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 13-5 (+0.2 vs favorites). 16 of 69 voters beat their own consensus. The middle voter: -0.3.
| # | Voter | Record | vs favorites | Best call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicole AuerbachNBC Sports | 16-4 | +2.0 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 2 | Adam LichtensteinSouth Florida Sun Sentinel | 16-4 | +1.9 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 3 | Brian HowellOn3 | 15-4 | +1.5 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 4 | Javon EdmondsSyracuse Post-Standard | 14-4 | +1.3 | Oregon over USC 41-27 · 19% |
| 4 | Josh FurlongKSL.com | 14-4 | +1.3 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 6 | Garland GillenWVUE FOX 8 (New Orleans) | 14-4 | +1.2 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 7 | Koki RileyThe Advocate (Baton Rouge) | 16-5 | +1.1 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 8 | Jon WilnerSan Jose Mercury News | 15-5 | +1.0 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 9 | The 1QA Top 25our model, no votes · replayed on what was known then | 13-4 | +0.9 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 9 | Kirk BohlsHouston Chronicle | 15-5 | +0.9 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 10 | Murray EvansLawton Constitution | 15-5 | +0.8 | Oregon over USC 41-27 · 19% |
| 11 | Bob BallouCBS Austin | 15-5 | +0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 11 | David PaschallChattanooga Times Free Press | 15-5 | +0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 13 | Pete YanityWSPA | 14-5 | +0.6 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 14 | Mike GriffithAJC.com | 14-5 | +0.4 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 15 | Brett McMurphyOn3 | 13-5 | +0.3 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 15 | Kate RogersonABC11 WTVD (Raleigh) | 13-5 | +0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 17 | Alex TaylorWyoming Tribune Eagle | 13-5 | +0.2 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 17 | Chris CarterPittsburgh Post-Gazette | 13-5 | +0.2 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 17 | Matthew McGavicWHAS | 13-5 | +0.2 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 20 | Stephen MeansCleveland.com | 15-6 | +0.1 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 21 | Andy YamashitaThe Seattle Times | 14-6 | 0.0 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 21 | Kirk KenneySan Diego Union-Tribune | 14-6 | 0.0 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 23 | Dylan SinnFort Wayne Journal-Gazette | 16-7 | -0.1 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 24 | Chris MurrayKRNV | 13-6 | -0.1 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 25 | Ty HildenbrandtThe Solid Verbal | 12-5 | -0.1 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 25 | Michael KatzNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal | 12-5 | -0.1 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 25 | Andy KendeighKETV | 12-5 | -0.1 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 28 | Eric JohnsonWSLS | 14-6 | -0.2 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 29 | John JohnsonWXII | 13-6 | -0.2 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 30 | Brian FonsecaNJ.com | 14-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 30 | Dave PrestonWTOP | 14-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 32 | Creg StephensonAL.com | 13-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 32 | Henry GreensteinLawrence Journal-World | 13-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 32 | Louie VaccherWildcatReport.com | 13-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 32 | Madison HricikCedar Rapids Gazette | 13-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 32 | Nick JacobsKSHB | 13-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 32 | Zach KleinWSB-TV | 13-6 | -0.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 38 | Eric HansenBlueAndGold.com | 13-6 | -0.4 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 39 | Greg LucaSan Antonio Express-News | 12-6 | -0.4 | Oregon over USC 41-27 · 19% |
| 40 | BJ Rains247Sports | 13-6 | -0.5 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 40 | Lia AssimakopoulosThe Dallas Morning News | 13-6 | -0.5 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 40 | Rece DavisESPN | 13-6 | -0.5 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 43 | Sean ReiderAlbuquerque Journal | 12-6 | -0.5 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 44 | Kevin CarterCBS Sports | 13-6 | -0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 45 | Trevor HassThe Boston Globe | 12-6 | -0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 45 | Haley SawyerSouthern California News Group | 12-6 | -0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 45 | Randy JohnsonThe Minnesota Star Tribune | 12-6 | -0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 45 | Ryan ZukeMLive.com | 12-6 | -0.7 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 49 | Julian MininsohnWKRN | 12-6 | -0.8 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 50 | Ralph RussoThe Athletic | 14-7 | -0.9 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 51 | Jerry HumphreyAL.com | 12-6 | -0.9 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 51 | Matt MurschelOrlando Sentinel | 12-6 | -0.9 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 53 | Lee K. HowardWKYT | 11-6 | -1.1 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 54 | Joe ArrudaHartford Courant | 11-6 | -1.2 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 55 | Bob AsmussenThe News-Gazette (Champaign) | 12-7 | -1.3 | Oregon over USC 41-27 · 19% |
| 55 | Chelsie BrownKCRG | 12-7 | -1.3 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 55 | Ian KressWLNS | 12-7 | -1.3 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 55 | Keara BrunoWCAV | 12-7 | -1.3 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 59 | Tom MurphyArkansas Democrat-Gazette | 12-7 | -1.4 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 60 | Pat WelterWRAL | 10-6 | -1.4 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 61 | David BriggsThe Blade (Toledo) | 12-7 | -1.5 | Oklahoma State over West Virginia 41-24 · 29% |
| 61 | Scott HamiltonWNKT-FM | 12-7 | -1.5 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 63 | Cameron CoxKPNX | 11-7 | -1.6 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 63 | Jamal St. CyrWJXT | 11-7 | -1.6 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 63 | Mike JacquesWMTV | 11-7 | -1.6 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
| 66 | Mike HillFOX Sports | 11-7 | -1.7 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 67 | Brenna GreeneKOIN | 12-8 | -1.9 | Boise State over Western Michigan 32-7 · 34% |
| 67 | Spencer RipchikThe Dominion Post | 12-8 | -1.9 | Texas over Tennessee 20-17 · 46% |
| 69 | David JablonskiCox First Media | 12-8 | -2.1 | Iowa over Michigan 20-19 · 34% |
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.