The first Associated Press college football poll was released on Monday and in the Top 5, there were few surprises. Alabama starts off as the top team in the country led under center by former Channelview quarterback Jalen Hurts. Former Wichita Falls Rider standout J.T. Barrett leads the Ohio State Buckeyes are right behind the Crimson Tide at No. 2. Florida State, USC and Clemson round out the Top 5.
BREAKING: Alabama No. 1 in preseason #APTop25 for 2nd straight season; Ohio St, FSU, USC, Clemson round out top 5 https://t.co/1BOlcExGRB pic.twitter.com/sAj1xkIwsL
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) August 21, 2017
Noticeably absent are the number of teams from the Lone Star State in the Top 25. The only team from Texas to crack the Top 25 are the Longhorns, who check in at 23. Under first-year head coach Tom Herman, expectations are high that Texas can get the ship back turned around. Texas opened the season unranked in the polls, but after a dramatic win over Notre Dame in the season opener, the Longhorns shot all the way up into the Top 10 and it was declared: “Texas is back!” That would be the high note of a disappointing 5-7 season.
Outside of Texas, the Big 12 had four other teams ranked in the Top 25. Oklahoma (7) and Oklahoma State (10) each cracked the Top 10 of the polls while Kansas State (20) and West Virginia (22) were each able to crack the polls as well.
TCU fell just outside the Top 25 in the “Others Receiving Votes” category receiving the most votes of any unranked team. Two other Lone Star state teams received votes in the preseason poll: Houston with 19 votes and Texas A&M with three.
