Wagner's vote in this week's FWAA/NFF Super 16 poll

Championship week left more questions than answers, did it not? This is my final vote in the FWAA/NFF Super 16 poll for this season.

So let’s not waste any time: here is a look at my ballot for this week, with a bevy of explanations at the bottom:

Wisconsin's loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game means quarterback Kelly Bryant and ACC champ Clemson finishes at the top of John Wagner's Super 16.

1. Clemson (Last week: 2)

2. Oklahoma (3)

3. Georgia (5)

4. Auburn (4)

5. Alabama (6)

6. Ohio State (9)

7. Wisconsin (1)

8. USC (11)

9. UCF (10)

10. Miami (8)

11. Notre Dame (12)

12. Michigan State (13)

13. Penn State (14)

14. TCU (7)

15. Oklahoma State (15)

16. Stanford (NR)

Starting from the top, I promised that Wisconsin would drop out of the top spot in the Badgers lost to Ohio State. They lost, and they dropped.

As for the top, the next explanation is the three SEC schools at 3-4-5. To me, that’s a simple daisy chain: Georgia avenged its loss to Auburn, which beat Alabama a week ago. Again, seems simple to me.

As for Ohio State … Buckeyes fans, the two-touchdown loss to Oklahoma was debilitating, but combined with the rout at Iowa? That’s too much to forgive. As you saw, the college football playoff committee agreed with me.

And save me the “Clemson lost to Syracuse” verbiage. There was no “other” Clemson losses this season, and the Syracuse loss came when the Tigers lost their quarterback. Significantly more forgivable.

As for UCF … I watched them at length against Memphis, a good team on the fringe of the rankings. The Knights are a good team, too, but that’s about the limit. It took double overtime to beat the Tigers, and a great team would have not needed the extra sessions.

About the only other thing worth explaining, as far as I’m considered, is Stanford at No. 16. Not a big fan of the Cardinal after they should have lost to Oregon State, but lately they have been a better team.

Contact John Wagner at jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481, or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.