Today marks the day that we start our weekly top 25 poll. I am sure a lot of people will have strong opinions about how I ranked the teams. Feel free to leave your opinions in the comments section. I will take everyones opinion into account for next weeks poll if you can make a solid and reasonable argument for me to change anything before the season starts. Below the actual poll you will see some of the reasons and discussions I had with myself when I came up with the poll.
1.) Alabama
2.) Ohio State
3.) Stanford
4.) Georgia
5.) Oregon
6.) Clemson
7.) Louisville
8.) South Carolina
9.) Florida State
10.) Texas A&M
11.) Oklahoma State
12.) Florida
13.) LSU
14.) Notre Dame
15.) Nebraska
16.) Oklahoma
17.) Northwestern
18.) Texas
19.) TTUN
20.) Boise State
21.) Wisconsin
22.) TCU
23.) UCLA
24.) Kansas State
25.) Michigan State
The tough thing to do for a pre-season poll is to try and decide if the poll should be based on how teams look right now or how we think they will end the season. I think for this poll I have decided to pick my rankings based on how they look right now and not how I think the final poll will be. Here are some of the highlights and lowlights of my poll and my thinking.
– Alabama has earned the right to be ranked #1 until they are proven not to be. I don’t think anyone on their regular season schedule will be able to do that. Their schedule makes Ohio States look difficult.
– Ohio State just has too easy of a schedule and too much talent to not have a great year. Can something happen to trip them up sure that is always a possibility.
– Texas A&M fell in my poll because of the uncertainty surrounding Johnny Manziel. Even if he does play the whole season these massive distractions will take their toll on the whole team IMO.
– Nebraska has the offensive talent to make a real run at a B1G title if they can control turnovers and play halfway decent defense.
– Conference breakdown… SEC- 6 teams, B1G- 6 teams, Big 12- 5 teams, PAC 12- 3 teams, ACC- 2 teams, AAC- 1 team, MWC- 1 team, and Independent- 1 team.
– You can compare my rankings to the “professionals” by clicking this link.
The only issue I have is Oklahoma State. I think you might have them a little lower than I think they are. Looking at who is above them, I’m not sure who beats them, but just from a gut feeling, I think the other OSU (toOSU from here on out) is a top-ten team.