College Football Top 25: Buying or selling the 2015 preseason rankings

Dec 31, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Justin Thomas (5) scores a touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second half of the Orange Bowl game at Sun Life Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated the Bulldogs 49-34. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Highest Rank:  12 (SN)
Lowest Rank:  19 (SI)

BUYING

Beat rival Georgia for the first time in years, play in the ACC Championship game, beat SEC big shot Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl and finish ranked 8th in the AP poll.

Start off in the bottom tier of the top 25 the next year.

How’s that for a lack of respect?

Despite the doubters in the triple-option system and Paul Johnson, this Georgia Tech team is for real, and they proved it by beating some pretty darn good teams last season. Unfortunately they also lost to some pretty bad ones, and due to the system they run, never seem to draw a lot of recruiting buzz (no pun intended).

Most analysts are looking at a lack of depth for the Yellow Jackets, which is a genuine concern, especially at quarterback. Justin Thomas is the first QB to show he can handle Paul Johnson’s offense in years, and if he goes down, that might be it for Tech’s season.

There are a lot of soft spots on the schedule for the Jackets this year, but a lot of potential pitfalls with Clemson, Florida State, Notre Dame and Georgia all posing threats for losses.

Next: Oklahoma