A storm of controversy has engulfed the prestigious Associated Press (AP) Top 25 college football poll after one of its 63 voters submitted a rankings list that has been branded as 'nonsensical' and 'attention-seeking' by furious fans and analysts.
The voter in question, Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com and the 'Five-Down' podcast, sparked immediate outrage with his highly unconventional picks for the second week of the season. His list dramatically deviated from the consensus, placing powerhouse programmes like the Georgia Bulldogs and Ohio State Buckeyes far below their usual standings.
Questionable Rankings That Raised Eyebrows
Lesmerises's ballot was notable for its extreme departures from the norm. His most controversial decisions included:
- Ranking James Madison University (JMU) at an astonishing No. 6, far above their consensus position and ahead of most of the sport's elite programmes.
- Placing the Georgia Bulldogs at a lowly No. 20, a staggering drop for a team consistently ranked at the very top.
- Leaving the Ohio State Buckeyes out of his Top 25 altogether, a move that shocked the college football world.
- Awarding Notre Dame a No. 1 ranking, despite other voters placing them between third and fifth.
A Voter's Defence: 'Wins Over Everything'
Facing an intense backlash across social media platforms, Lesmerises defended his methodology. He stated his system is based purely on a team's performance in the current season, placing immense weight on the quality of their victories and largely disregarding pre-season expectations or historic programme prestige.
'My ballot (especially early) is intended to be a measure of what has happened on the field, not what I think might happen,' he explained. He argued that James Madison's dominant 2-0 start against what he deemed 'decent competition' justified their sky-high ranking.
The Court of Public Opinion Delivers Its Verdict
The response from the college football community was swift and merciless. Critics accused Lesmerises of deliberately crafting a provocative ballot to generate clicks and social media engagement—a practice often referred to as 'clout-chasing'.
Many argued that such an outlier vote undermines the integrity of the entire AP Poll system, which aggregates votes from journalists across the country to create a weekly snapshot of the nation's best teams. The incident has ignited a fresh debate about voter accountability and whether there should be consequences for submissions deemed to lack seriousness or credibility.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on whether this voter's controversial methodology holds up or if the weight of reality forces a dramatic recalibration of his unique rankings.
