Pre-Season Polls
The Associated Press Top 25
The gold standard of human polls, until the Playoff committee starts releasing its top 25s later in the year.
- Alabama (42)
- Clemson (18)
- Georgia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Ohio State
- Washington
- Oklahoma
- Miami
- Auburn
- Penn State
- Michigan State
- Notre Dame
- Stanford
- Michigan
- USC
- TCU
- West Virginia
- Mississippi State
- Florida State
- Virginia Tech
- UCF
- Boise State
- Texas
- Oregon
- LSU
Other teams that received votes in the initial poll were South Carolina (96), Florida (68), Utah (60), Oklahoma St. (51), FAU (38), Arizona (28), NC State (22), Texas A&M (21), Boston College (18), Northwestern (13), Kansas St. (10), Iowa St. (8), Houston (6), Memphis (3), Troy (2), Iowa (2), Kentucky (1), Arkansas St. (1), Fresno St. (1).
Georgia Overview
Hooray, pre-season polls are back! These polls mean even less now due to the College Football Playoff, as team’s starting position in the polls have much less bearing on who ultimately plays for the title.
The Georgia Bulldogs will start the 2018 season as the #3 ranked team in the country, their highest pre-season ranking since 2008 when Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno & Co. started the year at #1.
Last season, the Dawgs started off at #15 before reaching the College Football Playoff and winning the Rose Bowl. As previously stated, these things don’t mean much, but hey, it helps pass the time waiting on Labor Day weekend.
Movers
Fell Out: #14 Oklahoma State, #17 Northwestern, #21 South Florida, #23 NC State, #25 Memphis
Newcomers: #14 Michigan, #17 West Virginia, #19 Florida State, #23 Texas, #24 Oregon
Overrated
#13 Stanford
Yes, the Cardinal have RB Bryce Love, who very well may win the Heisman after finishing 2nd in 2017. But what else? Stanford is in store for another 4-5 loss season and will play third fiddle in the Pac-12 North behind Washington and Oregon.
Underrated
#14 Michigan
Much has been made of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure at Michigan and his supposed lack of success, but much of this criticism has been overblown. Harbaugh has made the most of a mediocre quarterback situation in Ann Arbor and came within an inch (or a blown call depending on who you ask) to playing in the College Football Playoff in 2016. This year, Harbaugh finally has his quarterback in Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson. With Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich anchoring the defensive line, Michigan is poised to make a serious run at the Big 10 in 2018.
This Week’s Top 25 Matchups
#6 Washington vs. #9 Auburn
#14 Michigan at #12 Notre Dame
#8 Miami vs. #25 LSU
#20 Virginia Tech at #19 Florida State
Upset Alert
I think every favored team in the Top 25 will win in the first weekend of the 2018 season. Therefore, I will go with Ole Miss over Texas Tech in a mild upset in Week 1.