2. It’s an SEC and Big Ten world, and now there’s no Big Ten
Clemson was ranked No. 1, as expected. And then …
Nine of the next 12 teams were from the SEC and Big Ten, and 13 of the top 25 were from those two conferences.
You were promised there wouldn’t be any math, but more than half of the AP Top 25 poll was taken up by the SEC and Big Ten, and it could’ve been even more lopsided.
In all, six Big Ten teams – Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa – are now out of the mix, but only three other ranked teams – Oregon, USC and Utah – won’t be playing.
Why does any of this really matter?
Considering the SEC will play an SEC-only schedule, the toughness of getting through the league will be weighed even more once those nine teams are out of the Week 1 rankings.
Kentucky, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and possibly others will all spend at least a little time in the top 25.