This wasn't an easy ballot.

One through five was easy enough. All are either undefeated or have just FBS losses. Six through nine is where it gets tricky.

I made Northern Iowa No. 2 because it has the best loss of the four teams, but its a circular thing. I made Southern Illinois No. 3 because of its good win over Northern Iowa. The reason SIU is an acceptable loss is because beating Northern Iowa is a good win. So maybe they're both overrated.

The CAA triumverate that follows was even more ridiculous to sort out. I'm a big believer in weighting head-to-head heavily, BUT I watched New Hampshire look not so good in losing to UMass. So of the three some UNH has by far the worst loss of the group and it happened the most recently. If New Hampshire had beaten Villanova in the Philly suburbs I might have put UNH at No. 7, but I convinced myself that because Wildcat vs. Wildcat was close in the Granite State, Nova might have won if that game was at Villanova.

So I put Nova at No. 7. W&M and UNH haven't played yet. W&M's loss is better. UNH has better wins. I put W&M at No. 8 because I didn't want Villanova and UNH back-to-back because of the head-to-head factor.

There is no right answer.
UMass is my No. 16.

1. Richmond
2. Montana
3. Southern Illinois
4. Elon
5. Stephen F. Austin
6. Northern Iowa
7. Villanova
8. William & Mary
9. New Hampshire
10. Appalachian St.
11. Cal Poly
12. South Carolina St.
13. Jacksonville St.
14. Delaware
15. McNeese St.
16. Massachusetts
17. Central Arkansas
18. Weber St.
19. South Dakota St.
20. Colgate
21. Montana St.
22. Lafayette
23. Holy Cross
24. Morgan St.
25. Eastern Illinois