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Associated Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
AP Top 25: With a logjam at top of poll, a bunch of early marquee matchups may help sort things out
The Associated Press Top 25 poll is out. Let the sorting out process begin. Only two first-place votes and five points separate No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Penn State. Each of the top five teams, and six of the top seven, received at least one No. 1 vote. Given the logjam, what an ideal year for there to be so many marquee games before the calendar turns to September. There are three top 10 matchups in Week 1 alone. The most anticipated is Texas at third-ranked and defending national champion Ohio State on Aug. 30. The College Football Playoff semifinal rematch is the highest-ranked opener since 2017, when No. 1 Alabama knocked off No. 3 Florida State in Atlanta. The other two showdowns: No. 9 LSU visits No. 4 Clemson on Aug. 30 and No. 6 Notre Dame is at No. 10 Miami the next day. The outcomes of those games could — emphasis on could — start providing some clarity in a year when AP's Top 25 voters were challenged more than usual to come up with a preseason pecking order. 'I think about five or six teams could claim No. 1,' said Sam McKewon, sports editor of the Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald and a veteran voter. 'NIL, revenue sharing and the transfer portal have spread out the talent a little bit from the first seven or eight years of the CFP era. But I also think Penn State, my No. 1, and Texas, likely the most talented team, probably have something to prove in the eyes of some voters.' Texas' unknowns are how its reconstructed offensive line will come together in front of quarterback Arch Manning and how the receiving corps responds to losing four of the top six pass-catchers. Of course, there always are questions when a new quarterback takes over but, among the folks in burnt orange, there is much more excitement than anxiety over Manning. Penn State is a trendy pick to win the national championship with third-year starting quarterback Drew Allar and star running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen returning to school and defensive coordinator extraordinaire Jim Knowles coming over from Ohio State. The Nittany Lions needed a serious upgrade at receiver, and they think they accomplished that. Throw in Ohio State as a team with something to prove, too. The Buckeyes have perhaps the best defensive player in the nation in Caleb Downs and perhaps the top receiver in Jeremiah Smith. It all comes down to quarterback, and who that will be is still to be determined. Don't forget DublinIreland will host its first Top 25 matchup when No. 22 Iowa State meets No. 17 Kansas State in Dublin on Aug. 23, and there are plenty of reasons to watch this season opener for the entire sport. First, it's a rivalry. Iowa State beat the Wildcats 29-21 in the 2024 'Farmageddon' game in Ames to lock up a spot in the Big 12 championship game. ISU's Rocco Becht and K-State's Avery Johnson make for a intriguing quarterback matchup. Both teams likely will be battling for spots in the conference title game again. Illini under radar no longer Illinois won't sneak up on anybody, and that's just how Bret Bielema likes it heading into his fifth season. The Illini are in the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2008, and their No. 12 ranking is their highest since they opened No. 7 in 2001. Bielema talked of grand possibilities when he was hired, and he's getting closer to delivering. The Illini won eight games in his second year and, after taking a step back in 2023, tied program records with 10 wins and four against Top 25 opponents. Fifth-year quarterback Luke Altmyer is among 16 returning starters, and the schedule is manageable. As of now, the Illini play only two ranked teams — at No. 20 Indiana on Sept. 20 and at home against No. 3 Ohio State on Oct. 11. Extra pointsThe most notable return to the preseason Top 25 is No. 16 SMU. The Mustangs hadn't been ranked to begin a season since 1985 under Bobby Collins. ... No. 13 South Carolina's last preseason ranking was 2014 under Steve Spurrier. ... No. 23 Texas Tech has a preseason ranking for the first time since 2008 under Mike Leach. It also is the Red Raiders' first ranking since 2018, when they were in for one week in late September at No. 25. ... No. 8 Alabama's ranking is its lowest in the preseason since it was No. 24 in 2008, Nick Saban's second season. ... Only one team from a power conference has never appeared in the preseason Top 25: Vanderbilt. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Penn State receives highest preseason AP Poll ranking since 1997
