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HUSKEROYAL Ballot for 2018 Preseason

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Aug. 19, 2018, 6:37 p.m.

Rank Team Reason
1 UCF Knights It's a new year and what better way to start off this poll than with the defending national champions? UCF may have lost their head coach and dilf in Scott Frost, but many players return including QB Milton. This team may not go another year undefeated, but as defending champions there is nobody that I can say is definitively better than UCF.
2 Alabama Crimson Tide Who else would be worthy of #2 other than the defending CFP committee champions? With Satan - I mean Saban - himself, the Tide are always a solid choice for the top of the polls. I fully expect Alabama to reach the CFP again, but this time deservingly as SEC Champion.
3 Georgia Bulldogs Georgia was very close to winning the CFP, but like every other Georgia sports team, they blew it. They return great players on offense, but there are concerns on defense (notably the loss of Roquan Smith). They might drop a game during the season, but I still think they'll at least win the SEC East.
4 Clemson Tigers Clemson looked outstanding most of last season before falling flat against Alabama in the CFP. Whether they start Bryant or that top freshman they brought in, their offense should be solid. Their real strength might be the defense, however, with a daunting front seven. With FSU under a new head coach, I like Clemson's chances of winning the ACC and reaching the CFP for a fourth straight season.
5 Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma was right on the doorstep of the CFP title game before that heartbreaking Rose Bowl loss to Georgia. They lost Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, but their offense will continue to thrive under Kyler Murray, a solid replacement. They will most likely win the Big 12 again, but the key factor in whether or not OU will take the next step in the national picture will be their defense.
6 North Dakota State Bison Can't have a preseason top 25 without the defending NCAA playoff national champions! The most dominant dynasty of the past decade will look to win another NCAA playoff, which would be their seventh title in eight seasons! When's the last time anyone has done that?
7 Washington Huskies Has any program benefited from their head coach taking another job quite like Washington? Since Sark left in 2013, Chris Petersen has made the Huskies a national title contender. There is a lot to like about this team. They should be the favorites to take the Pac 12 title and make a push for the CFP.
8 Ohio State Buckeyes The cloud of the Urban Meyer investigation may cause uncertainty over the program, but there is plenty of talent to be solid even if Meyer receives the axe. This team should be competing for the title in the toughest division in college football, and should once again make a push for the CFP.
9 Michigan Wolverines The Wolverines have had a solid defense for a few years now, but the offense now has a competent QB in Shea Patterson. This team could finally take a division title that Michigan has evaded since the creation of divisions in the B1G as well as silencing the doubters of HC Jim Harbaugh, who has done a better job than r/CFB wants you to believe. The Wolverines may have the toughest schedule in the country, however, with trips to Noter Dame, MSU, and tOSU as well as games against Penn State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.
10 Auburn Tigers This team was interesting down the stretch last year, with wins against both CFP finalists, but losses against one of those CFP teams in the SEC Championship game as well as the loss in the Sugar Bowl to National Champions UCF. There is a lot to like about this team on paper as well, but Auburn has struggled to deliver with expectations in some previous seasons.
11 Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers return a strong core of talent from a team that finished 13-1 last year and was at the doorstep to reaching the CFP. Their schedule is tougher this time around with trips to Michigan and Penn State, but this team should still win the Big Ten West and a contender for the CFP.
12 Michigan State Spartans The Spartans recovered nicely from a disastrous 2016 season last year. They are stuck in the toughest division in college football, but they host both Michigan and Ohio State as well as avoiding Wisconsin from the West.
13 Miami Hurricanes Mark Richt's program made tremendous strides in his second season, going 10-0 before dropping the final 3 games. This team should once again be solid and compete for the ACC Coastal title, but cane they take the next step this year?
14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Noter Dame has plenty of talent on their team to be great this season. Their schedule is difficult, but if Wimbush can become a decent passer, this team could be interesting come November.
15 Stanford Cardinal Standford has been a solid program under Shaw, and I expect that to continue this year. They may not have as much talent on paper as Washington, but their style gives them a chance to compete for a Pac 12 title.
16 Penn State Nittany Lions Barkley is gone, but McSorley is still under center. They don't seem as good on paper as tOSU, Michigan, or MSU, but James Franklin is an outstanding coach and I expect the Lions to be competitive each week.
17 Texas Longhorns TEXAS IS BACK... well, not yet. This team has potential to win their first conference title in almost a decade. As long as Tim Beck doesn't completely fuck up their offense (which I would NOT count on), this team could be a real surprise. There's tough matchups with USC and Oklahoma, but perhaps their toughest game will be the last game of the regular season against Kansas. I wonder what happened the last time Texas played on the road against Kansas...
18 USC Trojans Sam "wouldn't have it any other way" Darnold is gone, but the Trojans always have talent on their team. It will be interesting to see how this team manages a difficult schedule early on with trips to Stanford, Texas, and Arizona in September.
19 Mississippi State Bulldogs Mullen might be gone, but Moorhead is a solid replacement. QB Fitzgerald should once again lead the Clangas to a successful season despite a somewhat difficult schedule.
20 Oregon Ducks Taggart may have left after just one season, but there is a solid base of players on the team. The new coach Cristobal worked wonders at an FIU program that was an absolute disaster before he took over. I expect this program to be a darkhorse to win the Pac 12, as well as being a surprise team this season.
21 South Carolina Gamecocks Like Oregon, I see South Carolina as a darkhorse and surprise team. Muschamp has bounced back quite nicely from his tumultuous Florida tenure and has a solid program to work with in Columbia. I can easily see this team pulling off a huge upset Week 2 as Georgia comes to town. 
22 West Virginia Mountaineers Will Grier is among the best quarterbacks in college football and should lead West Virginia to a solid season in 2018. His absence at the end of last season showed, as the Mountaineers dropped the last three games last season. This team should contend for the Big 12 Championship this season if things go right.
23 Boise State Broncos The Broncos are always among the best G5 programs and should be again this season. They seem to be a shoe-in to win the Mountain West this season. If they can run the table, this team has a chance to make a New Years' Six Bowl.
24 Virginia Tech Hokies I like Fuente as a coach, and the Hokies are a solid program. They, along with the Hurricanes, will be the main competitors for the ACC Coastal title.
25 Nebraska Cornhuskers Two words: SCOTT FROST. This team will be much better than most would expect. Nebraska has been sabotaged from the inside by crooks such as former Chancellor Perlman and former ADs Steve Pedersen and Shawn Eichorst. Now that the prodigal son is at the helm, this team will start to become a contender once again. There is has been a lot of work needed on the team that Eichorst and Riley torpedoed, and Frost and his staff are perfect for the fixing. This team will finish at least 8-4 this season. BOOK IT.

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