First AP Top Poll 25 Released
Alabama
Sixth time in history Bama is ranked number 1, 4th time under coach Saban
Ohio St.
Number 2 for the 8th straight season, one behind Oklahoma for starting second.
Florida State
They open the season against #1 Alabama in Atlanta to begin the season, so early test for Jimbo Fishers squad.
USC
USC hasn’t been this ranked high in the regular season since 2012 when they were #1
Clemson
They are coming off a National Title against Alabama, they lost multiple key offensive pieces to the NFL, they will have a young squad going into the 2017 season.
Penn St.
The Lions are coming off a tough Rose Bowl loss to USC. This is the 24th time they are in the Top 10 to begin the season, last time was 2010
Oklahoma
Bob Stoops is no longer at the helm for Oklahoma, so Lincoln Riley will be the new head coach so it will be interesting to see how Oklahoma does this season
Washington
Coming off a final four spot last year, Washington looks to make it back there. Last time they made it to the top 10 was back in 2002.
Wisconsin
The Badgers have a great senior class, they are not scheduled to play Ohio St. or Penn St. Michigan will visit Madison on Nov 18.
Oklahoma St
This is OSU third time in the last nine years where they appeared in the top 10. They won the Alamo Bowl last year.
Michigan
Michigan lost some key players to the NFL, but this I s the time where Jim Harbaugh can showcase the players he recruited.
Auburn
Auburn is the second highest ranked SEC team behind Alabama. The team will be tested early when they visit the defending champs Clemson in week
LSU
This is the 17th consecutive season where LSU has been ranked in the preseason AP poll.
Stanford
Stanford lost Christian McCaffrey and head coach David Shaw will be ready to lead Stanford to where they want to go in the PAC 12.
Georgia
Georgia is the highest ranked SEC East team in the poll. They look to remain in the poll this season because they finished the season last year unranked.
Louisville
Louisville has the reigning Heisman Trophy winner QB Lamar Jackson. He hopes to have the season he did last year and get into a major bowl game.
Florida
Florida opens up the season against Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. It’s the first real test for Florida.
Miami
This is the first time since 2010 Miami has been in the preseason poll. Like Texas, head coach Mark Ritch looks to bring back the competitive Miami Hurricanes. They face Florida St. in Week 3.
USF
Former Texas Longhorn coach Charlie Strong is at the helm. Many experts believe USF will have a successful season and they could be in contention for a New Year’s Eve Bowl game.
Kansas St.
First time since 2014 the Wildcats will enter the season as a ranked team.
Virginia Tech
The Hookies are one of the five ACC teams ranked. It’s their 3rd time in team history that the Hookies will start as a ranked team playing a ranked opponent
West Virginia
West Virginia will have an early test when they go to Landover, Maryland to play ranked Virginia Tech. Third time ranked in the poll under head coach Dana Holgorsen
Texas
This is the first year in the Tom Herman Era at Texas where he tries to return Texas back to “Texas Football.” Herman takes over the job that Charlie Strong once had.
Washington St.
First time being ranked in the preseason AP Poll since 2002. First time in years where Washington & Washington St. are ranked going into the season.
Tennessee
Tennessee returns six starters on offense and six starters on defense. Tennessee will look to make that next big step in the SEC.
