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The Book 2016: Pre-Season Rankings, 1-128

This year's approach: What Would The Committee Do? 'Bama starts where they finished. Steele the predictor of record. Eagles small dog vs Tech.

By John Fidler
The Dazzler leads the Eagles up the rankings
The Dazzler leads the Eagles up the rankings
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

God, where did the summer go?  Yes, we sweltered in the heat and humidity of what was is one of the driest seasons on record in New England, which I am sure didn't make life any easier for our Eagles as they prepare for the 2016 season...but incredibly and incredibly exciting..college football is back and with it, another season of "The Book".

Last year we ran a bake off between Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine and the GamePlan College Football Annual Preview, using their ratings systems, with Phil Steele notching the victory when it came to it's week to week predictions against the spread. Which has us now using Steele as the predictor and the ranker of record.

The pre-season rankings then are what you would find in the Phil Steele 2016 magazine and we will use our own homegrown magic to update the rankings throughout the season.

The big change you will see this year as that rather than use power rankings, similar to what you would see with the Sagarin or Massey composite polls, we will try to look at this through the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee.  In other words, "what would the committee do"?

Moving forward, our weekly rankings will be based on not what we think you are, but what you have actually done. Who have you played and who have you beaten.  In theory, we should wind up close to where the final power rankings will wind up, but also, using what we have been told is the #1 criteria by the CFP selection committee, strength of schedule, be able to show if they are actually living up to what they state is important.

That will almost assuredly mean that even though there are so many compelling games this week, our poll will look nothing like this one come next Wednesday.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss", could well hold true this year as Alabama opens the season #1 in the poll.  They are joined in the pre-season playoff participants list by #2 Oklahoma, #3 Clemson and #4 LSU, which of course would make this the first year where two teams from the same conference (SEC) make the playoff.  This is a pretty common sentiment among the experts in that many think either the SEC or the ACC (Clemson and Florida State) will put two teams in this year's playoff.

As for BC, Steele has the Eagles picked #11 in the ACC, good enough for #61 in the country, definitely an improvement over the #81 finish from the 2015 season, but with a long way to go.  BC hasn't shown in the Book's top 25 since the 2008 season, the longest such stretch since the Eagles went 20 years without an appearance from mid 1955 to September of 1976.

The Eagles have what many will see as a very soft schedule.  Outside of #3 Clemson and #5 Florida State, BC has what can be viewed a very manageable schedule.  Louisville (#23), Virginia Tech (#40), Georgia Tech (#50),  NC State (#51), Wake Forest (#63), Syracuse (#68) with non confs against UMass (#126), UConn (#81), Buffalo (#107) and Wagner (#232 - Sagarin..in other words, Howard part II)..the Eagles are favored by rank in six of their twelve games.

Of course, the Eagles open the season in Dublin this Saturday against Georgia Tech.  The Book has Tech a slight four point favorite.

Enjoy the games and Go Eagles!

Note:  the Massey composite rankings are as of Sunday night, August 28.

