D Poll: Week 9
Prepare yourselves, because this might be the most shocking D Poll of the season.
When my computer spit out today’s D Poll, my jaw dropped. Never before have vibes and feelings been factored into the equation as much as they were this week, and that’s borne fruit with some, let’s say, unorthodox rankings, particularly near the top of the poll.
It’s important to remember what the D Poll is attempting to accomplish: this is a ranking based first and foremost on vibes and feelings. Of course, winning is extremely important and is heavily factored in as well, but it’s truly the emotions that a certain team evokes that determine where it’s placed in this poll. Additionally, this poll is a fluid entity that constantly shifts with the ever-changing dynamics of the season, and that couldn’t be clearer this week. So, don’t be surprised if a big win shoots a team into the top 10, or if a loss plummets them into the depths (because bad vibes, obviously).
Rankings are subjective, and this exercise is no different. If you have teams placed differently than I do, that’s OK—this is just a silly poll, after all. The stakes aren’t that serious. Well, maybe it could be pretty influential in the future if y’all help me become the commissioner of college football. The campaign starts following the conclusion of the national championship game.
Over the past several weeks, the AP Poll and the D Poll have converged and look quite similar. That officially changes today. This is a departure from any sort of groupthink that might be occurring online. Prepare yourselves, because this one, folks, might shock your senses.
Here’s the D Poll for Week 9.
Note: Only teams in the top 10 are going to get a little blurb. That’s just the way life goes sometimes. For any of the teams I don’t write about, just dwell on the vibes and feelings surrounding their season so far.
1. Indiana (NM)
Week 8 result: 38-13 win vs. Michigan State
There aren’t many places where the vibes are better than Bloomington at the moment. The Hoosiers are absolutely rolling, and they show no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Their victory over Michigan State took on a similar tone to their win over the Spartans last season. Michigan State took an early lead, prompting slight worries that perhaps this was going to be the end of the road for the magical campaign. That was obviously an incorrect assumption, as Indiana dominated the rest of the way and never looked back.
For as long as Fernando Mendoza is unfurling dime after dime and the team keeps winning, Indiana will be at the top of the D Poll. With this current trajectory, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
2. Ohio State (NM)
Week 8 result: 34-0 win at Wisconsin
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and Wisconsin head man Luke Fickell are friends, and that was clear in the Buckeyes’ blowout victory over the Badgers. While Ohio State cruised, it was clear that it took its foot off the gas on multiple occasions so as not to embarrass the opponent. Well, it still won by 34 points, so I’m not sure how well that goal was accomplished.
As weird as it is to say, Julian Sayin has been quite underrated this season. As Ohio State just chugs along with little resistance, Sayin continues to improve every week. That steady progress culminated in perhaps his best game of the season against Wisconsin, where he threw for 393 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions, all while completing 86% of his passes. That’s extremely impressive, even against subpar competition.
Of course, he’s aided by some spectacular wide receivers, but there have been thousands of words poured out onto the page and the Internet regarding the prowess of Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and the rest of the receiving corps in Columbus. If there’s one thing that can be counted on each season, it’s that the Buckeyes are going to have some elite pass catchers, and that’s definitely been true in 2025.
Ohio State’s a wagon. That’s unfortunate for those who are praying on their downfall. It appears that fading Ryan Day’s team is ill-advised.
3. Texas A&M (+1)
Week 8 result: 45-42 win at Arkansas
The Aggies could play Arkansas in Cambodia, and the game would still be wacky and weird. It doesn’t matter where it’s played, it’s going to be competitive and it’s going to make fanbases of both teams want to pull their hair out.
Luckily for Texas A&M fans, the Southwest Classic has belonged to them 13 out of the last 14 meetings, so with all the stress and tribulation that comes during the game, the outcome is usually the same: triumph.
With every passing week, it appears that Mike Elko has finally cured Battered Aggie Syndrome. For those who are unaware, here’s the official diagnosis of such a disease: Battered Aggie Syndrome (BAS) is a colloquial, somewhat tongue-in-cheek term used to describe a situation where the Texas A&M Aggies consistently underperform and suffer repeated heavy losses, leading to frustration and disappointment among fans.
