Preseason AP Top 25 poll 2020 released: Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama headline
By John Buhler
Clemson football sits atop the AP Top 25 preseason poll for 2020 that also includes the Big Ten and Pac-12 teams that aren’t playing this fall. But they’ll be stripped once the season begins.
The AP Top 25 preseason poll has been released on Monday morning and it’s going to be one of the weirdest ones of all-time. The AP picked the top 25 college football teams in the country heading into what will be the craziest college football season of our lives.
At this time, only six of the 10 Division I conferences are playing, as well as a handful of high-profile national independents. Because no games have been played, teams from the Big Ten and the Pac-12 have been included here.
Here is the AP Top 25 preseason poll heading into the 2020 college season.
- Clemson Tigers: 1,520 (38)
- Ohio State Buckeyes: 1,504 (21)*
- Alabama Crimson Tide: 1,422 (2)
- Georgia Bulldogs: 1,270
- Oklahoma Sooners: 1,269
- LSU Tigers: 1,186 (1)
- Penn State Nittany Lions: 1,147*
- Florida Gators: 1,125
- Oregon Ducks: 1,119*
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 995
- Auburn Tigers: 852
- Wisconsin Badgers: 840*
- Texas A&M Aggies: 764
- Texas Longhorns: 703
- Oklahoma State Cowboys: 672
- Michigan Wolverines: 611*
- USC Trojans: 534*
- North Carolina Tar Heels: 496
- Minnesota Golden Gophers: 451*
- Cincinnati Bearcats: 234
- UCF Knights: 229
- Utah Utes: 211*
- Iowa State Cyclones: 199
- Iowa Hawkeyes: 134*
- Tennessee Volunteers: 133
Others receiving votes: Memphis Tigers (86), Virginia Tech Hokies (85), Boise State Broncos (68*), Arizona State Sun Devils (66*), Miami Hurricanes (42), Louisville Cardinals (32), Appalachian State Mountaineers (26), Washington Huskies (21*), Kentucky Wildcats (20), Indiana Hoosiers (19), Baylor Bears (15), California Golden Bears (11*), TCU Horned Frogs (9), Virginia Cavaliers (7), Navy Midshipmen (6), Florida State Seminoles (6), SMU Mustangs (6), Mississippi State Bulldogs (3), Air Force Falcons (3*), Northwestern Wildcats (1), UAB Blazers (1)
* Will not play in 2020 college football season.
As expected, the Clemson Tigers are atop the list at No. 1. Clemson is expected to go undefeated this season and play for a national championship. Though they could be challenged in ACC play this year by the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish or the No. 18 North Carolina Tar Heels, seeing the Big Ten’s Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 2 has us feeling so bad for them and their fanbase.
The absolute shame in the Big Ten deciding to not play this season is the juggernaut Buckeyes stood a fantastic chance to win their first College Football Playoff National Championship since 2014. With former Heisman Trophy frontrunner in junior quarterback Justin Fields having to sit this one out, you can’t help but feel empty that the best Big Ten and Pac-12 teams can’t play.
As stated previously by the Associated Press, once games start playing teams from the Big Ten, the Pac-12, the MAC and the Mountain West, as well as other national independents who are not playing will not be considered in future polls. While ACC, Big 12, SEC and AAC programs on the outside looking in at the preseason poll will get a lift, these future pools will begin to look so weird.
Even if the Big Ten and the Pac-12 aren’t playing, we should still get some excellent football out of the ACC, the Big 12 and the SEC this year. The AAC should benefit greatly from having more eyeballs on them as well. We should expect similar trickle-down effects of positivity to impact Conference USA and the Sun Belt as well. We can’t wait to see what the next poll will look like.
The AP Top 25 preseason poll for 2020 reminds of a college season that almost could have been.
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