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The preseason US LBM Coaches Poll is owned by the SEC and Big Ten. Big surprise, I know.
Those two powerhouse conferences compose over half of the preseason Top 25, including each of the top six spots and eight of the top 10. At a time when predicting how a year will unfold has become more difficult than ever — you can mostly thank widespread player movement through the transfer portal for that — Coaches Poll voters are making the safe bet that SEC and Big Ten teams will dominate the regular season.
But while the preseason poll is a handy roadmap for what’s ahead, it’s rare to see the Top 25 in August match or even come close to the final Top 25 in January. Last year, for example, nine teams ranked in the preseason finished the season unranked.
Winners
SEC
The league has a record nine teams in the preseason Coaches Poll, all inside the top 20. There’s No. 1 Georgia, the current favorite to get back to the top of the FBS. New member Texas lands at No. 4, followed by No. 5 Alabama and No. 6 Mississippi. After a brief lull, you’ll find No. 11 Missouri, No. 12 LSU, No. 15 Tennessee, another newcomer in Oklahoma at No. 16 and Texas A&M at No. 20. While it’s really hard to imagine how nine SEC teams end up with the records needed to land in the final Top 25, that so many populate the preseason poll speaks to the league’s well-deserved reputation as the nation’s best.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) gets around Mississippi cornerback Deantre Prince (7) as he carries the ball at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Big Ten
But the Big Ten isn’t too far behind the SEC, illustrating just how firmly these two leagues are in control of the Bowl Subdivision. The conference may only have six teams, but four are in the preseason top 10: No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 8 Michigan and No. 9 Penn State. Joining that group are No. 23 Southern…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/sec-big-ten-domination-headlines-163621307.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-08-05 16:36:21
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