Tag: preseason poll

LSU among the top 20 in the preseason AP poll released on Monday

A look at where the LSU Tigers fall in the preseason AP poll.

On Saturday the LSU Tigers wrapped up the first week of fall camp with the scrimmage Saturday. The team now heads into week two before they begin to prep for the opener against UCLA in Pasadena.

Max Johnson and the offense look to get the team back on track in 2021. In the final two games of the season, the offense scored a total of 90 points, well the team did. Kayshon Boutte could be a rising star along with Johnson as the 2021 season gets going.

The defense with hopefully a healthy Derek Stingley Jr wants to fix a unit that gave up 82 points in that same stretch. As a whole, the unit surrendered more than 40 points in a game five times.

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LSU recently was ranked as the No. 13 team in the country according to the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. The team comes in as the No. 16 team in the preseason AP poll.

A look at the full Associated Press poll ahead of the season.

Full preseason AP Poll:

Rank Team Points
1 Alabama 1,548 (47)
2 Oklahoma 1,462 (6)
3 Clemson 1,447 (6)
4 Ohio State 1,393 (1)
5 Georgia 1,364 (3)
6 Texas A&M 1,223
7 Iowa State 1,160
8 Cincinnati 1,014
9 Notre Dame 1,009
10 North Carolina 999
11 Oregon 968
12 Wisconsin 743
13 Florida 728
14 Miami (FL) 663
15 USC 660
16 LSU 631
17 Indiana 549
18 Iowa 513
19 Penn State 456
20 Washington 449
21 Texas 350
22 Coastal Carolina 232
23 Lousiana-Lafayette 208
24 Utah 176
25 Arizona State 125

Others receiving votes:

Oklahoma State 107, Ole Miss 106, TCU 40, Liberty 36, Auburn 32, North Carolina State 14, Michigan 12, Northwestern 8, Boise State 7, Nevada 7, Brigham Young 6, Ball State 6, Houston 5, Boston College 5, UCF 5, West Virginia 3, UAB 2, Army 2, UCLA 2

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Oklahoma Sooners underrated in preseason poll; Texas overrated

Preseason poll reactions have Oklahoma underrated at No. 3, Texas overrated at No. 19.

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We have reached that point in the preseason: The polls are out and they are good for water cooler talk around the office. Whether you believe preseason rankings are irrelevant, they give you an idea of where the nation sees each team. For Oklahoma, the hype train has reached a fever pitch. The fan base and media alike see the Crimson and Cream competing for the CFP come January.

It is hard to fathom calling a No. 3 team in the country underrated, but that is exactly what 247Sports analyst Brad Crawford did. Oklahoma came in behind Alabama and Clemson in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday. The Sooners received two first-place votes.

College football diehards with their finger on the pulse of offseason narratives may have noticed the hype levels surrounding the Sooners this summer. For once, the noisy momentum is warranted. For starters, no team in college football likely feels better about its quarterback situation entering the season than Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma. Spencer Rattler returns with a year of experience in big games under his belt as the chosen one nationally — Heisman front-runner, face of college football, etc. But where this team goes from great to elite this season and potentially wins their first playoff game in Riley’s tenure comes on defense.

The offense is loaded. Spencer Rattler is chasing the Heisman Trophy and the elusive CFP semifinal victory. The defense is just as loaded, led by pass-rush specialist Nik Bonitto. Alex Grinch has turned the defense around after that abomination of an effort in 2018.

On the south side of the Red River, we have the Texas Longhorns coming in at No. 19. Crawford was not a fan.

Name recognition. As you know, it means everything in college football. Perhaps the Longhorns are over-inflated a bit heading into the season with a first-year starting quarterback and a brand-new coaching staff under Steve Sarkisian. The latest win total from Vegas oddsmakers stands at 7.5, which means Texas is just as likely to finish 7-5 this fall as it is 8-4 depending on how many games you think the Longhorns can win. Will Sarkisian’s offense click in Year 1? Are we expecting an improved defense under the tutelage of Pete Kwiatkowski? There are more questions than answers right now for the Longhorns, which begs the question — why did the coaches rank Texas inside the top 20?

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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Alabama takes top spot in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll

The Crimson Tide are once again at the top, but where are Alabama’s 2021 competitors ranked?

