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smartkeg Ballot for 2026 Week 11

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Nov. 10, 2026, 1:08 a.m.

Overall Rationale: I prioritize the quality of a team’s best performances, opponent strength, game control, efficiency, margin of victory, and consistency. Wins over strong opponents carry more weight than routine wins over weak ones; losses matter, but their significance depends on the opponent and the performance. I do not give teams credit simply for preseason expectations, recruiting rankings, or brand reputation. Returning talent and prior-season performance are context, not ranking criteria.

Rank Team Reason
1 Utah Utes The only undefeated team in this group with a major recent win over a ranked opponent. Beating BYU 28–20 reinforces the case that Utah belongs at the top, even if Georgia has a compelling argument.
2 Georgia Bulldogs The Bulldogs have one of the strongest collections of performances in the country, including wins at Alabama and Ole Miss.
3 UCLA Bruins The Bruins have consistently taken care of business, including a 34–20 win over Minnesota this week; the remaining question is how their resume compares with the strongest schedules in the country.
4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame showed it can compete with elite opposition, and that performance makes it difficult to rank the Irish outside the top four.
5 Miami Hurricanes The loss to Notre Dame matters, particularly after falling behind 24–3, but Miami's overall body of work still warrants a top-five spot. One loss to an elite opponent shouldn't erase the quality of the team's season.
6 Indiana Hoosiers Indiana has put together an excellent 8–1 season and deserves to be in this tier. The body of work is strong enough for the top tier, though I would like to see another high-end performance before moving the Hoosiers higher.
7 Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama's two losses came against Georgia and Tennessee, both high-quality opponents. The Tide also have meaningful wins, including a 31–13 victory over LSU.
8 BYU Cougars BYU remains a very good team, but the 28–20 loss to Utah is an important data point. The Cougars have enough quality elsewhere to remain in the top ten, but I would put Alabama ahead based on the overall resume.
9 Wake Forest Demon Deacons An 8–1 record and an explosive offense proves Wake is a legitimate top team.
10 Texas Longhorns Texas has a strong collection of results and just handled Missouri 34–20. Some inconsistency keeps them down, but this is a high-ceiling and low-floor team.
11 Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee's 34–6 win over Kentucky was one of the weekend's most convincing performances. The Volunteers have two losses, but their ceiling and quality of play justify their ranking.
12 Texas Tech Red Raiders Texas Tech is 8–1 and has demonstrated the ability to win high-scoring, competitive games.
13 Kentucky Wildcats Kentucky's resume is better than its two losses might suggest: wins over Texas A&M, LSU, Oklahoma, and South Carolina are legitimate accomplishments. I do want to be precise: the losses to Alabama (17–45) and Tennessee (6–34) were not competitive, so they deserve real weight. Still, the quality of Kentucky's wins and its schedule justify keeping the Wildcats here.
14 Oregon Ducks The 41–28 road win over Ohio State is one of the strongest individual performances by any team in this part of the poll. Three losses keep Oregon from climbing much higher, but that win demonstrates a ceiling that most teams below it have not shown.
15 USC Trojans USC has put together a solid 7–2 season and belongs in this range. The Trojans have enough quality to stay ahead of the teams below them, although I don't see a compelling case for placing them above the teams with stronger statements.
16 Houston Cougars Houston's 31–24 win over Cincinnati keeps them moving in the right direction. At 7–2, the Cougars have earned a place in the poll, though I would need a stronger statement against top-tier competition to move them higher.
17 Ohio State Buckeyes The Buckeyes have lost three games, including consecutive defeats, and the 41–28 home loss to Oregon is particularly damaging. There is still enough quality in the season's body of work to keep them ranked, but their current performance does not justify a higher position.
18 Arizona Wildcats Arizona's 29–28 win over TCU was a good result, and the Wildcats have earned their place in the top 25. They are a difficult team to rank because their overall resume is solid without yet establishing a clear case for the top 15.
19 Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa continues to win games through a disciplined, physical style. The 24–10 win over Northwestern was another solid result, and the Hawkeyes have done enough over the season to warrant a top-20 position.
20 Boise State Broncos Boise State is 8–1 and has been one of the more consistent teams outside the power-conference contenders.
21 Ole Miss Rebels Ole Miss has enough quality wins to remain ranked, but the 42–7 loss to Georgia was a major negative.
22 SMU Mustangs SMU is 7-2 and have done enough to make the poll, but the body of work is not as compelling as the teams above them.
23 South Carolina Gamecocks The wins over TAMU and Tennessee are meaningful results. South Carolina has a strong enough collection of performances to move ahead of several teams with better records but weaker schedules.
24 LSU Tigers LSU has some quality results, but the 31–13 loss to Alabama reinforces the concerns about its ability to compete with the top tier. At 6–3, the Tigers are near the bottom of the poll on the strength of their better performances.
25 New Mexico Lobos An 8–1 record deserves recognition, and New Mexico has consistently taken care of business. The strength of schedule and lack of comparable high-end wins make it difficult to rank the Lobos above teams with stronger overall schedules.

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