College football expert predicts Preseason AP top 10
The Associated Press won’t release its preseason poll until August, but one college football expert has offered his prediction of who will be ranked in the top 10 this summer.
Phil Steele, a nationally recognized college football analyst, sees three SEC teams making the AP’s initial top 10:
- Alabama
- Clemson
- Oklahoma
- Florida State
- LSU
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Baylor
- Stanford
- Tennessee
Steele predicts four or five teams will earn first-place votes, but defending champion Alabama should come away with the most.
For LSU’s No. 5 ranking, Steele cites the Tigers’ 18 returning starters, including preseason Heisman candidate RB Leonard Fournette.
With Tennessee returning 17 starters, including veteran leaders QB Josh Dobbs and RB Jalen Hurd, Steele thinks the voters will be feeling the Volunteers this summer.
Some fans will certainly chime in that preseason rankings don’t matter, as it’s the end of the season rankings that actually mean something. Even though the AP poll does not officially factor into the College Football Playoff, it’s certainly a factor in how teams are perceived by the committee.
Unless there’s an SEC team not on the list who will run the table, Alabama, LSU and Tennessee could be getting some help by starting with a high ranking.
Tennessee and LSU will fade like they always do.
…says the Georgia fan.
Bwahahahaha
The Auburn fan laughing? At least Tennessee has room to talk…
You mean the way LSU disappeared in the SEC title game in 2011?
More like disappeared since then…you know, like on 9/28/13 in Athens.
Nah, seriously though, LSU is my early pick to win the West this year.
Well to be fair LSU did disappear in the BCS CG.
All depends on the quarterback play.
I sort of think Georgia, with Eason at QB, will make the most noise in the East.
I agree, that giant thud sound that Georgia football makes falling flat on its face will be loud.
You’ve said that twice now. LSU has finished 5 spots below their preseason AP poll twice in 11 years. UGA has finished 5 spots below their preseason ranking 6 times in the last 11 years. Be careful not to cut yourself throwing rocks in that glass house.
Thank God no mention of Auburn. It’s truly the kiss of death when they have high expectations.
I know theyre not SEC, but I’m curious about Fl. State. They’re bringing a ton of starters back and they’ve been calling Deondre Francios the messiah since Jameous moved on. I’m not saying he’s the second coming, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. Truthfully, considering what Clemson lost in the draft, FSU seems to be the ACC team to beat.
I’m sticking with Clemson as my pick out of the ACC…BUT…you’re right, FSU is a team to keep an eye on. Those two playing each other will be a fun game to watch.
After Week One, both Auburn and Ole Miss will be O and 1.
While I think it is a reasonable stab at the AP, I’m still laughing. OSU is going to be a huge dud, and they have a tougher schedule than the best teams they had did. They very well could lose to Tulsa AND/OR Bowling Green and then they play Oklahoma. That’s Sept. Bet they wouldn’t have picked those particular teams for their ‘cupcakes’ if they had a crystal ball. I see them with 4-6 losses. Ohio State’s reign of the B1G is coming to an end. FSU should probably be 1, Bama 2, Clemson like 5, and Houston would be a reasonable 10. With Buckeyes out, just shift the others in place, though I might be tempted to put Baylor at 9 and tie TCU at 10 with Houston. The only thing about TCU and Baylor is that neither team has proven they can play defense for the past decade. But they return A LOT of offensive talent, and the little 12’s 10 are learning.
Scratch Baylor and TCU and put OSU (OK state) at 9. I see depth continuing to be an issue with those two and OSU returns a lot and has a semblance of a defense.
Where’s ND? You KNOW the AP will have them in the top 10