Preseason AP poll released
After months and months of anticipation, and a few more weeks added to the wait thanks to the Power 5 conferences shifting to schedules featuring all or mostly conference play, the college football season is finally at our doorstep.
Training camps are up and running all across the Southeastern Conference, and believe it or not, we are just over a week away from actual college football games being played as Thursday, September 3 features two football games set to be played.
In anticipation of the coming season, the AP poll just revealed its first poll of the season — the 2020 preseason poll.
One important note, the AP made the decision to rank Big Ten and Pac-12 teams for this preseason poll but all those teams will be removed from the rankings once the season starts.
The official preseason AP poll for the 2020 season
#1 Clemson
#2 Ohio State
#3 Alabama
#4 Georgia
#5 Oklahoma
#6 LSU
#7 Penn State
#8 Florida
#9 Oregon
#10 Notre Dame
#11 Auburn
#12 Wisconsin
#13 Texas A&M
#14 Texas
#15 Oklahoma State
#16 Michigan
#17 USC
#18 North Carolina
#19 Minnesota
#20 Cincinnati
#21 UCF
#22 Utah
#23 Iowa State
#24 Iowa
#25 Tennessee
Others receiving votes:
Memphis 86, Virginia Tech 85, Boise State 68, Arizona State 66, Miami (FL) 42, Louisville 32, Appalachian State 26, Washington 21, Kentucky 20, Indiana 19, Baylor 15, California 11, TCU 9, Virginia 7, Navy 6, Florida State 6, SMU 3, Mississippi State 3, Air Force 3, Northwestern 1, UAB 1
I feel like UF should be higher than Penn State but whetever.
They will be after the first week of games.
Gatorfan, I agree that we should be ahead of Penn St. It’s silly and a stupid thing to do but it’s not the players and fans fault conference’s pull out. I guess they have to start somewhere.
9 teams in the top 25 that won’t even play. What a waste of time.
For real
@Marshgator……..Play or not. It’s where your ranked that would make me Leary. Let’s say they play. Are they better than Florida or not??? If they are. Then forget about winning the east!!!
You should probably forget about it anyway. Oh Mullen is TALKING AGAIN!!! Complaining about some warm-up rule. Then the media guy asked. Who reported you? Mullen said who do you think? And they said. GEORGIA. Mullen said y’all said it not me sarcastically!!!
Nobody is stupid. He put the media up to talking about it. So he could throw uga under the bus and giggle like the goof he is!!!! I hope he keeps talking!!! I really do!!!! Steve Spurrier talked to. Only he was much more clever and funny at times. But the biggest difference. His team’s went out and backed up the coaches talk!!! Dan Mullen is NOT IN THE SAME LEAGUE WITH STEVE SPURRIER!!!
Although I think Steve Spurrier would have it hard against Kirby and staff. And these dawgs. They have been a different breed under Kirby and will win multiple national championships before it’s over!!! But still if it was Spurrier, I would worry more!!!!
PS. I honestly don’t worry about Mullen at all. I only worry that maybe one of these times UGA just doesn’t show up. As long as we come to play. We will be fine.
KN
@GatorFan……..Not feeling the love? Media talk is just that, talk!!!! But Vegas does pay attention to rankings. And they attempt to get the AP right. But…..
The only problem is that these are still wrong!!! Clemson is always ranked based upon what they did against Alabama. But this is NOT the same team or players. And as much as I don’t like Alabama. The truth is that they were the better team both times that clemson won!!! Well that last clemson team was nearly even. But still they are gone!!!
You can’t keep ranking a memory!!!
But the fact that they have such an easy schedule year after year. You know they are getting in. But this time that’s as far as they go. No more national title games for clemson this year. The reason is simple. TWO SEC TEAMS ARE GETTING IN THIS TIME!!!! And the SEC is simply better than the ACC!!!
Even though I’m a bit worried about ugas front heavy schedule. I still think we get to the cocktail party either UNBEATEN or with only 1 loss. And if we do. History repeats itself for the 4TH STRAIGHT TIME!!! As uga runs wild on Florida. And uga should be the SEC EAST CHAMPION AGAIN!!! The problem with having 1 loss is that. Then you have to win the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME to get in the playoffs. I’m not sure that’s good. But it still seems true for uga.
But if UGA can somehow get to the cocktail party UNBEATEN. And then beat Florida again. Then not slip up the rest of the way with the backend of the schedule. Then uga makes it to the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME UNBEATEN. THEN WIN LOSE OR DRAW. THEY SHOULD BE IN THE PLAYOFF BASED UPON REGULAR SEASON ALONE!!!! If not then someone needs to be investigated!!! And if you were really truly wanting THE 4 BEST TEAMS. UGA SHOULD BE IN EVEN WITH 2 LOSSES. UGA CERTAINLY PROVED LAST YEAR. THAT THEY WERE HEADS AND TAILS ABOVE OU WHO GOT IN AND ALWAYS GET IN!!!
