AP voter draws backlash after bizarre Top-25 ballot following Florida upset

An Associated Press college football voter sparked widespread criticism after submitting a Top-25 ballot that elevated the University of Florida despite the Gators' upset loss to unranked South Florida.

Haley Sawyer, who covers the Southern California Trojans for the Orange County Register and is one of the sportswriters who votes in the weekly AP poll, placed Florida at No. 14 this week after listing the Gators at No. 16 a week earlier. Florida lost 18-16 at home to South Florida on a last-second field goal by Nico Gramatica, who is the son of former NFL kicker Martin Gramatica. South Florida, the game’s winner, did not appear on Sawyer’s Top-25 ballot.

The inconsistency prompted thousands of responses on social media, with some users calling on The Associated Press to remove Sawyer’s voting privileges and others demanding she be fired. Several critics used strong language to describe the ballot, and commentators on sports platforms highlighted the apparent contradiction of moving Florida up after a loss while omitting the team that beat them.

Sawyer addressed the criticism in an online interview but offered limited detail about her methodology. She said she did not “want to go too much into my process,” and added, “It’s really fun but it doesn’t probably matter in the end.” Her X account is set to private, and she posted an Instagram photo with the caption, “Imagine hating me and I’m just at work like.”

Former players and media figures weighed in with more measured responses. Former NFL and Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell cautioned against singling out Sawyer, noting other voters have submitted ballots that observers considered flawed. Still, some fans argued the ballot is consequential beyond mere hobbyist ranking, saying AP placements can influence recruiting, television scheduling, name, image and likeness opportunities and other revenue-related matters for programs.

The AP poll, first published in 1936, is determined by a panel of sportswriters and remains a widely cited weekly snapshot of college football perceptions. A separate coaches’ poll has existed since 1950. Neither the AP poll nor the coaches’ poll is used to select teams for the College Football Playoff. The CFP rankings, which are released beginning in November, are produced by a 13-member selection committee that evaluates teams on criteria such as strength of schedule, head-to-head results, conference championships and results against common opponents. The expanded playoff field now selects 12 teams for postseason play.

Criticism of individual AP ballots has flared periodically in recent seasons as fans and analysts scrutinize week-to-week movement. Some critics in this case argued that voters should recognize the practical effects of public rankings on program perception and revenue, while others dismissed the AP poll’s direct influence on postseason fate.

The Associated Press did not immediately issue a public statement about Sawyer’s ballot. The incident renewed debate about the role and responsibilities of individual voters in a poll that, while historically significant, is not part of the official College Football Playoff selection process.

Sawyer’s ballot will remain part of the AP poll record unless the organization announces changes to its voter roster or procedures. The College Football Playoff committee’s rankings, which carry formal postseason implications, will begin to factor into the national picture later in the season.