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 16-4 (+1.1 vs favorites). 47 of 68 voters beat their own consensus. The middle voter: +1.7.
| # | Voter | Record | vs favorites | Best call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bob BallouCBS Austin | 19-2 | +3.5 | Virginia Tech over Maryland 35-26 · 37% |
| 2 | Ian KressWLNS | 18-2 | +3.1 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 3 | Eric HansenBlueAndGold.com | 19-3 | +2.9 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 4 | Greg LucaSan Antonio Express-News | 19-3 | +2.8 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 5 | Koki RileyThe Advocate (Baton Rouge) | 18-3 | +2.8 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 6 | Alex TaylorWyoming Tribune Eagle | 17-2 | +2.8 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 7 | Michael KatzNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal | 17-2 | +2.7 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 7 | Nick JacobsKSHB | 17-2 | +2.7 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 9 | Kirk KenneySan Diego Union-Tribune | 16-2 | +2.5 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 10 | The 1QA Top 25our model, no votes · replayed on what was known then | 18-3 | +2.3 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 10 | Creg StephensonAL.com | 17-3 | +2.3 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 10 | Murray EvansLawton Constitution | 17-3 | +2.3 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 12 | David JablonskiCox First Media | 17-3 | +2.2 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | BJ Rains247Sports | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | Cameron CoxKPNX | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | Chris MurrayKRNV | 17-3 | +2.1 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 13 | Dave PrestonWTOP | 17-3 | +2.1 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 13 | Garland GillenWVUE FOX 8 (New Orleans) | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | Javon EdmondsSyracuse Post-Standard | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | Joe ArrudaHartford Courant | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | Josh FurlongKSL.com | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 13 | Pete YanityWSPA | 17-3 | +2.1 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 13 | Ty HildenbrandtThe Solid Verbal | 17-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 23 | Ralph RussoThe Athletic | 15-3 | +2.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 24 | Brian HowellOn3 | 16-3 | +1.9 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 25 | David BriggsThe Blade (Toledo) | 18-4 | +1.8 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Brett McMurphyOn3 | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Bob AsmussenThe News-Gazette (Champaign) | 16-3 | +1.7 | Ole Miss over LSU 32-24 · 37% |
| 26 | Brenna GreeneKOIN | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Chelsie BrownKCRG | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Henry GreensteinLawrence Journal-World | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Jamal St. CyrWJXT | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Julian MininsohnWKRN | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Kate RogersonABC11 WTVD (Raleigh) | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Madison HricikCedar Rapids Gazette | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Mike HillFOX Sports | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Mike JacquesWMTV | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Randy JohnsonThe Minnesota Star Tribune | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Zach KleinWSB-TV | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 26 | Trevor HassThe Boston Globe | 16-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 40 | Ryan ZukeMLive.com | 15-3 | +1.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 41 | Andy YamashitaThe Seattle Times | 17-4 | +1.6 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 42 | Andy KendeighKETV | 17-4 | +1.5 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 42 | Mike GriffithAJC.com | 17-4 | +1.5 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 44 | Rece DavisESPN | 16-4 | +1.4 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 45 | Jon WilnerSan Jose Mercury News | 16-4 | +1.3 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 45 | Tom MurphyArkansas Democrat-Gazette | 16-4 | +1.3 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 47 | Kevin CarterCBS Sports | 16-4 | +1.2 | Virginia Tech over Maryland 35-26 · 37% |
| 48 | Brian FonsecaNJ.com | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Eric JohnsonWSLS | 16-4 | +1.1 | Virginia Tech over Maryland 35-26 · 37% |
| 48 | Haley SawyerSouthern California News Group | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Jerry HumphreyAL.com | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | John JohnsonWXII | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Louie VaccherWildcatReport.com | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Lee K. HowardWKYT | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Lia AssimakopoulosThe Dallas Morning News | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Matt MurschelOrlando Sentinel | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Matthew McGavicWHAS | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Pat WelterWRAL | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Spencer RipchikThe Dominion Post | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Scott HamiltonWNKT-FM | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 48 | Stephen MeansCleveland.com | 16-4 | +1.1 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 62 | Adam LichtensteinSouth Florida Sun Sentinel | 15-4 | +0.9 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 63 | Keara BrunoWCAV | 15-4 | +0.7 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 64 | Kirk BohlsHouston Chronicle | 14-4 | +0.6 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 65 | Chris CarterPittsburgh Post-Gazette | 16-5 | +0.5 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 65 | David PaschallChattanooga Times Free Press | 16-5 | +0.5 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 67 | Nicole AuerbachNBC Sports | 14-4 | +0.4 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
| 68 | Dylan SinnFort Wayne Journal-Gazette | 15-5 | +0.3 | BYU over Colorado State 41-23 · 38% |
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.