The AP college football top 25 preseason poll has come out and there are a few surprises and a few things that everyone expected. Once again, the argument surfaces that it is very hard for teams to “leap frog” over other teams during the season to move up and thereby improve their BCS chances and the ever present playoff argument comes up as well again. Those things just give people something to talk about – the BCS isn’t going to change period – so if teams move either way up or down in the polls it will take monumental efforts and monumental failures and playoffs in college football will never happen – the BCS system generates too much money and as we all know college football is all about the money – period. Now on to the poll.
1. Alabama – No surprise whatsoever. Last year’s champ. Defense is suspect. Same ranking in Coaches poll.
2. Ohio State – The Ohio State is back. A definite championship contender. Same ranking in Coaches poll.
3. Boise State – If top 3 undefeated, Boise doesn’t get the championship berth – college football isn’t fair. Ranked 5th in Coaches poll.
4. Florida – Could be a big year for the state of Florida and college football. Ranked 3rd in Coaches poll.
5. Texas – No Colt McCoy, no Jordan Shipley, seemingly no problem. Ranked 4th in Coaches poll.
6. TCU – Horned Frogs - great team – no chance at championship. Ranked 7th in Coaches poll.
7. Oklahoma – Looks like the heartland is back this year. Ranked 8th in the Coaches poll.
8. Nebraska – Can Nebraska get back to college football prominence finally? Ranked 9th in the Coaches poll.
9. Iowa – Buckeyes eye big season this year. Ranked 10th in the Coaches poll.
10. Virginia Tech – Big difference between this poll and Coaches – Coaches has VT 6th, which is probably too high.
11. Oregon – Ranked the same in both polls. Still a very exciting team to watch.
12. Wisconsin – Again ranked the same in both polls – consensus picks generally right.
13. Miami – Same ranking in the Coaches poll – the U is back and could be a big surprise in the ACC.
14. USC – This team is not even on the Coaches poll. New coach, tons of troubles, a lot to overcome.
15. Pittsburgh – Again not even on the Coaches poll, but lots of people think Pitt could do well this year.
16. Georgia Tech – Ranked 17th on the Coaches poll – a lot of people have high hopes for Tech.
17. Arkansas – Razorbacks getting a lot of preseason love this year – Ranked 19th on the Coaches poll.
18. North Carolina – Ranked the same on the Coaches poll – perhaps NC can play more than basketball.
19. Penn State – Ranked 14th on the Coaches poll – I’m thinking somewhere between 14 and 19 is more likely.
20. Florida State – Same ranking on the Coaches poll – the third Florida team in the polls this year.
21. LSU – Ranked 16th on the Coaches poll – some think they could give the SEC a run for its money – doubt it.
22. Auburn – Ranked 23 in the Coaches poll – Not sure it belongs in the top 25 on either at this point.
23. Georgia – Ranked 21st on the Coaches poll – People are assuming far too much with new QB situation – far too much the wrong way.
24. Oregon State – Ranked 22nd on the Coaches poll – Oregon teams again both in the top 25.
25. West Virginia – Ranked 24th in the Coaches poll – I think there a lot of teams that could go here instead.
Utah is not on the AP poll at all, tied for 24th on the Coaches poll. The last two spots on the Coaches poll could go to a lot of other teams. I have to agree though, there is very little chance of much movement in either poll as long as some catastrophic thing doesn’t happen. I think the AP poll has it more right at the top 10 than the Coaches poll does. A few teams I would have ranked higher or lower, but overall both are fairly right on. The championship is Bama’s to lose at this point. It will be great fun to see if they can do it.
