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Five teams that were snubbed in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll

One of the most tired clichés in history is, "it is not where you start, it’s where you end." Rarely is that true in college football, where teams near the top of the poll usually stay in the rankings, with a few surprises and the inevitable disappointments usually means their coaches is in danger of losing his job.

While the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll isn’t that kind of Miss Cleo predictor, the five teams on this snubs list can take solace that they are starting the season just like other teams in Bowl Subdivision: with a record of 0-0 with championship aspirations no matter how realistic or absurd those dreams may be.

Here are the biggest snubs in the preseason poll, who should have been included but were left out.

Iowa

It seems every few years Iowa surprises people and they used a suspect 2021 schedule to get all the way to the Big Ten championship where they were exposed and humiliated by Michigan. Despite the talents of all-world center Tyler Linderbaum, the Hawkeyes were next to last in the conference in total offense, rarely scared defenses with their passing attack and averaged a little more than three yards per rush.

The combination of Spencer Petras, or whoever is going to be QB1, and tight end Sam LaPorta is key and Iowa must find another playing making wideout to keep defenses honest.

Iowa ranked in the top 10 in turnover margin, while leading the nation in interceptions and must sustain that productivity and rely on its outstanding linebacking corps to compete with Wisconsin along with Ohio State and Michigan, who join the schedule this season.

LSU

One thing is for sure. The leadership down in the Bayou are not paying Brian Kelly $95 million to go 6-7 like the 2021 Tigers did. Kelly has big shoes to fill as the last three LSU head coaches went on to win national championships. No matter what his contract says in terms of length (10 years in this case), the 60-year-old Kelly knows the leash is short and anything outside of holding a trophy in mid-January is simply unacceptable.

It’s not like LSU is devoid of talent. They generally recruit well, but getting back to becoming a respectable unit is not that far off. If the defense can get back to stopping the run, they will be fine. But the key is shoring up a leaky offense line and figuring out quarterback position, including Jayden Daniels from Arizona State.  Anytime you are dealing with the gauntlet called the SEC West, which has gotten more coaches fired than any other in the past 15 years, nothing is assured.

North Carolina

The Tar Heels were the preseason darlings last season, starting off in the top 10 armed with a potential Heisman candidate (QB Sam Howell) and a Hall of Fame coach. They promptly lost their first game and then watched their defense give up six yards a play, while also losing to the likes of Georgia Tech and Florida State.

UNC has an absolute stud in wide receiver Josh Downs and the inevitable questions at quarterback and offensive line will linger without improvement. Despite having an offense that ranked in the top 10, more often than not Howell was running for his life, going down nearly 50 times in 2021.It seems the entire Coastal division got better and now Carolina is looking up at Miami, who brings in coach Mario Cristobal , and the often-forgotten Pittsburgh, who happen to be the defending conference champion. So, it may be a good thing to fly under the radar as tampered expectations could lead to a few upsets.

Penn State

It seems year in and year out, the Nittany Lions have the talent to compete for Big Ten and national championships, but somehow always come up short. Last year, Penn State started 5-0 before things went downhill, resulting in a three-game losing streak. They lost their seven games by an average of 5.8 points, and had ample chances to win each.

Quarterback Sean Clifford is back for a sixth year, and coach James Franklin vowed to the Happy Valley fan base that whatever issues have plagued his team over the past two years that it will get fixed.  Here is an alarming thing they can start with: No running back gained 100 yards in any game in 2021. As with all of the teams on this snubs list, replacing departed production will mean success in 2022.  In this case it’s the 91 catches of Jahan Dotson, now in the NFL. Ex-Miami head coach Manny Diaz is in control of the defense, which was stout at times and returns ball hawk Ji’Ayir Brown and other capable young playmakers on the front seven.

Tennessee

Josh Heupel’s second season success will likely begin and end with quarterback Hendon Hooker, who threw for 2,945 yards with 31 touchdowns and only three interceptions in 2021. Hooker and his top target, Cedric Tillman (64 catches, 12 TDs) will give opponents fits all season.

