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In case you missed it, the Amway Coaches Preseason Poll for college football was released today in all it's glory. The poll was somewhat predictable and doesn't include many crazy surprises with Ohio State leading the way, earning 62 first place votes and TCU, Alabama, Baylor and Oregon rounding out the top five.
In fact, why don't you just take a look for yourself...
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | 1ST PLACE VOTES | PREV | CHANGE | HI/LOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | 14-1 | 1598 | 62 | NR | – | |
| 2 | TCU | 12-1 | 1487 | 1 | NR | – | |
| 3 | Alabama | 12-2 | 1452 | 1 | NR | – | |
| 4 | Baylor | 11-2 | 1365 | NR | – | ||
| 5 | Oregon | 13-2 | 1260 | NR | – | ||
| 6 | Michigan State | 11-2 | 1230 | NR | – | ||
| 7 | Auburn | 8-5 | 1103 | NR | – | ||
| 8 | Florida State | 13-1 | 1057 | NR | – | ||
| 9 | Georgia | 10-3 | 1026 | NR | – | ||
| 10 | USC | 9-4 | 1014 | NR | – | ||
| 11 | Notre Dame | 8-5 | 883 | NR | – | ||
| 12 | Clemson | 10-3 | 838 | NR | – | ||
| 13 | LSU | 8-5 | 727 | NR | – | ||
| 14 | UCLA | 10-3 | 697 | NR | – | ||
| 15 | Ole Miss | 9-4 | 668 | NR | – | ||
| 16 | Arizona State | 10-3 | 577 | NR | – | ||
| 17 | Georgia Tech | 11-3 | 573 | NR | – | ||
| 18 | Wisconsin | 11-3 | 470 | NR | – | ||
| 19 | Oklahoma | 8-5 | 407 | NR | – | ||
| 20 | Arkansas | 7-6 | 377 | NR | – | ||
| 21 | Stanford | 8-5 | 365 | NR | – | ||
| 22 | Arizona | 10-4 | 299 | NR | – | ||
| 23 | Missouri | 11-3 | 229 | NR | – | ||
| 24 | Boise State | 12-2 | 190 | NR | – | ||
| 25 | Tennessee | 7-6 | 166 | NR | – |
Being the astute fans you are, you have likely noticed that the Cincinnati Bearcats are not listed in the Top 25 of the first 2015 Coaches Poll. While true, I would like to bring attention to the fact that Cincinnati did manage to snake out a vote just beyond the Top 25, joining a number of schools who find themselves on the cusp of having that fancy number attached to their logo when a Top 25 team.
Mississippi State 164; Texas A&M 149; Oklahoma State 89; Virginia Tech 70; Utah 40; Kansas State 37; Louisville 27; Nebraska 27; Minnesota 25; Penn State 20; South Carolina 18; Miami (Fla.) 16; Texas 8; Illinois 7; Duke 6; Air Force 5; Louisiana Tech 5; Marshall 4; Utah State 4; West Virginia 3; North Carolina State 3; Brigham Young 3; Florida 2; Georgia Southern 2; North Carolina 2; Maryland 1; Michigan 1; Kentucky 1; Central Florida 1; Cincinnati 1; Washington 1.
Yes, that is the Cincinnati Bearcats there at the bottom of the paragraph earning one vote, just like Maryland, Michigan, Kentucky, Central Florida and Washington did. I don't think it's far-fetched to think that Cincinnati has the most immediate upside this season of the teams they share lone votes with.
Now, it is important for me to mention that Tommy Tuberville is one of the 64 head coaches who submits their Top 25 to factor into the poll, so... it isn't a stretch to think Tubs threw his team a vote. That said, other people are beginning to turn their eyes towards the Bearcats as the 2015 season nears. Paul Myerburg at USA TODAY Sports has the Bearcats listed as one of the five teams that is "poised to move into the Top 25". He sees the potential on the Cincinnati roster and the upside for the Bearcats to climb the rankings as the season progresses.
"...Given the Bearcats' talent — don't sleep on quarterback Gunner Kiel — and coaching ability, I would expect 10 wins in advance of the American championship game and a spot along the back end of the top 25."
None of this should really surprise Cincinnati fans. The Bearcats feel like they are the edge of National recognition, which is something that will surely come with strong offensive play and a consistent season from the defensive unit. Whether it was Tuberville or someone else who is aware of Cincinnati's potential this season, the Bearcats are just beyond the Top 25, it appears, and they are already knocking on the door.
We are closing in on football season.
Notable teams: Miami (FL) receiving 16 votes, BYU receiving 3 votes, and Central Florida receiving 1.