Preseason College Football Rankings 2017: Top Differences in Amway, AP NCAA Poll
The Amway Coaches Poll and the Associated Press' Top 25 rankings don't offer much difference in the current hierarchy. Both preseason listings agree on 24 programs within their projections.
Whether justified or not, expectations heightened in Southern California after a strong finish to the previous season. Between the two polls, the first wrinkle doesn't come until Nos. 7 and 8 where Oklahoma and Washington flip positions.
Nonetheless, there's a slight disagreement on Michigan and consistent one- or two-spot variances after Georgia at No. 15. We'll go through the major dissimilarities between the polls and delve into each program's season outlook.
The complete rankings for the Amway Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 are listed below.
Rank: AP Poll/Coaches Poll
1. Alabama/Alabama
2. Ohio State/Ohio State
3. Florida State/Florida State
4. USC/USC
5. Clemson/Clemson
6. Penn State/Penn State
7. Oklahoma/Washington
8. Washington/Oklahoma
9. Wisconsin/Michigan
10. Oklahoma State/Wisconsin
11. Michigan/Oklahoma State
12. Auburn/LSU
13. LSU/Auburn
14. Stanford/Stanford
15. Georgia/Georgia
16. Louisville/Florida
17. Florida/Louisville
18. Miami/Miami
19. South Florida/Kansas State
20. Kansas State/West Virginia
21. Virginia Tech/South Florida
22. West Virginia/Virginia Tech
23. Texas/Texas
24. Washington State/Tennessee
25. Tennessee/Utah
Michigan: AP Rank No. 11/Coaches Rank No. 9
Despite the utmost respect for head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines rank behind Ohio State and Penn State in both polls. The program lost prominent players to the 2017 NFL draft on both sides of the ball. However, unlike its fierce Big Ten rivals, Michigan has a preseason quarterback controversy.
Wilton Speight started the previous season and threw for 2,538 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions, but he's battling fifth-year senior John O'Korn for the position, per ESPN.com reporter Dan Murphy:
"The fifth-year senior has moved past promising youngster Brandon Peters as the primary competition for Speight, according to the only update Harbaugh plans to give before the week of Michigan's season opener," Murphy wrote.
There's no clear-cut idea who will lead the Wolverines offense. The unit also lost its top three pass-catchers and leading ball-carrier from the previous season. Sure, Harbaugh has the ability to coach up his student athletes, but the offense won't look much better than the previous year.
Michigan will likely finish within the Top 10 when the season ends, but a spot at No. 11 seems fitting at this point.
South Florida: AP Rank No. 19/Coaches Rank No. 21
Head coach Charlie Strong takes over the reins at South Florida after the school's first double-digit win season—no pressure, right?
Strong sat on a hot seat at Texas, but he'll lead a program with a lower profile and more patience despite the Bulls' successful season that ended with a Birmingham Bowl victory over South Carolina.
The Indianapolis Colts drafted running back Marlon Mack in the fourth round, but quarterback Quinton Flowers, who accumulated 42 touchdowns as a passer and ball-carrier during the previous season, returns as a senior. With him under center and a veteran defense, the Bulls can match last year's win total with a one-and-done bowl victory to end their 2017 campaign.
Both polls respect the Bulls enough to rank them for the preseason, and the school may remain within the Top 25 throughout the year. There's a potential redemption story for Strong and the beginnings of a bright future for this program in the American Conference.
Washington State Ranks No. 24 in AP Poll; Utah Ranks No. 25 in Coaches Poll
The biggest difference between the Amway Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 presents itself at the cutoff point. The Associated Press ranked Washington State at No. 24 to start the season, but the coaches chose Utah to bottom out the preseason hierarchy.
Shortly after the AP released its rankings on Monday, Utah officially named sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley as the starter, per ESPN.com reporter Kyle Bonagura.
In 2016, quarterback Troy Williams, who started 13 games with the Utes, struggled at some points during the season. He only completed 53 percent of his passes at the helm. The San Francisco 49ers drafted the team's featured running back, Joe Williams, in the fourth round. Defensively, Utah lost its top two pass-rushers who hope to secure roster spots on the professional level.
Significant changes with the Utes roster cloud their season outlook. However, head coach Kyle Whittingham has built a formidable program that's thriving in the Pac-12 over the past three seasons.
Despite losing two wide receivers, senior quarterback Luke Falk returns to Washington State after throwing for 4,468 yards and 38 touchdowns during the previous season. The Cougars' dynamic running backs have the ability to compensate for the production lost at wideout.
Shalom Luani, the secondary's best playmaker from the previous season, went to the Oakland Raiders in April's draft. Head coach Mike Leach will have to find a way to squeeze more production out of his defensive backs to avoid week-to-week score-a-thons.
Expect the Cougars to score points with an experienced and productive quarterback in Leach's system. However, as the AP poll suggests, they're still behind premier programs in the Pac-12 Conference.
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