PRE SEASON NATIONAL RANKINGS
RANK TEAM RECORD MASSEY SAGARIN
1 Alabama Crimson Tide 0-0 1 1
2 Oklahoma Sooners 0-0 3 2
3 Clemson Tigers 0-0 2 5
4 LSU Tigers 0-0 7 4
5 Florida State Seminoles 0-0 8 9
6 Tennessee Volunteers 0-0 10 11
7 Stanford Cardinal 0-0 5 6
8 Ohio State Buckeyes 0-0 4 3
9 Michigan Wolverines 0-0 9 14
10 Ole Miss Rebels 0-0 6 7
11 Washington Huskies 0-0 25 12
12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 0-0 14 16
13 UCLA Bruins 0-0 27 10
14 Houston Cougars 0-0 15 34
15 Michigan State Spartans 0-0 12 23
16 Oregon Ducks 0-0 19 22
17 Georgia Bulldogs 0-0 20 25
18 USC Trojans 0-0 18 15
19 Iowa Hawkeyes 0-0 22 17
20 North Carolina Tar Heels 0-0 17 27
21 TCU Horned Frogs 0-0 11 8
22 Baylor Bears 0-0 13 13
23 Louisville Cardinals 0-0 28 26
24 Miami-Florida Hurricanes 0-0 42 33
25 Texas Longhorns 0-0 49 35
26 Oklahoma State Cowboys 0-0 21 19
27 Texas A&M Aggies 0-0 31 18
28 Florida Gators 0-0 29 24
29 Nebraska Cornhuskers 0-0 38 28
30 Washington State Cougars 0-0 37 41
31 Arkansas Razorbacks 0-0 16 20
32 Auburn Tigers 0-0 30 21
33 Boise State Broncos 0-0 33 30
34 Utah Utes 0-0 26 29
35 Mississippi State Bulldogs 0-0 23 32
36 Wisconsin Badgers 0-0 24 31
37 Penn State Nittany Lions 0-0 48 37
38 West Virginia Mountaineers 0-0 32 42
39 Arizona State Sun Devils 0-0 46 40
40 Virginia Tech Hokies 0-0 45 38
41 Pittsburgh Panthers 0-0 39 36
42 BYU Cougars 0-0 34 48
43 Arizona Wildcats 0-0 54 44
44 California Golden Bears 0-0 44 53
45 San Diego State Aztecs 0-0 41 62
46 South Florida Bulls 0-0 51 58
47 Northwestern Wildcats 0-0 43 46
48 Kansas State Wildcats 0-0 58 52
49 Missouri Tigers 0-0 62 51
50 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 0-0 61 43
51 N.C. State Wolfpack 0-0 52 39
52 Texas Tech Red Raiders 0-0 53 45
53 Kentucky Wildcats 0-0 79 49
54 Minnesota Golden Gophers 0-0 64 57
55 Duke Blue Devils 0-0 60 47
56 Temple Owls 0-0 50 64
57 Western Michigan Broncos 0-0 57 50
58 South Carolina Gamecocks 0-0 69 65
59 Cincinnati Bearcats 0-0 65 67
60 Vanderbilt Commodores 0-0 78 61
61 Boston College Eagles 0-0 74 54
62 Indiana Hoosiers 0-0 66 55
63 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 0-0 89 83
64 Virginia Cavaliers 0-0 73 59
65 Colorado Buffaloes 0-0 84 73
66 Air Force Falcons 0-0 67 60
67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 0-0 36 72
68 Syracuse Orange 0-0 80 76
69 (tie) Memphis Tigers 0-0 47 68
69 (tie) Maryland Terrapins 0-0 86 70
71 Navy Midshipmen 0-0 35 56
72 Toledo Rockets 0-0 40 63
73 Illinois Fighting Illini 0-0 75 69
74 Georgia Southern Eagles 0-0 59 90
75 Marshall Thundering Herd 0-0 63 79
76 Iowa State Cyclones 0-0 82 77
77 Southern Miss Golden Eagles 0-0 68 82
78 Appalachian State Mountaineers 0-0 55 75
79 Utah State Aggies 0-0 77 74
80 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 0-0 92 91
81 Connecticut Huskies 0-0 87 87
82 Northern Illinois Huskies 0-0 70 80
83 Purdue Boilermakers 0-0 96 89
84 Oregon State Beavers 0-0 97 78
85 Arkansas State Red Wolves 0-0 72 81
86 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 0-0 83 66
87 Central Michigan Chippewas 0-0 76 96
88 Bowling Green Falcons 0-0 56 71
89 Tulsa Golden Hurricane 0-0 90 93
90 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 0-0 71 95
91 San Jose State Spartans 0-0 93 94
92 Colorado State Rams 0-0 91 88
93 Nevada Wolf Pack 0-0 88 84
94 East Carolina Pirates 0-0 81 85
95 Ohio University Bobcats 0-0 85 86
96 New Mexico Lobos 0-0 95 101
97 Akron Zips 0-0 94 97
98 Kansas Jayhawks 0-0 120 98
99 Fresno State Bulldogs 0-0 107 100
100 UNLV Rebels 0-0 108 105
101 Florida Atlantic Owls 0-0 101 106
102 SMU Mustangs 0-0 106 109
103 Troy Trojans 0-0 98 104
104 UCF Knights 0-0 119 99
105 Old Dominion Monarchs 0-0 110 121
106 Wyoming Cowboys 0-0 113 114
107 Buffalo Bulls 0-0 100 108
108 Rice Owls 0-0 104 102
109 Kent State Golden Flashes 0-0 112 123
110 Louisiana Ragin Cajuns 0-0 103 103
111 Texas-El Paso Miners 0-0 114 111
112 Army Black Knights 0-0 111 92
113 Georgia State Panthers 0-0 99 107
114 FIU Panthers 0-0 105 120
115 Miami-Ohio Redhawks 0-0 116 119
116 Ball State Cardinals 0-0 102 112
117 Tulane Green Wave 0-0 118 117
118 Hawaii Warriors 0-0 122 116
119 South Alabama Jaguars 0-0 109 113
120 Eastern Michigan Eagles 0-0 125 124
121 Idaho Vandals 0-0 115 115
122 Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners 0-0 121 118
123 New Mexico State Aggies 0-0 124 122
124 North Texas Mean Green 0-0 127 126
125 Charlotte 49ers 0-0 128 128
126 Massachusetts Minutemen 0-0 117 110
127 ULM Warhawks 0-0 126 127
128 Texas State Bobcats 0-0 123 125

THE ACC PRE SEASON RANKINGS
RANK TEAM REC MASSEY SAGARIN
1 Clemson 0-0 2 5
2 Florida State 0-0 8 9
3 North Carolina 0-0 17 27
4 Louisville 0-0 28 26
5 Miami 0-0 42 33
6 Virginia Tech 0-0 45 38
7 Pittsburgh 0-0 39 36
8 Georgia Tech 0-0 61 43
9 North Carolina State 0-0 52 39
10 Duke 0-0 60 48
11 Boston College 0-0 74 55
12 Wake Forest 0-0 89 85
13 Virginia 0-0 73 60
14 Syracuse 0-0 80 78

Records shown against the Vegas spread (starting next week) utilize the Danny Sheridan opening line.  The spreads below are ones created by the Book.  Games at neutral or non home field sites such as Houston, Georgia and Wisconsin have home field advantage adjusted.

The Book lost it's opening gamer on last Friday night, giving the points with Cal against Hawaii and sits at 0-1 on the season.

NATIONAL/ACC SPREADS
FAVORITE SPREAD UNDERDOG
at Louisville 40.4 Charlotte
at Wake Forest 22.1 Tulane
at Tennessee 24.3 Appalachian St.
at Stanford 14.6 Kansas St.
Georgia Tech 4.0 Boston College
Oklahoma 6.6 at Houston
at Ohio St. 25.4 Bowling Green
at Michigan 38.7 Hawaii
at Washington 22.2 Rutgers
at Texas A&M 1.6 UCLA
LSU 9.3 at Wisconsin
at Iowa 30.5 Miami OH
Georgia 2.3 North Carolina
Alabama 9.0 USC
Clemson 8.2 at Auburn
Notre Dame 0.8 at Texas
Florida State 6.4 Mississippi

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