OU is another team that has been living off a memory of a great rose bowl loss to UGA! UGA didn’t come alive until the second half. And nearly gave the game away. But they triumphed over an OU team. That was much much much better than the ones who came after it. That was really still Bob Stoops team. And they had Baker and had beaten Ohio state on their own field by 2 or 3 scores!!! But that team is long gone. Now they are just a great offense with a defense just as bad as the offense is good!!! Undeserving is an understatement!!!
If UGA gets in again. And faces clemson. Then people will see what I’ve been saying. That UGA usually owns them. Not guaranteeing anything. Because I don’t want to do that. Clemson is a good team. But if the real uga bulldawgs show up. The tigers will look like they faced the hulk in a closed room!!!
PS. Alabama should have no problem winning the west. Unless they drop that early game in Tuscaloosa. Then it gets very interesting after that!!! But Alabama has an advantage being at home. And also they won’t still be breaking in a new offense. But maybe our defense comes in with A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDERS!!!
KN
Why is LSU still ranked #6? Based upon what? Their uniform maybe? Because that is the only similarities between this year’s team and last year!!!! I wouldn’t have them in my top 10!!!!
I think Kentucky could absolutely give LSU a game. If not beat them!!! I’m just hoping that there is magic in those uniforms by the time they play Florida in the swamp!!!
PS. Maybe someone else will get those cocky gators. LOL
KN
I have a question. If these rankings are to show who has the most talented team and not just favorites. Then WHY ISN’T UGA RANKED #1?
When it comes to 5 star talent. Clemson has 11 5 stars on their 2020 roster. Tied with Alabama who also has 11 on their roster. Including the bama bump guys.
Yet the university of Georgia only has a meager 16 5 stars on their current roster. After the ones that got drafted. To my count that is 5 more than clemson or Alabama. And I didn’t count but I’d bet we have as many or more 4 star guys than either of those schools.
Given, Ohio state not playing right now. So I didn’t count theirs. But I would bet Ohio state has the closest number to UGA of anyone. Might possibly have more. I’d have to count and see. But as far as just TALENT ON PAPER. UGA IS HEADS N TAILS ABOVE THE REST. At least the ones I’ve seen. I’m still looking.
But on paper. UGA IS THE TOP TEAM IN THE COUNTRY!!!! Now they just need to come together and get some chemistry. The defense needs to not take a single step backwards. The defense needs to live up to who they can be. THE BEST DEFENSE UGA EVER HAD!!!! That would be saying something. BUT ITS NOT ABOUT TALK OR RANKINGS!!!! It’s about working your guts out to get better and NEVER BE SATISFIED!!!!!
The whole team needs to do that. But I just wanted you all to see how delusional us uga fans really are.
PS. The 16 5 stars on our current roster doesn’t count many X 5 stars who had their stars stolen!!!!! THERE ARE LOTS OF THEM!!!!
King Negan
Wow….Louisville with more votes than Kentucky. This loses all credibility. Is this based on talent and experience or who plays in the sh*ttier conference and will end up possibly with more wins?
I agree UL is in no way better than Kentucky
I think they’re about the same offensively. But the defense makes Kentucky better.
Unfortunately, many voters vote this way to show how “smart” they are. The reward teams with weak schedules and punish those with difficult schedules. Instead of ranking teams by relative strength, the rank them by predicted final records.
It’s unfair, and stupid, and the opposite of the way it should be done.
Kentucky is better than Louisville. Kentucky might challenge for the east this year. Wasn’t it the Kentucky game that Franks got hurt in? And wasn’t Kentucky winning that game before the injury? I can’t remember.
PS. Mark Stoops is a much better coach than Mullen in my opinion. But it’s just an opinion.
Kn
Switch Wisconsin and Texas. Kentucky should be ranked if UT is. Florida is better than Pedo U.
not sure if serious…
Not sure if he’s serious about what?
Switch Wisconsin and t.u. for what reason? Just to be ahead of A&M? What’s the difference switching Penn State and UF when Penn State will soon be dropped from the poll. Sneak Kentucky in with UT? It’s nitpicking a useless preseason ranking.
Pretty sure he was referring to Texas, not A&M
Never mind, I read your comment wrong
Shockingly, not every ranking nitpick I have is centered around putting down and insulting TAMU.
Here is proof that with the exception of Ohio state. The big 10 are a bunch of overrated over hyped teams. Wisconsin is the proof. Every season for the most part. They have a respectable to good record.
Yet go to their roster. And all you will ever see is a bunch of 3 star recruits. With 2, 1 and no star players as well. It’s very extremely rare to see a 4 star guy. And nearly impossible to find 5 stars. Yet they always get respect in the polls. And they always seem like the only team that might challenge Ohio state. But then they usually crash and burn. Because Ohio state looks like an elite SEC roster.