So far, the treatment plan has been going swimmingly, and at 7-0 all A&M needs to do is win two more games to break the 8-4 curse. Do that, and the sky is the limit.
4. BYU (+7)
Week 8 result: 24-21 win vs. Utah
OK, stop yelling at me. Let me explain.
BYU hasn’t lost, and it just beat its most hated rival at home in a raucous environment. Anybody who watched knows just how cool of a scene that was. I mean, the fans rushed the field, and then the CEO of Crumbl Cookies paid the fine after the fact. Do the vibes get any better than that? No, absolutely not.
I acknowledge that BYU’s resume doesn’t stack up to teams like Alabama, Oregon, Georgia, Vanderbilt, or even South Florida. But it’s beaten everybody on its schedule, and that’s more than the teams I just mentioned can say. Winning, while not the most important, is still one of the key tenets of the D Poll, and I see it necessary to reward the Cougars for their undefeated start to the season. Now, if they lose this weekend at Iowa State, then I will happily drop them. As of now, the vibes are the fourth best in the nation. Argue that point with a wall.
5. Georgia Tech (+4)
Week 8 result: 27-18 win at Duke
Everything said about BYU’s ranking applies equally to Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are undefeated and just pulled off a gritty, hard-fought road win at Duke. It wasn’t pretty, but this isn’t a beauty contest. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is who scores more points, and Georgia Tech has done that every single time this season.
Their upcoming schedule makes staying near the top of the D Poll a real possibility. Syracuse, NC State, Boston College, and Pitt make up the rest of their conference slate, then the rivalry clash with Georgia rounds out the season. There’s a strong chance Georgia Tech enters that final game at 11-0 or 10-1, and if that happens, expect them to be ranked higher than most would anticipate.
6. Alabama (+1)
Week 8 result: 37-20 win vs. Tennessee
I wrote the following yesterday regarding Alabama beating Tennessee in Tuscaloosa for what feels like the millionth time in a row:
When Joey Aguilar threw that 99-yard pick-six as time expired in the first half, everybody knew the game was over. Tennessee had once again gone into Bryant-Denny Stadium and pooped the bed. It’s a tale as old as time. To Alabama’s credit, it continued to play like the best team in the SEC, with Ty Simpson having another great night. The defense, which had been the team’s weak link, had a better day, forcing the aforementioned pick-six and holding the Volunteers to just 20 points. Progress. Overall, Bama is great, Tennessee might be just OK, and the cigar smoke in Tuscaloosa was thick enough to make even the most avid smoker cough.
Yeah, that cigar smoke was thick. It looked like there was a tire fire somewhere in the bleachers. I don’t know if that’s safe, but this is the Southeastern Conference, and any sort of regulations regarding how much cigar smoke is in the air are disregarded in favor of a good-ole celebration of beating a hated rival.
Alabama’s great. It might win the SEC. Heck, it might win the national championship. On paper, those are good enough reasons to rank the Crimson Tide higher. But man, how did they lose to Florida State? I will never understand.
7. Oregon (-1)
Week 8 result: 56-10 win at Rutgers
The Ducks traveled roughly 2,400 miles to New Jersey and promptly stole Rutgers’ lunch. Will Stein’s offense, led by quarterback Dante Moore, put up… hold on, I need to adjust my glasses here… 750 total yards of offense? How does that even happen?
Oregon averaged 14 yards per pass attempt and 11.2 yards per rush. The 415 rushing yards, which included both Noah Whittington and Jordon Davison topping 100 yards on the ground, were more than double Rutgers’ total output for the entire game (202). This wasn’t just a win. It was a blowout of epic proportions. My apologies, Rutgers.
With the Indiana loss behind them and this performance against the Scarlet Knights, it’s clear the Ducks are going to be just fine. Anyone spreading doom and gloom about their season was sorely mistaken.
8. Georgia (+2)
Week 8 result: 43-35 win vs. Ole Miss
The following is an excerpt from my Week 8 Reactions and Takeaways post:
Everything Georgia has put on tape this season points to the fact that this is not the same Bulldogs team we’re used to. The defense isn’t special, the offense is a constant subject of scrutiny, and there’s a sense that the ceiling isn’t that high. But it doesn’t really seem to matter, as Georgia just keeps chugging along and winning football games one week at a time.
