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Preseason Football Rankings

AP Top 25

  1. Florida (58) 0-0 1,498
  2. Texas (2) 0-0 1,424
  3. Oklahoma 0-0 1,370
  4. USC 0-0 1,313
  5. Alabama 0-0 1,156
  6. Ohio State 0-0 1,113
  7. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,054
  8. Mississippi 0-0 1,047
  9. Oklahoma State 0-0 989
  10. Penn State 0-0 989
  11. LSU 0-0 914
  12. California 0-0 746
  13. Georgia 0-0 714
  14. Boise State 0-0 659
  15. Georgia Tech 0-0 593
  16. Oregon 0-0 587
  17. TCU 0-0 521
  18. Florida State 0-0 307
  19. Utah 0-0 289
  20. Brigham Young 0-0 267
  21. North Carolina 0-0 261
  22. Iowa 0-0 229
  23. Notre Dame 0-0 225
  24. Nebraska 0-0 207
  25. Kansas 0-0 134

  26. Others Receiving Votes: Oregon State 122, Illinois 105, Pittsburgh 103, Michigan State 100, Rutgers 83, Texas Tech 76, West Virginia 57, Cincinnati 44, Clemson 42, Miami (FL) 40, East Carolina 30, Tennessee 15, Arizona 13, North Carolina State 10, Boston College 9, CENTRL MICHIGAN 7, Auburn 7, UCLA 7, Northwestern 5, South Florida 3, Southern Miss 3, Vanderbilt 3, Missouri 3, South Carolina 2, Nevada 1, Arkansas 1, Houston 1, TROY 1, Tulsa 1

USA Today Poll

  1. Florida (53) 0-0 1,486
  2. Texas (4) 0-0 1,386
  3. Oklahoma (1) 0-0 1,358
  4. USC (1) 0-0 1,321
  5. Alabama 0-0 1,134
  6. Ohio State 0-0 1,126
  7. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,020
  8. Penn State 0-0 968
  9. LSU 0-0 917
  10. Mississippi 0-0 889
  11. Oklahoma State 0-0 861
  12. California 0-0 711
  13. Georgia 0-0 707
  14. Oregon 0-0 694
  15. Georgia Tech 0-0 559
  16. Boise State 0-0 542
  17. TCU 0-0 461
  18. Utah 0-0 404
  19. Florida State 0-0 371
  20. North Carolina 0-0 293
  21. Iowa 0-0 257
  22. Nebraska 0-0 236
  23. Notre Dame 0-0 194
  24. Brigham Young 0-0 178
  25. Oregon State 0-0 165

  26. Others Receiving Votes: Kansas 138, Michigan State 136, Texas Tech 114, Cincinnati 90, Pittsburgh 64, West Virginia 55, Rutgers 51, Miami (FL) 46, Missouri 44, Illinois 38, Clemson 30, South Carolina 18, UCLA 14, Auburn 12, South Florida 11, Nevada 11, Kentucky 9, North Carolina State 7, Wisconsin 6, Arkansas 6, Northwestern 5, Southern Miss 4, Wake Forest 4, Arizona 3, Boston College 3, Central Michigan 3, East Carolina 3, Colorado 2, Maryland 2, Navy 2, Tennessee 2, TROY 1, Minnesota 1, Michigan 1, Houston 1

Jeff: By now, you have probably seen that Boston College received votes in both of the major preseason polls. How can a team that some predict to go 2-12, 4-8, or maybe by the most pro BC/ACC writers, 6-6 be in others' preseason top 25? How does that make sense?

Well first, realize that a lot of teams receive votes in the preseason polls. Even though BC is in some voters top 25, they are essentially 40th in the AP and tied for 49th in the USA Today Poll. Both of these rankings are still higher than a 4-8 or even 6-6 ACC team deserves but the ranking is deserved. Why you ask?

How many college football teams can you absolutely assure me(like bet your house on) will be ranked ahead of BC in the final BCS standings this season. Personally, I can only come up with 3. Texas, Florida and Oklahoma. Sure, there are plenty more teams that I think will finish ahead of BC at the end of 2009, but only 3 that I am absolutely be sure of because I cannot promise you that USC will win the Pac-10 and BC will not win the ACC, for example. Why else does BC deserve to get some top 25 votes?

Boston College has proved since joining the ACC that they have competed for their division and conference title every year and gone on to bowl games. Since a preseason top 25 poll ranks basically every BCS conference team that will ultimately head to a bowl game. BC certainly has earned the right to be considered based on their past success and the inaccuracies of preseason polls.

Lastly, the uncertainties of Dave Shinskie, the new coaches and the injuries not only leave the possibility for a disastrous season, but also leave the possibility of having an unpredictably successful season and if that scenario pans out, at least a few writers will be able to say "I told you so."

Comparing the two polls, I have to say that I agree with the AP Poll a little more than the USA Today poll because of where we are ranked relative to a few teams I follow closely. In the AP Poll South Carolina got 2 votes while Wake Forest got zero but in the USA Today Poll both teams are ahead of BC. No one can convince me that either team deserves to be ranked ahead of BC.