Alabama, led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, looks capable of another run to the Bowl Championship Series championship.
The Associated Press released its preseason Top 25 poll over the weekend, and the top five looked very familiar to our Top Five, which I posted here earlier this summer.
Here’s the AP Top 25:
1. Alabama (54);14-0;1,491;1;6-0;93-57;Last;No.;1;preseason;1978
2. Ohio St. (3);11-2;1,400;5;3-1;90-62;22nd;consec.;preseason;rank
3. Boise St. (1);14-0;1,336;4;2-0;78-73;Highest;preseason;rank
4. Florida;13-1;1,237;3;2-1;95-57;Lost;Tebow;and;4;assistants
5. Texas (1);13-1;1,223;2;3-1;86-65;Gilbert;replaces;Colt;McCoy
6. TCU;12-1;1,160;6;2-1;82-59;Highest;preseason;rank
7. Oklahoma (1);8-5;1,104;_;3-3;90-57;Record:;799-302-53;(.715)
8. Nebraska;10-4;1,033;14;3-2;92-70;19;starters;returning
9. Iowa;11-2;1,007;7;2-1;89-53;The;tough;games;are;at;home
10. Virginia Tech;10-3;973;10;2-2;96-60;6;straight;10-win;seasons
11. Oregon;10-3;870;11;4-2;95-58;Defending;Pac-10;champions
12. Wisconsin;10-3;822;16;1-2;83-59;Only;13;seniors;on;roster
13. Miami;9-4;785;19;3-2;88-55;Bosher;is;nation’s;best;PK
14. Southern Cal;9-4;590;22;2-2;82-69;Just;70;scholarship;players
15. Pittsburgh;10-3;516;15;0-1;85-55;Tough;non-conference;games
16. Georgia Tech;11-3;511;13;1-2;88-65;Defending;ACC;champions
17. Arkansas;8-5;496;_;1-4;93-51;Mallett;&;WR;crew;are;back
18. North Carolina;8-5;397;_;2-1;81-48;21;returning;starters
19. Penn St.;11-2;382;9;1-1;77-62;45th;year;for;Paterno
20. Florida St.;7-6;379;_;2-2;92-47;Fisher;replaces;Bowden
21. LSU;9-4;300;17;1-3;91-60;6;senior;starters;;2-O,;4-D
22. Auburn;8-5;296;_;1-3;85-56;Entire;coach;staff;returned
23. Georgia;8-5;206;_;1-3;86-57;Frosh;QB;Murray;will;lead
24. Oregon St.;8-5;198;_;1-4;83-56;Rodgers;brothers;are;lethal
25. West Virginia;9-4;184;25;1-1;86-56;Five;major;NCAA;violations
Others receiving votes: Cincinnati 108, Stanford 81, Utah 80, South Carolina 71, Houston 66,
Connecticut 32, Notre Dame 31, Missouri 27, BYU 19, Arizona 15, Clemson 15, Texas Tech 14, Navy 12, Washington 8, Texas A&M 7, Mississippi 6, Oklahoma St. 3, Cent. Michigan 2, Middle Tennessee 2, Temple 2, Boston College 1, SMU 1, UCF 1.
Steve’s take:. Both the AP voters and myself, see an Alabama team that lost some key players from the top defense in the country. But the plus for the Tide is the return of 10 starters on offense, which will need to be more productive as the defense gets up to speed. Ohio State and Boise State, based on their schedule, have a very good chance at running the table, while Florida could challenge the top three. AP has Texas at No. 5, based on the play of Garrett Gilbert, who shined in the BCS title game loss to Alabama. I want to see how they how the sophomore will do without Jordan Shipley as a target. But the Longhorns will have a good shot at the top 10 by year’s end. I like Oregon at No. 5, again they have the schedule to make a BCS run after returning most of the key figures from last year’s 10-3 squad that lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. The question mark is at QB, where Jeremiah Masoli was kicked off the team, leaving Nate Costa and Darron Thomas to fill the void. I’m banking they can.