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ToeInDigDeep Ballot for 2026 Week 8

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Oct. 20, 2026, 10:08 a.m.

Overall Rationale: This ballot privileges wins, and recognizes the achievement of undefeated and one-loss teams.

My contention is that losses can and should challenge priors folks have about teams from talent composites and preseason expectations. We've already seen a number of favorites get upset, and I contend that wins really do matter and losses must invite a reconsideration, or at least allow space for the teams that have not lost to rise to the top of the rankings.

Teams that have close losses to challenging opponents will rise in the next weeks, and and no one is being "punished" for not being ranked highly. There are now only six teams who are undefeated, and only 20 one-loss teams, so these groups are pretty special!

There will continue be a lot of movement throughout the season, but these teams are the ones who have won in the biggest contests on the field of play so far.

Perhaps more so than other submissions, I see all the conferences as being important and make room at the lower end of the ballot for strong performances or expectations from non-Autonomy conferences, so I include some expected conference champions or those with high expectations for the season.

Again, this will change wildly throughout the season in response to what happens on the field of play and I make an effort to avoid biases and poll inertia, even when it provides ballot submissions that differ from other national polls.

Rank Team Reason
1 BYU Cougars 6-0
2 UCLA Bruins 6-0
3 Miami Hurricanes 6-0
4 Texas Tech Red Raiders 6-0
5 Utah Utes 6-0
6 James Madison Dukes 7-0
7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6-1, loss to BYU
8 Ohio State Buckeyes 6-1, loss to Texas
9 Indiana Hoosiers 6-1, loss to Ohio State
10 Arizona Wildcats 5-1, loss to BYU
11 Kentucky Wildcats 6-1, loss to Alabama
12 USC Trojans 6-1, loss to Oregon
13 Boise State Broncos 5-1, loss to Oregon
14 Houston Cougars 6-1, loss at Texas Tech
15 Georgia Bulldogs 6-1, loss to Auburn
16 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 6-1, loss to Miami
17 Ole Miss Rebels 5-1, loss at Florida
18 Iowa Hawkeyes 5-1, loss to Ohio State
19 Tennessee Volunteers 6-1, loss to Texas
20 Oregon State Beavers 5-2, loss at Houston and to Texas Tech
21 Northwestern Wildcats 5-1, loss at Indiana
22 SMU Mustangs 5-1, loss at Louisville
23 New Mexico Lobos 5-1, loss at Oklahoma
24 UTSA Roadrunners 6-1. Loss at Texas
25 North Dakota State Bison 6-1, loss at UNLV

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