The AP Top 25 Poll has just been released, and needless to say, Penn State fans should be jumping with joy. For the first time in program history, the Nittany Lions were ranked second in the preseason poll. This is their highest preseason ranking since 1997, when they were ranked first in the nation, but ended up finishing 16th in the final poll of the season. Most importantly, though, is that it is the highest preseason ranking of the James Franklin era. This year, unlike previous years, the Nittany Lions will be looking to stay there. Penn State received 23 first-place votes in the preseason media poll, two fewer than the preseason no. 1, the Texas Longhorns. Texas edged Penn State for the top spot in the AP poll by just five total points. Other teams receiving first-place votes include Ohio State (11), Clemson (4), and Oregon (1). Last year, the Nittany Lions ranked 8th in the preseason AP poll and finished fifth, their highest final ranking since 2005, when they finished in third. This year feels different. Out of the top 25, Penn State arguably returns the most talent to its squad, starting with quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant. Unfortunately, this did not see them as the top team in the nation. That would be the Texas Longhorns, one of ten SEC schools in the top 25. This is the Horns' first-ever preseason No. 1 ranking in program history. With ten schools, the SEC is the leading conference in terms of teams within the top 25 with the Big Ten a close second, with six. Penn State is joined by No. 3 Ohio State , No. 7 Oregon, No. 12 Illinois, No. 14 Michigan, and No. 20 Indiana. Ohio State continues its streak of 72 appearances in the preseason top 25. This year, the AP voters favored the experience of the Nittany Lions over the new-look Buckeyes. We will have to wait and see if they live up to that standard.
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
First AP poll of 2025 released. Where does LSU football rank?
LSU football ranks No. 9 in the AP's preseason top-25 poll, released Monday. The Tigers are the fourth-highest SEC team. Texas ranks No. 1 for the first time in the outlets opening poll. The Longhorns prevailed over Penn State by just five points, the closest margin since 1998. Defending national champions Ohio State are No. 3. The SEC takes up 10 of the 25 spots. Georgia (No. 4) and Alabama (No. 8) join LSU and Texas in the top 10. LSU's week one opponent, Clemson, checked in at No. 4. As expected, the two teams will square off in a top-10 matchup in Clemson to open the 2025 college football season. The ranking is the second-highest in the preseason poll for LSU since head coach Brian Kelly took over. The Tigers began the year at No. 5 in 2023, a season in which they had the country's best offense led by Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. LSU returns its leading passer from last season in Garrett Nussmeier. It brought in the nation's top-ranked transfer portal class during the offseason and signed a top-10 freshmen class with 65% blue-chip prospects. What is the betting line for LSU football vs. Clemson? Spread: LSU +4.5 Total: 54.5 What are LSU football's odds of making the College Football Playoff? BetMGM odds as of Tuesday, August 11. LSU to make the College Football Playoff LSU football 2025 schedule Complete AP Top 25 Poll Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice. Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Clemson football's spot in preseason AP Top 25 poll is exactly where you'd expect
CLEMSON — Clemson football landed at No. 4 in the preseason AP top 25 poll released Aug. 11. The Tigers received 1,398 points and four first-place votes after finishing the 2024 season ranked 14th in the poll. They were the highest-ranked ACC team, finishing ahead of Miami (No. 10) and SMU (No. 16). Clemson, which was ranked No. 6 in the US LBM coaches poll and picked to win the ACC in the preseason conference media and the USA TODAY Sports Network polls, is a popular pick to win the national championship for the first time since 2018 with the Tigers returning one of the most experienced and talented rosters in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Buy Clemson football tickets Clemson's roster will be put to the test when the Tigers open the season against No. 9 LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Memorial Stadium. Here is the full preseason AP Top 25 Poll. College football rankings, preseason AP Top 25 Poll Texas Penn State Ohio State Clemson Georgia Notre Dame Oregon Alabama LSU Miami Arizona State Illinois South Carolina Michigan Florida SMU Kansas State Oklahoma Texas A&M Indiana Ole Miss Iowa State Texas Tech Tennessee Boise State Others receiving votes: BYU 156, Utah 144, Baylor 132, Louisville 90, Southern Cal 64, Georgia Tech 63, Missouri 33, Tulane 23, Nebraska 23, UNLV 21, Toledo 13, Auburn 10, James Madison 9, Memphis 9, Florida St. 8, Duke 6, Liberty 5, Navy 5, Iowa 5, TCU 4, Pittsburgh 3, Army 2, Colorado 1, Louisiana-Lafayette 1. Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@ and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00 This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football rankings: Tigers up in preseason AP Top 25 poll