While the offense has the ability to score with anyone in the nation, stopping anyone was an issue as their defense was on the field for more plays than any other team in the SEC and gave up nearly 30 points a game.

When the defense didn’t get to the quarterback on a consistent basis, it spelled trouble giving up an absurd 97 plays that went for 20 yards or more. The first six weeks are key as they play at Pittsburgh and have Florida, LSU and Alabama before the middle of October.  Getting off to a fast start is key and if they don’t, the usual pessimistic rumbling from the Tennessee faithful could lead to another disappointing season.  

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8 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

 

Where the Longhorns belong in the top 25 - if they belong at all - will become clearer after Week 2, when they host consensus No. 1 Alabama in a major early season tilt. 

 

Well….. they beat Ole Miss by 20+ Last year, and they finished 11th. They’ve beaten a CFP team 5 different times by 17+ points, so that lands you a top 5 spot. 

I’m guessing as long as we can stay within 30, a nice bump into the top 20 seems justified.

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13 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Quinn Ewers brings 5-star pedigree to the quarterback position, but is yet to throw a pass, and sits behind one of the worst O-lines and a defense that ranked 102nd last year.

This seems like an exaggeration. I think the OLine will wind up being average - maybe pretty good by the end of the season. Another year for pretty much every current starter under Flood* plus a couple freshman that we may plug and play - I find it hard to believe Texas will have "one of the worst" O-lines in the country. 

I'm probably more concerned about the D line.

Edited by ztejas
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38 minutes ago, Samson's Wig said:

Houston showing up on these polls is puzzling.  I know they win games in their dinky conference, but the only teams with a pulse they played in the regular season last year were TTU and Cincinnati and they got smoked.

I mean they went 12-2. There's only so many good teams in the country. They were a better team at season end than when they played Tech, SMU was playing pretty good ball when they beat them, they beat Auburn in their bowl. 

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AP Preseason Poll 2022: Complete College Football Rankings Released

ROB GOLDBERG      AUGUST 15, 2022

k5e6ojkwzvciotez5msm.jpg

Alabama enters the 2022 season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll as a clear favorite to win another championship.

The Crimson Tide lost to Georgia in the national title game last season, but a strong returning core of players makes Alabama the team to beat once again.

Ohio State is ranked second in the preseason poll while Georgia, Clemson and Notre Dame also sit in the top five ahead of the Aug. 27 start of the regular season.

Here is a full look at the Top 25.

Preseason AP Poll

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. North Carolina State

14. USC

15. Michigan State

16. Miami (FL)

17. Pittsburgh

18. Wisconsin

19. Arkansas

20. Kentucky

21. Ole Miss

22. Wake Forest

23. Cincinnati

24. Houston

25. BYU

After the Amway Coaches Poll listed Alabama as the No. 1 team, there was little surprise the Associated Press would mirror the top of the rankings.

Besides the consistency of head coach Nick Saban, who has won six national championships in the last 13 years, the main reason for the confidence in Alabama is quarterback Bryce Young. The junior won the Heisman Trophy last season after totaling 4,872 passing yards with 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Even after losing top receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie III, Young should still post big numbers in 2022 while leading an elite offense.

On the defensive side, Will Anderson Jr. is looking to continue his form after totaling 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss in 2021.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. listed Anderson and Young as the top two prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class, indicating the high-level talent on the roster.

Ohio State also has a star-studded roster led by quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw 44 passing touchdowns last season with only six interceptions. His connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be the best in the country in 2022, making the Buckeyes a dangerous team offensively.

Georgia remains a team to beat after winning last year's championship, especially with quarterback Stetson Bennett still on the roster. The challenge will be reloading a defense that had five players drafted in the first round last April, with eight defensive players drafted in total.

