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The AP Top 25 was released on Monday, and you know what that means: The college football season is right around the corner. Fans start to get the itch as soon as summer begins, but it really starts to feel real when the AP Poll comes out. There weren't a ton of surprises in the preseason poll, but there is still a lot to discuss before Week 1 rolls around. That first week, by the way, features three top 10 matchups. Here are the full preseason rankings:
1. Texas (25)
2. Penn State (23)
3. Ohio State (11)
4. Clemson (4)
5. Georgia (1)
6. Notre Dame
7. Oregon (1)
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Miami FL
11. Arizona State
12. Illinois
13. South Carolina
14. Michigan
15. Florida
16. SMU
17. Kansas State
18. Oklahoma
19. Texas A&M
20. Indiana
21. Ole Miss
22. Iowa State
23. Texas Tech
24. Tennessee
25. Boise State
The Texas football team takes the top spot in the preseason AP Top 25, and that doesn't come as a big surprise. The Longhorns are loaded, and the Arch Manning era is about to begin. Two elite Big Ten programs fall behind Texas as Penn State and Ohio State round out the top three. Something to note: The last two national champions have been from the Big Ten, and they started the year ranked #2 in the AP Poll. Last year it was Ohio State, and the year before was Michigan. This year, it's the Nittany Lions.
One thing to keep in mind about the preseason AP Poll release is that these rankings mean literally nothing. The College Football Playoff rankings are the only ones that matter, and those don't come out until the season is halfway over. The AP Top 25 is fun and it's a good sign that college football is near, but it doesn't impact anything.
Another thing to remember is that these rankings will look completely different when the season comes to an end. Some of these teams will finished unranked, and some new teams will make their way in. Let's take a look at three squads that might end up ranked ahead of where they are starting:
No. 7 Oregon
The Oregon football team is coming in at No. 7, and that ranking is too low for a Ducks team that was arguably the best in college football last year. Yes, Oregon did not look good against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, but the Ducks did beat the Buckeyes in the regular season. With a better College Football Playoff format, the Ducks probably go to the national championship game and maybe play better against Ohio State without having such a long break from the bye. Oregon spent most of last year ranked No. 1 in the country, and it will be a national title contender again this season.
Oregon did lose some good talent to the NFL, including quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Having a returning QB is huge in college football, but the Ducks should be in good hands with former five-star Dante Moore. He is surrounded by good weapons like tight end Kenyon Sadiq, running back Makhi Hughes, true freshman star wide receiver Dakorien Moore and many more. The Ducks should be explosive on that side of the ball again.
No. 14 Michigan
Michigan coming in at No. 14 in the AP Poll makes complete sense given how the team looked last year, but don't be surprised at all if the Wolverines end up being a top 10 team. Michigan went 8-5 a year ago with an elite defense and one of the worst offenses tha we have ever seen from the program. The Wolverines didn't have a quarterback, and it cost the team the season. The fact that they were able to win eight games with that offense shows that this team should be a lot better this year.
The Michigan football team needs to be a lot better offensively, and with a new quarterback, that should be the case. True freshman phenom Bryce Underwood is expected to win the starting job for Michigan, and despite the lack of experience, he should be a major upgrade. Plus, with how good Michigan's defense should be, the team shouldn't need anything special from its QB to win 10 games in the regular season. Remember, this team beat Ohio State and Alabama last year while throwing for 137 combined yards. With just okay QB play last year, Michigan probably beats Illinois, Indiana and Washington and goes to the CFP.
Yes, Michigan is losing some good talent defensively, but those guys didn't play during the win against Alabama. We already saw what this defense is going to look like in that game, and it was scary. Plus, the Wolverines are getting defensive back Rod Moore back from injury. The defense is going to be good, and with Bryce Underwood leading the way offensively, this Michigan team can make some noise.
No. 20 Indiana
Are we already forgetting what the Indiana football team did last year? Are we already forgetting that Curt Cignetti simply wins everywhere he goes? After what Cignetti pulled off in his first year with the Hoosiers, it's pretty surprising to see that everyone is still doubting them. This team was in the basement of the Big Ten, and Cignetti immediately took it to the College Football Playoff. Then in the offseason, he brings in a quarterback who should be one of the best in the Big Ten in Fernando Mendoza.
A lot of people think that Indiana's miracle run to the CFP last year was a fluke, but be careful doubting Cignetti. Like he said, he simply wins everywhere he goes. He hadn't taken on a challenge like Indiana yet, and he somehow pulled off an incredible turnaround in his first season. It's time to start taking him seriously. The expectation for the Hoosiers is to make the CFP again. Anything less would be disappointing for Cignetti and Indiana.
The preseason AP Poll is here, and college football will be back on our televisions in less than two weeks. The season will start with a bang as top 25 teams Kansas State (17) and Iowa State (22) will kick things off in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland on August 23rd.
