College Football 2008 Preseason Rankings
It's that time again, and people have been asking for my rankings for the college football preseason of 2008.
It is still way too early for these shenanigans, but I figured why not, eh?
I’ll release a valid poll that will be updated every Sunday after Week 3 of the regular season. But, without further ado: I can't wait for the season and these are the teams that I think will come out strong and finish that way.
1. Georgia
2. USC
3. Ohio State
4. Missouri
5. Oklahoma
6. West Virginia
7. Florida
8. Kansas
9. Auburn.
10. Texas Tech
11. Penn State
12. Texas
13. Wisconsin
14. Alabama
15. Oregon
16. BYU
17. Illinois
18. Virginia Tech
19. LSU
20. Clemson
21. Tennessee
22. Michigan
23. Wake Forest
24. Boston College
25. Arizona State
We should have a wonderful season ahead of us. The conferences are fairly even, with the exception of the ACC, which is showing little reason to hope for something special in the 2008 season.
No-way-too-early preseason prediction would be complete without taking a stab at the different conference champions…
ACC
Coastal
1. Virginia Tech
2. Georgia Tech
3. Miami
4. Virginia
5. North Carolina
6. Duke
Atlantic
1. Clemson
2. Wake Forest
3. Boston College
4. Florida State
5. Maryland
6. North Carolina State
ACC Championship game: Clemson vs. Virginia Tech
Champion: Clemson
Big 10
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Michigan
4. Illinois
5. Michigan State
6. Penn State
7. Indiana
8. Purdue
9. Iowa
10. Minnesota
11. Northwestern
Champion: Ohio State
Big 12
North
1. Missouri
2. Kansas
3. Nebraska
4. Kansas State
5. Colorado
6. Iowa State
South
1. Oklahoma
2. Texas Tech
3. Texas
4. Texas A&M
5. Oklahoma State
6. Baylor
Big 12 Championship game: Missouri vs. Oklahoma
Champion: Missouri
Big East
1. West Virginia
2. South Florida
3. Pittsburgh
4. Cincinnati
5. Rutgers
6. Louisville
7. Connecticut
8. Syracuse
Champion: West Virginia
Pac 10
1. USC
2. Oregon
3. Arizona State
4. California
5. UCLA
6. Washington
7. Oregon State
8. Arizona
9. Washington State
10. Stanford
Champion: USC
SEC
East
1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Tennessee
4. South Carolina
5. Kentucky
6. Vanderbilt
West
1. Auburn
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Mississippi State
5. Arkansas
6. Ole Miss
SEC Championship game: Georgia vs. Auburn
Champion: Georgia
Other Conferences:
Conference USA Championship game: East Carolina vs. Tulsa
Champion: Tulsa
MAC Championship game: Buffalo vs. Western Michigan
Champion: Western Michigan
Mountain West Champion: BYU
WAC Champion: Fresno State
Sun Belt Champion: Troy
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4 months ago
Alabama 14?!?!? As a fan, Im flattered that someone thinks so highly of our team, but thats a little high for us I think. If it ends up that we are the #14 team in the country at some point, I wont complain, but with feet on the ground, I dont see it happening this year.
from 4 months ago
If Alabama beats Clemson, they will more than likely be #14 or above. Clemson will probably be a top 10 preseason team. And if Alabama wins that game they will more than likely be above #14 going into Athens. Nothing else realisticly stands in their way from being 4-0 before playing Georgia.
Hope we are can get to that point. It would definitely lead to a very exciting game in Athens.
4 months ago
Im with Nic as a fan of the Tide 14 is great and I will take it but until I see other wise we are not 14 goin in to the season maybe once its over but at the start just bein in the top 25 is a win for this team.
4 months ago
With Bama at 14 and Clemson all the way down at 24 (?), I assume you are predicting the Tide to beat Clemson?
Also, you have BC at 20 but 4th in their division, behind Clemson (at 24 but ACC champs), Wake (at 23), and FSU (unranked). Do tell...
4 months ago
always good to read a college football preview.
4 months ago
Yes, I believe the Tide will get into their groove this season, Clemson will apart as they always do, and the ACC will fare poorly in non-conference games overall.
But thanks for the catch Tim, I had switched BC and Clemson in my top 25.
4 months ago
Personally, I think you are discounting what LSU will field this year. I know there are many reasons to question their success, but I don't consider the dismissal of Perrilloux to be the main one.
It's been said many a time that a QB's best friend is a solid running game along with a solid offensive line. They have both.