Only just like clemson. The only iron they ever get sharpened by comes in the playoffs. It’s easy to get up for one game. Ask clemson. But Dabo acts like it’s not true. Although they did play A&M twice. They should have gotten beaten one of those games. The REFS absolutely gave the game to clemson!!! And yea, they play SC every year. But since they played NOBODY all season. Once again it’s pretty easy to get up for your heated in state rivals!!! If they weren’t the only team they play. Clemson would get beat more than you might think.
The year clemson beat Alabama for their last title. Clemson came close to losing in the ACC schedule twice!!! I believe once was the A&M game unless I’m confused. And the other might have been Syracuse? Or was it North Carolina? Or all of the above?
PS. I’m just saying that YES they snuck up on Alabama. It happens! But no way they were really the better team. They weren’t better than uga either!!! But Wisconsin is proof the big 10 is very very average except for Ohio state.
KN
They were the better team on that night. But not the best team!!!
KN
I think UK should be close to a top 25 team but thaving UK at 34 is a crime IMO.
Especially with less votes than Louisville and app state. Louisville…the team that’s scored 23 points total the last two times we’ve played.
@GoCats…….There is a reason we don’t use this poll anymore. Other than just for fun. Although I do think these polls affect the committee. They shouldn’t but I think they do.
PS. With as good as Kentucky has always been in basketball. Which do you personally enjoy the most. College Football or college basketball?
KN
No team that isn’t playing should be ranked. Period.
Agreed.
They gave their reasoning. They wanted to reveal what it would look like if every team plays. The article states after week 1 those not playing will drop off as well.
@Dale…….I agree. But maybe they feel sorry for the fans of those schools. And just want to give them a little something. Also probably holding out hope for a season to!
PS. Ultimately it won’t hurt anyone I wouldn’t think.
KN
This was a conspiracy to keep A&M out of the pre-season top 10.
Ranking teams before a single game is ridiculous. You can usually have a good idea of which teams are better than others but not to the extent of putting them in a definitive order. Some of these teams in the teens/twenties might show out and beat a bunch of teams they shouldn’t, but they will end up having to fight their way to the top of the list. Then, at the end of the season, if the playoff committee doesn’t like them then it didn’t matter anyway. Also, I believe this list was put together for talking points more than anything. After a few teams don’t play week one then they will get booted from the list. If they left Ohio State off of this list, just try and imagine the sh!t show that that would’ve started.
Lib 10 and Antifa 12 with teams ranked? Hard to win a chip when u don’t field a team. Typical for our time
Someone not reading the article? Typical of our time.
His level of education is revealed by his attempts at insults at the PAC-12 and BIG-10. Only a 4 year old would think that’s funny enough to type, and I don’t think he’s much smarter.
@MobileWildcat……..Maybe I missed something. But I think he is saying. That those leagues are run by people with Liberal views and Antifa sympathies. I’m not sure that he is not 100% correct. Because I don’t see why football can’t be played in those leagues. If they were sooooooo worried about the virus like they claim. Why are they still allowing all the terrorism in the name of protest?
I think his point. Is that Antifa wants to destroy everything American. Nothing more American than college football. And yea, I know the virus is hitting some teams hard right now. But that is only because their players are running out to the riots and bringing it in with them. It’s not from football. It’s from the lack of football!!!
Plus I hear of all these cases on teams. But tell me when a player is proven to die from covid. Not just a player dye who happens to carry covid. You see we are getting a lot of fake news about the virus. You can’t believe everything you hear or read. You know that.
PS. I’m not looking for a fight. I’m just giving an opinion.
KN
here…
#1 Clemson
#2 Alabama
#3 Georgia
#4 Oklahoma
#5 LSU
#6 Florida
#7 Auburn
#8 Texas A&M
#9 Texas
#10 Oklahoma State
#11 Florida State
#12 USCar
#13 Appalachian State
#14 Kentucky
#15 UCF
#16 Virginia Tech
#17 Miami (FL)
#18 North Carolina
#19 Louisville
#20 SMU
#21 Iowa State
#22 Tennessee
#23 TCU
#24 Mississippi State
#25 Missouri
fify
#11 FSU??? Second best team in the ACC?
Same reason as central.. Florida bias. Baylor and TxTec are home crying.
FSU is bottom-tier even in the Always Cushy Conference(ACC). Norvell has major problems there, after following Willie Taggart. FSU still has that name , but it’s badly tarnished now.
That’s what happens when you let the players run the program. It’ll be like that everywhere if the players are allowed to unionize.
He didn’t even rank Notre Dame. I know we like to make fun of them, but not even ranking them is just ridiculous, especially when FSU, SMU, and Missouri are all ranked.
