The College Football season is about to get underway in earnest; thus, it’s time to have a final look at the pre-season rankings. We all have our own views. However, it’s hard to argue too much with these, especially the top four. It has a rather familiar look to it with the two SEC powerhouses in the playoff places.
Ohio State has an outstanding offense and that should carry them through their B10 season, however, they start with a baptism of fire by playing No 5 Notre Dame in their opener. This should set the tone for the season for both. A close loss for either will still leave a CFP place open if they then win out, but a blowout loss will count heavy come season end.
Right now Notre Dame are our No 5 but we have concerns regarding the loss of long time Head Coach Brian Kelly. They also had a few of last year’s key players taken in the NFL draft who will need replacing. If they leave Columbus with a win then they should move up in the rankings.
Will Norte dame need Time to Adjust to Brian Kelly’s departure?
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Group of Five Teams & Independents
Four non-Power Five Teams are included two from The American Athletic Conference & Two Independents. Norte Dame is near perenially included but it is slightly surprising to see BYU in there.
They did go 10-3 last year, however, this year’s schedule is brutal early on and getting anywhere near last year’s total will be a major achievement. Still, it’s great to see them testing themselves rather than putting together an easy slate.
The AAC deservedly has a couple of representatives. Both Houston & Cinncinati look like having good swan song seasons before departing to the Big 12. We cant see the Bearcats repeating last year’s heroics but one of them is near certain to take the G5s “at large place” in a New Year Bowl. They are placed 23 & 24 but we think they should have been higher.
Should Be Included
In the lower reaches, we are a little surprised to see that neither Penn State nor Tennessee has been included. Both look set to have better seasons and we would have added both at the expense of Wake Forest & BYU.
Penn State should be 5-0 by the time they face Michigan and they played a whole lot better than their 2021 record would indicate. They might surprise a few in the Big 10 this year and we have them winning 10 games in our pre-season prediction.
Tennessee has a couple of tricky early games, against Pittsburgh & Florida but if they can gain revenge in them for last year’s losses they will get the voter’s attention. They have a couple of easy games in between too so could be 5-0 before entertaining Alabama in mid-October.
AP Pre-Season Top 25
1 Alabama
2 Ohio State
3 Georgia
4 Clemson
5 Notre Dame
6 Texas A&M
7 Utah
8 Michigan
9 Oklahoma
10 Baylor
11 Oregon
12 Oklahoma State
13 NC State
14 USC
15 Michigan State
16 Miami
17 Pittsburgh
18 Wisconsin
19 Arkansas
20 Kentucky
21 Ole Miss
22 Wake Forest
23 Cincinnati
24 Houston
25 BYU
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