1. AP Top 25 Preseason College Football Poll Winners and Losers
– Winner: ACC. There’s a whole lot of love being given to the ACC considering overall it’s probably just okay. Clemson (4) appears to be a killer, and NC State (13) might actually be underrated. Miami (16), Pitt (17), Wake Forest (18) isn’t bad – the league got a fifth of the preseason top 25.
– Loser: Mountain West. The Mountain West was terrific at times in non-conference games last season – especially against the Pac-12 – and had its moments in the bowls. Fresno State, Boise State, Utah State, and San Diego State were all in the Also Receiving Votes category, while the American Athletic Conference got Cincinnati (23) and Houston (24) in the top 24.
– Winner: Big 12. Forget the expansion and realignment. The Big 12 has Oklahoma (9), Baylor (10), and Oklahoma State (12) all in the top 12, and Texas is in the waiting room at, technically, 27th.
Accept realignment. In the 2022 AP Preseason Poll, six 2023 Big 12 teams – add Cincinnati, Houston, and BYU in the top 25, and nine teams – Texas, UCF, and Kansas – in the top 37.
– Loser: SEC. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Alabama and Georgia, and Texas A&M was overloved at the 6, but you have to go a long way to find the next SEC team with Arkansas at the 19. Throw in Kentucky and Ole Miss – and let’s give the ACC Notre Dame, just because of the tie-in – and the best conference in college football is close to tied with the ACC.
– Winner: Alabama. I won’t say who – even though I probably could since they publish their ballots – but I know a few voters who were really, really close to putting Ohio State No. 1. I honestly though this would be close and the Buckeyes would make a push after the Coaches Poll had Alabama with 54 first place votes and gave OSU just five.
Nope.
– Loser: Georgia and … the flawed concept that you’re the champion until you lose. That used to be a bigger thing than it is now – the AP used to determine the national champion. Georgia only got 3 first place votes – and it might still be the best team in college football in 2022. Now the No. 3 team in the country can play the disrespect card.
– Winner: Week 1 Thursday and Friday. There aren’t a ton of ranked teams before the big Week 1 Saturday, but Oklahoma State (12), Pitt (17), Wake Forest (22), and Michigan State (15) will be in the spotlight.
– Loser: Week 0. Soft opening Saturday is missing the snazz. Nebraska (1 vote) and North Carolina (12 votes) are the only teams that came close to being on the radar. Nebraska vs Northwestern will be fun, but the kickoff to the season doesn’t feature any ranked teams.
2022 AP Top 25 Preseason Analysis
Overrated | Underrated
Most loaded Also Receiving Votes ever?
Don’t like the Top 25, just wait
Winners & Losers
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