MetaKoopa99's Ballot for Week 8 of 2019-20
Submitted on Monday, December 23, 2019 at 7:47AM EST
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Gonzaga
|
(+1) Eight weeks. Eight different teams at the No. 1 spot in my rankings. This is one of the wildest early-season stretches I can remember. |
| 2 |
Ohio State
|
(+2) I contemplated putting OSU back at No. 1, but I like their résumé slightly less than Gonzaga's. A WVU win is a chance to jump the Zags. |
| 3 |
Duke
|
(0) No movement for Duke. OSU jumps them because of the Kentucky win combined with a worse loss for the Blue Devils (SFA vs. Minnesota). |
| 4 |
Louisville
|
(+1) Not much to say here. Cards took care of business last week. Jordan Nwora might be the best player in college basketball right now. |
| 5 |
Kansas
|
(-4) Two losses of a combined three points vs. two top-25 teams (Duke, Nova). Q1 wins over BYU and Dayton. Can't drop KU too far for the L. |
| 6 |
San Diego State
|
(+2) Believe in the Aztecs! SDSU is still a perfect 12-0 following the manhandling of Utah, now ranked No. 18 in KenPom and No. 5 in T-Rank. |
| 7 |
Baylor
|
(+2) Baylor looks very good right now. Sophomore Jared Butler is quietly making a case for Big 12 POTY. Now the Bears hibernate for a week. |
| 8 |
Auburn
|
(+4) The predictive metrics are hesitant on the Tigers, and I kind of understand why, but they are the last remaining undefeated P7 team. |
| 9 |
Oregon
|
(+4) You don't usually see a four-spot jump for a team that almost lost at home to Texas Southern, but here we are. Just that kind of year. |
| 10 |
Memphis
|
(+4) I was hesitant to move up Memphis with the Wiseman news, but they've played so well without him. This is a tournament team regardless. |
| 11 |
Butler
|
(+7) Huge jump for the Bulldogs with the Purdue win and other ranked teams losing. I considered putting them ahead of Oregon and Memphis. |
| 12 |
West Virginia
|
(+3) Youngstown State gave them a bit more trouble than you would hope for. Now we find out if WVU is for real. OSU and Kansas are up next. |
| 13 |
Wichita State
|
(+7) I said it last week, and I'll say it again: If you haven't been watching WSU, now is the time to start. The win over VCU confirms it. |
| 14 |
Michigan
|
(+2) The Wolverines are holding onto those "quality wins," but other résumés are starting to catch up. A tough start to Big Ten play looms. |
| 15 |
Dayton
|
(-5) Just when Saint Mary's turned to Q1, Dayton fell to Colorado. But it was an OT thriller against a good team. Can't fault 'em too much. |
| 16 |
Florida State
|
(+1) I'm honestly a bit shocked that FSU came back from 10 down late to beat USF. Not the prettiest, but as they always say, a win is a win. |
| 17 |
Villanova
|
(+5) Finally added a true marquee win to the résumé with the Kansas victory. Outside of the OSU loss, Nova has looked good in every game. |
| 18 |
Maryland
|
(-7) A 10-0 start followed by back-to-back losses. Granted, they were to top-40 teams on the road, but the Terps just didn't look that good. |
| 19 |
Michigan State
|
(NEW) This is where it gets hazy. Super strong predictive metrics plus four strong performances since the Duke loss? Sure, welcome back MSU. |
| 20 |
Liberty
|
(NEW) At some point, you just gotta look at the numbers. Liberty is 14-0. Sunday vs. LSU will decide whether or not they stay in the top 25. |
| 21 |
Washington
|
(NEW) Starting to get tough. Not an outstanding résumé, but UW did beat Baylor and lose to Gonzaga by just seven. So they get ranked here. |
| 22 |
Virginia
|
(-15) Seriously contemplated not ranking UVA. Best win is Syracuse. Proved they can't shoot well vs. SCAR. This ranking might be generous. |
| 23 |
Penn State
|
(NEW) It feels wrong to rank PSU considering how closely I've watched them, but the résumé and metrics support it. I must be dreaming. |
| 24 |
Kentucky
|
(-18) Absolutely brutal week. The MSU win keeps Kentucky from falling out of the top 25. Could get even uglier with Louisville up next. |
| 25 |
Stanford
|
(0) I say they're sneaky then they almost to San Fran and San Diego. Thanks, guys. Next 5: Colorado, Creighton, Iowa, Marquette, Texas Tech |