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tabelz Ballot for 2016 Preseason

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Aug. 23, 2016, 8:22 a.m.

Overall Rationale: This is a preseason poll. Except DRASTIC changes from week-to-week early in the season. Based on quality of last season's teams, while also taking into account where I expect regression based on lost talent, and improvement based on growing talent and experience, plus recruitment. I will NOT take into account a team's strength of schedule for the upcoming season (sorry Washington, Michigan, you would both be higher) 

Rank Team Reason
1 Alabama Crimson Tide You'd have to lose a lot to lose the top spot in my poll as champions. They lose some, but I expect them to reload. Might start shaky, expect that to wear off quick.
2 Clemson Tigers Everything about them is wonderful and I hate it.
3 Oklahoma Sooners I expect big things and I think they will start right where they left off (good, not losing to Clemson I mean)
4 Michigan Wolverines A sexy pick, I know, but Michigan's foundations last year will yield some fruit
5 Stanford Cardinal The quarterback situation is dicey, but they have one of the best players doing everything else.
6 Florida State Seminoles The quarterback situation is REALLY dicey, but they have one of the best players running around on offense.
7 Ole Miss Rebels A lack of skill position players is very concerning, but Freeze's high-level recruiting is yielding results. Expect to see a quality team that I think has a good chance of beating Florida State.
8 Ohio State Buckeyes Lose a lot, recruit a lot. Ho hum. 
9 UCLA Bruins They have a lot that I like, but a lot that worries me. They have so much talent on paper to make the playoff, but I have reservations. I always will with UCLA.
10 Michigan State Spartans Big losses, but Sparty is resilient. Sparty strong
11 Houston Cougars Gettin disrespekt. I will recognize real.
12 LSU Tigers Overrated in other polls that take schedule too much into account. However, they have a literal human wrecking ball at running back
13 Tennessee Volunteers Also overrated and the Dobbs hype is legitimately confounding
14 TCU Horned Frogs Losing talent, but consistently well-coached. I admit I'm not sure at all how the Frogs will do this season
15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Even post-Fulmer Cup glory, the Irish look solid, but not great.
16 Iowa Hawkeyes I think some regression is obvious with this team, but Kirk will do what Kirk will do and they will win some scrappy games.
17 Utah Utes A weird end to the season doesn't mean Utah won't be a solid season. I'm more taking into account their season last year than anything else, but I think a record around or slightly under their performance last season is a respectable, achievable goal.
18 Oregon Ducks Oregon's development over the long-run is very concerning, but they have so much talent it's impossible to keep them out of the the top 20 or so.
19 Florida Gators Another tough, confounding team to rank. I think they are slightly underrated by the AP. Florida's defense is world-class despite some lost talent. McElwain has had a year to recruit offensive talent to his strengths. I see an SEC East repeat unlikely, and the QB situation is just as poor, if not worse than Georgia's. 8-4 sounds reasonable as well. Don't ask me who wins the Cocktail Party. 
20 Georgia Bulldogs I have no idea what to do with Georgia and I will say nothing more. Ok I will say their defense and offense both have really great strengths and weird weaknesses and the QB situation is concerning despite the hype. I think it'll be an 8-4 year out of the Bulldogs when all's said and done but this poll takes into account last year's finish minus loss, plus additions. Georgia loses a few on defense, and needs to sort out offensive line, but healthy players and returning veterans in the secondary, at linebacker and elsewhere along the lines means Georgia will be a pretty decent team for Kirby Smart's first year.
21 North Carolina Tar Heels A sexy quarterback I hear? A dumpster fire of a defense, I remember.
22 Washington State Cougars Who knows in a tough division if the Cougs repeat their secretly awesome year? I don't, but I respect them and their secret-decency.
23 Oklahoma State Cowboys Another sneaky team, that I can see sniping some games they shouldn't, but their last month or so has games in Manhattan, Fort Worth and Norman (not that home field means anything in Bedlam). I think they could be good, but I would not be shocked if they weren't
24 USC Trojans NO idea if they will be good this year with a lame head-coaching hire, but a talent loaded roster means they will stay here as division champs until they get a good old slaughtering Week 1.
25 Pittsburgh Panthers 25 was tough. I thought about Pitt, though, who I like winning a few close games and really developing this year.

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