AP Top 25 voter snubs NC State, has other controversial picks in college football rankings
The usual teams were at the front of the line when the AP announced its preseason top 25 college football rankings heading into 2022 kickoff.
Alabama was the near-consensus at No. 1, with Ohio State following up at No. 2, and defending national champion Georgia at No. 3 overall.
After that is where things got interesting on a number of ballots, including the one filed by Darren Haynes from WUSA-TV in Washington.
One notable absence from his rankings was ACC contender NC State, which he didn't rank in the top 25, despite including North Carolina at No. 19 in the poll.
NC State came in at No. 13 in the official AP top 25 college football rankings, the same position the school earned in the preseason Coaches Poll.
NC State won nine games a year ago and finished just four combined points from going undefeated in ACC games, and notably beat Clemson at home in September.
NC State made every preseason poll ballot, save one
This season, the Wolfpack return an expected 10 starters on a defense that ranked 18th overall in college football and second in the ACC allowing under 20 points per game.
Devin Leary returns at quarterback after passing for 3,433 yards with 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions, including going eight games without a turnover.
North Carolina started last preseason No. 10 in the rankings, but lost its first game, finished at 6-7, and just lost quarterback Sam Howell and four offensive line starters.
ACC media members voted UNC to finish third in the Coastal Division this season, while selecting NC State to place second in the Atlantic behind Clemson.
Leaving out NC State was one of a few notable decisions made in Haynes' poll, including the addition of LSU at No. 10 and Auburn at No. 11.
Neither SEC West team was included in the official preseason top 25 rankings, and his was the only ballot out of 62 to include Auburn.
No. 13 NC State opens the 2022 football season at East Carolina on Sept. 3.
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