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 14-1 (+3.4 vs favorites). 12 of 70 voters beat their own consensus. The middle voter: +2.7.
| # | Voter | Record | vs favorites | Best call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David JablonskiCox First Media | 16-1 | +4.0 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 2 | Creg StephensonAL.com | 16-1 | +3.8 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 3 | Andy KendeighKETV | 15-1 | +3.8 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 3 | David BriggsThe Blade (Toledo) | 15-1 | +3.8 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 3 | Sarah HughesUSA Sports | 15-1 | +3.8 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 6 | Spencer RipchikThe Dominion Post | 14-1 | +3.7 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 7 | Brian FonsecaNJ.com | 15-1 | +3.6 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 7 | Dylan SinnFort Wayne Journal-Gazette | 15-1 | +3.6 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 9 | Jerry HumphreyAL.com | 15-1 | +3.5 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 9 | Kirk KenneySan Diego Union-Tribune | 15-1 | +3.5 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 9 | Rece DavisESPN | 15-1 | +3.5 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 12 | Pat WelterWRAL | 14-1 | +3.5 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 13 | Nicole AuerbachNBC Sports | 14-1 | +3.4 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 14 | Haley SawyerSouthern California News Group | 15-2 | +3.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 14 | Jamal St. CyrWJXT | 15-2 | +3.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 14 | Trevor HassThe Boston Globe | 15-2 | +3.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 17 | Kate RogersonABC11 WTVD (Raleigh) | 14-1 | +3.3 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 18 | Chris CarterPittsburgh Post-Gazette | 13-1 | +3.3 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 19 | Ty HildenbrandtThe Solid Verbal | 14-1 | +3.2 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 20 | David PaschallChattanooga Times Free Press | 14-2 | +3.2 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 21 | Eric HansenBlueAndGold.com | 15-2 | +3.1 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 22 | Koki RileyThe Advocate (Baton Rouge) | 14-2 | +3.0 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 22 | Scott HamiltonWNKT-FM | 14-2 | +3.0 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 24 | Louie VaccherWildcatReport.com | 13-2 | +3.0 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 25 | Adam LichtensteinSouth Florida Sun Sentinel | 14-2 | +2.9 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 25 | Julian MininsohnWKRN | 14-2 | +2.9 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 25 | Matt MurschelOrlando Sentinel | 14-2 | +2.9 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 28 | Chris MurrayKRNV | 13-2 | +2.9 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 29 | Kevin CarterCBS Sports | 14-2 | +2.8 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 29 | Ryan ZukeMLive.com | 14-2 | +2.8 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 31 | Bob BallouCBS Austin | 13-2 | +2.8 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 31 | Greg LucaSan Antonio Express-News | 13-2 | +2.8 | Northwestern over Penn State 34-13 · 47% |
| 31 | Lee K. HowardWKYT | 13-2 | +2.8 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 34 | Pete YanityWSPA | 14-3 | +2.7 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 35 | Brett McMurphyOn3 | 13-2 | +2.7 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 35 | Josh FurlongKSL.com | 13-2 | +2.7 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 37 | Alex TaylorWyoming Tribune Eagle | 14-2 | +2.6 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 37 | Jon WilnerSan Jose Mercury News | 14-2 | +2.6 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 39 | Garland GillenWVUE FOX 8 (New Orleans) | 14-3 | +2.6 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 40 | The 1QA Top 25our model, no votes · replayed on what was known then | 13-2 | +2.5 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 40 | Madison HricikCedar Rapids Gazette | 14-2 | +2.5 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 41 | Joe ArrudaHartford Courant | 13-2 | +2.5 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 42 | Keara BrunoWCAV | 14-3 | +2.4 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 42 | Murray EvansLawton Constitution | 14-3 | +2.4 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 44 | Bob AsmussenThe News-Gazette (Champaign) | 13-2 | +2.4 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 44 | Cameron CoxKPNX | 13-2 | +2.4 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 44 | Michael KatzNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal | 13-2 | +2.4 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 44 | Ralph RussoThe Athletic | 13-2 | +2.4 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 48 | Brian HowellOn3 | 13-3 | +2.4 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 49 | Mike GriffithAJC.com | 14-3 | +2.3 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 50 | Sean ReiderAlbuquerque Journal | 13-2 | +2.3 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 51 | Chelsie BrownKCRG | 13-3 | +2.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 51 | Ian KressWLNS | 13-3 | +2.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 51 | John JohnsonWXII | 13-3 | +2.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 51 | Mike JacquesWMTV | 13-3 | +2.3 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 55 | Randy JohnsonThe Minnesota Star Tribune | 13-2 | +2.2 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 56 | Dave PrestonWTOP | 13-3 | +2.2 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 56 | Zach KleinWSB-TV | 13-3 | +2.2 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 58 | Brenna GreeneKOIN | 14-3 | +2.1 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 59 | Javon EdmondsSyracuse Post-Standard | 13-2 | +2.1 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 60 | Henry GreensteinLawrence Journal-World | 13-3 | +2.1 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 61 | Kirk BohlsHouston Chronicle | 13-3 | +2.0 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 62 | BJ Rains247Sports | 13-3 | +1.9 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 62 | Matthew McGavicWHAS | 13-3 | +1.9 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 62 | Mike HillFOX Sports | 13-3 | +1.9 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 65 | Andy YamashitaThe Seattle Times | 12-3 | +1.8 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 65 | Nick JacobsKSHB | 12-3 | +1.8 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 65 | Tom MurphyArkansas Democrat-Gazette | 12-3 | +1.8 | Pittsburgh over Virginia Tech 35-33 · 45% |
| 68 | Lia AssimakopoulosThe Dallas Morning News | 12-4 | +1.3 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
| 69 | Stephen MeansCleveland.com | 10-4 | +0.7 | Kentucky over South Carolina 35-34 · 48% |
| 70 | Eric JohnsonWSLS | 12-5 | +0.5 | BYU over TCU 17-10 · 56% |
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.