Florida State Advances to #1

The #1 factor in ranking teams is their Biggest Wins, losses are most damaging if they are to unranked teams.  This encourages teams to schedule other Top 25 teams.

This poll had Clemson, UCLA, Auburn and Michigan State ranked before anyone else "in the know".  And, everyone now knows how solid those four teams are. 

We don't consider Duke (which lost to Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech), because they lost to Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech and their biggest win is over an unranked Miami of Florida.  We don't consider Cincinnati (which was creamed by Illinois and lost to South Florida), because they lost to Illinois and South Florida.

Unlike the polls, the Blue Football Through and Through Top 25 uses logic.  Mississippi must be ahead of LSU because both teams have the same record and the Rebels beat the Tigers.  The polls seem to forget the actual results.  We don't.

The SEC has eight teams in the Top 25, while the Pac-12 has four.  Those are (by far) the top two conferences in the nation this year.

2-1.    Florida State (12-0) ripped Florida 37-7, Biggest Win over #11 Clemson
3-2.    Auburn (11-1) beat #3 Alabama 34-28, Biggest Wins over #3 Alabama, #22 Texas A&M and #24 Georgia, Lost to #19 LSU
1-3.    Alabama (11-1) lost to #2 Auburn 34-28, Biggest Wins over #19 LSU and #22 Texas A&M, Lost to #2 Auburn
5-4.  Ohio State (12-0) came from behind to beat Michigan 42-41, Biggest Win over #25 Wisconsin

4-5.    Stanford (10-2) got by Notre Dame 27-20, Biggest Wins over #6 Arizona State, #13 Oregon, #14 UCLA and Washington, Lost to USC and Utah
9-6.  Arizona State (10-2) blitzed Arizona 58-7, Biggest Wins over #14 UCLA, #25 Wisconsin and Washington, Lost to #5 Stanford and Notre Dame

6-7.    Missouri (11-1) came from behind to beat #22 Texas A&M 28-21, Biggest Wins over #24 Georgia and #24 Texas A&M, Lost to #8 South Carolina
10-8.  South Carolina (10-2) knocked off #11 Clemson 31-17, Biggest Wins over #7 Missouri, #11 Clemson and #11 UCF, Lost to #24 Georgia and Tennessee
11-9.  UCF (10-1) got by 2-9 South Florida 23-20, Biggest Win over #16 Louisville, Lost to #8 South Carolina
8-10.  Michigan State (11-1) downed Minnesota 14-3, Biggest Win over Minnesota Lost to Notre Dame
7-11.  Clemson (10-2) lost to #8 South Carolina 31-17, Biggest Win over #24 Georgia, Lost to #1 Florida State and #8 South Carolina

14-12.  Oklahoma State (10-1) did not play, Biggest Wins over #17 Baylor and #20 Texas, Lost to West Virginia

13-13.    Oregon (10-2) escaped with a 36-35 win over Oregon State in the final seconds, Biggest Wins over #14 UCLA and Washington, Lost to #5 Stanford and Arizona

15-14.    UCLA (9-3) ripped USC 35-14, Biggest Wins over USC and Washington, Lost to #5 Stanford, #6 Arizona State and #13 Oregon

16-15.  Northern Illinois (12-0) whipped Western Michigan 33-14, Biggest Win over Ball State

17-16.  Louisville (10-1) did not play, Biggest Win over Houston, Lost to #9 UCF

18-17.    Baylor (10-1) got by TCU 41-38, Biggest Win over #22 Oklahoma, Lost to #14 Oklahoma State

19-18. Oklahoma (9-2) was idle, Biggest Win over Notre Dame, Lost to #17 Baylor and  #24 Texas

20-19.    LSU (9-3) edged 3-9 Arkansas 31-27, Biggest Wins over #2 Auburn and #24 Texas A&M, Lost to #3 Alabama, #23 Georgia and Mississippi
----20.  Texas (8-3) crushed Texas Tech 41-16, Biggest Win over #18 Oklahoma, Lost to #12 Oklahoma State, Mississippi  and BYU
12-21.  Fresno State (11-1) lost to San Jose State 62-52, Biggest Win over Rutgers, Lost to San Jose State
22-22.    Texas A&M (8-4) fell to #6 Missouri 28-21, Biggest Win over Mississippi, Lost to #2 Auburn, #3 Alabama, #7 Missouri and #19 LSU
24-23.    Vanderbilt (8-4) defeated Wake Forest 23-21, Biggest Win over #24 Georgia, Lost to  #7 Missouri, #8 South Carolina, #22 Texas A&M and Mississippi
----24.  Georgia (8-4) got by rival Georgia Tech 41-34 in two overtimes, Biggest Wins over #8 South Carolina and #19 LSU, Lost to #2 Auburn, #7 Missouri, #11 Clemson and #23 Vanderbilt
21-25.    Wisconsin (9-3) lost to Penn State 31-24, Biggest Win over BYU, Lost to #4 Ohio State, #6 Arizona State and Penn State

Dropped Out: Mississippi, USC

Also Considered:

Washington (8-4) downed rival Washington State 27-17, Biggest Win over Arizona, Lost to #5 Stanford, #6 Arizona State, #13 Oregon and #14 UCLA

23-out.    USC (9-4) lost to #14 UCLA 35-14, Biggest Win over #5 Stanford, Lost to #6 Arizona State, #14 UCLA, Notre Dame and Washington State