I'm with Bill. Who cares if MSU was ranked when they played ND, or even
OSU (which MSU was)
What matters is, when you do your ballot Bill's way, is a re-evaluation each week of what teams have to show for the season, and how that compares against eachother.
Fact is,
OSU beat the same MSU team Purdue did. They weren't any better or any worse one week over the other. It's perception of being better, not actually being better you're talking about JCF.