Last week, as Peyton and I were working through the logistics of getting the MP ready to roll, I was 99% certain I was going to cast a two-team ballot, as Alabama and Georgia had been head and shoulders above every other D-1 program.
Then came Texas A&M. That led me to an internal debate over what I wanted to rank this week, best team or likely playoff field. It was a very close call — I spent more time on the philosophical question than I did filling out my ballot, to be honest — but in the end, I elected to go with the latter approach. I think it’s easier to start there and whittle things down as the season inevitably continues separating the wheat from the chaff than it is to start with one team and then perhaps have to backtrack.
Besides, in the end, if Georgia’s as good as they seem, I’ll wind up in the same spot, right?
Based on the eye test and advanced stats, here’s my initial ballot:
- Cincinnati
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Ohio State
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Georgia
Yeah, there are two one-loss teams there. I can’t eliminate an Alabama team that’s started there and finished with a natty several times. And if I’ve got ‘Bama on my ballot, Ohio State, which has the best offense in the country, deserves it, too. Besides that, the top of the Big Ten isn’t a joke this year; if Ohio State makes the playoff, which I expect, it’s going to have to beat some decent teams to get there.
The closest call I had on that list was Michigan, mainly because, at least on the surface, Michigan State is also 6-0 and picking one without the other made me think for a minute. The rest of the list was pretty obvious to me.
Share your thinking in the comments. Results of the first MP of the season will be posted tomorrow.
Get The Picture 
I went for 24 . . . because I sorta thought my ballot would look tooo distorted if I went for just a few. Pretty much copied the polls.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Honestly can’t remember my ballot but I believe it was close to yours. I’d definitely add Michigan State, though.
LikeLike
My ballot looks very similar, with a few more teams thrown in. Had to go with some of the unbeatens like Kentucky even though they might not be ranked by end of year. I think I ended up with about 10 total.
LikeLike
They are home free with the remaining schedule except of Miss State. The worst they can possibly is 10-2.
LikeLike
Iowa isn’t all that and a box of chocolates. PSU’S QB doesn’t get hurt – they lose. And who has PSU beat? Auburn in their White Out game at home, that they could have easily lost? Wisconsin – not that good this year. They won’t last. Central Florida needs to upset Cincinnati or they will end up undefeated and will get in, if for no other reason than people want them there. Oklahoma can’t play defense – somebody will bite them. OSU beats Michigan (again) and whoever comes out of the West. I think it’s Georgia, OSU, Cincinnati and ? Honestly think we get them this time – and not sure they will let a two loss SEC team in. Do they let a one loss Michigan in at 4? Only way there are two SEC teams is if the Dawgs in out – Mama wins out and they beat us in a Close one.
LikeLike
That’s my big fear for the SECCG. If Georgia wins the SEC gets one team in the playoff. If Bama wins the SEC gets two teams in with all that extra money for the conference. In that scenario the cheatin’ SEC refs will never let the Dawgs win.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I actually hope Cincinnati gets in and we play them just to pound them. They played a tough game last year against us, but that was an exhibition for the half of our team that elected to play. In the playoff, we’d grind them into the turf with this team.
The last thing we need is a Group of 5 team making a good showing in the playoffs as it just adds fuel to playoff expansion talk. I’m not a fan of the playoffs or expansion.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I went with every team I felt that if they win out they’re in the playoff. Ended up being 16 teams. As the season goes on that list will get smaller and smaller.
LikeLike
That was me as well. I think I had 13 teams on my ballot.
LikeLike
Same here, but I ended up with only 8 teams. The surprising part was that I placed a large number of B10 squads in the poll…Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State. I left Cincinnati off largely due to a lack of respect for the AAC. I do not believe the Bearcats will earn, nor should they be given, a seat at the adult table. Oregon was a team that I unintentionally left off of my ballot, so the number should be 9.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shouldn’t have said if they win out, they’ll be in. I think my 13 will be the teams that will be considered by the hat checkers in Dallas if they win out. For example, I have Cincinnati on my ballot, but they will drop off the ballot if they lose because of the AAC.
LikeLike
Skeptic, I kind of feel like Cincinnati is going to win out and the committee, rightly or wrongly, is going to give them a birth after beating a B1G team (albeit a bad one) and going on the road and beating ND in South Bend. Their remaining schedule is, however, trash other than a potential top 20 SMU team near the end of the season.
LikeLike
Same but left out Michigan.
LikeLike
I went with 14 teams on my first ballot. My voting rationale was what teams are alive for a playoff spot, not necessarily whether I believed they will make it. This lead to me ranking 5 big ten teams as I don’t think PSU is dead yet. My other questionable inclusions were Oregon, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss as I can’t fully rule them out yet. My ballot should shrink rapidly in next few weeks as some of these matchups play out.
LikeLike
Interesting inclusion of Ohio St but not Oregon. I guess losing at home and crushing terrible teams is a stronger resume than beating a top 10 team on the road and losing in OT on the road.
