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GeauxTri Ballot for 2026 Week 9

Ballot Type: Computer

Submitted: Oct. 25, 2026, 11:54 a.m.

Overall Rationale: Resume-based computer ranking through all games completed October 24, 2026. Opponent quality is evaluated using current power strength rather than the opponent's ranking when the game was played, so earlier wins and losses are continuously revalued as opponents improve or decline. Wins receive the greatest weight, particularly wins over elite current opponents. Losses are always negative but are penalized on a sliding scale based on current opponent strength, so losses to elite teams hurt less than losses to weaker teams. Road wins receive a modest premium. Margin of victory is secondary and used only as a limited tiebreaking signal.

Rank Team Reason
1 Miami Hurricanes 7-0. Undefeated with wins over Wake Forest, Clemson and Florida State, then a dominant 52-23 win over Pittsburgh. Current power metrics also rate Miami among the nation's elite.
2 Kentucky Wildcats 7-1. Wins over LSU, Texas A&M and Oklahoma give Kentucky one of the strongest collections of victories; added Vanderbilt 34-17. Only loss is to Alabama.
3 UCLA Bruins 7-0. Undefeated with a major road win at Oregon and seven total victories; handled Michigan State 28-10.
4 Ohio State Buckeyes 6-1. Elite road win over Indiana plus a win at Iowa; only loss was by one point at Texas. Idle on Oct. 24, but opponent results continue to support the resume.
5 Utah Utes 7-0. Remains undefeated after beating Houston 21-13, adding to wins over Iowa State, Arkansas, Kansas and Colorado.
6 Georgia Bulldogs 6-1. Elite road win at Alabama and win over Oklahoma remain extremely valuable. The Auburn loss is damaging, and Auburn's subsequent loss to LSU reduces its quality further.
7 Alabama Crimson Tide 6-2. Added a quality 31-20 win over Texas A&M to wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State. Losses are to strong Georgia and Tennessee teams.
8 LSU Tigers 6-2. Dominant wins over Texas A&M and Mississippi State plus a convincing 38-17 road win at Auburn. Losses are to strong Ole Miss and Kentucky teams.
9 Ole Miss Rebels 5-2. Quality wins over LSU and Missouri remain valuable, but the road loss at Texas joins the earlier loss at Florida.
10 Indiana Hoosiers 7-1. Rebounded from the Ohio State loss with a road win at Michigan. The only defeat is a close loss to the current No. 1 FPI team.
11 Texas Longhorns 5-2. Owns elite wins over Ohio State and Tennessee and added a major 34-27 win over Ole Miss. Losses to Oklahoma and Florida prevent a higher ranking.
12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6-1. Current power ratings remain elite; the only loss is to BYU, but the win column still lacks a victory as strong as teams above it.
13 Houston Cougars 6-2. Wins over Oklahoma State and Kansas State remain useful; losses are to Texas Tech and undefeated Utah.
14 BYU Cougars 6-1. Signature win over Notre Dame remains outstanding, but the 39-31 overtime loss at UCF is a significant penalty.
15 Northwestern Wildcats 6-1. Win over Penn State remains the centerpiece; added a decisive 42-14 win over Rutgers. Only loss is at Indiana.
16 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 6-1. Road win at Louisville and dominant road win at California; only loss is to undefeated Miami, which continues to become more forgivable.
17 Tennessee Volunteers 6-2. The Alabama win remains elite and Auburn/Arkansas add depth, but the South Carolina loss is a meaningful second defeat.
18 Texas Tech Red Raiders 6-1. Win over Houston remains valuable, but the 37-24 loss at Cincinnati substantially lowers an otherwise unbeaten resume.
19 Florida Gators 5-2. Excellent wins at Texas, over Ole Miss and at Auburn. Losses to Missouri and South Carolina keep Florida below the top one-loss teams.
20 Oklahoma Sooners 4-2. Signature win over Texas plus a win at Mississippi State; losses to Georgia and Michigan came against credible opponents.
21 SMU Mustangs 6-1. Added a dominant 59-20 win over California. Six wins and one loss, though the resume still lacks an elite victory.
22 Missouri Tigers 5-2. The Florida win remains valuable, but the loss to Ole Miss and overall quality-win profile place Missouri in the lower part of the Top 25.
23 Arizona Wildcats 6-1. Added a dominant 39-3 win over Iowa State and has built a strong one-loss record with improving opponent value.
24 Boise State Broncos 6-1. Added a convincing 31-10 road win at Washington State. Strong one-loss record, but fewer high-end wins than the teams above.
25 Wisconsin Badgers 5-2. The 24-7 win over USC is a major resume boost and gives Wisconsin a credible path into the Top 25 despite two losses.

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