How Teams at No. 17 in the AP Preseason Poll Have Fared in Recent Years

The Cowboys will look to overcome the struggles of past No. 17 squads.

Jan 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Jordan Wilkins (22) out runs Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Chad Whitener (45) for a touchdown in the third quarter of the 2016 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports | Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma State is starting next season at No. 17, and results from that position have varied throughout the past decade.

OSU enters the 2024 season with hopes of making it back to the Big 12 Championship and earning its first trip to the College Football Playoff. Although the Cowboys are among the top contenders for the Big 12 this season, their No. 17 ranking in the preseason AP poll shows they still have some work to do nationally.

However, the No. 17 ranking has not had a history of proving voters wrong, at least in a positive direction. Throughout the past decade, only one team has finished higher in the AP poll than it started.

In 2015, Ole Miss was the most recent team to outperform its No. 17 spot in the preseason poll. Thanks to a shocking win at Alabama in the first few weeks, Ole Miss rose to the No. 3 spot in the rankings. Some upsets pulled the Rebels back to earth before a blowout Sugar Bowl win against OSU pushed them to the No. 10 spot in the final poll.

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Only four other teams in the past decade managed a spot in the top 25 in the final rankings. From 2018-20, West Virginia, UCF and USC all accomplished the feat, while Pitt was the most recent team to do so in 2022.

Although those teams were among the best throughout the season, teams such as Notre Dame in 2014 and Iowa in 2016 were unable to finish in the top 25 but still made a bowl game. However, Florida in 2017 and Indiana in 2021 each went from the preseason top 25 to not being bowl-eligible. Last season, TCU was the No. 17 team and followed its opening loss to Colorado with a disappointing season, finishing 5-7.

While no team has gone from No. 17 to the College Football Playoff, and only one team has finished in the top 10, OSU will look to prove its doubters wrong and find a way to break this recent trend.

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