Neither would be on my ballot fwiw. Although I think we all know it’s inevitable that Ohio St wins out and makes the playoff unfortunately.
LikeLike
For me including Ohio State was about how they are looking right now. Sure, they are crushing teams that aren’t especially good. That being said, kind of like Georgia or Florida crushing Vandy, Ohio State just beat two conference opponents badly. Ohio State arguably has the best receiving corps in the nation at the moment and Stroud is playing really well. October 30th at home against Penn State will be huge. And they have games against Michigan and Michigan State in November. If Ohio State runs the table and beats Iowa in the B1GCG they are in the playoff regardless of a TD loss to Oregon at home in early September.
LikeLike
FWIW my ballot was almost the same as yours and my thinking was similar to yours Senator.
LikeLike
My ballot was the same as the Senator’s except that I didn’t include Michigan.
I thought about adding both Michigan and Michigan State. For whatever reason, I can’t believe in Michigan all that much so far. Maybe Nebraska has gotten significantly better since their opening debacle against Illinois. Both of them beat Nebraska by 3. Michigan’s win was on the road. Michigan State’s was at home. I think that we’ll know more on October 30th when they play with both having a good opportunity to go into that game 7-0. And both play Ohio State and Penn State in November.
I am also not completely sold on Iowa though I added them. That defense is pretty damn good. But outside of Penn State their schedule hasn’t been particularly inspiring. And up to the point that Penn State’s starting QB got hurt Penn State was moving the ball pretty easily on Iowa. Penn State was never the same after that injury. And their best win outside of Penn State was against a now two loss Iowa State team. Iowa only managed to beat Colorado State by 10 (who is 2-3 and lost to Vandy). I’ve said it on here recently, but I don’t know if Iowa’s offense can win the B1G against whoever they face in the championship game (which I still think will be Ohio State).
LikeLike
I selected one team from all of the FBS conferences who is undefeated and right now the pick to be the conference champion. So for the SEC – the choice is obvious.
As more undefeated teams lose (except for our fellows in Athens – knock on wood), I will start entering just the projected conference champion but beginning eliminating conferences without a shot at the CFP. Eventually I will get to four.
LikeLike
I went all undefeated….UGA/KY/IOWA/Cincy and Coastal Baby….
You got to be Elite.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I had many more teams – kept all G5 undefeated teams and all undefeated P5 undefeated and P5 one loss teams. I don’t really think a one-loss Pitt will make it over a two-loss Bama, or undefeated Coastal over one-loss Oregon, if that ends up happening, but for now, I’m assuming all those have a chance. As the season progresses, I’ll see what chaos starts to eliminate more teams from true contention.
LikeLike
UGA
Bama
Mich St
Mich
Cincy
OKlahoma
Iowa
honorable mention
Wake Forest
LikeLike
We’ll, Oregon looked good beating OSU in Columbus. If they can get through that gauntlet PAC-12 schedule without another loss…
LikeLike
Just picked the 6 that can make the CFP field which included Cincinnati.
Then I considered the gator resume. They invented college football in 1990, are the greatest team ever, and have not one but TWO entries for the GLOOE. Plus MuLLLLen is a QB whisperer developing 3* talent into formidable moral victory champions. Then I thought…FTMF and closed my ballot.
LikeLiked by 2 people
They didn’t get my vote, either, but I didn’t give it that much thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Voted for all the undefeated teams (it’s still early, but not so early that undefeated doesn’t count for something) plus select one loss teams (okay, Alabama).
LikeLike
Bama losing really opened up my ballot from what I thought I would have initially and I think I ended up with around 18 teams. I think I left out Oregon though who should have been included based upon the other teams I put on the ballot. I foresee my ballot shrinking each week hope to only have 8-10 teams soon like I originally planned.
LikeLike
My Ballot:
Cincinnati
Iowa
Michigan
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Alabama
Georgia
Kentucky
Coastal Carolina
I wanted to leave Iowa off entirely because their offense is putrid (121 out of 130 in ypp) and they rely almost exclusively on turnover luck (+15 in 6 games). When I decided not to, I had to include both Kentucky and Coastal, because I think both would beat Iowa (or Michigan) on a neutral field. Ohio State is the best team in the B1G. Oklahoma will revert to being an offensive juggernaut now that Caleb has upstaged Spencer. Cincy is the right combination of good defense and good offense that can be a problem. Coastal is like Oklahoma, but better on defense. Alabama is still the second-best team in the country behind Georgia.
LikeLike
I agree with the sentiment. Went with a larger pool in the spirit of competition. The season will whittle itself down by virtue of head to head and duration. So I included Sparty and Penn State. PSU for the similar reason as Bama in that a last second road loss where your QB gets hurt doesn’t end your chance. I also included Oregon with their road win over Ohio St.
It’s all going to sort out and moar is better ❤️
LikeLike