AP Voter Reveals His Preseason Top 25 Ballot
AUBURN, AL - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers celebrates after the victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
College football season is just two weeks away. Last week, we got a look at the preseason Coaches' Poll, which unsurprisingly has Alabama as the top-ranked team heading into the season. This Monday, we'll get a look at the other major poll - the preseason AP Poll.
Neither poll matters when it comes to postseason play anymore, but fans still appreciate seeing what both the coaches and the press think about each squad. The College Football Playoff rankings, which don't debut until later in the season, are what's used for the bowl system these days.
Tuesday, one of the voters for the AP Poll - Jon Wilner of The Mercury News - released his ballot. The biggest surprise on his list is probably Wisconsin at No. 3. He has the Badgers ranked above Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State.
Here's a look at his top 25. You can read more about his selections over at The Mercury News.
- Alabama
- Clemson
- Wisconsin
- Miami
- Georgia
- Michigan State
- Washington
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Penn State
- Oklahoma
- UCF
- TCU
- Auburn
- Boise State
- Michigan
- Florida
- Stanford
- Virginia Tech
- FAU
- Notre Dame
- USC
- Texas
- Arizona
- Florida State
The other major surprise is Oregon, which has fallen off in recent years. Wilner believes the Ducks are a top-10 team heading into the 2018 campaign.
The biggest wildcard is probably Ohio State, given the fact that Urban Meyer is currently on paid administrative leave. If he's fired, the Buckeyes might struggle to be consistent on the field.
College football season is almost back.
