Breaking down the preseason AP Top 25
We’re almost there.
This coming Saturday will be the last without college football until January as we get set to kick off the 2022 season with Week 0 action on Aug. 27. A new season also means new rankings, and the Associated Press released its preseason top 25 on Monday.
After a 6-7 finish in 2021 that resulted in a coaching change, the national media isn’t particularly high on the Tigers this fall. They missed out on the AP Top 25, but they did receive the fifth-most votes among teams outside of the rankings.
It’s the first time LSU hasn’t been featured in the preseason AP Poll since 2000, Nick Saban’s first season.
Still, it’s a decent representation for the SEC, which has six teams in the initial rankings, including three in the top 10.
Without further ado, here is the initial AP Top 25, starting with the teams who did not make the ranking but received votes.
Others Receiving Votes
Tennessee 180, Texas 164, Iowa 163, Penn State 160, LSU 55, Fresno State 32, Minnesota 31, UCF 27, Purdue 17, Mississippi State 15, Auburn 15, Kansas State 14, Florida 14, North Carolina 9, Boise State 5, Air Force 4, Appalachian State 4, UCLA 2, San Diego State 2, South Carolina 2, Utah State 2, Nebraska 1
BYU Cougars
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images
Previous Record: 10-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 19
Points (First-Place Votes): 234
Houston Cougars
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 12-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 17
Points (First-Place Votes): 263
Cincinnati Bearcats
Syndication: The Enquirer
Previous Record: 13-1
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 4
Points (First-Place Votes): 265
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Syndication: Florida Times-Union
Previous Record: 11-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 15
Points (First-Place Votes): 303
Ole Miss Rebels
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Previous Record: 10-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 11
Points (First-Place Votes): 324
Kentucky Wildcats
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 10-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 18
Points (First-Place Votes): 332
Arkansas Razorbacks
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 9-4
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 21
Points (First-Place Votes): 348
Wisconsin Badgers
Photo by David Becker/Getty Images
Previous Record: 9-4
Final 2021 Ranking: NR
Points (First-Place Votes): 365
Pittsburgh Panthers
Photo by Logan Whitton/Getty Images
Previous Record: 11-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 13
Points (First-Place Votes): 383
Miami Hurricanes
Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images
Previous Record: 7-5
Final 2021 Ranking: NR
Points (First-Place Votes): 476
Michigan State Spartans
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 11-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 9
Points (First-Place Votes): 631
USC Trojans
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Previous Record: 4-8
Final 2021 Ranking: NR
Points (First-Place Votes): 711
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images
Previous Record: 9-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 20
Points (First-Place Votes): 752
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Syndication: Arizona Republic
Previous Record: 12-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 7
Points (First-Place Votes): 814
Oregon Ducks
Syndication: The Register Guard
Previous Record: 10-4
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 22
Points (First-Place Votes): 831
Baylor Bears
AP Photo/Tim Heitman
Previous Record: 12-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 5
Points (First-Place Votes): 884
Oklahoma Sooners
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 11-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 10
Points (First-Place Votes): 956
Michigan Wolverines
Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images
Previous Record: 12-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 3
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,203
Utah Utes
Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Previous Record: 12-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 12
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,209
Texas A&M Aggies
Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 8-4
Final 2021 Ranking: NR
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,212
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Record: 11-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 8
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,242
Clemson Tigers
Syndication: The Greenville News
Previous Record: 10-3
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 14
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,292
Georgia Bulldogs
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Previous Record: 14-1
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 1
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,455 (3)
Ohio State Buckeyes
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Previous Record: 11-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 6
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,506 (6)
Alabama Crimson Tide
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Previous Record: 13-2
Final 2021 Ranking: No. 2
Points (First-Place Votes): 1,566 (54)
