The preseason AP polls have been released this morning. No team from the Mid-American Conference cracked their preseason top 25, but that was to be expected. Northern Illinois did, however, earn two points in the voting.
Ranking | Team | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Ohio State (61) | 1,525 |
2 | TCU | 1,428 |
3 | Alabama | 1,322 |
4 | Baylor | 1,263 |
5 | Michigan State | 1,256 |
6 | Auburn | 1,192 |
7 | Oregon | 1,156 |
8 | USC | 1,085 |
9 | Georgia | 991 |
10 | Florida State | 959 |
11 | Notre Dame | 873 |
12 | Clemson | 862 |
13 | UCLA | 698 |
14 | LSU | 675 |
15 | Arizona State | 605 |
16 | Georgia Tech | 588 |
17 | Mississippi | 563 |
18 | Arkansas | 410 |
19 | Oklahoma | 394 |
20 | Wisconsin | 393 |
21 | Stanford | 347 |
22 | Arizona | 311 |
23 | Boise State | 240 |
24 | Missouri | 219 |
25 | Tennessee | 114 |
Other receiving votes: Mississippi State 100; Texas A&M 61; Oklahoma State 46; Virginia Tech 42; Utah 36; Penn State 20; Louisville 12; Cincinnati 8; Nebraska 6; Kansas State 5; NC State 4; Florida 4; Texas 3; Michigan 2; Northern Illinois 2; Brigham Young 2; West Virginia 1; California 1; Western Kentucky 1
Either one voter put the Huskies at number 24 -or- two voters put them at 25 on these ballots. In any case: they were the only MAC team to get any sort of recognition on here.
After winning the College Football Playoff last year, the first place Ohio State Buckeyes will be hosting NIU on September 19, then the Western Michigan Broncos the following week. Speaking of the Broncos, fifth-ranked Michigan State Spartans will be traveling to Kalamazoo to face WMU on September 4 on a Friday night matchup.
Notre Dame, no. 11, will meet up with the UMass Minutemen during their MAC farewell season on September 26. The LSU Tigers are ranked no. 14 with 675 points, and they'll be hosting the Eastern Michigan Eagles on October 3. Dan Enos left the Central Michigan Chippewas as their head coach to become the new Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator under Bret Bielema; they're no. 18 on this preseason poll and will play host to the Toledo Rockets on September 12. The Oklahoma Sooners (no. 19) open up the season against the Akron Zips on September 5. Wisconsin is next on the list at no. 20, who plays the Miami RedHawks on September 12.
Down at no. 25 is the Tennessee Volunteers, who will open the season up against the Bowling Green Falcons on September 5 at Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans.