TCU Debuts At 17 In 2023 Preseason AP Poll

The Associated Press debuted their preseason Top 25 poll for the upcoming 2023 college football season Monday. The TCU Horned Frogs, coming off a national runner up finish, debuted at No. 17, the third-highest ranked team in the Big 12 Conference. It's the first preseason ranking for the Frogs since 2018.

Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Alabama made up the initial top four.

Texas and Kansas State rank higher than TCU at No. 11 and 16, respectively. Oklahoma also found themselves in the ranking at No. 20. Future Big 12 member Utah debut at No. 14 coming off a Rose Bowl appearance.

TCU Too Low On Preseason AP Poll?

Falling 15 spots after a season which TCU made the National Championship is a harsh assessment by the AP. A regression is understandable, given the losses suffered, particularly on offense. But TCU falls behind teams like Notre Dame and Texas, who finished a combined 18-9 last season.

Just 41% of TCU's offensive production returns this year. That does not include Heisman finalist Max Duggan or seven other NFL Draft selections.

The AP Poll isn't a projection of end-of-year finish, but rather a picture at the top 25 teams to begin the season. Also creeping back into the polling is Texas A&M – who finished 5-7 in 2022 – and Oklahoma, who finished 6-7.

Just one team from the Group of Five conferences landed in the initial rankings, Tulane, who finished ninth with a Cotton Bowl victory last year and return a bulk of their team. Fresno State and Troy both finished inside the top 25, but did not make the 2023 preseason list.

The AP Poll is more of a TV marketing tool than it is a projection of team power. Since the introduction of the College Football Playoff ranking system, the AP Poll has fallen out of power and oft finds itself the subject of criticism.

The college football season begins August 26 with Week 0. TCU begins its season at home against the revamped Colorado Buffaloes on Sept. 2.

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