We dropped six spots for a close road loss without Malachi Toney. Indiana dropped a bunch without even playing. UCLA moved up.
Wake Forest is the only other ACC team in the top 25, at No. 13. Simply put, the rankings left much to be desired Monday night.
Then taking a look at the hypothetical bracket, things didn't seem so bad after all.
If the season ended today we'd be No. 7, hosting BYU at Hard Rock in the first round. Win that, and it's Utah in a bowl game. Then whoever comes out of the other side: Kentucky, Texas or Alabama, with a trip to the title game on the line.
If that's the path, sign us up tomorrow. Ahmmon agrees.
BYU has its deficiencies. Utah's quarterback is an athlete who can make some throws, but he's turnover-prone. That path wouldn't bother him at all.
"I said this last year. The way our team's built, we just play really well in some of these weird games," Ahmmon said. "We're a team that's scratch and claw. We're talented throughout the roster. Wherever they put us, cool. Just handle business."
He has one dream scenario: a Notre Dame rematch at the Rock. That probably takes us holding at No. 7 and Notre Dame losing to SMU. It would be one of the craziest first-round games in a long time.
Last year the story was quality losses. That's how Notre Dame stayed ahead of us. Now we have a close loss to the No. 5 team in the country without our best player, and nobody's calling it a quality loss. Instead, the committee keeps saying on national TV that we don't have a ranked win.
"Are they forgetting we beat Wake Forest?" Ahmmon said.
We beat them by double digits, on the road, and Wake is ranked No. 13.
His bigger point is about how the system feeds itself. Everyone knew the narrative coming into the year: a two-loss, maybe three-loss SEC team gets in. The committee isn't hiding from that. It's making sure it comes true.
"They're the ones that rank the team," he said. "And then based off that, they say your schedule isn't tough because you're not playing any ranked opponents. Well, you're the ones not ranking them."
The Big 12 has Utah at No. 2, BYU at No. 10, Houston at No. 14, Arizona at No. 23 and Oklahoma State at No. 25.
Duke could've easily been slotted in at the 25 spot, but that would give Miami a chance for a ranked win and we all know they won't let that happen.
The Big Ten isn't doing great either.
Its first team is undefeated UCLA, and it's behind an undefeated Utah and a two-loss Alabama.
If we told you before the season that an undefeated Big Ten team would sit behind a two-loss SEC team in the second rankings, you wouldn't have believed it.
It's early, though. Oregon jumped seven spots after beating Ohio State. Tennessee earned its five-spot jump. And Notre Dame deserves its ranking.
The first round would be South Carolina vs. Oregon, Boise State vs. Indiana, Ohio State vs. Wake Forest (I think Wake wins that), LSU vs. Texas Tech, USC vs. Iowa, Arizona vs. BYU, Ole Miss vs. Houston and Missouri vs. Kentucky.
For us, it barely changes anything. Instead of just playing BYU, we'd get the winner of BYU and Arizona. Utah would get the winner of USC and Iowa. The other side adds Ole Miss, Houston and Missouri to the Alabama-Texas-Kentucky mix.
If Wake Forest wins out and we beat them in Charlotte, does the committee leave a two-loss Wake team out?
It could look like BYU last year, with two losses to Texas Tech while Texas Tech got in. The SEC still has a lot to sort out, and losses in conference title games are going to be weighed in ways nobody can predict. For us, it's simple: win it.
If Wake beats SMU and keeps winning, it's probably a top-10 team by the ACC title game. If we win out, I think we're looking at a top-five seed, which means a home game or a bye.
Here's the reality: We're favored by two touchdowns against Duke same for Virginia Tech and who knows how much against Boston College. Then there's a likely remach against Wake waits for us in Charlotte.
Win those games and none of this rankings drama matters.
Wake Forest is the only other ACC team in the top 25, at No. 13. Simply put, the rankings left much to be desired Monday night.
Then taking a look at the hypothetical bracket, things didn't seem so bad after all.
If the season ended today we'd be No. 7, hosting BYU at Hard Rock in the first round. Win that, and it's Utah in a bowl game. Then whoever comes out of the other side: Kentucky, Texas or Alabama, with a trip to the title game on the line.
If that's the path, sign us up tomorrow. Ahmmon agrees.
BYU has its deficiencies. Utah's quarterback is an athlete who can make some throws, but he's turnover-prone. That path wouldn't bother him at all.
"I said this last year. The way our team's built, we just play really well in some of these weird games," Ahmmon said. "We're a team that's scratch and claw. We're talented throughout the roster. Wherever they put us, cool. Just handle business."
He has one dream scenario: a Notre Dame rematch at the Rock. That probably takes us holding at No. 7 and Notre Dame losing to SMU. It would be one of the craziest first-round games in a long time.
The committee keeps moving the goalposts
Ahmmon's problem isn't where we landed. It's how they explain it.Last year the story was quality losses. That's how Notre Dame stayed ahead of us. Now we have a close loss to the No. 5 team in the country without our best player, and nobody's calling it a quality loss. Instead, the committee keeps saying on national TV that we don't have a ranked win.
"Are they forgetting we beat Wake Forest?" Ahmmon said.
We beat them by double digits, on the road, and Wake is ranked No. 13.
His bigger point is about how the system feeds itself. Everyone knew the narrative coming into the year: a two-loss, maybe three-loss SEC team gets in. The committee isn't hiding from that. It's making sure it comes true.
"They're the ones that rank the team," he said. "And then based off that, they say your schedule isn't tough because you're not playing any ranked opponents. Well, you're the ones not ranking them."
The ACC isn't getting much love
We're No. 7 and Wake is No. 13. That's the ACC.The Big 12 has Utah at No. 2, BYU at No. 10, Houston at No. 14, Arizona at No. 23 and Oklahoma State at No. 25.
Duke could've easily been slotted in at the 25 spot, but that would give Miami a chance for a ranked win and we all know they won't let that happen.
The Big Ten isn't doing great either.
Its first team is undefeated UCLA, and it's behind an undefeated Utah and a two-loss Alabama.
If we told you before the season that an undefeated Big Ten team would sit behind a two-loss SEC team in the second rankings, you wouldn't have believed it.
It's early, though. Oregon jumped seven spots after beating Ohio State. Tennessee earned its five-spot jump. And Notre Dame deserves its ranking.
What 24 teams would look like
Here's a fun exercise: next year's 24-team format applied to this year's rankings.The first round would be South Carolina vs. Oregon, Boise State vs. Indiana, Ohio State vs. Wake Forest (I think Wake wins that), LSU vs. Texas Tech, USC vs. Iowa, Arizona vs. BYU, Ole Miss vs. Houston and Missouri vs. Kentucky.
For us, it barely changes anything. Instead of just playing BYU, we'd get the winner of BYU and Arizona. Utah would get the winner of USC and Iowa. The other side adds Ole Miss, Houston and Missouri to the Alabama-Texas-Kentucky mix.
Win and none of this matters
Ahmmon asked the question everyone will ask.If Wake Forest wins out and we beat them in Charlotte, does the committee leave a two-loss Wake team out?
It could look like BYU last year, with two losses to Texas Tech while Texas Tech got in. The SEC still has a lot to sort out, and losses in conference title games are going to be weighed in ways nobody can predict. For us, it's simple: win it.
If Wake beats SMU and keeps winning, it's probably a top-10 team by the ACC title game. If we win out, I think we're looking at a top-five seed, which means a home game or a bye.
Here's the reality: We're favored by two touchdowns against Duke same for Virginia Tech and who knows how much against Boston College. Then there's a likely remach against Wake waits for us in Charlotte.
Win those games and none of this rankings drama matters.