We'll be able to gauge what LSU will accomplish this year when they play their 4th game of the season, vs Auburn. Right now, I have to give the advantage to the Plainsmen simply because of their defense. It'll be one of the best, if not the best, in the SEC this year.
One thing I think we can safely say is it'll be a wide-open race in the West. A race likely not decided until the month of November. (as if that is something different.)
4 months ago
Clemson will start in the top 10. Clemson will finish in the top 10. Clemson will win the ACC, then win a BCS bowl. It's their year, with everybody back and the rest of the conference light years behind.
Oh and the Tigers will go 2-0 against the "mighty" SEC this year, beating Bama and South Carolina. People better start paying attention to this team.
from 4 months ago
Why are you quoting mighty? That's like me saying "William" posted a comment. Just doesn't make good sense. In fact you just told on yourself by saying how awful the ACC is with the "rest of the conference light years behind" the league leader. And you're trying to bash the SEC.
Anyway, I think a split would be a huge accomplishment for the Tigers.
BTW - You gonna be @ the game William Q?
from 4 months ago
Yeah ill be there. can't wait for the season to start. If Clemson can't win 10+ games this year, changes need to be made.
from 4 months ago
I'm not buying Clemson until someone on that staff realizes C.J. Spiller actually plays for the Tigers. One of the game's most dynamic running backs somehow touched the ball just 16.5 times a game (that includes punt and kickoff returns) last season -- a monumental increase from the 13.2 in 2006.
from 4 months ago
And if CJ would run between the tackles, he would get the ball. The fact is that CJ Spiller has not run tough up the middle; he has actually shied away from contact throughout his career. But he has bulked up this offseason and the coaches raved in the spring about his ability to finish off runs, which they hadn't seen before. Expect he and James Davis to give Clemson a possible 1000-yard-apiece duo in the backfield, assuming both stay healthy and there are still enough reps for Cullen Harper and Aaron Kelly to break records in the passing game.
from 3 months ago
I am going to the Clemson/Bama game with a friend of mine who is a Clemson fan. One thing is for sure, you never count an SEC team out of it, and anything can happen the first week of the season. But I'd be a little surprised if Bama wins this one. On artificial turf...just not sure Bama has the speed and depth that Clemson has. My early prediction is that Clemson pulls away late in the game.
The one unknown Bama has going for them is they are fielding a new offense and no one really knows exactly what it's going to be like. But I guess, the first game of the season you can say that for Clemson too...
And the sub-plot is that Bama has three sets of Tigers scheduled for 2008...will be interesting to see if they can get the Auburn-LSU monkey off their backs where they have an 11 game combined losing streak for those teams.
Someone above mentioned that Clemson usually falls apart...yes, you can definitely make a case for that, but they usually start strong and fall off about mid-season. Personally, I hope Clemson has a great season because it seems like they're always so close.
4 months ago
Indiana will finish 10th in the Big Ten, Northwestern will be at least 8th, and PSU and MSU will finish above Illinois and Michigan.
4 months ago
Leon, I hate to look at preseason polls in May about as much as I hate to look at the 57 different shades of orange on UT's sideline. However, I try to give everyone a fair chance.
If Bama finishes 14th that would mean they would have to win 3 of 5 games against Clemson, LSU, UT, UGA, and Awbarn. But with UGA and the Barners finishing as you have predicted, that would mean Bama must sweep the other three. That would be a great feat for such a young team, and probably most Bama fans would take it right now. I have a feeling though Bama will win one of the other two (UGA or AU) and lose one of the other three (Clemson, LSU, or UT). Hope that all makes sense.
from 3 months ago
OK no need to call names...our school is Auburn, not Awbarn. Bleacher Report discussions are typically civil. Let's leave it that way. As an Auburn grad, I have always shown Bama the respect they deserve on this site...just asking that you practice the same.
I know there are other sites out there that encourage this type of hostility between AU and UA, but really man, it's not needed or wanted here.
from 3 months ago
You're right man, about taking shots or whatever, I'll try to watch that. But I'm not directing it toward you or any other Auburn fan in particular. I guess it's just something that has come naturally because of the beat-down I have had to endure for over 2000 days from people I work with who are Auburn fans.
Some of my best friends are AU grads/fans. I appreciate you showing respect to Bama. If you truly do then you're about 1 out of 10 Auburn fans that actually do. Because I'll tell you right now that about 50 out of 100 people I work with everyday take shots at any and every opportunity they have.
4 months ago
Georgia is by far the best (and even as a diehard Buckeye, I'm pissed at ESPN knocking them down to #2 for a "tough schedule")
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