We’ve seen how the ESPN’s simulation-based Football Power Index ranks the top 25 heading into the 2019 season. Throughout the summer we’ve seen preseason top 25 rankings from various media members. So how do the World Wide Leader’s college football writers rank college football’s top 25? On Monday we found out.

ESPN.com posted the writers’ preseason college football power rankings. The writers voted defending national champion Clemson No. 1 with Alabama and Georgia right behind at Nos. 2 and 3, something you can expect to see in many preseason top 25 rankings. Four other conference teams – Auburn, Florida, LSU and Texas A&M – were also included in ESPN’s preseason top 25 power rankings. Here’s where all six SEC teams checked in:

  • No. 2 – Alabama
  • No. 3 – Georgia
  • No. 7 – LSU
  • No. 9 – Florida
  • No. 12 – Texas A&M
  • No. 16 – Auburn

As we’ve seen before, the ESPN computers (FPI) are higher on the SEC than the writers. The FPI put 10 conference teams in the top 25, higher on LSU (No. 4), Florida (No. 8), Auburn (No. 9) and Texas A&M (No. 11), Tennessee (No. 15), Mississippi State (No. 16), South Carolina (No. 18) and Missouri (No. 19). The ESPN writers’ power rankings do closely resemble the preseason Coaches Poll, which also included the same six SEC teams in the top 25 (also in top 16 to be more exact).

And if you’re wondering, no Greg McElroy was not one of the voters for the above power rankings. The full top 25 can be found here.