Preseason polls aren’t always reliable predictors of a particular team’s success. Rather, it should be viewed as a general perception of program state. Naturally, these perceptions change as the actual college football season unfolds, but the arrival of the first rankings always helps build anticipation for the next game.
It is in that spirit of anticipation that we present the pre-season USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches poll. Heading into the 2022 season, it’s no surprise that a familiar name will be at the top.
Alabama, a longtime playoff participant, opens as the first team. Crimson Tide, who won 54 out of 66 votes in first place, entered the season as the top hitter for the first time in 13 years and the seventh time. But it may not be welcome news for Bama fans. Because Crimson finished as a national champion in his one of the past six seasons when his tide opened in his first place.
Ohio State started second in the rankings. The Buckeyes edged defending his champion Georgia he earned her first-place vote with five votes. The Bulldogs will start the year in third place, although he earned his 1st of 6 votes following the long-awaited national title. Clemson and Notre Dame round out the top five. The Tigers are hoping to bounce back from his 10-3 record last season, earning their lowest ranking in preseason polls since 2017.
Top 25:COMPLETE PRE-SEASON USA TODAY SPORTS AFCA COACH VOTE
Outlook:See all the teams in detail in College Football’s preseason voting
Snub:5 teams that should have participated in preseason voting
Overrated:5 teams over-selected in preseason voting
Defending Big Ten champions and last season’s playoff entrants Michigan start sixth, followed by another SEC challenger, Texas A&M.
After a historic Pac-12 title campaign, Utah will start in eighth place, their best start to date. The Big 12 are claiming his three positions next, but No. 9 Oklahoma’s preseason ranking is his lowest since 2015 and No. 10 Baylor his highest since 2014.
In addition to the three top 10 SEC candidates, No. 21 Kentucky, No. 23 Arkansas, and No. 24 Mississippi, a total of six members lead the vote. Best known for their prowess in other sports, the Wildcats have the best preseason grid net rankings in program history. Meanwhile, regular competitor LSU will launch a campaign outside the top 25 for the first time since 2000.
The ACC are the next five ranked teams, with No. 13 North Carolina State and No. 19 Wake Forest claiming their best preseason rankings to date, and defending league champions Pittsburgh, who finished in 2010. He got the starting position in 16th place, the best since then.
The Big Ten and Big 12 each have four ranked teams. Pac-12 has three, and the Americans have a pair joined by No. 22 Cincinnati and No. 25 Houston. Notre Dame was the only independent ranked as Brigham Young finished his fourth place in the vote count.
