smartkeg Ballot for 2026 Week 5
Ballot Type: Human
Submitted: Sept. 29, 2026, 10:04 a.m.
Overall Rationale: I heavily weight current-season performance, opponent quality, game control, efficiency, margin, and the eye test, while using prior-season performance, returning talent, and preseason expectations only as supporting evidence of underlying team strength. Wins and losses are evaluated in context: a strong performance against an elite opponent can be more informative than a dominant win over a weak opponent, while a competitive loss to a great team can be more valuable than an unimpressive win over a mediocre one. Conversely, a poor performance against a weak opponent is meaningful negative evidence. Other supporting evidence: quarterback play and performance in high-leverage situations.
Goal: rank who I believe are the best teams right now.
Teams Ranked:
| Rank | Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Texas Longhorns
|
0.00 |
| 2 |
Georgia Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes
|
0.27 |
| 4 |
Florida Gators
|
0.24 |
| 5 |
Miami Hurricanes
|
0.00 |
| 6 |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
0.00 |
| 7 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
-0.51 |
| 8 |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
0.52 |
| 9 |
LSU Tigers
|
0.36 |
| 10 |
Indiana Hoosiers
|
-0.03 |
| 11 |
BYU Cougars
|
0.00 |
| 12 |
Utah Utes
|
0.00 |
| 13 |
UCLA Bruins
|
0.33 |
| 14 |
Mississippi State Bulldogs
|
0.00 |
| 15 |
Tennessee Volunteers
|
0.30 |
| 16 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders
|
-0.37 |
| 17 |
Kentucky Wildcats
|
2.80 |
| 18 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
-0.60 |
| 19 |
Oklahoma State Cowboys
|
0.00 |
| 20 |
Virginia Tech Hokies
|
0.13 |
| 21 |
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
|
1.70 |
| 22 |
Pittsburgh Panthers
|
0.00 |
| 23 |
Oregon Ducks
|
-0.69 |
| 24 |
Louisville Cardinals
|
1.04 |
| 25 |
Michigan Wolverines
|
0.00 |
Omissions:
| Team | Unusualness |
|---|---|
Duke Blue Devils
|
0.39 |
USC Trojans
|
0.32 |
Nebraska Cornhuskers
|
0.11 |
Houston Cougars
|
0.32 |
Total Score: 11.01