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MrTheSpork Ballot for 2022 Preseason

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Aug. 18, 2022, 8:36 p.m.

Overall Rationale: Preseason is a crapshoot, but I tend to weight returning production and coaching continuity. It's not perfect, but I have a long list of "teams to watch": SMU, SDSU, Boise, Texas, USU, Miami, Wake, Tenn, Miss, FSU, App, TCU, Stan, USC, Minn (among others). We'll see!

Rank Team Reason
1 Georgia Bulldogs Extraordinary season and they return a solid set; extremely dominant but for the sole loss; coaching staff intact; excellent recruiting. There's no reason to drop UGA.
2 Ohio State Buckeyes Great season and more returning than any other similar team; extremely dominant but for the losses; lost DC; excellent recruiting. OSU has a case for #1 but I'll wait and see.
3 Alabama Crimson Tide Great season and a good chunk return; dominant, but not overly; coaching staff (stunningly) intact; #1 in recruiting. Alabama and Georgia are likely going to meet in the SECCG again and it's almost a toss-up.
4 Utah Utes Great season and a good chunk return; unlucky (3 single-possession losses); long-term coaching staff; good recruiting. Utah is far from perfect but there are fewer questions about them than most every team below.
5 Clemson Tigers Great season (especially the back half) and a lot return; fairly lucky (5-2 in one possession games); lost both OC and DC; excellent recruiting. I don't entirely believe in Clemson given their coaching losses, but it's hard to bet against Dabo.
6 Michigan Wolverines Great season until the UGA buzzsaw; decent returning production; moderately lucky; lost DC; excellent recruiting. Overall fewer questions than the below, but losses to coaching staff and personnel will hurt.
7 Oklahoma Sooners Great season and solid chunk returns; lucky (5-1 in one possession); lost HC; excellent recruiting. Big questions about Venables, but talent is still there.
8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Great season and solid chunk returns; fairly dominant; lost HC; excellent recruiting. Big questions about Freeman, but talent is still there; OU is slightly higher as Venables has a longer track record.
9 Texas A&M Aggies Good season and decent amount returns; not dominant but not poor; lost DC; superb recruiting. This is the year - A&M has everything set up to challenge the uppermost echelon of the SEC, but they need to prove it.
10 NC State Wolfpack Good season and large amount returns; not dominant but not poor; coaching staff intact; okay recruiting. If the coaching staff and personnel mesh well, NCSU could make a case for ACC's #1 and a CFP berth.
11 Oregon Ducks Good season and solid chunk returns; fairly lucky (4-2 in one possession); lost HC; excellent recruiting. Hard to determine where Lanning will end up, but should be good and the talent is there; not nearly as strong as teams above.
12 Oklahoma State Cowboys Great season but not a ton of returners; lucky (6-2 in one possession); lost DC; great recruiting. Gundy is a known quantity and it's hard to see Oklahoma State overperforming, especially due to personnel losses. Still, Big 12 championship should be the only goal.
13 Cincinnati Bearcats Great season but not a lot of returners; fairly dominant; lost OC; good recruiting. Similar to Oklahoma State but we haven't seen Fickell long-term and Cincy lost a *lot.* Many questions, but overall should be a ten-win season as a goal.
14 Wisconsin Badgers Good season but not a lot of returners; fairly lucky (3-1 in one possession); lost OC; great recruiting. Wisconsin should be very similar to last year but it's hard to see a big jump forward.
15 Michigan State Spartans Great season and solid chunk returns; lucky (4-0 in one possession); coaching staff intact; good recruiting. Very similar to Wisconsin but statistically wasn't nearly as good. Balances out with returning personnel; UW gets the nod for long-term performance.
16 Houston Cougars Great season and solid chunk returns; lucky (4-0 in one possession); coaching staff intact; okay recruiting. Should be very good but ceiling is unknown.
17 Baylor Bears Great season but loses a lot; lucky (4-1 in one possession); coaching staff intact; okay recruiting. Baylor lost a lot and it's hard to see if the replacements will be enough to make up.
18 Arkansas Razorbacks Good season and a solid chunk returns; not dominant; coaching staff intact; good recruiting. Statistically, Arkansas was only just good, but if anyone will challenge Alabama in the west it'll be the piggies.
19 Pittsburgh Panthers Great season and a solid chunk returns; not dominant; lost OC; okay recruiting. It's hard to see Pitt improving with both Whipple and QB Pickett gone, but if they've got a solution at QB the rest of the roster should fall in line.
20 BYU Cougars Good season and almost everything returns; lucky (4-1 in one possession); coaching staff intact; average recruiting. If the returning players click, BYU could be great, but it's not guaranteed.
21 Fresno State Bulldogs Good season and good amount returns; not dominant; lost DC; mediocre recruiting. Similar to BYU but talent isn't nearly there; should be MWC favorite.
22 Purdue Boilermakers Good season and solid chunk returns; not dominant; coaching staff intact; good recruiting. Purdue has some weapons, but statistically they weren't great; should be good, but probably not great.
23 UCF Knights Good season and good amount returns; not dominant; lost OC; average recruiting. Solid core of the team is intact and should be good, but other questions remain.
24 UCLA Bruins Decent season but loses some; dominant; lost DC; good recruiting. Waiting to see if the Kelly hire pays off - this should be the year.
25 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Great season and a solid chunk returns; lucky (3-1 in one possession); lost DC; average recruiting. Statistically not great, but fewer questions than most other teams at this point.

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