Florida State and Auburn are 1 & 2 in Blue Football Top 25

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.  On the other hand, we were reluctant on Ohio State, Baylor, Fresno State and Northern Illinois.  We will let you judge which teams turned out better. 

Many polls had Ohio State ranked high.  That was a mistake, and those who had the Buckeyes ranked high paid for it.  We didn't

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

2-1.    Auburn (12-1) outscored #7 Missouri 59-42, Biggest Wins over #3 Alabama, #7 Missouri, #20 Texas A&M and #21 Georgia, Lost to #18 LSU
1-2.    Florida State (13-0) mashed a team some had ranked (Duke) 45-7, Biggest Win over #12 Clemson
3-3.    Alabama (11-1) did not play, Biggest Wins over #18 LSU and #20 Texas A&M, Lost to #1 Auburn
5-4.    Stanford (11-2) blasted #10 Arizona State 44-14, Biggest Wins over #10 Arizona State, (twice) #13 Oregon, #14 UCLA and #25 Washington, Lost to USC and Utah

8-5.  South Carolina (10-2) was idle, Biggest Wins over #7 Missouri, #8 UCF and #11 Clemson, Lost to #22 Georgia and Tennessee
10-6.  Michigan State (12-1) scored an impressive 34-24 win over #9 Ohio State, Biggest Win over #9 Ohio State, Lost to Notre Dame

7-7.    Missouri (11-2) came up short against #1 Auburn 59-42, Biggest Wins over #20 Texas A&M and #22 Georgia, Lost to #1 Auburn and #5 South Carolina
9-8.  UCF (11-1) squeaked by SMU 17-13, Biggest Win over #17 Louisville, Lost to #5 South Carolina
4-9.  Ohio State (12-1) lost to #6 Michigan State 34-24, Biggest Win over #23 Wisconsin, Lost to #6 Michigan State
6-10.  Arizona State (10-3) lost to #4 Stanford 44-14, Biggest Wins over #14 UCLA, #23 Wisconsin and #25 Washington, Lost to #4 Stanford (twice) and Notre Dame
17-11.    Baylor (11-1) pounded #24 Texas 30-10, Biggest Wins over #15 Oklahoma and #24 Texas, Lost to #16 Oklahoma State
11-12.  Clemson (10-2) did not play, Biggest Win over #22 Georgia, Lost to #1 Florida State and #8 South Carolina
13-13.    Oregon (10-2) was not on the field in the Pac-12 Championship, Biggest Wins over #14 UCLA and #25 Washington, Lost to #4 Stanford and Arizona

14-14.    UCLA (9-3) did not play, Biggest Wins over #25 Washington and USC, Lost to #4 Stanford, #10 Arizona State and #13 Oregon

18-15. Oklahoma (10-2) turned back #16 Oklahoma State 33-24, Biggest Win over #16 Oklahoma State, Lost to #11 Baylor and  #24 Texas
12-16.  Oklahoma State (10-2) lost to #15 Oklahoma 33-24, Biggest Wins over #11 Baylor and #24 Texas, Lost to #15 Oklahoma and West Virginia
16-17.  Louisville (11-1) tipped Cincinnati 31-24 in overtime, Biggest Win over Cincinnati, Lost to #8 UCF
19-18.    LSU (9-3) did not play, Biggest Wins over #1 Auburn and #22 Texas A&M, Lost to #3 Alabama, #22 Georgia and Mississippi

21-19.  Fresno State (12-1) rebounded to top Utah State 34-24, Biggest Win over Rutgers, Lost to San Jose State
22-20.    Texas A&M (8-4) did not play, Biggest Win over Mississippi, Lost to #1 Auburn, #3 Alabama, #7 Missouri and #18 LSU
23-21.    Vanderbilt (8-4) was idle, Biggest Win over #22 Georgia, Lost to  #5 South Carolina, #7 Missouri, #20 Texas A&M and Mississippi
24-22.  Georgia (8-4) did not play this week, Biggest Wins over #5 South Carolina and #18 LSU, Lost to #1 Auburn, #7 Missouri, #11 Clemson and #21 Vanderbilt
25-23.    Wisconsin (9-3) was idle, Biggest Win over BYU, Lost to #9 Ohio State, #10 Arizona State and Penn State
20-24.  Texas (8-4) lost to #11 Baylor 30-10, Biggest Win over #15 Oklahoma, Lost to #11 Baylor, #16 Oklahoma State, Mississippi  and BYU
---25.   Washington (8-4) was idle, Biggest Win over Arizona, Lost to #4 Stanford, #10 Arizona State, #13 Oregon and #14 UCLA

Dropped Out: Northern Illinois

Also Considered:

25-out.  Northern Illinois (12-1) was ransacked by Bowling Green 47-27, Biggest Win over Ball State, Lost to Bowling Green

USC (9-4) did not play, Biggest Win over #5 Stanford, Lost to #6 Arizona State, #14 UCLA, Notre Dame and Washington State