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Week 10 Mid-Major Top 10 ballot: Where to place BYU

Our Week 10 Mid-Major ballot has a tough time debating on whether a two-loss BYU should be ranked ahead of either undefeated Northern Illinois.

By Jeremy Mauss
Mike DiNovo-US PRESSWIRE

When creating a weekly poll we all tend to stay in line and look at the second column of a teams record, and for the most part the lower the number there typically means that team is better than one that has a higher number.

That is not always the case, and this week's poll has some intrigue as BYU as 5-2 and has rolled off five straight wins, and three of those have come over some solid opponents in Georgia Tech, Houston and Boise Sate. Utah State and Middle Tennessee Stare are the other two wins in this streak, and both of those schools are at .500. Yet, none of BYU's wins have come against a ranked team, well Texas was ranked at the time but they are not at the moment.

Their two loses are against Utah who is an odd team, but that Virginia loss is still looming large as the Cavaliers are just 2-6. That loss to Virginia was odd since there was a lengthy two-hour rain delay and it was the first game in BYU's new offense. They have just improved so much, yet I feel if they play Fresno State who has a really, really good offense that BYU might not be able to keep pace.

After some thinking my first three spots will remain the same with Fresno State, Northern Illinois and then BYU. Now, if BYU can get past a Wisconsin team that should be ranked in a few weeks.

Bowling Green was a team that dropped out of the poll after losing to Toledo, which was their second straight loss. Rice jumped Tulane from No. 9 to No. 7, and Ohio enter the poll at No. 10.

Other teams that were considered at the bottom were San Diego State, Buffalo, North Texas and UNLV, but they are not quite there yet.

Don't forget to check out Hustle Belt who will have the composite ranking Tuesday morning. In the meantime let us know how bad or good my ballot is this week.

Rank Team Record Points Previous
1 Fresno State 6-0 (3-0 MWC) 10 1
2 Northern Illinois 7-0 (3-0 MAC) 9 2
3 BYU 5-2 (IND) 8 5
4 Ball State 8-1 (5-0 MAC) 7 5
5 East Carolina 5-2 (3-1 CUSA) 6 6
6 Boise State 5-3 (3-1 MWC) 5 4
7 Rice 6-2 (4-0 CUSA) 4
 9
8 Tulane 6-2 (4-0 CUSA) 3
 8
9 Louisiana-Lafayette 5-2 (3-0 SBC) 2
 9
10 Ohio 6-2 (3-1 MAC)
 1
 NR

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