UK & Ireland College Football Media Top 25 Rankings: Preseason
By Simon Carroll
College Football, more than any other code of the sport, is a game of opinions. Even in the modern era that now, finally, includes a 12 team playoff, there is still no mathematical way of definitively ranking every football program in the nation. Instead, a select few privileged figures hide behind closed doors, measuring performance with flawed insight and dubious metrics – and ultimately hold the power to determine who has a shot of glory when all is said and done.
Well, anyone can do that. And if the AP or CFP committe can’t get it right, then perhaps we can!
Since the start of the 2022 season, some of the UK & Ireland’s most talented writers, content creators and students of the college game have combined to deliver their own weekly set of rankings. The UK & Ireland CFB Media Top 25 is announced every Tuesday evening, and we begin this campaign with our 2024 preseason rankings. Buckle up – there’s a surprise or two!
2024 - Preseason Rankings
- GEORGIA BULLDOGS
- OREGON DUCKS
- OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
- TEXAS LONGHORNS
- ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
- NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
- MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
- OLE MISS REBELS
- FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
- PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
- MISSOURI TIGERS
- LSU TIGERS
- UTAH UTES
- TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
- CLEMSON TIGERS
- OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
- MIAMI HURRICANES
- OKLAHOMA SOONERS
- KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
- ARIZONA WILDCATS
- TEXAS A&M AGGIES
- USC TROJANS
- NC STATE WOLFPACK
- KANSAS JAYHAWKS
- WASHINGTON HUSKIES
TAKEAWAYS
Success Runs Through Athens, GA
If rankings are notoriously fickle, then doing it before a ball has been kicked, thrown or caught in anger seems somewhat ludicrous. But college football doesn’t do sensible, and so neither does the UK & Ireland voting panel. If putting football programs into an arbitrary order based on no actual evidence is what the people want, then it’s what the people get!
Unsurprisingly, the top ten programs in the preseason rankings are college football powerhouses. And, in the last few seasons, none have been as dominant or as consistent as the Georgia Bulldogs. Missing out on the playoffs last year was an anomaly for a team who hasn’t lost a regular season game since November 7th 2020. The sheer talent on the roster and coaching staff has been recognised by the voters, making them the de facto team to beat this coming season.
Of course, fans in Columbus, Eugene, Austin and Tuscaloosa might have something to say about that. But the beauty of 2024 is that all these teams are likely in the playoffs when all is said and done. Georgia, for their part, have to play Clemson, Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee this season – all of which land in the top 14 of this preseason poll. If they’re #1 come season’s end, they’ll have earned it.
Last Season Counts For Something - But Not Everything
We all know there’s a cyclical nature to college football. The maturation of talent from freshman to senior – and beyond – means that there will be an ebb and flow to the makeup of a program’s roster each season. Traditionally recruiting dominance has been the key to maintaining the highs and reducing the lows, but today the transfer portal also allows teams to immediately re-stock rather than solely relying on developing talent.
Last year’s National Champs, Michigan, have suffered some attrition on offense, not to mention also losing head coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. Despite a widespread expectation of regression, the UK&I panel have acknowledged that there is still a lot of talent in Ann Arbor, and sat them comfortably in the top ten. Similar thought processes seem to have been applied to Alabama (5), Florida State (9) and Missouri (11), who for different reasons (coaching changes, talent loss, conference erosion) may be looking at a step back in 2024. Our voters have given them the benefit of the doubt – for now.
With all that said, Washington – who competed in the National Championship Game seven months ago – have barely scraped in. Why? The loss of a head coach, a number of offensive weapons and a move to a tougher conference. Despite last year’s exploits not being forgotten, the panel is well aware of the adversity the Huskers face in 2024 – showing they take every aspect into consideration when creating these rankings.
SEC, Big Ten Set The Pace
A rather unsurprising outcome of the first poll of 2024 is how the two biggest conferences in college football dominate proceedings. The SEC lead the way with nine programs in the Top 25 – and more impressively have half of the positions in the top 14. The Big Ten aren’t fr behind with six selections – almost unsurprising considering the expansion to 18 members this offseason. Interestingly, this number would be half if the Pac-12 deserters hadn’t joined the conference. 60% of the Top 25 come from these two conferences – and it’s reasonable to expect an even higher percentage of playoff teams doing the same this season.
Florida State, fresh off being cruelly denied a place in the CFP in 2023, lead the way for the ACC. The irony of them and Clemson – two protagonists looking to leave the conference for more money elsewhere – setting the pace in these rankings has not been lost on this writer. Both schools will expect a place in the 12-team bracket come the year’s end, but anyone else gatecrashing the party from the Atlantic Coast Conference would raise eyebrows.
And finally, a note on the Big 12 – perhaps the most wide open of the Power 4 conferences this offseason; whilst the highest ranked program from this affiliation was Utah at #13, it was intriguing to see the panel split on the contenders within this group. The most surprising of all included may be Arizona, who saw Jedd Fisch depart for Washington this offseason. If the WIldcats can run it back under new HC Brent Brennan, it could be a year to remember in Tuscon
No Love For The Group Of Five
The omission of any program from the Group of Five conferences is a reflection on the widening gulf in college football, and a tacit admission of the panel that, all thing equal, a school with lesser means have slim to no hope of challenging the elite within the sport.
However.
The new 12-team playoff format guarantees at least one GO5 program will be involved, as the winners of the top five conferences automatically get entry to the knockout regardless of overall ranking. With that knowledge, it was somewhat surprising not to see one school be included in the 20’s at least – the only school not from a Power 4 conference included, is of course Notre Dame, whose independence gives them some intriguing permutations of their own (which we won’t get into here).
The Group of Five wasn’t ignored by everyone – there were votes for Memphis, Liberty and App State, just not enough to sneak in. The UK & Ireland voters have historically been more sympathetic to the sport’s underdogs compared to their American counterparts, so expect that to change when the season gets underway.
Keep your eyes peeled for our weekly rankings throughout the year!
