Initial Rankings Give a Snapshot of SEC and Big Ten Domination
The Associated Press released the always-anticipated NCAA Football preseason Top 25 poll yesterday, with the Georgia Bulldogs on top for the second straight season. Kirby Smart’s juggernaut has won two of the last three national titles and gone 42-2 over that span. QB Carson Beck leads a veteran roster with 15 All-SEC preseason selections. Ohio State received 15 first-place votes, compared to Georgia’s 46, and slot in at No. 2. A loaded transfer class, including Caleb Downs, has helped make the Buckeyes favorites in the Big Ten. Oregon received the only other first-place vote and rank third. Head coach Dan Lanning has won 22 of 27 games with the Ducks.
The continued impact of power conference consolidation can be seen in this year’s preseason rankings. A show of force from both the SEC and Big Ten means that Notre Dame is the highest-ranked team not playing in either of those conferences, coming in at No. 7. A whopping 15 of the 25 teams now compete in either of the SEC or Big Ten.
The defending champion Michigan Wolverines begin the post-Jim Harbaugh era at No. 9, while Washington, which lost to Michigan in the title game, did not make the list. Washington is the first team to reach the College Football Playoff final and not be ranked the following preseason. The Huskies lost head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama on the heels of Nick Saban’s retirement.
Catch up on all the latest Hobby & Sports News.
