Alabama Crimson Tide Garners College Football Preseason Number 1 Ranking
Despite losing some key players to the NFL, Alabama, the defending national champion of college football, garners the top ranking in the USA Today preseason coaches’ poll.
I’m not a big believer in preseason polls as you never really know how new, young players are going to perform or how the chemistry of a team replacing a number of key personnel loses is going to gel.
Yet we go through this ritual every August. I guess it’s a barometer but without a playoff system it makes it virtually impossible for an unheralded team to become a Cinderella story.
For instance, nobody thinks that my Golden Domers has a chance, but what if Notre Dame surprises some people. With a little luck here, some over-achieving and the absolute collapse of the entire top 20, we have a shot. (don’t crush the fantasy…roll with me)
Anyway, Boise State with their blue field will begin the season ranked No. 5. The Broncos, like Alabama, finished last season 14-0. They beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. But I remain unimpressed.
The Crimson Tide got 55 of 59 possible first place votes. The other four went to Ohio State, which is No. 2 in the newspaper’s ranking. (Why do people insist on giving the Buckeyes props?)
Florida is third (which is total horsecrap as life beyond Tebow, Haden, MauPo..etc is going to be painful), followed by Texas, which lost to Alabama in the BCS title game in January. (sure it makes sense to think that Texas will replace the most prolific QB in college football history and remain in the top 5…Not!)
Virginia Tech was sixth, followed by TCU, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa to round out the top 10. (mark my words, Nebraska is going to stomp some people!)
Nos. 11-15 are Oregon, Wisconsin, Miami, Penn State and Pittsburgh. They were followed by LSU, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Arkansas and Florida State, which will be without Bobby Bowden as coach for the first time in 35 years. (Thank God!)
Georgia is No. 21, Oregon State No. 22, Auburn No. 23 and Utah and West Virginia tied for No. 24.
Where’s Notre Dame??? You laugh now but thankfully we’re just in the first week of August. I guess things could be worse. I could be a Tennessee Vols fan. The Vols are toast thanks to Lane Kiffin.
I bet there are some good ole boys in the Smokies who would love to see Kiffin right about now.
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