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 poll went 15-3 (+3.1 vs favorites). 16 of 69 voters beat their own consensus. The middle voter: +3.1.
| # | Voter | Record | vs favorites | Best call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirk BohlsHouston Chronicle | 16-2 | +4.4 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 2 | Mike GriffithAJC.com | 16-2 | +4.2 | Tennessee over Georgia Tech 45-24 · 49% |
| 3 | Chris CarterPittsburgh Post-Gazette | 16-2 | +4.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 4 | David BriggsThe Blade (Toledo) | 16-2 | +4.0 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 5 | Chelsie BrownKCRG | 16-3 | +3.6 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 5 | Jamal St. CyrWJXT | 16-3 | +3.6 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 7 | BJ Rains247Sports | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 7 | Brenna GreeneKOIN | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 7 | Brian FonsecaNJ.com | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 7 | Kirk KenneySan Diego Union-Tribune | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 7 | Louie VaccherWildcatReport.com | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 7 | Mike HillFOX Sports | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 7 | Pat WelterWRAL | 16-3 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 14 | Jon WilnerSan Jose Mercury News | 15-2 | +3.5 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 15 | Ty HildenbrandtThe Solid Verbal | 16-3 | +3.4 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 16 | Bob BallouCBS Austin | 15-3 | +3.2 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Matthew McGavicWHAS | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Trevor HassThe Boston Globe | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Zach KleinWSB-TV | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Adam LichtensteinSouth Florida Sun Sentinel | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Alex TaylorWyoming Tribune Eagle | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Andy KendeighKETV | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Bob AsmussenThe News-Gazette (Champaign) | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Brian HowellOn3 | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Brett McMurphyOn3 | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Chris MurrayKRNV | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | David PaschallChattanooga Times Free Press | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Garland GillenWVUE FOX 8 (New Orleans) | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Haley SawyerSouthern California News Group | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Henry GreensteinLawrence Journal-World | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Joe ArrudaHartford Courant | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Josh FurlongKSL.com | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Jerry HumphreyAL.com | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | John JohnsonWXII | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Julian MininsohnWKRN | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Mike JacquesWMTV | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Nick JacobsKSHB | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Nicole AuerbachNBC Sports | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Kate RogersonABC11 WTVD (Raleigh) | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Keara BrunoWCAV | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Lee K. HowardWKYT | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Lia AssimakopoulosThe Dallas Morning News | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Madison HricikCedar Rapids Gazette | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Matt MurschelOrlando Sentinel | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Michael KatzNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Pete YanityWSPA | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Tom MurphyArkansas Democrat-Gazette | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Randy JohnsonThe Minnesota Star Tribune | 15-3 | +3.1 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 17 | Scott HamiltonWNKT-FM | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 17 | Spencer RipchikThe Dominion Post | 15-3 | +3.1 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 51 | Eric JohnsonWSLS | 14-3 | +3.0 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 52 | Dylan SinnFort Wayne Journal-Gazette | 14-3 | +2.9 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 53 | Dave PrestonWTOP | 16-4 | +2.8 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 53 | Kevin CarterCBS Sports | 16-4 | +2.8 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 55 | Greg LucaSan Antonio Express-News | 14-3 | +2.8 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 56 | Koki RileyThe Advocate (Baton Rouge) | 13-3 | +2.8 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 57 | Eric HansenBlueAndGold.com | 14-3 | +2.7 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 58 | Sean ReiderAlbuquerque Journal | 14-3 | +2.6 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 59 | The 1QA Top 25our model, no votes · replayed on what was known then | 15-4 | +2.5 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 59 | Ian KressWLNS | 15-4 | +2.5 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 59 | Ryan ZukeMLive.com | 15-4 | +2.5 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 61 | Rece DavisESPN | 14-4 | +2.4 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 62 | Javon EdmondsSyracuse Post-Standard | 15-4 | +2.3 | Tennessee over Georgia Tech 45-24 · 49% |
| 63 | Cameron CoxKPNX | 14-4 | +2.1 | Tennessee over Georgia Tech 45-24 · 49% |
| 63 | Creg StephensonAL.com | 14-4 | +2.1 | Tennessee over Georgia Tech 45-24 · 49% |
| 63 | Stephen MeansCleveland.com | 14-4 | +2.1 | Tennessee over Georgia Tech 45-24 · 49% |
| 66 | Murray EvansLawton Constitution | 13-4 | +2.0 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
| 67 | Andy YamashitaThe Seattle Times | 14-4 | +1.8 | Missouri over Kansas 38-21 · 41% |
| 68 | David JablonskiCox First Media | 14-5 | +1.4 | Tennessee over Georgia Tech 45-24 · 49% |
| 69 | Ralph RussoThe Athletic | 12-5 | +0.7 | Boise State over Memphis 38-20 · 36% |
Yellow = beat the published poll that week. Best call = the least likely win the ballot called, with the chance going in. A ballot needs 5 graded games to make the list.