AP Voters Excluded Pittsburgh From Top 25
The Pittsburgh Panthers remained absent from the AP Top 25 despite a victory over Virginia Tech.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Basketball
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AP voters Rece Davis and Greg Luca faced criticism after omitting the Pittsburgh Panthers from their latest Top 25 ballots. The exclusion occurred despite the Panthers securing a 35-33 win over Virginia Tech.
Why it matters
The decision drew scrutiny due to the inclusion of Mississippi State, which dropped a 33-point loss to Alabama. Fans highlighted the perceived inconsistency in how voters evaluate SEC teams compared to other programs.
Greg Luca ranked Mississippi State at No. 10 and Rece Davis placed them at No. 14, despite the team suffering a 33-point loss to Alabama. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Panthers defeated Virginia Tech 35-33 after overcoming a 14-point deficit.
The players
Rece Davis
He is a prominent sportscaster and commentator known for his work on college football coverage.
Greg Luca
He is a sports journalist who participates as a voter in the Associated Press college football rankings.
Pittsburgh Panthers
The college football team represents the University of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The details
Greg Luca stated his ballot relied on a head-to-head chain of results involving Mississippi State, Missouri, Florida, and Ole Miss. Rece Davis acknowledged the difficulty of ranking teams this season, citing the generally poor performance across the SEC as a primary factor.
Timeline
October 2026: AP voters released the criticized Top 25 rankings.
Season Trajectory
The exclusion of Pittsburgh impacts the perceived competitive balance of the rankings as the season progresses. Voters' reliance on specific chains of results creates debates about whether SEC teams receive preferential treatment compared to other conferences.
The AP rankings influence bowl game eligibility and postseason positioning for teams like Pittsburgh. Analysts use these voter ballots to project the strength of strength-of-schedule metrics for future matchups.
The takeaway
Voter rankings remain a subjective element of college football that can create significant disparity between on-field results and national perception. Fans should monitor how these individual ballot choices affect the consensus Top 25 throughout the remainder of the season.
Further reading
For more updates on local college sports, visit Pittsburgh Basketball.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EssentiallySports.
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Should college sports rankings be based solely on objective game results rather than subjective analyst opinions?
