missouri [3-1] |

For the first time since 2021, these Bulldogs find themselves ranked, and following another dramatic victory against the SEC's Mendoza line in Missouri propels the Bulldogs into the top 10. Kamario Taylor has been living up to the hype and then some, their dominant win over Minnesota got even more impressive with their upset of Washington on the road, and finally it feels like football has returned to Starkville, otherwise abandoned since Mike Leach's tragic passing. However, they play host to a revitalized Alabama squad filled with blue-chip recruits playing up to their potential. Coach Lebby is going to need to find some magic if Mississippi State wishes to remain undefeated. Watch them jump up the poll if they can cowbell their way to victory, however.
11 UCLA Bruins [4-0, 2-0 B1G] (+6) | SOR: #16 | Notable Results: W 54-3 @ Maryland [2-2] (good lord what is happening in College Park) |

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the way to jumpstart your program is to just export whatever James Madison has built over the past few years, as Bob Chesney has gotten the Bruins off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2022. What prompts their rise this week is them murdering the somehow-still walking carcass of the Maryland Terrapins to the tune of 54-3. While lacking the game control of some of their peers around them, the offense under Nico Iameveala has been stellar, and capitalizing on their opponent's mistakes has been their MO. A well-timed bye week will grant them some respite before a true test when they travel to Eugene to face a wounded but still dangerous Oregon.
12 Ohio State Buckeyes [3-1, 1-0 B1G] (+1) | SOR: #30 | Notable Results: L 23-24 @ #1 Texas [4-0], W 42-19 vs Illinois [2-2] |

Ryan Day and the Buckeyes have done their best over the past few weeks to put that 4th Quarter collapse against Texas behind them, highlighted by a 23-point thrashing of a solid Fighting Illini squad this past weekend. They still have yet to pull off a truly marquee win, and what mostly keeps them this high up in this resume-based rankings is the acknowledgement of their close bout with the Longhorns and the best game control per ESPN in the nation. Going on the road to an Iowa squad buoyed off a last-second win presents the opportunity for the Buckeyes to leap back into the top 10 and notch a key victory for both Playoff and B1G Championship hopes.
13 Ole Miss Rebels [3-1, 1-1 SEC] (-12) | SOR: #6 | Notable Results: W 32-24 vs #18 LSU [3-1], L 28-52 @ #2 Florida [4-0] |

At this time last week, I was writing about how Chambliss and Lacy had helped lead the Rebels to the best resume in the nation, with marquee wins over both Louisville and LSU. I cannot say the same this week, where the Rebels were all but jumped in the Swamp and turned into Gator meat. Louisville also exhibited several key mistakes in their own disappointing weekend loss to Wake, knocking down the Rebels' resume even further. LSU's slaughtering of the Aggies in Death Valley will keep them inside the top 15, but the bye could not have come at a better time for them.
14 Texas Tech Red Raiders [4-0, 1-0 Big 12] (-3) | SOR: #9 | Notable Results: W 28-26 vs #HM Houston [3-1] |

I feel like I could repeat what I said about Texas Tech last year with how they are this year; a dominant defense hampered by an offense that simply cannot get out of its own way. While their efforts to reload in the trenches have borne fruit, the Red Raiders aren't quite as impressive as they were last year, and a 2-pt win vs a solid Houston squad can only lift them so high when considering the teams around them. It's not all bad for Texas Tech, but a weaker schedule will mean they need to go out and control every aspect of the game, and they've not quite done that so far.
15 Duke Blue Devils [4-0, 1-0 ACC] (-) | SOR: #10 | Notable Results: Somehow flying under the radar as the defending ACC Champs, W 31-27 @ Illinois [2-2] |

Manny Diaz might just be a magician, because there's no other explanation about how a defending P4 champion with a road P4 win along with commanding wins against Stanford and Tulane has managed to mostly escape the AP Voters eyes (thankfully, the Coaches have chosen to not underestimate the Blue Devils). A top-10 SOR rating and solid performances in other power metrics should mean that Durham should have more eyes upon them, but it doesn't seem to have translated yet. A few more victories and even that Diaz special will be impossible to hide a team with the ability to win the ACC again.
16 Oklahoma State Cowboys [3-1, 1-0 Big 12] (+9) | SOR: #32 | Notable Results: L 10-24 @ #DO Tulsa [3-1], W 39-31 vs #17 Oregon [3-1], W 41-24 @ #DO West Virginia [3-1] |

The Oklahoma State Mean Green, I mean Cowboys, are an interesting team to rank; a depressing road loss to Tulsa (who themselves just got run over by the otherwise-stagnant Razorbacks) but a cathartic win against the Ducks and a triumph on the road in Morgantown has them jumping up the rankings, even with a lackluster SOR. The team is flawed, sure, but Drew Mestemaker might be the best quarterback in the country on his day, and every other part of the team has facilitated that high-flying offense to drive them to wins. Halftime adjustments have also been fantastic from new HC Eric Morris and Oklahoma State returns to the top 20 as a result.
17 Oregon Ducks [3-1, 1-0 B1G] (NEW) | SOR: #18 | Notable Results: L 31-39 @ #16 Oklahoma State [3-1], W 41-27 @ #HM USC [4-1] |