No bias at #25 there.
no not really, statistically Mizzou has an upper half SEC defense, while I wouldn’t read too much into that, the real x factor is a new O Head Coach that can surely get more out of the O talent than Dooley ever did even with an all World QB. Based on SOS alone, if Mizzou wins 4 games they are top 25.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I’d rank a 6-4 Sun Belt team before I’d rank any team with a losing record. I’m not ranking a team with a losing record regardless of their SOS.
Most if not all the teams you listed from 12 to 25 are better than FSU
Very curious as to why Kentucky is at #14 and Tennessee #22. I see a lot of SEC fans with similar sentiment but don’t really see the same from the “experts.” Recent history certainly points to Tennessee being the better squad.
Kentucky returns pretty much their entire team minus Bowden, including getting their normal starting QB back from injury. Since they won 9 games last year without a true starting QB, it stands to reason they should be even better with everyone back and an actual QB.
Also, most “experts” are relying heavily on recruiting results from previous years, which once you get past the top 5-6 teams is usually an inaccurate measure of a team’s strength. Personally, I rely more on recent history and returning production.
In replace of Florida State, Virginia
first absolutely nobody who isn’t even practicing for their first game in a week or two. 1. LSU they stay there till someone proves otherwise 2. Alabama 3-8. your guess is as good as mine. 9-15. nobody from a group of five conference 16-25. Are you kidding me, all these teams lost a 5th of their rosters, it’s dumb to even try to rank them.
NO WAY THAT CLEMSON IS #1!!!! You probably should put UGA at #1. But at least put Alabama if not uga. Because clemson has an easy road and a good QB yes. But overall talent level uga is better than clemson. And I would say Alabama is to!!!
KN
I am just happy to be here… and surprised!
AMEN
Here’s a better top 25 (no Big 10 or Pac 12 teams)…
1. Clemson
2. Alabama
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma
5. LSU
6. Florida
7. Auburn
8. Notre Dame
9. Oklahoma State
10. Texas
11. North Carolina
12. Texas A&M
13. Iowa State
14. Cincinnati
15. Kentucky
16. Iowa
17. Memphis
18. Tennessee
19. Louisville
20. Miami
21. Baylor
22. Virginia Tech
23. TCU
24. UCF
25. UAB (because they can potentially dominate their schedule.)
Iowa (#16) is a Big Ten team.
I believe the AP writers will vote Ohio St number one at the end of the season. After all, they will be undefeated.
Why even list Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, etc. ? Their conferences quit & are not going to play football in 2020.
I’m wondering if maybe most of the writers hadn’t already submitted their ballots before those conferences cancelled, and so they just included them rather than have those writers make new ballots.
@rgo……….Yea, they will be UNBEATEN. But no, they won’t be #1. Simply because of their strength of schedule. It’s always bad. But this year they literally will have played NOBODY ALL YEAR LONG!!!! LOL
KN
1. Clemson
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. LSU
7. Auburn
8. Oklahoma St
9. Oklahoma
10. Texas A&M
11. Kentucky
12. North Carolina
13. Memphis
14. Baylor
15. Tennessee
16. Virginia Tech
17. Appalachian St
18. Kansas St
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. UCF
22. Iowa St
23. Louisville
24. Mississippi St
25. Miami
This is not how I think teams will finish. I rank teams based on how good I think they are right now, and how likely I think they are to beat all the teams ranked below them.
@Kody………No way. Based upon what? Why is Florida better than uga? Uga has won 3 years in a row. And have had 3 #1 classes in a row compared to Florida’s very average classes. And Florida lost every bit as much as UGA did. Only they don’t have all those elite classes!!!
UGA lost nearly nothing from their #1 RANKED DEFENSE FROM LAST YEAR. AND THEY HAVE IMPROVED!!! Ranked #1 last season and have improved. Florida lost their 2 top sack guys. Their #1 tackler in David Reese. And the #1 db in the country!!! Then on offense they lost their #1 running back. And they lost 3 top wrs in Cleveland, Swain and Van Jefferson. So again I say why? Just media HYPE?
I’ll give you the fact that they are SEEN as having a more stable QB in Trask. But he only played a half a season. Played horrible vs uga!!! So I’m not even sure they have a QB advantage. In fact I think uga is more talented at QB. And UGA has 2 former 5 star QBs and a high 4 star!!! And I’m glad Newman opted out in many ways. Because now we get to start the best QB and not just the graduate transfer!!!! And don’t listen to the hype about offensive line either. UGA IS STILL ELITE AT O LINE!!!
PS. I think people hope Florida is better. But they are not. Not even close to as good. You’ll see. Everyone will see!!!
KN
I don’t see Ohio State losing a game this season.
@Zynka…………Thats because they play NOBODY!!! Just like always!!!! LOL
KN