COLUMBUS – The Buckeyes — and the rest of the Big Ten — will be idle when the college football season begins but Ohio State was a close No. 2 to Clemson in the AP preseason Top 25.
The Tigers start atop the preseason poll for the second straight season. Alabama is No. 3, Georgia is No. 4 and Oklahoma is No. 5. Defending champion LSU is No. 6.
BREAKING: Clemson is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason Top 25; Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma round out top five.
Full poll: https://t.co/DWCBw9xytP
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— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) August 24, 2020
When the season starts, 53 teams will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Top 25 because they have postponed their seasons. That includes Ohio State and all Big Ten and Pac-12 teams, including nine in the AP preseason poll.
The Southeastern Conference, as usual, leads the way with seven teams in the Top 25, including six of the first 13 teams.
The Big Ten is next with six but when the regular season starts No. 6 Penn State, No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 16 Michigan, No. 19 Minnesota and No. 24 Iowa will no longer be eligible for votes.
The College Football Playoff still plans to rank 25 teams each week but has pushed back its schedule. Its first rankings will be released Nov. 17, two weeks later than planned.