It could be a tough challenge for head coach Kirby Smart, especially early in the season.

Other top teams are also looking to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff this year, including Texas A&M and Utah trying to break into top four.

No. 14 USC could be a sleeper to watch in the first year under Lincoln Riley, especially after bringing in Caleb Williams and several other instant-impact transfers.

Texas—which had one first-place vote in the coaches poll—is unranked in the AP poll

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We have not started the year unranked since Charlie was here when we started, and finished, unranked in all 3 seasons. In total we have started unranked in 5 seasons (1990, 2011, 2014-2016) and only finished ranked once in 1990 coming in at #12. 

https://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/appearances-preseason-team.cfm?teamid=66

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Screenshot_20220815-113625_kindlephoto-8869354.png.b73b78f9d8a0da2337ed278f3a4d9fbf.png

 

Edit:  

25. BYU  234 votes

FYI --  Others receiving votes:
Tennessee 180, Texas 164, Iowa 163, Penn State 160, LSU 55, Fresno State 32, Minnesota 31, UCF 27, Purdue 17, Mississippi State 15, Auburn 15, Florida 14, Kansas State 14, North Carolina 9, Boise State 5, Air Force 4, Appalachian State 4, South Carolina 2, UCLA 2, San Diego State 2, Utah State 2, Nebraska 1

 

Edited by LTtxfan
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58 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

This is going to be like the 1977 season when I was at UT.  The preseason AP poll had OU #1, aggy #9, and UT unranked.  The final AP poll was UT #4 (lost to Domers in the Cotton Bowl), OU #7, and aggy was unranked.

 

1 hour ago, InkaUtexas said:

Time to change history! 

I like your fucking attitude!!!!! 
 

Not like we been doing shit ranked anyway. Nothing but a number!!! I hope this lights a fire!!! 

  • Hook 'Em 1
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2 minutes ago, markstanco said:

Unless this was voted on a 4+ days ago, I am surprised to see WF in there after their QB is out for a few games at best.  Their backup completed a pass back in 2019 IIRC. 

I'm sure most votes were cast weeks ago. I remember seeing a Kirk Bohls' "9 Things" column teasing that he'd sent in his AP preseason ballot awhile back.

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2 hours ago, satyanash said:

Unranked, while blOU and a&m sit in the top 10. Dark days for the program. And with the exception of 1990, we've never started a season unranked and finished it ranked.

You typed this with a hard on, didn't you? 

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Screenshot_20220815-162245_kindlephoto-8232057.thumb.png.4d1ee7fd2bf64885cd6e712a5e3fba77.png

Screenshot_20220815-162519_kindlephoto-8384359.png.a98bd7b07f251411695deaf481bde085.png

 

How important are these preseason rankings, really?  Well, when it comes to getting your team in the College Football Playoff, being the No. 1 team in the preseason isn't the most important thing in the world.

In the 21st century, only two teams that debuted at No. 1 finished as national champions — USC in 2004 under the old BCS system, and Alabama in 2017, the only team in the College Football Playoff era to do it.

So where is a good place to be ranked if you want to win the national championship?

History suggests anywhere in the top five is in your best interest. All but one team in the CFP era that won the national title started No. 5 or better in the preseason poll.

LSU's historic 2019 team was the outlier — coming in at No. 6 in the initial rankings before going on to run the table as only the third 15-0 team in college football history and the second since the 1890s.

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Screenshot_20220815-162245_kindlephoto-8232057.thumb.png.4d1ee7fd2bf64885cd6e712a5e3fba77.png

Screenshot_20220815-162519_kindlephoto-8384359.png.a98bd7b07f251411695deaf481bde085.png

 

How important are these preseason rankings, really?  Well, when it comes to getting your team in the College Football Playoff, being the No. 1 team in the preseason isn't the most important thing in the world.

In the 21st century, only two teams that debuted at No. 1 finished as national champions — USC in 2004 under the old BCS system, and Alabama in 2017, the only team in the College Football Playoff era to do it.

So where is a good place to be ranked if you want to win the national championship?

History suggests anywhere in the top five is in your best interest. All but one team in the CFP era that won the national title started No. 5 or better in the preseason poll.

LSU's historic 2019 team was the outlier — coming in at No. 6 in the initial rankings before going on to run the table as only the third 15-0 team in college football history and the second since the 1890s.

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On 8/15/2022 at 11:23 AM, LTtxfan said:

AP Preseason Poll 2022: Complete College Football Rankings Released

ROB GOLDBERG      AUGUST 15, 2022

k5e6ojkwzvciotez5msm.jpg

Alabama enters the 2022 season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll as a clear favorite to win another championship.

The Crimson Tide lost to Georgia in the national title game last season, but a strong returning core of players makes Alabama the team to beat once again.

Ohio State is ranked second in the preseason poll while Georgia, Clemson and Notre Dame also sit in the top five ahead of the Aug. 27 start of the regular season.

Here is a full look at the Top 25.

Preseason AP Poll

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. North Carolina State

14. USC

15. Michigan State

16. Miami (FL)

17. Pittsburgh

18. Wisconsin

19. Arkansas

20. Kentucky

21. Ole Miss

22. Wake Forest

23. Cincinnati

24. Houston

25. BYU

After the Amway Coaches Poll listed Alabama as the No. 1 team, there was little surprise the Associated Press would mirror the top of the rankings.

Besides the consistency of head coach Nick Saban, who has won six national championships in the last 13 years, the main reason for the confidence in Alabama is quarterback Bryce Young. The junior won the Heisman Trophy last season after totaling 4,872 passing yards with 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Even after losing top receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie III, Young should still post big numbers in 2022 while leading an elite offense.

On the defensive side, Will Anderson Jr. is looking to continue his form after totaling 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss in 2021.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. listed Anderson and Young as the top two prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class, indicating the high-level talent on the roster.

Ohio State also has a star-studded roster led by quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw 44 passing touchdowns last season with only six interceptions. His connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be the best in the country in 2022, making the Buckeyes a dangerous team offensively.

Georgia remains a team to beat after winning last year's championship, especially with quarterback Stetson Bennett still on the roster. The challenge will be reloading a defense that had five players drafted in the first round last April, with eight defensive players drafted in total.

It could be a tough challenge for head coach Kirby Smart, especially early in the season.

Other top teams are also looking to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff this year, including Texas A&M and Utah trying to break into top four.

No. 14 USC could be a sleeper to watch in the first year under Lincoln Riley, especially after bringing in Caleb Williams and several other instant-impact transfers.

Texas—which had one first-place vote in the coaches poll—is unranked in the AP poll

You can debate the top three, but I don't understand the Clemson and Notre Dame love at #4 & 5. With the loss of so many coaches and etc. I think that's too high for them.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • immamac changed the title to 2022 National Rankings (AP, Coaches, CFP) Meta Thread
On 8/15/2022 at 11:37 AM, LTtxfan said:

Screenshot_20220815-113625_kindlephoto-8869354.png.b73b78f9d8a0da2337ed278f3a4d9fbf.png

 

Edit:  

25. BYU  234 votes

FYI --  Others receiving votes:
Tennessee 180, Texas 164, Iowa 163, Penn State 160, LSU 55, Fresno State 32, Minnesota 31, UCF 27, Purdue 17, Mississippi State 15, Auburn 15, Florida 14, Kansas State 14, North Carolina 9, Boise State 5, Air Force 4, Appalachian State 4, South Carolina 2, UCLA 2, San Diego State 2, Utah State 2, Nebraska 1

 

If it were aggy with 164 votes, they'd blow up the intentions bragging about how they were "on the precipice" of greatness and how the sleeping giant was awakening and how they were the greatest unranked team evah.

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