If Oklahoma State's win over Oregon was cathartic, Oregon's 9th straight triumph against the Trojans in Los Angeles might as well be euphoric, especially after Dante Moore was targeted and then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. Mini-Mahomes Dylan Raiola valiantly filled his shoes and helped deliver some fantastic throws to grant the Ducks another victory, both morally and on the pitch over USC. While it doesn't entirely wipe away the disappointment of their performance in Stillwater a few weeks ago, it definitely alleviated some fears that they were on track to be like Penn State last year.
18 LSU Tigers [3-1, 0-1 SEC] (+3) | SOR: #20 | Notable Results: W 51-10 vs Clemson [3-1], L 24-32 @ #13 Ole Miss [3-1] |

Lane Kiffin's rollercoaster ride in Baton Rouge continues on for another week with spirits high after reducing the Texas A&M Aggies to fodder and convincing half the world that Marcel Reed is simply a runningback that occasionally throws a pass. Sam Leavitt, with a plethora of talented options at both wide receiver and tight end, has been efficient and effective as a passer, and while the loss in Oxford still stings, LSU is seemingly back on the horse and still in a solid position to challenge for the SEC. A weaker schedule keeps them pinned down in 18th, however.
19 Boise State Broncos [3-1] (NEW) | SOR: #31 | Notable Results: L 27-34 @ #17 Oregon [3-1], W 38-20 vs Memphis [3-1], W 32-7 @ Western Michigan [2-2*] |

At this point in the year, it would be inaccurate to say that Boise State is not the frontrunner for the guaranteed G6 spot in the Playoffs. A narrow loss to the Ducks was immediately followed upon a boat race against the Memphis Tigers and a trip to Kalamazoo left the other Broncos in tatters. While threats still exist in conference play (most notably in Oregon and Fresno State), Coach Danielson appears to have found the path for Boise State to return to the playoffs once again. Mostly on the back of their absolutely ridiculous run-game, which appears to have been told "we have Jeanty at home" and have lived up to it, splitting the workload with a talented commitee.
20 Pittsburgh Panthers [4-0, 1-0 ACC] (-) | SOR: #22 | Notable Results: W 12-7 vs UCF [3-1] |

Coach Narduzzi, aside from being perhaps the most polarizing figure in coaching not named Lane Kiffin, has once again pulled off an impressive start for the Panthers, undefeated through their first four games with 2 P4 wins to boot. Even if the wins themselves have been ugly, the amount of control Pitt has had each game hasn't been, and so they find themselves nested at the end of the top 20. Defense wins championships, and while I don't think this squad has quite enough to pull it off again, 2021 wasn't all that long ago, and a date with fellow undefeated Virginia Tech awaits them this Friday.
21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons [3-1, 1-1 ACC] (NEW) | SOR: #17 | Notable Results: L 20-33 vs #6 Miami [4-0], W 30-27 @ #DO Louisville [2-2] |

It feels like that Wake Forest and Duke are the same program, somehow sliding under the radar despite remarkable roster retention (aside from one Mensah-sized exception for the Blue Devils) from a 9-win season the previous year. A win on the road against a battle-tested Louisville squad (and a reevaluation of their relatively close loss to #6 Miami) has me sliding them into the top 25 for the first time this season. A relatively favorable conference slate is encouraging, and there's a chance that Coach Dickert can go 1 step further and lead the Demon Deacons into a berth in Charlotte later this year.
22 UMass Minutemen [4-0, 1-0 MAC] (+2) | SOR: #38 | Notable Results: W 37-21 vs Rutgers [1-3] |

It might be time to start boarding the Minutemen hype train for, if nothing else, a guaranteed bowl bid, as UMass has passed each test with flying colors so far. While their resume is nothing to write home about (pulverising upset of a hapless Rutgers notwithstanding), the Minutemen have absolutely controlled all 4 games to date and must be at least considered dark horses to make it to Ford Field for the MAC Championship game. I still want this to continue against better competition, but they look fantastic so far.
23 North Dakota State Bison [4-0, 1-0 MWC] (NEW) | SOR: #34 | Notable Results: W 38-32 @ Air Force [2-1] |

The Bison's move to FBS continues to be an unfettered success (even with a close scare against a solid Air Force squad), and so in honor of their otherwise dominant performances against similar competition, NDSU finds themselves inside the top 25 for the first time this year. With UNLV faltering and New Mexico a little sluggish out the gate, the Mountain West is wide open for the taking, and their dominance implies they're not going to let the opportunity slip by.
24 James Madison Dukes [4-0, 1-0 Sun Belt] (NEW) | SOR: #26 | Notable Results: W 20-13 vs Liberty [3-1] |

It isn't quite to the level of poor Washington State, but JMU has once again been asked to reload due to their coach being poached, this time by UCLA. And all signs point to yet another successful short-term rebuild, with solid if not unspectacular wins against teams like Old Dominion and Liberty. I need to see more of this new Dukes squad before moving them any higher, but they have been fantastic in terms of game control, and so will rise by that if nothing else.
25 USF Bulls [4-0, 1-0 American] (NEW) | SOR: #28 | Notable Results: W 28-24 @ Army [2-1] |

Speaking of rebuilds, the Bulls are apparently undertaking a successful one of their own after Golesh was poached by Auburn in the offseason. A come-from-behind victory against the triple option of Army should always be cause for plaudits, and while they haven't faced the meat of their schedule yet, USF appears poised to challenge for the American once again. More work still needs to be done, however.

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