NCAA.com’s updated preseason top 25 for 2020 includes 6 SEC teams
By SDS Staff
Published:
No matter the time of year, someone is always ranking college football teams. After the national championship game, a flood of “way-too-early” rankings emerge. Some publications update their rankings after February’s National Signing Day. Post-spring practice rankings are also common.
With spring practice on hold, and looking unlikely to happen, NCAA.com decided to get an early jump on preseason rankings. The site’s senior interactive producer Wayne Staats recently updated his top 25, including six teams in the top 25. All but one of those teams is in the top 10.
- No. 3 Alabama
- No. 4 LSU
- No. 5 Georgia
- No. 9 Florida
- No. 10 Auburn
- No. 13 Texas A&M
Here’s what Staats had to say about giving the Crimson Tide the highest-ranking in the SEC:
Tua Tagovailoa is gone, but the offense should still be among the nation’s best — no matter which player lines up at QB. Mac Jones passed for 327 yards and three touchdowns in the bowl win vs. Michigan, plus there’s 5-star QB Bryce Young. On defense, linebacker Dylan Moses returns after missing last season with a torn ACL.
Only Clemson (No. 1) and Ohio State (No. 2) are ranked ahead of Alabama. Staats certainly won’t be alone in putting the Tigers at the top of the rankings, especially considering the star power returning for Dabo Swinney’s squad in 2020:
This was set regardless of what happened in New Orleans. QB Trevor Lawrence could be the clear Heisman favorite going into 2020, plus he’ll get to throw to Justyn Ross. And in big news, RB Travis Etienne, the Tigers’ all-time leading rusher, said he’s coming back for 2020. There will also be turnover on the offensive line and with losing key defensive standouts, but DC Brent Venables will keep this a powerful unit. The incredible recruiting class will help.
The full top 25 can be viewed here.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
