Overrated, underrated teams in Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings
The first major milestone on the preseason schedule is here as the Coaches Poll has been released, marking the first official top 25 college football rankings going live as we sit inside a month before Notre Dame and USC help kick things off in Week 0. To nobody's shock, defending back-to-back national champion Georgia was the No. 1 team in the polls, but notably not by a unanimous decision.
Big Ten champion and two-time College Football Playoff semifinalist Michigan earned the No. 2 position in the first rankings, but no No. 1 votes. Ohio State did, getting a single vote as the top team, but placing No. 4 overall, while Alabama earned four first-place votes and placed No. 3 in the poll.
Related: When the AP top 25 rankings come out
But, as anyone who knows anything about college football rankings will tell you, these aren't an exact science, and some of the teams that made the poll are destined to fall, while others will surprise the world and make a run for the top 10 eventually.
What did the coaches get right, and wrong, in the first poll?
Coaches Poll top 25: Overrated, underrated teams in college football rankings
USC quarterback Caleb Williams leads one of college football's top offenses, but the Trojans' defense could hold this team back again - USA Today Images
USA Today Images
Overrated: No. 6 USC. There's nothing on offense that will stop the Trojans from another impressive showing this season, provided, of course, that returning Heisman quarterback Caleb Williams doesn't get injured. But the Sword of Damocles hanging over this team remains its porous defense, a unit sorely lacking in fundamentals that directly cost this team in the Pac-12 title game when a College Football Playoff berth was on the line. USC made some important additions on that side of the ball, but bad defense has been an issue for Lincoln Riley teams, and could be again going against a rotation of talented Pac-12 quarterbacks.
Underrated: No. 4 Ohio State. Ryan Day's latest team combines a physical defensive front that can get to the quarterback, an impressive running back rotation led by TreVeyon Henderson, and inarguably the top receiver room in college football with Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Emeka Egbuka coming back. Road games against Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Michigan will show how far along the Buckeyes' quarterback situation has progressed, but as of right now, this should be the No. 3 team in the rankings when judging its strengths against competitors.
Overrated: No. 3 Alabama. It's usually a bad idea to bet against Nick Saban and his recruiting machine, but this year's edition of the Crimson Tide leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to calling offensive plays and executing them from the quarterback position. Both of those roles have been given to former Notre Dame alums, Tommy Rees and potentially Tyler Buchner, respectively. Alabama should get to the quarterback easily enough behind a forceful front seven, but still needs to find the primary downfield target and the arm to get the ball to him. Dual threat Jalen Milroe and former 5-star Ty Simpson will tangle with Buchner, but none are a sure thing.
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Underrated: No. 8 Florida State. Mike Norvell teams usually run the ball with authority, and this one should, as well, with important talent returning behind center, balanced out by Heisman-contender quarterback Jordan Travis, posting career-best numbers a year ago, and bringing back a solid receiver rotation led by Johnny Wilson. Not to mention key transfers like cornerback Deuce Cypress, tight end Jaheim Bell, and wideout Keon Coleman, and returning edge rusher Jared Verse, our vote for the top defensive player in college football. FSU placed behind Penn State and USC in the poll, but has the athleticism to rank ahead of those two.
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