The Associated Press just dropped its preseason college football Top 25. What are the initial takeaways from the rankings?
The college football season is finally here with games this week. After months of waiting and debating, we finally get to see the games be played. As always, the start of the season was prefaced with the AP preseason rankings poll, where members of the media rank the 25 best teams in the country.
With this year’s rankings finally out, we get a starting place for the top teams in the country. What stood out from the rankings, however?
Clemson and Alabama are above the rest
We knew this going into the season. Clemson being ranked as the best team in the country should come as no surprise, with the Tigers receiving 52 of the 62 first-place votes. The other 10 went to the Alabama Crimson Tide. It appears as if these teams are set for another collision course in the College Football Playoff.
The ACC is a one-team conference
The Clemson Tigers are heavy favorites to win their conference, but it’s not solely because they are so good. The other teams in the ACC are significantly bad, with only Syracuse being ranked in the top 25. Miami, Virginia, and Virginia Tech all received votes, but none were enough to crack the rankings. It would be an absolute shock if Clemson managed to lose the ACC in 2019.
The Pac-12 should be an interesting competition
The Pac-12 hasn’t had a team in the College Football Playoff since Washington lost to Alabama years ago. Although they have no teams in the top 10, the Pac-12 at least looks to finally have an interesting competition between Washington, Utah, and Oregon, all ranked in the top 15. It might end up where these teams just all beat each other and keep any of them from making the CFP, but hopes should be high for the conference.