AUBURN, AL - SEPTEMBER 20: A general view from high in the stadium as the LSU Tigers take on the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 20, 2008 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)The college football season has been over for less than half a day, but we already have another way-too-early Top 25 for next season.
Sports Illustrated did not wait too long to release a new college football 2018 preseason Top 25 after last night’s game.
This morning, writer Joan Niesen published her list, and the top is going to be pretty controversial down in SEC country.
Despite Alabama picking up the win last night, SI has Georgia in at No. 1 for next year.
1. GEORGIA
Sure, the Bulldogs lost—but in spectacular fashion to a very good Alabama team. Kirby Smart has things rolling in the right direction in Athens, and that will stay the case in 2018. The playoff runners-up lose top running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, plus leading receiver Javon Wims, Butkus Award-winning linebacker Roquan Smith (probably) and more stars of their defensive front. The speedy D’Andre Swift proved in his freshman year that he could be a worthy backfield successor to Chubb and Michel, and true freshman QB Jake Fromm displayed the big-game cool necessary to make it all hum. Add the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class to that foundation, and nobody will want to cross the Bulldogs.
The Dawgs are heading in the right direction, and have an unbelievable class coming in, but they will lose a ton from this year’s team.
Here is the full Top 25:
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Clemson
- Ohio State
- Auburn
- Wisconsin
- Penn State
- Oklahoma
- Miami
- Virginia Tech
- USC
- Notre Dame
- LSU
- UCF
- Washington
- Stanford
- TCU
- Florida State
- Memphis
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Michigan
- Boise State
- Texas A&M
- Northwestern
ESPN had a very different take on the preseason Top 25.