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The reigning national champions top the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll for the 2021 college football season.

Alabama may not return a lot of star power from the 2020 season, but that doesn’t affect the Crimson Tide’s placement in the polls, which shows how impactful young players are for this 2021 team.

Receiving 63 first-place votes, Alabama was not a unanimous No. 1: Two votes went to Oklahoma, which is ranked No. 3.

Overall, Alabama is scheduled to face five teams in the top 25 this season, including three in the top 15.

How the preseason top 25 stands:

  1. Alabama
  2. Clemson
  3. Oklahoma
  4. Ohio State
  5. Georgia
  6. Texas A&M
  7. Notre Dame
  8. Iowa State
  9. North Carolina
  10. Cincinnati
  11. Florida
  12. Oregon
  13. LSU
  14. USC
  15. Wisconsin
  16. Miami
  17. Indiana
  18. Iowa
  19. Texas
  20. Penn State
  21. Washington
  22. Oklahoma State
  23. UL Lafayette
  24. Coastal Carolina
  25. Ole Miss

Roll Tide Wire will continue to share weekly updates from the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.

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Texas cracks top 25 in preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll

The initial USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll has been released. For the first time since 2016-2017, Texas debuts in the preseason poll.

College basketball season is just around the corner and the initial USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll has been released. For the first time since the 2016-2017 season, Texas debuts in the first poll. The Longhorns are No. 22, the lowest of the Big 12 teams that are ranked.

Baylor leads the way in the conference, being the top team in the entire country. Head coach Scott Drew team has some of the best talent returning after going 26-4 last season. A national championship push is in store for the Bears.

As usual, Kansas (No. 5) is highly ranked, debuting in the top five for the seventh consecutive season. Texas Tech (No. 13) and West Virginia (No. 15) are the other Big 12 teams in the top 25.

Here is the full top 25:

  1. Baylor (0-0)
  2. Gonzaga (0-0)
  3. Villanova (0-0)
  4. Virginia (0-0)
  5. Kansas (0-0)
  6. Iowa (0-0)
  7. Wisconsin (0-0)
  8. Duke (0-0)
  9. Kentucky (0-0)
  10. Illinois (0-0)
  11. Creighton (0-0)
  12. Michigan State (0-0)
  13. Texas Tech (0-0)
  14. Tennessee (0-0)
  15. West Virginia (0-0)
  16. North Carolina (0-0)
  17. Arizona State (0-0)
  18. Houston (0-0)
  19. Florida State (0-0)
  20. Oregon (0-0)
  21. UCLA (0-0)
  22. Texas (0-0)
  23. Rutgers (0-0)
  24. Ohio State (0-0)
  25. Alabama (0-0)

Others receiving votes

Louisville 55; Florida 52; Michigan 38; Louisiana State 27; San Diego St. 23; Dayton 23; Richmond 21; Maryland 15; Indiana 14; Seton Hall 12; Memphis 12; Connecticut 11; Stanford 10; Oklahoma State 9; Northern Iowa 8; Brigham Young 8; Syracuse 4; Providence 4; Purdue 3; Arkansas 2; Western Kentucky 1; Stephen F. Austin 1; Saint Mary’s 1; Loyola-Chicago 1; Georgia Tech 1.

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Texas Longhorns Basketball: Big 12 preseason poll and awards announced

The preseason poll has also been released, with Texas slated to finish fourth. Matt Coleman has also been named preseason first-team Big 12.

Welcome to Texas basketball, where there is still a glimmer of hope.

For now.

The Longhorns ended the 2019-2020 season by winning five out of their last six games and sneaking to a third-place finish in the Big 12. While a first-round victory in the conference over Texas Tech would have been required to make the NCAA Tournament, Texas showed promise.

Nearly all of the production from that team will be returning to give it another attempt. Add in five-star power forward Greg Brown and Shaka Smart may have his deepest roster during his time in Austin.

Led by the three-headed combination at guard of Courtney Ramey, Matt Coleman, and Andrew Jones, the Longhorns’ frontcourt will prove to be one of the best in the Big 12.

Coleman could prove to be the best of the bunch, as he has been named to the Big 12 preseason first-team. Last season, the junior averaged 12.7 points and 3.4 assists per game. Also seen as an excellent defender, Coleman is finally molding to fit Smart’s system.

Here is the full team:

The preseason poll has also been released, with Texas slated to finish fourth. Baylor is projected to once again win the Big 12, while Kansas also got first-place votes.

Here is the full poll:

Texas’ full Big 12 games have been announced but a full schedule to include nonconference matchups has not been released. Home games against UTRGV, Sam Houston State, and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi are on the schedule, as is the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.

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The Longhorns’ season will begin the day before Thanksgiving on Nov. 25.

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Oklahoma basketball picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 in 2020-21 season

The college basketball season is happening. The 2020-21 Big 12 Preaseason poll has been released with Oklahoma coming in at number six.

The college basketball season tips off in less than a month, so the preseason selections are starting to roll in.

Yesterday, the preseason All-Big 12 team was announced with Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves gaining a selection. Today, the preseason Big 12 poll has dropped with the Sooners being placed sixth of the league’s ten teams.

That puts Oklahoma just ahead of in-state rival Oklahoma State who was place seventh despite the high amounts of expectation in Stillwater with projected lottery pick Cade Cunningham.

Last year, teams third through sixth all finished with identical 9-9 records in conference play – with the Sooners getting the nod as the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 tournament due to tiebreakers. Of course, the tournament would go on to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topping the preseason poll are the Baylor Bears receiving seven of the ten first place votes. Behind them are the Kansas Jayhawks who received the other three.

Oklahoma will take the floor for the first time on November 25th at home against UTSA, before opening Big 12 play in Fort Worth against TCU on December 6th.

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AP Poll: Texas lands at No. 14 in preseason rankings

After making the top 10 last season, Texas falls just short of that in 2020. Instead, the Longhorns debut at No. X in the preseason AP poll.

College football may look different this year, but you can expect preseason polls to remain constant. Even though the Big Ten and Pac-12 canceled their fall seasons, the AP poll is still including the two conferences in their initial poll.

After making the top 10 last season, Texas falls just short of that escalade in 2020. Instead, the Longhorns debut at No. 14 in the preseason AP poll. This marks the fourth year in a row Texas will begin the season ranked.

Here is the full top 25:

  1. Clemson
  2. Ohio State
  3. Alabama
  4. Georgia
  5. Oklahoma
  6. LSU
  7. Penn State
  8. Florida
  9. Oregon
  10. Notre Dame
  11. Auburn
  12. Wisconsin
  13. Texas A&M
  14. Texas
  15. Oklahoma State
  16. Michigan
  17. USC
  18. North Carolina
  19. Minnesota
  20. Cincinnati
  21. UCF
  22. Utah
  23. Iowa State
  24. Iowa
  25. Tennessee
Others receiving votes:

Memphis 86, Virginia Tech 85, Boise State 68, Arizona State 66, Miami (FL) 42, Louisville 32, Appalachian State 26, Washington 21, Kentucky 20, Indiana 19, Baylor 15, California 11, TCU 9, Virginia 7, Navy 6, Florida State 6, SMU 3, Mississippi State 3, Air Force 3, Northwestern 1, UAB 1

Related: Preseason Amway Coaches Poll: Texas cracks top 15

As for the rest of the Big 12, three other teams made the top 25. Oklahoma (No. 5) is the highest-ranked conference team, Oklahoma State (No. 15) is a preseason top 25 team for the first time since 2017, and Iowa State (No. 24) rounds off the conference teams.

Despite not having seasons, six Big Ten and three Pac-12 teams are ranked. Once the college football season begins on Sept. 12, schools from the two conferences will drop out of the poll.

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Texas listed as an overrated team in college football coaches poll

Texas is considered one of five overrated teams on the preseason Amway Coaches Poll.

USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg recently dissected the preseason Amway Coaches Poll to determine the five most overrated college football teams. Continue reading “Texas listed as an overrated team in college football coaches poll”

247Sports preseason poll projects Texas to finish fourth in the Big 12

247Sports polled several experts around its network regarding the projected order of finish in the Big 12 this season.

The expectations surrounding the Texas football program are sky high. Continue reading “247Sports preseason poll projects Texas to finish fourth in the Big 12”