Preseason AP Poll Thoughts And Observations
We're so back. This Saturday will be the final one without college football until January and now we have the AP Top 25 that we'll begin the season with in just two weeks. With the teams that will begin the season ranked unveiled, here are just some quick takeaways from the (ultimately meaningless) first poll.
- I can't wait to see how Georgia spins the "nobody believed in us" narrative after their third consecutive national title when they were ranked preseason No. 1.
- I understand that it's Alabama, but the No. 4 team in the country should probably have a better quarterback situation than a battle between Jalen Milroe and Tyler Buchner.
- I sure hope LSU is as good as people think they're going to be. Jayden Daniels is pretty good and Brian Kelly seems like he'll have the Tigers in the national title hunt again soon, but that was a four-loss football team last year that needed a couple bounces to beat Arkansas and Auburn — not to mention the one-point win over Alabama. They'll be a good team, but I need to be sold on Top 5.
- Clemson is not a Top 10 football team. They'll do well enough just because they play in the ACC, but I wouldn't be shocked if the Tigers lost three games this season. Cade Klubnik is not him.
- In 20 of the last 21 seasons, a team ranked in the preseason Top 10 has finished the year unranked. That team this year will be Washington. The Huskies play Boise State and Michigan State in non-conference, get Oregon in October and then have a November stretch of at USC, Utah, at Oregon State. Any regression at all from Michael Penix Jr., who was outstanding last season, and the Huskies could be in trouble.
- Texas might actually be back.
- Notre Dame intrigues me a lot. With a year under Marcus Freeman and Sam Hartman taking over at quarterback, don't be surprised to look up and see the Fighting Irish travel to Clemson at 8-1 in November fighting for a College Football Playoff spot — or if they take down Ohio State in South Bend.
- We're really doing this with Texas A&M again, huh?
Man, I'm fired up for the season. We're so close. Get all your errands done this weekend.