Like most other preseason polls, I have Alabama on top, followed by Ohio State.
Ohio State beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl, and now the Buckeyes are No. 2 on my AP preseason ballot, while the Ducks are No. 12.Welcome to the most useless preseason ballot of the year. I say that as someone who likes preseason polls a lot. We all need some context when talking about college football in the months before the season starts.
It's just that I submitted this, my AP preseason poll, to the AP 11 days ago, and I won't bother with it again. The AP preseason poll will be revealed on Aug. 21.
For my AP vote this year, I'll be voting with the same method I did last year, which was to base my ballot almost entirely on onfield results, not on preseason rankings or team reputation. Some people thought I was an idiot. Other people thought I was a moron. And a few others liked the idea.
This ballot doesn't vary too much from what we've seen from the preseason coaches poll, the Sports Illustrated preseason preview or several others. Alabama is No. 1, Ohio State is No. 2, Boise State is in the top five, etc.
The things I valued most when evaluating teams was experience and talent at quarterback and on the offensive and defensive lines. The predicted order of finish in conferences as determined by conference media also helped guide me - I figured I'd trust the reporters who know those teams best.
What I didn't look at all was schedule - I wasn't going to rank what I thought was a lesser team with an easier schedule ahead of what I thought was a better team with a tougher schedule. I've also included, in parentheses, each teams' ranking in the coaches poll, ESPN Power Rankings and Sports Illustrated preview.
1. Alabama (1-1-1) - Only 10 starters back, but nine are on offense, including a lot of the line, quarterback Greg McElroy, Heisman winning running back Mark Ingram and receiver Julio Jones. I don't think this is a completely obvious choice, but I'm curious to hear what the argument is for another team.
2. Ohio State (2-2-2) - Experienced offensive line and quarterback, defensive line is talented but not as deep as a year ago, but if you believe the Rose Bowl was a fair indication of the 2010 Buckeyes, it's hard to put the Buckeyes any lower than third. They'll get a long look from me for the No. 1 spot if they beat Miami impressively in week two.
3. Boise State (5-3-3) - The winner of Boise State-Virginia Tech in week one could easily be No. 1 on my ballot. The Broncos have 20 starters back, including quarterback Kellen Moore, but I think Alabama and Ohio State have a little better talent across the board.
4. Oklahoma (8-6-12) - Higher than some have the Sooners, though Phil Steele put them first in his preseason poll. Big 12 media picked Oklahoma to finish ahead of Texas in the Big 12 South Division, though other national polls have the Longhorns ahead of the Sooners.
5. Florida (3-5-7) - This could be a little high, although the Gators are No. 3 in the coaches poll. Only nine starters back, but this is the consensus second-best team in what has been the nation's best conference.
6. TCU (7-7-5) - Sixteen starters back, including QB Andy Dalton, and we'll get a good idea of the Horned Frogs in their opener against Oregon State.
7. Nebraska (9-11-9) - Even without Ndamukong Suh, I think this is the No. 2 team in the Big 12. Fifteen starters back, and third-week game at Washington should be interesting.
8. Wisconsin (12-13-11) - The team I picked to finish second in the Big Ten ahead of Iowa. The Badgers' running game, with John Clay and one of the best, most experienced offensive lines in the nation, could control games. Iowa's defensive line could dominate the same way Wisconsin's offensive line might, and both the Badgers and Hawkeyes have veteran quarterbacks in Scott Tolzien and Ricky Stanzi. Maybe the reason that put Wisconsin slightly ahead in my mind - Tolzien made fewer mistakes last year.
9. Texas (4-4-4) - Only 11 starters back. Like Florida, I think the Longhorns, No. 4 in the coaches poll, are riding reputation a bit. Oct. 2 vs. Oklahoma will tell us what we need to know.
10. Iowa (10-9-6) - Hawkeyes still a great team. I voted them higher than many voters much of last season, caring less about how close some of their wins were and focusing more on that they found a way to win. That's in-season. In preseason subjective voting, you have to wonder if Iowa can survive again if they get in games like that. But if Stanzi cuts down on his picks, which he knows he needs to do, watch out.
11. Virginia Tech (6-8-10) - The Hokies face Boise State in the season-opener, after losing their opener to Alabama a year ago. The winner there will make a case for No. 1.
12. Oregon (11-12-8) - Maybe I'm making too much of replacing quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, but that's one of the reasons I have the Ducks lower than some others do.
13. Arkansas (19-17-23) - They could be the Ole Miss of 2010, the SEC darkhorse that somehow winds up overrated. But with Ryan Mallet at quarterback, my feeling is this is the third-best team in the SEC. But that's only the feeling now.
14. Miami (13-10-15) - Great defensive line, veteran quarterback in Jacory Harris, and the Ohio State-Miami winner in week two will make its own case for No. 1.
15. Stanford (XX-25-23) - One of my more unusual picks, but with the Cardinal returning four offensive line starters and talented sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck, they have a lot of what I'm looking for in a wide-open Pac-10.
16. Southern California (XX-15-17) - Trojans are ineligible for coaches poll because of NCAA sanctions, and with new coach Lane Kiffin, they are incredibly difficult to get a handle on. Still a lot of talent there, but only 11 starters back and no one knows how it will mix together in this new era of USC.
17. Georgia (21-24-XX)
18. Florida State (20-18-25)
19. North Carolina (18-20-13)
20. West Virginia (24-XX-XX)
21. Penn State (14-21-19) - The Nittany Lions were No. 14 in the coaches poll, which I think is a high for a team unsure about its quarterback situation and the offensive line. Running back Evan Royster should help ease the transition for the winner of the QB derby.
22. LSU (16-19-21)
23. Clemson (XX-XX-XX)
24. Pitt (15-14-16)
25. Utah (24-XX-22)
Teams I didn't rank that might make some people angry: Cincinnati (XX-XX-18), Georgia Tech (17-16-14), Oregon State (22-23-20), Auburn (23-22-XX)