The AP voters, graded
The best fans know college football better than a random AP voter. We grade both by the games to prove it.
The AP publishes every voter's ballot. We grade every one by the games, the same way we grade fans: each game is a call, the team ranked higher should win, and the score is wins above a ballot that just ranks every favorite. We read every ballot as a claim about who is better right now: rank A over B, and A should win when they meet. Each voter gets a letter from their season rank. Nobody gets a pass for a name.
The published poll82-24+7.4 vs favorites. It would rank #16 among its own voters.
Best voterKoki Riley87-23, +10.4 over 6 weeks
Fans vs the middle voter10of 41 fans on X beat the median voter in Week 7
| # | Voter | Grade | Record | vs favorites | Beat the poll | Best week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koki RileyThe Advocate (Baton Rouge) | A+ | 87-23 | +10.4 | 4 of 6 | Week 5 +3.0 |
| 2 | Kirk KenneySan Diego Union-Tribune | A+ | 85-22 | +9.8 | 5 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 3 | Bob BallouCBS Austin | A | 85-23 | +9.0 | 4 of 6 | Week 3 +3.5 |
| 4 | Alex TaylorWyoming Tribune Eagle | A | 84-23 | +8.3 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 5 | Pete YanityWSPA | A | 83-24 | +8.3 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 6 | Jon WilnerSan Jose Mercury News | A | 85-24 | +8.1 | 4 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 7 | Brian HowellOn3 | A | 82-23 | +8.1 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 8 | Michael KatzNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal | B+ | 80-22 | +8.1 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 9 | Kirk BohlsHouston Chronicle | B+ | 82-24 | +8.0 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +4.4 |
| 10 | Nicole AuerbachNBC Sports | B+ | 82-23 | +7.9 | 1 of 6 | Week 5 +3.4 |
| 11 | Adam LichtensteinSouth Florida Sun Sentinel | B+ | 84-24 | +7.8 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 12 | Andy KendeighKETV | B+ | 83-24 | +7.8 | 3 of 6 | Week 5 +3.8 |
| 13 | Brett McMurphyOn3 | B+ | 81-23 | +7.8 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 14 | Madison HricikCedar Rapids Gazette | B+ | 83-24 | +7.5 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 15 | Garland GillenWVUE FOX 8 (New Orleans) | B | 82-24 | +7.5 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 16 | Ty HildenbrandtThe Solid Verbal | B | 82-23 | +7.3 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.4 |
| 17 | Chris MurrayKRNV | B | 81-24 | +7.3 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 17 | Josh FurlongKSL.com | B | 81-24 | +7.3 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 19 | Eric HansenBlueAndGold.com | B | 83-25 | +7.1 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +3.1 |
| 20 | Jamal St. CyrWJXT | B | 82-25 | +7.1 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +3.6 |
| 21 | Creg StephensonAL.com | C+ | 83-25 | +7.0 | 3 of 6 | Week 5 +3.8 |
| 22 | Murray EvansLawton Constitution | C+ | 82-26 | +7.0 | 3 of 6 | Week 5 +2.4 |
| 23 | David PaschallChattanooga Times Free Press | C+ | 83-25 | +6.9 | 1 of 6 | Week 5 +3.2 |
| 24 | Chelsie BrownKCRG | C+ | 82-26 | +6.9 | 4 of 6 | Week 2 +3.6 |
| 25 | Greg LucaSan Antonio Express-News | C+ | 81-25 | +6.8 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +2.8 |
| 26 | John JohnsonWXII | C+ | 82-26 | +6.7 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 27 | Mike GriffithAJC.com | C+ | 83-26 | +6.6 | 4 of 6 | Week 2 +4.2 |
| 27 | BJ Rains247Sports | C+ | 83-26 | +6.6 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 29 | Kate RogersonABC11 WTVD (Raleigh) | C+ | 81-24 | +6.5 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +3.3 |
| 30 | Trevor HassThe Boston Globe | C+ | 81-25 | +6.4 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +3.3 |
| 31 | Lee K. HowardWKYT | C+ | 79-25 | +6.3 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 32 | Henry GreensteinLawrence Journal-World | C+ | 82-26 | +6.2 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 33 | Zach KleinWSB-TV | C+ | 81-26 | +6.2 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 34 | Brenna GreeneKOIN | C+ | 83-27 | +6.1 | 4 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 35 | Chris CarterPittsburgh Post-Gazette | C | 81-25 | +6.1 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +4.1 |
