The Associate Press released its preseason poll Sunday, and besides Alabama, it’s unlikely that any other fanbase is happy with the rankings.
We believe your favorite team is ranked too low in the preseason AP Top 25. It’s an outrage.
— SB Nation (@SBNation) August 21, 2016
The good news is that with a loaded Week 1 slate, things will change. These games will all factor into the AP poll heading into Week 2:
- No. 1 Alabama vs. USC: Nick Saban’s squad is a solid double-digit favorite, but if the Trojans somehow pulled the upset, it would take a wild kickoff weekend for an SEC team (No. 5 LSU) to have the No. 1 spot going into Week 2. Three teams separate the Crimson Tide and the Bayou Bengals in the rankings, but all three play either Power 5 or ranked opponents.
- No. 2 Clemson vs. Auburn: If AU could pull the upset here, it would definitely be ranked in the next poll. It would also get LSU closer to the top spot if Les Miles’ squad takes care of business.
- No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Houston: A Cougars upset would be celebrated by LSU, but the Cougars’ bounce would do little to help No. 11 Ole Miss or No. 9 Tennessee.
- No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 11 Ole Miss: The Rebels just missed the cut for the top 10. A win over FSU would put them in the conversation for the top 5. They’re unlikely to be axed from the polls all together with a loss unless things get really ugly in Orlando.
- No. 5 LSU vs. Wisconsin: Even though a win over a Big 10 foe at Lambeau Field will look impressive on the overall resume, it’s unlikely to move the Tigers up on its own without some help.
- No. 9 Tennessee vs. Appalachian State: Considering the above five games, there could be some open slots for the Volunteers to move up in Week 2 assuming they take care of business.
- No. 16 UCLA vs. Texas A&M: The AP voters and Las Vegas handicappers disagree on this one. The Aggies are current one-point favorites per Vegas Insider. A win over the Bruins would get Kevin Sumlin’s squad in the Week 2 poll.
- No. 18 Georgia vs. No. 22 North Carolina: At No. 18, it’s uncertain if one loss would take the Bulldogs out of the AP poll, but it would likely make them the lowest ranked SEC team. If Kirby Smart can start 1-0 and the Seminoles take care of business, UGA could move ahead of Ole Miss.
- No. 25 Florida vs. UMass: The Gators should coast in this one, and are likely to move up slightly with so many ranked teams playing each other in Week 1. If many unranked teams pull upsets, however, UF’s bounce for Week 2 could be minimal.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
