The Associated Press preseason college football poll comes out today. Here’s how I voted. Expect drastic changes after we’ve actually seen some games. I’ll discuss each week’s poll either here, or at my “Quick Reads” blog at HawaiiWarriorWorld.com.
1. Alabama: We’ll get an idea early on if ’Bama is worthy of its usual lofty perch as it opens against Florida State a week from Saturday. Will prized freshman quarterback recruit Tua Tagovailoa from Saint Louis School get a chance to play?
2. Clemson: The defending national champs no longer have Deshaun Watson at QB, but they’re still superb on defense.
3. Penn State: QB Trace McSorley and RB Saquon Barkley are among the 16 returning starters who still have that chip on their shoulder after being iced out of last year’s playoffs.
4. Florida State: If you know me, you know I’m partial to defense, and the Seminoles’ should be stifling with safety Derwin James back from injury.
5. Ohio State: The Buckeyes have a new offensive coordinator (former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson) and an old QB (senior J.T. Barrett) who will try to erase the memory of that 35-0 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Clemson.
6. Oklahoma: Heisman hopeful Baker Mayfield is the QB, but he’s got a new set of weapons as most of the Sooners biggest playmakers are now in the NFL.
7. LSU: With a year under his belt working with the NFL-caliber talent at Baton Rouge, former Hawaii defensive coordinator Dave Aranda will have the angles all figured out. But the QB situation is even dicier than usual.
8. Washington: The Huskies have plenty back from the team that went to the playoff, including Pac-12 MVP QB Jake Browning. Can they take it to the next level?
9. Wisconsin: Another defense-based team. Big things are expected from corner Nick Nelson, who transferred to Madison from UH.
10. USC: Sam Darnold, Sam Darnold, Sam Darnold. Did I mention Sam Darnold? There are plenty of other returning starters in addition to the Heisman candidate QB, but too many key losses to rank the Trojans higher … for now.
11. Michigan: This is another elite program with loads of talent, but much of it unproven and with key performers from last fall gone to the pros.
12. Louisville: QB Lamar Jackson is gifted, but don’t look for him to pull an Archie Griffin with back-to-back Heismans.
13. Florida: The Gators are inexperienced at QB and on defense and will depend heavily on TB Jordan Scarlett.
14. Stanford: QB Keller Chryst will have to prove his strong three-game surge at the end of last season was no fluke.
15. Oklahoma State: QB Mason Rudolph has plenty of toys, including RB Justice Hill and a pack of receivers headed by LSU transfer Tryon Johnson.
16. Virginia Tech: There should be no sophomore slump for coach Justin Fuente after a smooth transition following 29 years of Beamer ball.
17. Tennessee: The Vols will thrive if the rest of the team catches up to the veteran O-line and defensive back seven, pronto.
18. South Florida: First-year Bulls coach Charlie Strong will prove the dysfunction at Texas was not his fault.
19. Miami: Alum coach Mark Richt and tailback Mark Walton (1,117 yards, 14 TDs) have brought the excitement back to The U.
20. Georgia: We know Kirby Smart is a defensive mastermind. How much can RB Nick Chubb carry the offense?
21. Washington State: Yes, Mike Leach will have Luke Falk throwing the ball all over the yard again. But don’t sleep on Wazzou’s defense, with nine starters returning.
22. Tulsa: The only real question is QB. Yes, that’s a big one, and we’ll see if defense and running game can carry the day.
23. Auburn: The Tigers have quality depth at QB in Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham and Sean White. If at least one can stay healthy there’s lots of talent around them to make some noise.
24. Appalachian State: Who has 27 wins as a starting QB? The Mountaineers’ Taylor Lamb does, that’s who. OK, most of their 21 victories in the past two years have been against Sun Belt foes, but these guys are legit.
25. San Diego State: Donnell Pumphrey is gone, but the Aztecs still have a thousand-yard rusher returning in Rashaad Penny, and Rocky Long — one of the nation’s most underrated coaches.
Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.
