2011 AP Top 25 Preseason Poll: Oklahoma Sooners Team to Beat

It is quite often that the Associated Press (AP) College Football polls reflect that of the Coaches polls (with sometimes a few exceptions) in college football rankings throughout a season, even during preseason. It appears that 2011 will show a similar track as the Oklahoma Sooners have been deemed by sportswriters across the nation to be the No. 1 team, just as did the coaches polled a few weeks prior. The AP Top 25 preseason poll, however, does have one notable exception for 2011 -- all the way at the other end of the list at No. 25.

Besides the No. 1 ranking of the Sooners, the two polls share 23 teams, most in different number slots. Still, the Top Four (Oklahoma, Alabama, Oregon, and LSU) are the same, as are numbers 12 (South Carolina), 13 (Virginia Tech), 17 (Michigan State), 20 (Mississippi State), and 21 (Missouri). All other teams are ranked relatively close to the corresponding numbers in each poll.

Except in two instances. Where the 2011 USA Today Coaches Poll places last year's national champions, the Auburn Tigers, at No. 19, the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll has the Cam Newton-less Tigers placing at No. 23. It is apparent that a repeat championship is not expected, and if they get a second straight championship, Auburn will have to truly earn it.

The second instance of a major rankings discrepancy is the inclusion of USC in the AP preseason poll. Coming in at No. 25, the Trojans anchor the list. However, they aren't even given an honorable mention of one vote in the 2011 Coaches Poll. Given that USC is ineligible for bowl play (due to NCAA sanctions for rule violations during the Reggie Bush years), which would include the BCS Championship Series and national championship game, their omission is understandable. However, they are still a force to be reckoned with and the sportswriters gave the Trojans their due.

Some might point out that the West Viriginia Mountaineers made the 2011 AP Top 25 Preseason Poll -- and not the Coaches Poll -- as a big difference in the rankings, but it should be noted that WVU placed 27th in the coaches tabulation, scoring just 12 points behind Penn State (No. 25 in the Coaches Poll). Not much of a difference.

Week one of the 2011-2012 NCAA football season will see only a few overt challenges to the college football rankings as most of the teams get started with small colleges as a warm-up for the season. However, the No. 3 Oregon Ducks, who fell just short of a national title last season, will take on the #4 LSU Tigers to shake up the numbers in the Top 10 right off. The game will be played on a relatively neutral field -- Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Another potential hit to the Top 10 could be taken by the No. 5 Boise State Broncos. The No. 19 Georgia Bulldogs will confront them in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The SouthEast Conference (SEC) boasts the largest number of teams making the 2011 AP preseason poll, dominating with eight. The Big 12 and the Big Ten are have the next highest number with four teams making the rankings list.

NCAA college football kicks off for the 2011-2012 season on Labor Day weekend.

2011 AP Top 25 College Football Preseason Poll

1. Oklahoma Sooners
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Oregon Ducks
4. LSU Tigers
5. Boise State Broncos
6. Florida State Seminoles
7. Stanford Cardinal
8. Texas A&M Aggies
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys
10. Nebraska Corhhuskers
11. Wisconsin Badgers
12. South Carolina Gamecocks
13. Virginia Tech Hokies
14. TCU Horned Frogs
15. Arkansas Razorbacks
16. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
17. Michigan State Spartans
18. Ohio State Buckeyes
19. Georgia Bulldogs
20. Mississippi State Bulldogs
21. Missouri Tigers
22. Florida Gators
23. Auburn Tigers
24. West Virginia Mountaineers
25. USC Trojans