Preseason College Football Rankings 2018: Date and Predictions for Amway Poll

Although there's four weeks until most of the top college football programs return to the gridiron, Thursday's release of the Amway Coaches Poll provides fans with an opportunity to debate the upcoming season in earnest. 

You can argue the need for preseason rankings all you want, but the one thing we all can agree on is it drives up the level of excitement for the college football campaign. 

The Amway Coaches Poll, which is voted on by 65 head coaches of FBS teams, will be released Thursday at Noon ET.

Most of the biggest programs are expected to be near the top of the rankings, including Alabama, Georgia and Clemson.

The rankings are guaranteed to change throughout the season, and they could drastically shift after the first set of colossal nonconference games, but for now all we're left to do is speculate which program lands the top spot Thursday. 

Predictions

Alabama Lands No. 1 Spot 

The football factory based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, should receive its latest heaping of praise Thursday, as the Alabama Crimson Tide are named the No. 1 team in the preseason poll. 

Despite losing a slew of talent to the NFL, including Minkah Fitzpatrick and Calvin Ridley, Nick Saban's team is loaded once again and ready for a national championship chase. 

The Crimson Tide offense will have opponents quivering in their spikes ahead of each play, as they possess a few dynamic playmakers at each position, including quarterback. 

Regardless of which player wins the battle to start under center, the Crimson Tide will have one of the most talented stars in the nation at the helm in Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagovailoa. 

Damien Harris and Najee Harris form a dominant duo at running back, while a young collection of receivers headlined by sophomores Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs and Devonta Smith are ready to make their own mark on the program's illustrious history. 

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Defensively, Alabama needs to replace a boatload of experienced players that are now in the NFL, but its roster contains a few key holdovers, including defensive linemen Raekwon Davis and Isaiah Buggs. 

While it might not be the ideal outcome for those outside of Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide could remain atop the rankings until November 3, when they storm into Death Valley to take on LSU. 

Of course, there's always a chance for Alabama to slip up, but it should be able to overwhelm Louisville in the season opener and pass road tests in the SEC against Ole Miss, Arkansas and Tennessee. 

Clemson, Georgia Receive 1st-Place Votes, Follow Alabama In Rankings

No one in the FBS wants to face Clemson or Georgia during the 2018 season. 

The Tigers and Bulldogs should receive a good chunk of first-place votes Thursday based off the remarkable potential they possess.

Dabo Swinney's Tigers are the favorite to win the ACC thanks to a terrifying defense led by four of the best defensive linemen in the country.

Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant and Dexter Lawrence will be household names by the end of the season, as they menace opposing offensive lines, force quarterbacks into bad decisions and deliver turnovers for themselves and their teammates. 

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

If the quartet stays healthy for the duration of the season, we could witness one of the top positional units in college football history wreak havoc.

Then there's Georgia, who advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship a year or two earlier than most expected in January. 

Kirby Smart's third year in charge in Athens, Georgia comes with expectations as high as Alabama, and we could see the two sides face off in the 2018 SEC Championship. 

Just like Alabama, Georgia's toughest game could be at LSU, as it visits the Tigers October 13 before taking a week off to prepare for Florida. 

As long as the Bulldogs triumph over Florida, and survive all of their SEC East tests, they should be in line to represent the division in Atlanta, no matter what happens against LSU and Auburn.

Although plenty could change between now and January, it appears Clemson and Georgia will be the top contenders attempting to force Alabama off college football's throne. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.