They climbed from being unranked in week four to No. 1 for the first time in school history by week 7, which is the fastest rise to the top in AP Poll history, breaking the 1954 record set by Ohio State.
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The USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released last month, awarded 62 first-place votes to the Buckeyes – but Alabama and TCU each received one, also.
The Associated Press has been ranking the best teams in college football since 1950 and never has one team been a unanimous preseason number one team in the country until now.
Alabama is third behind second-ranked TCU, while Oregon is seventh behind No. 4 Baylor, No. 5 Michigan State and No. 6 Auburn. Ohio State has been in the top 10 of the preseason poll in 10 of the last 13 years, missing it only in 2007, 2011 and 2012.
The Vols will face five preseason Top 25 teams in 2015 – Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
The Bulldogs, who ended previous year as the nation’s No. 9-ranked team, will open 2015 with a No. 9 ranking, according to the writers and broadcasters who vote in The Associated Press poll. Having two teams from the Big 12 ranked in the top four schools (TCU Horned Frogs and Baylor Bears) will certainly excite fans of that conference as well.
In fact, being ranked No. 1 to begin the college football season has not been a good thing in recent
history.
It’s the 12th time that Tech has appeared in the AP preseason poll. None since USC in 2004 has finished the season in the top spot. A victory by the Badgers could push them up the polls, while a win by the Crimson Tide could solidify a spot in the college football rankings from that point.
With the on-going controversy surrounding players challenging universities and college’s right to use images of student-athletes for commercial purposes, Ohio State is only making two jersey numbers available this year. Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State just missed the cut.
Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian apologized for his behavior and inappropriate language Saturday night at the Salute to Troy, a reception held before each season for the football team, alumni and athletic program donors.
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Finley was in a four-way race for the job with Tommy Stuart, Alex Ogle and freshman Brett Rypien.
