ESPN's College Football Live Releases 2011 Pre-Season Poll

by rebelfan1 on Apr 22, 2011 4:28 PM PDT in Mountain West Football

Every year, ESPN is the first to announce their pre-season poll for the following year. This happens during the first week of College Football Live returning to the daily lineup on ESPN and 5 teams are released each day during the week. Well the final 5 teams were released today and we now have ESPN's complete poll of "Experts" from within the organization. Here is the full poll:

Ranking	Team
1	Oklahoma
2	Alabama
3	Oregon
4	LSU
5	Boise State
6	Florida State
7	Stanford
8	South Carolina
9	Oklahoma State
10	Ohio State
11	Texas A&M
12	Arkansas
13	Nebraska
14	Wisconsin
15	TCU
16	Michigan State
17	Notre Dame
18	Florida
19	Virginia Tech
20	Texas
21	Mississippi State
22	Missouri
23	Auburn
24	West Virginia
25	Arizona State

Although I am a MWC fan, I also have common sense and know that Stanford should have probably been ranked ahead of Boise State or Florida State. They return Andrew Luck, who turned down a guaranteed #1 overall draft pick to return to school. Boise State lost a lot of starters and ran into tons of injury problems over the spring.

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Ha Texas at 20....they pulled a fast one on me

by TowerPower on Apr 22, 2011 5:04 PM PDT reply actions

Well, the list is 50% of the Big "Twelve" -- which to me is highly suspect

I'd rather be surfing.

by Pac 10 Alum on Apr 23, 2011 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Forgive me if I'm being a homer

But I think BYU will be ranked sometime during the season. We’ve got the schedule to do it, and I think we have the team to do it.

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by sabbi on Apr 22, 2011 5:12 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

BYU should be a much better team this year than last year.

This team has much more experience and increased talent. If they can beat a couple of the tough opponents, then they should get ranked.

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by rebelfan1 on Apr 22, 2011 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions

I think if BYU starts well, it should be ranked

Some of these pre-season top 25 schools will dump out by week 3/4. Although with pollsters, you never know, it took Florida’s third loss before they got dumped out of the poll, even though any number of one loss schools who ended up ranked afterwards were “bubbling under.”

I'd rather be surfing.

by Pac 10 Alum on Apr 23, 2011 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Possibly

during the season, but no way they should be ranked in the preseason. They have an early schedule of tough games to prove themselves against Utah, Texas, and UCF.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Apr 23, 2011 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions

texas is ranked?

I also have an issue with OSU they are missing five key players.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Apr 22, 2011 7:57 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Also don't agree with ranking UT

I think tOSU is ranked a little high but ya they should be ranked, not capitalizing Texas JM, you a Sooner or Aggie now :)

by TowerPower on Apr 22, 2011 9:44 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

neither

I am a Longhorn before those with the Aggies a close second and OU at the top of the dislike list. I grew up liking UT living in Houston.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Apr 22, 2011 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions

i know u are just pulling you chain

by TowerPower on Apr 23, 2011 8:12 AM PDT up reply actions

its all good

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by Jeremy Mauss on Apr 23, 2011 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions

That one jumped out at me as well.

A team that largely underachieved to the point where they didn’t even make a bowl game somehow gets on the list?

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by rebelfan1 on Apr 23, 2011 4:12 AM PDT up reply actions

they have talent

but fell on their face last year. They could be ranked during the season but in the preseason they should be no where near this list.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Apr 23, 2011 6:41 AM PDT up reply actions

agreed

by TowerPower on Apr 23, 2011 8:15 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm guessing the voters think that talent breaks through this year

or something to that effect. Not to say that they deserve it because of that, but I’d guess thats their justification.

by pack_fan on Apr 23, 2011 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm as big of a homer you'll

and they would even be in my also receiving votes section…I’d consider ranking them if they kill Rice and then kick BYU’s ass, I’m expecting only 4 losses this year most probably from OU, Okie St, and A&M, plus one from Tech, Mizzou. K St. If we get a 10 win season this year I’ll be thrilled 8 or 9 would be okay, not going to a bowl game is unacceptable.

by TowerPower on Apr 24, 2011 6:27 PM PDT up reply actions

New coaches

and tons of resource$$$$.

In the past 20 years, betting that Texas would be ranked has been a pretty good get. Last year was a serious low point—they are bound to be better.

I have been pretty impressed with Mack Brown this off-season. He says that they were not good, and he has changed his approach in many ways. Young coordinators with lots of energy might be what their program needs.

I agree that Ohio State with half their team out for half the season is not the 10th best team in the country. LOTS of distractions for them this year.

by ElPepeGrande on Apr 25, 2011 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Personally, I'm expecting Stanford to beat Oregon and win the Pac 12 championship

But I think they are giving more credit to Harbaugh and discounting for the new coach.

I'd rather be surfing.

by Pac 10 Alum on Apr 23, 2011 11:36 AM PDT reply actions

In addition to the supect elevation of the Longhons (and IMO the Gators) given how they played in

2010 and their holes going into 2011, Notre Dame also made this list and not just barely, but in the top 20. It will be interesting to see the actual ballots on ESPN when they are uploaded.

I'd rather be surfing.

by Pac 10 Alum on Apr 23, 2011 11:40 AM PDT reply actions

I know the bloggers

on ESPN posted their ballots so there are a few there to see. I am actually ok with ND being ranked, they might be a bit too high but not a big deal to me. As for Florida, they have a new offense and being ranked is a bit generous.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Apr 23, 2011 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Kellen Moore > Andrew Luck, it's science. Just sayin'.

Not to mention Stanford loses its head coach. But yeah, why wouldn’t you rank Stanford higher than Boise State (rhetorical)? Boise State did not lose a lot of starters, unless a lot is somewhere around 7 (out of 22…pretty average attrition) and “a ton of injuries” is pretty inconsequential when they are not major. Everyone is expected to be healthy for summer practice, so that point is kind of moot. I’ll admit that it’s unexpected to see Boise State ranked so high, but I don’t know if I’d go proclaiming the demise of the program due to injuries and departing players. Kind of erroneous.

by ThePhlipinSituation on Apr 25, 2011 8:49 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs