Tag: AFCA Coaches Poll

Texas in the top 20 of initial USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll

You can finally consider college football back with the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll out. Texas debuts in the poll as the No. 19 team.

You can finally consider college football officially back because the first preseason poll of the year is out.

The USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll was released Tuesday afternoon, with Texas debuting at No. 19. For the first time in years, this feels like the right position for the Longhorns to be ranked. Not too high, like the top 15 rankings in 2018 and 2019, but not low enough where they are dismissed as a solid football team.

Of course, Steve Sarkisian will want to push closer toward the top 10 as the season begins. An early win could help the cause with Louisiana being ranked No. 23. The matchup projects as Texas’ first ranked vs. ranked season opener since 1984.

Within the rest of the Big 12, two teams in Oklahoma (No. 3) and Iowa State (No. 8) are inside the top 10. The two are considered the favorites to win the Big 12 this season, finishing atop the conference preseason poll. Oklahoma State sneaked in the back door of the coaches poll, coming in at No. 22.

Full USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll:

Rank Team Points
1 Alabama 1621
2 Clemson 1508
3 Oklahoma 1481
4 Ohio State 1435
5 Georgia 1386
6 Texas A&M 1286
7 Notre Dame 1139
8 Iowa State 1131
9 North Carolina 999
10 Cincinnati 979
11 Florida 870
12 Oregon 842
13 Louisiana State 664
14 Southern California 655
15 Wisconsin 654
16 Miami (Fl) 575
17 Indiana 573
18 Iowa 554
19 Texas 427
20 Penn State 422
21 Washington 404
22 Oklahoma State 216
23 UL Lafayette 153
24 Coastal Carolina 150
25 Mississippi 149

Others receiving votes:

Utah 145; Northwestern 120; Arizona State 90; Auburn 84; Liberty 68; Brigham Young 53; Texas Christian 48; Michigan 30; Central Florida 29; NC State 27; Boise State 27; Kentucky 20; San Jose State 18; Army 13; Virginia Tech 9; Missouri 8; UCLA 7; Tulsa 6; Pittsburgh 6; Boston College 6; Houston 5; Ball State 5; West Virginia 4; Southern Methodist 4; Appalachian State 4; UAB 3; Arkansas 3; Nevada 2; Mississippi State 2; Air Force 2; Stanford 1; Marshall 1; Florida State 1; California 1.

Looking ahead to future conference members, six SEC programs are ranked. Alabama will be looking to defend their national championship as the No. 1 team in the country, while in-state rivals Texas A&M crack the top 10.

Georgia (No. 5), Florida (No. 11), LSU (No. 13), and Ole Miss (No. 25) make the poll as well.

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Where Michigan football’s opponents rank in preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll

#Michigan has some work to do if it wants to get into the good graces of the coaches.

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After a 2-4 season in 2020 and lots of questions about what the 2021 Michigan football team will be, it was obvious that the Wolverines wouldn’t be included in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. The maize and blue will have to earn a ranking — which it certainly could do early in the season with a win over Washington — but what about the teams they’ll face this college football season? Where do they rank?

Michigan did receive 30 votes, which would essentially put the Wolverines at No. 33 overall. And while some other teams in 2020 didn’t fare well — just like the maize and blue — they got more benefit of the doubt.

Of Michigan’s 2021 opponents, the following are ranked in the preseason poll: No. 4 Ohio State, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 17 Indiana, No. 20 Penn State and No. 21 Washington.

A win over the Huskies in Week 2 wouldn’t necessarily be enough to get the maize and blue into the good graces of the coaches, but with Wisconsin in Week 5, it could at least set up a potential ranked-on-ranked matchup — although that also depends on what happens in the Badgers’ season opener against Penn State.

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Full rankings:

Rank Team Rec. Pts. 1st Pvs Chg Hi/Lo
1 Alabama 0-0 1621 63 NR — 1/1
2 Clemson 0-0 1508 0 NR — 2/2
3 Oklahoma 0-0 1481 2 NR — 3/3
4 Ohio State 0-0 1435 0 NR — 4/4
5 Georgia 0-0 1386 0 NR — 5/5
6 Texas A&M 0-0 1286 0 NR — 6/6
7 Notre Dame 0-0 1139 0 NR — 7/7
8 Iowa State 0-0 1131 0 NR — 8/8
9 North Carolina 0-0 999 0 NR — 9/9
10 Cincinnati 0-0 979 0 NR — 10/10
11 Florida 0-0 870 0 NR — 11/11
12 Oregon 0-0 842 0 NR — 12/12
13 Louisiana State 0-0 664 0 NR — 13/13
14 Southern California 0-0 655 0 NR — 14/14
15 Wisconsin 0-0 654 0 NR — 15/15
16 Miami 0-0 575 0 NR — 16/16
17 Indiana 0-0 573 0 NR — 17/17
18 Iowa 0-0 554 0 NR — 18/18
19 Texas 0-0 427 0 NR — 19/19
20 Penn State 0-0 422 0 NR — 20/20
21 Washington 0-0 404 0 NR — 21/21
22 Oklahoma State 0-0 216 0 NR — 22/22
23 UL Lafayette 0-0 153 0 NR — 23/23
24 Coastal Carolina 0-0 150 0 NR — 24/24
25 Mississippi 0-0 149 0 NR — 25/25

Others receiving votes

Utah 145; Northwestern 120; Arizona State 90; Auburn 84; Liberty 68; Brigham Young 53; Texas Christian 48; Michigan 30; Central Florida 29; NC State 27; Boise State 27; Kentucky 20; San Jose State 18; Army 13; Virginia Tech 9; Missouri 8; UCLA 7; Tulsa 6; Pittsburgh 6; Boston College 6; Houston 5; Ball State 5; West Virginia 4; Southern Methodist 4; Appalachian State 4; UAB 3; Arkansas 3; Nevada 2; Mississippi State 2; Air Force 2; Stanford 1; Marshall 1; Florida State 1; California 1.
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