What will the 2022 preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll potentially look like? It’s our predicted best guess on the early college football rankings.
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What could/might the preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll look like when it’s released in August?
Along with the AP Poll, the Coaches Poll is always a good snapshot of how the world views the top teams, and it helps set the expectations for the season.
Last year Alabama was the No. 1 in the first poll, and eventual national champion Georgia started out 5th. Clemson was 2, Oklahoma 3, Ohio State was 4.
And Cincinnati? It started out 10th, and in a massive whiff – and we said so at the time – Michigan didn’t even make the top 25, starting out in the Others Receiving Votes category being ranked, technically, 33rd.
So how does the preseason Coaches Poll usually differ from the AP version? The two are usually pretty much the same, but they do tend to give the bigger name coaches a wee bit more credit. They also tend to go with the brand names a little bit more.
For example, last year the coaches had Texas at 19, the AP had it at 21. The AP had Utah and Arizona State in the top 25, and the coaches left didn’t have the two Pac-12 teams in at all, but had USC ranked one spot higher – 14 to 15 – than the did.
To note, this is NOT the actual 2022 Preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll – it’s our prediction and projection of what it might be. Once the real version is released, we’ll break it all down and do a deep dive analysis.
It’s our call based on historical precedent, returning talent, and guessing how the coaches are perceiving teams and big brand names, it’s the …
2022 Preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll Top 25 Prediction
Click each team for the CFN 2022 preview or schedule analysis. Number in parentheses is where each team finished in final 2021 rankings.
Yeah, we’ll throw in the possible teams that should receive at least a few votes in the mix. Here are the teams that will be on some of the coaches’ Top 25 lists, but will probably miss out on being in the big poll.
Predicted Preseason Coaches Poll Also Receiving Votes: Wisconsin, Wake Forest, Pitt, Cincinnati, UCLA, North Carolina, Purdue, LSU, Miami, Boise State, Minnesota, San Diego State, Army, UCF
25 Florida Gators (NR)
24 Penn State Nittany Lions (NR)
23 Kentucky Wildcats (18)
22 Texas Longhorns (NR)
21 BYU Cougars (22)
– 2022 CFN College Football Preview of Every Team
20 Tennessee Volunteers (NR)
19 Baylor Bears (5)
18 Iowa Hawkeyes (23)
17 Arkansas Razorbacks (20)
16 Houston Cougars (17)
– AP Poll Preseason Prediction
15 Oregon Ducks (21)
14 Ole Miss Rebels (11)
13 NC State Wolfpack (19)
12 Oklahoma Sooners (7)
– Bowl Projections: Post-Spring Football
