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 14-5 (+0.9 vs favorites). 25 of 70 voters beat their own consensus. The middle voter: +0.8.
| # | Voter | Record | vs favorites | Best call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris MurrayKRNV | 15-3 | +2.2 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 2 | Murray EvansLawton Constitution | 15-4 | +2.0 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 2 | Brenna GreeneKOIN | 15-4 | +2.0 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 4 | Madison HricikCedar Rapids Gazette | 15-4 | +1.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 5 | Creg StephensonAL.com | 15-4 | +1.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 6 | Trevor HassThe Boston Globe | 15-4 | +1.7 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Jamal St. CyrWJXT | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Kirk KenneySan Diego Union-Tribune | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Lee K. HowardWKYT | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Michael KatzNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Mike HillFOX Sports | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Mike JacquesWMTV | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Ryan ZukeMLive.com | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 7 | Chelsie BrownKCRG | 14-4 | +1.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 15 | Pete YanityWSPA | 14-4 | +1.5 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 15 | Scott HamiltonWNKT-FM | 14-4 | +1.5 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 17 | Dylan SinnFort Wayne Journal-Gazette | 15-4 | +1.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 18 | Andy KendeighKETV | 15-5 | +1.3 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 19 | Greg LucaSan Antonio Express-News | 14-4 | +1.2 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 19 | Bob BallouCBS Austin | 14-4 | +1.2 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 21 | Eric JohnsonWSLS | 15-5 | +1.1 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 21 | Jon WilnerSan Jose Mercury News | 15-5 | +1.1 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 21 | Koki RileyThe Advocate (Baton Rouge) | 15-5 | +1.1 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 24 | Eric HansenBlueAndGold.com | 13-4 | +1.1 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 25 | Dave PrestonWTOP | 15-5 | +1.0 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 26 | Rece DavisESPN | 15-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 27 | Bob AsmussenThe News-Gazette (Champaign) | 14-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 27 | Joe ArrudaHartford Courant | 14-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 27 | Matthew McGavicWHAS | 14-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 27 | Spencer RipchikThe Dominion Post | 14-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 27 | Zach KleinWSB-TV | 14-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 27 | BJ Rains247Sports | 14-5 | +0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 33 | John JohnsonWXII | 14-5 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 33 | Julian MininsohnWKRN | 14-5 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 33 | Kirk BohlsHouston Chronicle | 14-5 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 33 | Nicole AuerbachNBC Sports | 14-5 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 33 | Sean ReiderAlbuquerque Journal | 14-5 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 33 | Brett McMurphyOn3 | 14-5 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 39 | David PaschallChattanooga Times Free Press | 13-4 | +0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 40 | Cameron CoxKPNX | 13-5 | +0.7 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 41 | Alex TaylorWyoming Tribune Eagle | 13-5 | +0.6 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 42 | Ty HildenbrandtThe Solid Verbal | 14-5 | +0.5 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 42 | Andy YamashitaThe Seattle Times | 14-5 | +0.5 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 42 | David BriggsThe Blade (Toledo) | 14-5 | +0.5 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 45 | Adam LichtensteinSouth Florida Sun Sentinel | 14-5 | +0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 45 | Chris CarterPittsburgh Post-Gazette | 14-5 | +0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 47 | Haley SawyerSouthern California News Group | 13-5 | +0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 47 | Jerry HumphreyAL.com | 13-5 | +0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 47 | Kevin CarterCBS Sports | 13-5 | +0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 47 | Matt MurschelOrlando Sentinel | 13-5 | +0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 51 | Keara BrunoWCAV | 14-6 | +0.3 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 52 | Brian FonsecaNJ.com | 12-4 | +0.2 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 53 | Henry GreensteinLawrence Journal-World | 14-6 | +0.1 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 53 | Nick JacobsKSHB | 14-6 | +0.1 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 55 | Lia AssimakopoulosThe Dallas Morning News | 13-5 | 0.0 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 55 | Brian HowellOn3 | 13-5 | 0.0 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 57 | Ian KressWLNS | 12-5 | 0.0 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 58 | Ralph RussoThe Athletic | 14-6 | -0.3 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 59 | Josh FurlongKSL.com | 13-6 | -0.3 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 60 | Kate RogersonABC11 WTVD (Raleigh) | 13-6 | -0.4 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 61 | Javon EdmondsSyracuse Post-Standard | 14-7 | -0.6 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 62 | Mike GriffithAJC.com | 12-6 | -0.6 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 63 | Louie VaccherWildcatReport.com | 13-6 | -0.7 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 64 | Garland GillenWVUE FOX 8 (New Orleans) | 12-6 | -0.8 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 65 | Sarah HughesUSA Sports | 13-7 | -0.9 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 66 | Tom MurphyArkansas Democrat-Gazette | 12-6 | -0.9 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
| 67 | Pat WelterWRAL | 12-7 | -1.4 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 68 | David JablonskiCox First Media | 11-7 | -1.7 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 69 | Stephen MeansCleveland.com | 12-7 | -1.8 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 70 | The 1QA Top 25our model, no votes · replayed on what was known then | 11-7 | -2.1 | Indiana over Nebraska 20-17 · 37% |
| 70 | Randy JohnsonThe Minnesota Star Tribune | 12-8 | -2.3 | Georgia over Alabama 20-17 · 22% |
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.