Michigan has reached the top of the mountain. college football For the first time since the 1997 season. If Top 25 teams in pre-season By any measure, the Wolverines will face a tough road to return in 2024. The Wolverines became the lowest-ranked preseason national champion in the AP Top 25 since 2011 after starting the year ranked ninth in Monday’s preseason poll. The mark was their worst since 2011’s Auburn, which entered its title defense ranked 23rd without Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton.
Of course, Michigan is the first national championship team to lose a coach since 1997, when Nebraska co-champion Tom Osborne retired. The following year, the Cornhuskers started fourth but finished 19th with a 9-4 overall record. Michigan has also handed over the reins to assistant coach Sherron Moore, but the Wolverines face a unique challenge.
Michigan wasn’t the only team making history. Fourth-seeded Texas earned its highest preseason ranking since 2009 after earning a trip to the 2023 CFP, while third-seeded Oregon tied its highest preseason ranking in program history. Conversely, fifth-seeded Alabama had its lowest preseason ranking since 2009 in the post-Nick Sabin era, while 14th-seeded Clemson had its lowest preseason ranking since 2014.
Here are other key notes and facts to watch from the AP Top 25 list for the 2024 preseason.
Who will make it out of the top 10?
In 20 of the past 21 seasons, a team that started the year in the top 10 has ended up falling off the field. That may be less common in an era when the SEC and Big Ten have so many on-field advantages. Michigan’s case is clear, however, after the Wolverines lost nearly their entire offense and most of their leadership. Florida State, likewise, managed to clear the floor and still earn a preseason No. 10 ranking. The Seminoles have a manageable path to the ACC, but repeating last year’s top-five season will be tough.
But aside from the obvious favorites, the rest of the teams are interesting. It’s almost impossible to imagine Georgia, Ohio State or Oregon failing to finish as college football playoff teams, with all their strength. Penn State has set a high standard for itself and has a very strong team. Easy and funny table With only one opponent (No. 2 Ohio State) ranked higher than No. 23 in the preseason poll.
Notre Dame has finished outside the top 15 in both years since Marcus Freeman took over, and has lost potential left tackle Charles Gagosah to injury during training camp. Fifth-ranked Alabama and sixth-ranked Ole Miss face unprecedented levels of pressure for teams that have yet to reach the top of the mountain.
Texas, however, may be the most interesting case. The Longhorns are clearly building a formidable force, but the heart of their playoff team has been their gap-filling defense and their dynamic skill players. Especially after RB C.J. Baxter’s season-ending injury, Texas is starting from scratch on both ends. Will it cost them? An early-season game with Michigan and back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Georgia will put Steve Sarkisian’s program to the test.
Low Buy Candidates
Most of the preseason polls have gone uncharted waters. In fact, only one team started the season in the top 15 and finished last season out of the rankings—Utah, which was without starting quarterback Cameron Rising. Relying too much on conventional logic leaves the door open for spoilers to make their case. Here are three teams that could spoil the party.
- Iowa State: The Cyclones quietly finished 2023 as a serious Big 12 contender after overcoming a 1-2 start to the season. Now, Iowa State ranks No. 1 nationally in return production and boasts a serious wide receiver duo in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel that can complement a stacked defense.
- Miami, Florida: It makes sense for voters to play it safe with the Hurricanes after two inconsistent seasons under coach Mario Cristobal, but this is the year it pays off. The U have assembled one of the richest transfer classes in the country with midfielder Cam Ward and linebacker Damian Martinez. The offense alone should be one of the best in the country, and the defense has plenty of experience.
- Boise State: The entire fifth-ranked team was left out of the preseason poll, but that should change in the coming weeks. While Boise State is likely to lose to Oregon in Week 2, quarterback Ashton Jeanty and a solid defense make it a strong contender for the top 25. Don’t be surprised if you see the Broncos deep in the College Football Playoff race.
Who will win the championship? See above
Since the College Football Playoffs began in 2014, top teams have dominated the field. In fact, all 10 teams to win a national championship in the four-team playoff era began the year in the top six of the Associated Press preseason poll. And if history is any guide, that means one of Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Alabama or Ole Miss will claim the elusive trophy at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, only one of the two No. 1 teams in the preseason has ever won a national championship: Alabama in 2017. Ironically, the Tide that season failed to win the Southeast Conference, but earned a trip to the stadium with an 11-1 record as a non-champion. That could spell trouble for Georgia, which opens the year ranked No. 1.
New faces emerge in polls
Kansas football has been through hell over the past 15 years, but coach Lance Leipold has managed to make the program thrive. Fittingly, the Jayhawks earned their first preseason ranking in the Associated Press’ top 25 since 2009, finishing at No. 22. Kansas’ historic rival, 11th-ranked Missouri, also fared better, reaching its highest preseason ranking since 2008. Ole Miss also climbed the list, earning its highest preseason ranking (No. 6) since 1970.
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