College Football Power Rankings - Preseason
RK (LW) TEAM REC PTS COMMENT
1 (NR) Alabama (17) 0-0 496 The defending champs return eight starters on offense, including Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. They lost much defensive leadership, but while there may be a dearth of experience, there is plenty of talent.
2 (NR) Ohio State (2) 0-0 458 It wouldn't be August without talk of an impending Big Ten and national le challenge from Ohio State. The chatter carries a particular resonance after the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl win last season, especially because many faces return.
3 (NR) Boise State (1) 0-0 428 A BCS bowl-winning team returning 20 starters is surely a le contender, right? What may seem elementary is not so simple in the confused logic of the BCS. There may not be a more anticipated Week 1 matchup than the Broncos' bout with Virginia Tech.
4 (NR) Texas 0-0 414 Garrett Gilbert's career started earlier than UT fans would have hoped after Colt McCoy was knocked out of the BCS le game. But the ball is now firmly in his hands as the Longhorns look to tweak their offense to accommodate their new QB.
5 (NR) Florida 0-0 405 A mass Gators exodus to the NFL means Urban Meyer faces a significant challenge if Florida is to reclaim the SEC crown. The cupboard certainly isn't bare, but UF will need untested and unproven players to fill the void in 2010.
6 (NR) Oklahoma 0-0 373 OU awoke from a nightmarish 2009 season with many players having a year of experience under their belts. Bob Stoops will hope that a combination of health and motivation propel the Sooners back into the nation's upper echelon.
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(NR) TCU 0-0 365 The Horned Frogs lost their non-AQ bragging rights -- and perhaps some momentum in the preseason polls -- with their Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State. But that doesn't mean they're being overlooked for another BCS bowl.
8 (NR) Virginia Tech 0-0 361 Last season, Ryan Williams emerged as one of the nation's best rushers. The return of Darren Evans gives the Hokies a backfield that borders on unfair. Expectations are high in Blacksburg, even for a team that considers 10-win seasons par for the course.
9 (NR) Iowa 0-0 350 After a BCS bowl win and an 11-2 record in 2009, it's possible that expectations are even higher for the Hawkeyes in 2010. The pieces are in place for Iowa to challenge for the Big Ten le, and it will face the league's best teams at home.
10 (NR) Miami (FL) 0-0 311 The defense has talent, and Jacory Harris has added experience and playmakers at his disposal. So is this the year Miami breaks through and challenges for a BCS bowl?
11 (NR) Nebraska 0-0 301 After Texas denied it a BCS bowl last season, Nebraska believes it has the pieces to win the Big 12 le in its final season in the league before moving to the Big Ten. An Oct. 16 rematch with UT at home looms large.
12 (NR) Oregon 0-0 299 A glowing first season under Chip Kelly quickly unraveled after a Rose Bowl loss as Ducks players frequented the police blotter, leading to QB Jeremiah Masoli's dismissal. Question marks loom large after a tumultuous offseason.
13 (NR) Wisconsin 0-0 265 The Badgers won five of their last six games in 2009 to finish with 10 wins. With virtually the entire offensive unit back for the 2010 campaign, there's no reason to think Wisconsin won't be a serious contender in the Big Ten le race.
14 (NR) Pittsburgh 0-0 199 Plenty of important pieces return from last season's 10-win team. The belief is building in Pittsburgh that this is the season the Panthers win the Big East le and earn a BCS bowl berth.
15 (NR) USC 0-0 172 Lane Kiffin hasn't made many friends during his brief time in college football, but he can endear himself to the USC faithful if he can steer the Trojans out of the stormy waters they face.
16 (NR) Georgia Tech 0-0 154 Important pieces from last year's offense need to be replaced, but such is the nature of Georgia Tech's triple-option attack: Paul Johnson seems to plug in new players without a significant decline in production.
17 (NR) Arkansas 0-0 143 A trendy dark-horse pick in the SEC, the Razorbacks are loaded with talent at the skill positions. Opposing defenses will pick their poison, but will the Hogs' defense prove to be the bitter pill that keeps their SEC le hopes grounded?
18 (NR) Florida State 0-0 126 It's a new day in Tallahassee as Jimbo Fisher dips his toes into the head-coaching waters at FSU. Fashionable Heisman pick Christian Ponder headlines a potentially explosive offensive.
19 (NR) LSU 0-0 120 Is LSU in crisis mode, or are the Tigers just slowly rebuilding? Perhaps it's a combination of the two, but the tension unmistakably is rising in Baton Rouge. Improving the offense is vital to redeem confidence after an indifferent 2009.
19 (NR) North Carolina 0-0 120 North Carolina will welcome a return to the playing field after finding itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this offseason. The Tar Heels were one of several top-tier programs that caught the scrutinizing eye of the NCAA this summer.
21 (NR) Penn State 0-0 118 A Sept. 11 visit to Alabama looms large for Penn State as it decides which untested sop re passer -- Kevin Newsome or Matt McGloin -- will be its starter. One thing is certain: Tuscaloosa is no place for an inexperienced quarterback.
22 (NR) Auburn 0-0 96 The Plains is buzzing in anticipation of Gene Chizik's second season. Junior college transfer Cameron Newton brings a highly anticipated new look to Gus Malzahn's offense that finished second in the SEC in 2009 in total yards.
23 (NR) Oregon State 0-0 89 Only USC has more Pac-10 wins than Oregon State since 2006, but the Beavers don't have a league le to show for it despite sniffing one last season before falling to Oregon. Will the power of the Rodgers brothers have them smelling roses in 2010?
24 (NR) Georgia 0-0 88 Mark Richt gave his defensive staff a makeover after Georgia surrended almost 26 points per game last season. No such change is necessary on offense; eight starters return, including perhaps the nation's best receiver in A.J. Green.
25 (NR) Stanford 0-0 40 It's a sign of the times in the tumultuous world of the Pac-10 that Stanford enters 2010 as a legitimate le contender with possibly the league's highest future NFL draft pick in QB Andrew Luck. Can the Cardinal live up to the hype?
Others receiving votes:
West Virginia (39), Cincinnati (32), South Carolina (31), Utah (22), Houston (18), Connecticut (13), Notre Dame (12), Missouri (10), Arizona (9), Washington (7), Texas A&M (5), California (4), Boston College (3), Clemson (3), Michigan (1)