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Gatorsports.com Top 25 preseason poll
You can almost taste it. Football season isn't that far away. It won't be long before you're trading in bathing suits for clothes bearing your school colors.
A lot can happen between now and the first game. Injuries, arrests, players not qualifying academically. So any summer rankings have to be taken with a shaker of salt.
Still, here are the inaugural Gatorsports.com preseason college football rankings.
1. Texas: The Longhorns have a combination of talent and schedule. They'll lose a game but nobody is going undefeated this season.
2. Ohio State: Hey, the two teams played during the last two regular seasons. Now they get to play for it all. The Buckeyes lost a lot but after reloading on defense a year ago they'll do the same on offense this time.
3. Southern Cal: The Trojans have enough talent to be in the title game but will fall just short and then complain all the way to the Rose Bowl.
4. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers Sept. 15 game at home against USC will tell us a lot about this football season and a Nebraska team that seems poised to return to the upper echelon.
5. Virginia Tech: Football always has feel-good stories and even if you don't like the Hokies you have to be hoping they have a good season.
6. LSU: If it were simply about the best players, LSU would be No. 1. And with the toughest games at home, it would make sense. But Nick Saban is not walking through that door.
7. Michigan: The Wolverines are loaded with talent, but it's difficult to have a lot of confidence in Lloyd Carr.
8. Oklahoma: Love the team, respect the coach but is there a quarterback who can get the Sooners over the hump?
9. Wisconsin: Plenty of talent back from a one-loss team but the Badgers have to go to Ohio State.
10. Florida: Too many defensive losses to rank the Gators higher. But Urban Meyer does have a magical touch.
11. West Virginia: You have to love to watch that offense work and if Pat White stays healthy the Mountaineers could be in the mix for the national title.
12. Auburn: Last year was considered a disappointment despite wins over LSU and Florida. This year should be better.
13. UCLA: This may be a reach, but the Bruins are set up to finally have a big year if they can be consistent.
14. Florida State: The Seminoles have to be better but are hardly on the verge of being an elite team again.
15. Arkansas: A lot of people have them higher. Did they forget what has happened since last season's loss to Florida?
16. Rutgers: Hopefully, it finishes better than the other Jersey guys (The Sopranos) did.
17. Boston College: New coach but really nice talent could make the Eagles an ACC factor.
18. Georgia: Enigmatic team this year. Could be really good or could be a down year if the Bulldogs struggle out of the gate.
19. Texas A&M: The talent is there for Dennis Franchione but the road schedule is brutal.
20. Tennessee: Another one of those SEC teams that is difficult to figure out.
21. Louisville: Brian Brohm is back but Bobby Petrino is not and could drop the Cardinals out of the top 20.
22. California: The Golden Bears have lost a lot, but will be good enough to be in contention.
23. Boise State: Last year's darlings won't be as good but it's not like they're playing USC every week.
24. TCU: The Horned Frogs will be tough to beat this season.
25. Oklahoma State: Just a hunch because the offense will be lights out under Larry Fedora.
You can almost taste it. Football season isn't that far away. It won't be long before you're trading in bathing suits for clothes bearing your school colors.
A lot can happen between now and the first game. Injuries, arrests, players not qualifying academically. So any summer rankings have to be taken with a shaker of salt.
Still, here are the inaugural Gatorsports.com preseason college football rankings.
1. Texas: The Longhorns have a combination of talent and schedule. They'll lose a game but nobody is going undefeated this season.
2. Ohio State: Hey, the two teams played during the last two regular seasons. Now they get to play for it all. The Buckeyes lost a lot but after reloading on defense a year ago they'll do the same on offense this time.
3. Southern Cal: The Trojans have enough talent to be in the title game but will fall just short and then complain all the way to the Rose Bowl.
4. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers Sept. 15 game at home against USC will tell us a lot about this football season and a Nebraska team that seems poised to return to the upper echelon.
5. Virginia Tech: Football always has feel-good stories and even if you don't like the Hokies you have to be hoping they have a good season.
6. LSU: If it were simply about the best players, LSU would be No. 1. And with the toughest games at home, it would make sense. But Nick Saban is not walking through that door.
7. Michigan: The Wolverines are loaded with talent, but it's difficult to have a lot of confidence in Lloyd Carr.
8. Oklahoma: Love the team, respect the coach but is there a quarterback who can get the Sooners over the hump?
9. Wisconsin: Plenty of talent back from a one-loss team but the Badgers have to go to Ohio State.
10. Florida: Too many defensive losses to rank the Gators higher. But Urban Meyer does have a magical touch.
11. West Virginia: You have to love to watch that offense work and if Pat White stays healthy the Mountaineers could be in the mix for the national title.
12. Auburn: Last year was considered a disappointment despite wins over LSU and Florida. This year should be better.
13. UCLA: This may be a reach, but the Bruins are set up to finally have a big year if they can be consistent.
14. Florida State: The Seminoles have to be better but are hardly on the verge of being an elite team again.
15. Arkansas: A lot of people have them higher. Did they forget what has happened since last season's loss to Florida?
16. Rutgers: Hopefully, it finishes better than the other Jersey guys (The Sopranos) did.
17. Boston College: New coach but really nice talent could make the Eagles an ACC factor.
18. Georgia: Enigmatic team this year. Could be really good or could be a down year if the Bulldogs struggle out of the gate.
19. Texas A&M: The talent is there for Dennis Franchione but the road schedule is brutal.
20. Tennessee: Another one of those SEC teams that is difficult to figure out.
21. Louisville: Brian Brohm is back but Bobby Petrino is not and could drop the Cardinals out of the top 20.
22. California: The Golden Bears have lost a lot, but will be good enough to be in contention.
23. Boise State: Last year's darlings won't be as good but it's not like they're playing USC every week.
24. TCU: The Horned Frogs will be tough to beat this season.
25. Oklahoma State: Just a hunch because the offense will be lights out under Larry Fedora.
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