| 36 | David BriggsThe Blade (Toledo) | C | 84-26 | +6.0 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +4.0 |
| 37 | Rece DavisESPN | C | 82-26 | +6.0 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +3.5 |
| 38 | Julian MininsohnWKRN | C | 80-25 | +6.0 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 39 | Dave PrestonWTOP | C | 85-28 | +5.9 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +2.8 |
| 40 | The 1QA Top 25our model, no votes | C | 81-25 | +5.8 | 3 of 6 | Week 2 +2.5 |
| 40 | Haley SawyerSouthern California News Group | C | 81-26 | +5.8 | 0 of 6 | Week 5 +3.3 |
| 41 | Mike HillFOX Sports | C | 80-26 | +5.8 | 4 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 42 | Brian FonsecaNJ.com | C | 82-25 | +5.7 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +3.6 |
| 43 | Joe ArrudaHartford Courant | C | 79-25 | +5.7 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 44 | Scott HamiltonWNKT-FM | C | 80-26 | +5.6 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 45 | Jerry HumphreyAL.com | C | 80-25 | +5.5 | 1 of 6 | Week 5 +3.5 |
| 46 | Matthew McGavicWHAS | C | 80-26 | +5.5 | 0 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 47 | Mike JacquesWMTV | C | 78-26 | +5.4 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 48 | Bob AsmussenThe News-Gazette (Champaign) | C | 80-26 | +5.2 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 49 | Louie VaccherWildcatReport.com | D+ | 81-27 | +5.1 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 50 | Nick JacobsKSHB | D+ | 80-27 | +5.1 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 51 | Spencer RipchikThe Dominion Post | D+ | 80-27 | +5.0 | 1 of 6 | Week 5 +3.7 |
| 52 | Matt MurschelOrlando Sentinel | D+ | 79-26 | +4.9 | 0 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 53 | Ryan ZukeMLive.com | D+ | 78-27 | +4.4 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +2.8 |
| 54 | Kevin CarterCBS Sports | D+ | 81-28 | +4.3 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +2.8 |
| 55 | Eric JohnsonWSLS | D | 81-29 | +4.0 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.0 |
| 56 | Tom MurphyArkansas Democrat-Gazette | D | 79-28 | +4.0 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 57 | Keara BrunoWCAV | D | 80-29 | +3.8 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 58 | Dylan SinnFort Wayne Journal-Gazette | D | 83-29 | +3.7 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +3.6 |
| 59 | Ian KressWLNS | D | 78-28 | +3.7 | 1 of 6 | Week 3 +3.1 |
| 60 | Javon EdmondsSyracuse Post-Standard | D | 80-28 | +3.6 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +2.3 |
| 61 | Lia AssimakopoulosThe Dallas Morning News | D | 79-28 | +3.6 | 0 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 62 | Andy YamashitaThe Seattle Times | F | 80-30 | +2.7 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +1.8 |
| 63 | Randy JohnsonThe Minnesota Star Tribune | F | 78-28 | +2.6 | 1 of 6 | Week 2 +3.1 |
| 64 | Cameron CoxKPNX | F | 75-28 | +2.5 | 1 of 6 | Week 5 +2.4 |
| 65 | Pat WelterWRAL | F | 75-28 | +2.2 | 2 of 6 | Week 2 +3.5 |
| 66 | Ralph RussoThe Athletic | F | 77-31 | +0.9 | 1 of 6 | Week 5 +2.4 |
| 67 | David JablonskiCox First Media | F | 77-31 | +0.8 | 2 of 6 | Week 5 +4.0 |
| 68 | Stephen MeansCleveland.com | F | 76-32 | -0.3 | 0 of 6 | Week 2 +2.1 |
| — | Sean ReiderAlbuquerque Journal | I | 62-23 | +2.8 | 0 of 5 | joined midseason, 5 of 6 weeks |
| — | Sarah HughesUSA Sports | I | 36-15 | +0.2 | 1 of 3 | joined midseason, 3 of 6 weeks |
Season totals over 6graded weeks. Grade: the top tenth of voters get an A, the bottom tenth an F, I = joined midseason. Yellow = ahead of the published poll. Beat the poll = weeks the ballot scored above the AP consensus. The 1QA Top 25 row is our own list graded by the same games: live from Week 8, and before that the current formula replayed on the games and lines known at each poll's release. The first poll of the year is not graded: there were no games yet to tell a favorite from an underdog.