The Alabama Crimson Tide will once more enter another college football campaign as the top-ranked team in the nation. The Ohio State Buckeyes follow close behind at No. 2 with the defending-national champion Georgia Bulldogs coming in at No. 3. The Clemson Tigers, who failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, appear at No. 4 with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rounding out the top 5.
The highest Pac-12 team in the latest rankings is the Utah Utes, who enter the season as the No. 7 team in the nation with Oregon as the second highest ranked team in the conference at No. 11.
The Cincinnati Bearcats, the first team out of the Group 5 to make the College Football Playoffs, enter the year No. 23 with American Athletic Conference foes Houston Cougars following right behind them at No. 24.
Notable teams that are left out of the initial Top 25 rankings include Tennessee, Iowa, Texas, and Penn State. All four teams received more than 100 votes. Other teams that are most notable with less than 100 votes are LSU, Fresno State, Minnesota, and Flordia, who only received 14 votes.
When I first laid my eyes on these rankings for the very first time, there were a few things that stood out to me. USC enters the season as a Top 15 team in the country, which oddly enough didn’t surprise me. However, it’s still. The voters are very high on the Trojans after they landed former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams.
No doubt the Trojans will be very explosive offensively. However, I have major concerns regarding their offensive line and the defense in its entirety. It is without question that USC is the most overrated team in the preseason poll.
The second most overrated team is the Miami Hurricanes. Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE what Mario Cristobal is already doing in South Beach. I do believe he has this program back in the right direction. I just don’t see this year as the year they begin to compete for the ACC championship. Pittsburgh, Wake Forest (with a healthy Sam Hartman), N.C. State and Clemson are all competing for the conference title and it will be a challenge for the Hurricanes.
Speaking of Clemson, it’s understandable to list them in the Top 4. However, I think they should at least be in the lower half of the Top 10. This is a team with plenty of question marks at QB, along the offensive line, and cornerback. Yet, they still bolster arguably the deepest front seven in college football. I do see a path to where the Tigers return to the playoffs. A lot of that will depend on how the quarterback situation plays out, who steps up at cornerback, and if the offensive line can improve from this past season.
Oklahoma is another team I’m shocked to in the rankings altogether. Losing as much talent as they did after the Lincoln Riley fiasco could end up hurting their chances of getting to Arlington, Texas at the end of the season.
I’m ecstatic to see Brent Venables back in Norman as the head coach of the program he used to be the defensive coordinator for. And sure, they still have plenty of talent at wide receiver, a couple of potential pro prospects in the trenches, and maybe a better defense than a year ago. However, I just don’t see it with the Sooners this year.
One thing I’ve noticed as a complaint among fans is the lack of true diversity among the Top 5. It’s the usual suspects of Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, and Notre Dame. I had hoped to have seen someone like Utah spoil the part and shock the nation as a very high-ranked team heading into the season.
I’m a big fan of the Utes this season. QB Cam Rising has a chance to boost his draft stock this year and he’ll have a nice group of tight ends to throw to. Kyle Whittingham’s defense will be as good as ever and it’s a unit that bolsters Florida transfer LB Mohamoud Diabate and CB Clark Phillips. I’m willing to die on the Utes hill this season.
Do you guys think of the Top 25 rankings? Who is overrated or underrated? Let me know on Twitter @JRodNFLDraft.