The key stat in the Bulldogs’ 43-35 victory over Ole Miss was simple: Georgia scored on every single one of its possessions. Its drive chart went as follows: field goal, touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, field goal, end of game. It didn’t matter that the defense was having trouble stopping the fightin’ Trinidad Chamblisses, because the offense was moving the ball at a spectacular pace.
Gunner Stockton has been under a ton of heat all season long, but man, did he deliver on Saturday afternoon. He was 26-of-31 for 289 yards and four touchdowns, and he also ran for a score. The game plan for Georgia was to have Stockton go toe-to-toe with an Ole Miss offense that’s been lethal all year, and the quarterback delivered the goods.
So, yeah, Georgia’s just going to be annoyingly good this year. It doesn’t matter that the defense is not up to snuff with Kirby Smart’s teams of the past, or that Stockton isn’t a world-beater at quarterback. All that matters is that the team knows how to win, and that’s the most important trait of them all.
I kind of hope they lose, though. I’m sick of ranking them this high. Sorry if that offends anybody.
9. Vanderbilt (+4)
Week 9 result: 31-24 win vs. LSU
Some might dispute my claim that the greatest vibes in America are in Bloomington by asserting that what’s happening in Nashville is even more awe-inspiring. While I disagree with that assessment, it’s hard not to acknowledge that Vanderbilt’s rise to national title contender is a pleasant surprise that’s definitely breathed life into this college football season.
Vanderbilt’s off to its best start in 75 years. Never in my lifetime has this program been ranked in the top 10 of both the AP Poll and the D Poll. What a momentous occasion!
It’s all because of head coach Clark Lea, quarterback Diego Pavia, and a team that believes that it can compete with the big boys of the SEC. For years, that would’ve been a silly thing to think. In 2025, though, it’s true. Vanderbilt was better than LSU on Saturday, and that’s frankly not surprising. If you would’ve told the average college football fan that five years ago, they would’ve fallen out of their seat because they would’ve laughed so hard. Laughing at Vanderbilt now is a silly exercise, however, and anybody who does is just jealous.
This college football season has been so much fun. Let’s keep the Commodores winning at all costs.
10. South Florida (+5)
Week 8 result: 48-13 win vs. Florida Atlantic
We’ve reached the point of the season where honoring teams that just keep winning is necessary, and that’s what South Florida has done. Save for a loss to Miami earlier in the year (and I know there might be some quibbles about me having the Hurricanes ranked below the Bulls), South Florida has been dominant. Its last two wins over North Texas and Florida Atlantic have shown me that this team is for real in the Group of 5, and that anybody who believes it’s not the favorite to make the College Football Playoff is a fool.
Now, that doesn’t mean it’s a lock—there are tons of landmines left on the schedule, including this week against Memphis. Still, South Florida appears to be the one G5 team that has that edge necessary to compete with the big boys.
As for why they’re ranked above Miami, the answer is simple: vibes. Did y’all just see what happened to the Hurricanes last Friday night? Bad vibes. Meanwhile, USF just keeps rolling, and that’s good enough for me.
11. Ole Miss (-3)
Week 8 result: 43-35 loss at Georgia
12. Missouri (+2)
Week 8 result: 23-17 win at Auburn
13. Texas Tech (-8)
Week 8 result: 26-22 loss at Arizona State
14. Miami (-9)
Week 8 result: 24-21 loss vs. Louisville
15. Oklahoma (+1)
Week 8 result: 26-7 win at South Carolina
16. Cincinnati (+2)
Week 8 result: 49-17 win at Oklahoma State
17. Virginia (NM)
Week 8 result: 22-20 win vs. Washington State
18. Louisville (NR)
Week 8 result: 24-21 win at Miami
19. Houston (NR)
Week 8 result: 31-28 win vs. Arizona
20. Notre Dame (+5)
Week 8 result: 34-24 win vs. USC
21. Navy (NR)
Week 8 result: BYE
22. James Madison (NR)
Week 8 result: 63-27 win vs. Old Dominion
23. Tennessee (-11)
Week 8 result: 37-20 loss at Alabama
24. Utah (-5)
Week 8 result: 24-21 loss at BYU
25. Arizona State (NR)
Week 8 result: 26-22 win vs. Texas Tech