AP Poll vs. Coaches Poll: Comparing the preseason polls
Now that the two major college football preseason polls have been released, football is indeed right around the corner.
The SEC led the AP poll with eight teams ranked, while the Pac-12 followed with six and the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC each had three.
Now that the two preseason polls have been released, let’s compare them side by side.
Coaches’ Poll | AP Poll |
1. Ohio State | 1. Ohio State |
2. TCU | 2. TCU |
3. Alabama | 3. Alabama |
4. Baylor | 4. Baylor |
5. Oregon | 5. Michigan State |
6. Michigan State | 6. Auburn |
7. Auburn | 7. Oregon |
8. Florida State | 8. USC |
9. Georgia | 9. Georgia |
10. USC | 10. Florida State |
11. Notre Dame | 11. Notre Dame |
12. Clemson | 12. Clemson |
13. LSU | 13. UCLA |
14. UCLA | 14. LSU |
15. Ole Miss | 15. Arizona State |
16. Arizona State | 16. Georgia Tech |
17. Georgia Tech | 17. Ole Miss |
18. Wisconsin | 18. Arkansas |
19. Oklahoma | 19. Oklahoma |
20. Arkansas | 20. Wisconsin |
21. Stanford | 21. Stanford |
22. Arizona | 22. Arizona |
23. Missouri | 23. Boise State |
24. Boise State | 24. Missouri |
25. Tennessee | 25. Tennessee |
Few takeaways:
- The top four in both polls are the same, with Ohio State, TCU, Alabama and Baylor at the top. That would be a nice final four this season and one that several expect to happen.
- The Coaches’ Poll ranked LSU and Ole Miss higher than the AP, and Arkansas noticeably moved into the top 18 in the AP poll.
- Coincidentally, the Coaches’ Poll and the AP Poll both had Mississippi State and Texas A&M the first two out, meaning the SEC West is close to having all seven teams ranked in both polls.