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UConn's Geno Auriemma on his 40 years at the top and how the NCAA has evolved
Geno Auriemma has been a stalwart of women's college basketball for four decades, achieving success most coaches could only dream of. In 1985 he took over a UConn program with just one winning season and has since led it to 11 NCAA Division I titles – the most in NCAA history. He also has the most wins of any NCAA head coach after surpassing Tara VanDerveer last November. But the fire inside the 70-year-old remains as fierce as when he first arrived in Storrs 40 years ago, as his Huskies beat defending champions South Carolina 87-58 on the road last weekend. On the latest episode of 'The Athletic Women's Basketball Show,' Auriemma joined Zena Keita, Chantel Jennings and Sabreena Merchant to chart how the game has changed over his four decades at the top. Below are a few highlights from the conversation, you can listen to the full interview on the podcast feed. Jennings: I'm curious looking at the current state of women's college basketball and the changes that we've seen in the last few years. How would 2025 Geno Auriemma explain the college basketball landscape to the 1985 Geno, who took the job at UConn without even seeing what the gym looked like? Auriemma: Yeah, that's like trying to explain in 2025 what it was like to live in the Roman Empire. It's ancient history and hard to describe to anyone that wasn't there because you had to be there to believe the landscape now relative to then. At Connecticut, we were just trying not to finish eighth or ninth in our league. There were nine teams in the Big East, so we were trying to make sure we didn't finish eighth or ninth because that's where they finished every year. That was the play-in game in order to get into the Big East tournament. And we accomplished that goal as we didn't finish eighth or ninth. Teams like Providence, Villanova, Syracuse, BC (Boston College) and Saint John's were good teams back then, but none of them were national players by any stretch of the imagination in the national landscape. I don't even know if there was a Top 25 Poll back then by Mel Greenberg (the reporter who pioneered the first AP Top 25 Poll for NCAA Division I women's basketball in 1976). That's how old this thing is. There may have been Tennessee, Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Virginia, NC State and Maryland. It was all very regional and there was a very non-national view of women's basketball. The NCAA Tournament was 32 teams, I want to say. Just to give you an idea, we went to the Final Four in 1991, which meant that we were the first team ever from north of the Mason-Dixon line to go to the NCAA Final Four. The first team from north of Philadelphia at least. There were 8,000 people at the Final Four played in Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, and there was one TV camera there that I know of that came from Connecticut. So compared to today, it was intramurals versus what is now major news, major coverage and major interest. And it's only taken 40 years. Merchant: Where was the Big East tournament those days when you were trying to get out of the eight, nine play-in games? Auriemma: The Big East tournament used to rotate among each member school, so every school got to host it which is crazy. We just played at Seton Hall last night — it seats 1,800 people — and that was the first Big East tournament that Connecticut won in 1985. I'm sorry, 1988-89 was our first Big East championship, and it was at Seton Hall. The game wasn't even on the radio, I think it might have been on the WHUS campus radio station who might have broadcast the game. Then the tournament came back there 10 years later in 1995 and everything had changed. We were undefeated, we were favorites to win the national championship, and still, it's the Big East tournament played in front of 1,800 people. And 1,700 of them were bused down from Connecticut. A lot has changed, and in so many ways the world is different. There was no way to communicate back in 1985, there was no (cell) phones (laughs), so you found out the next morning how everybody did. Every kid that was on our team was from within driving distance. The kid who lived farthest away on our team in 1985 was from New Jersey when I first started. My mother was a teenager during World War II living in the hills because the Germans took over their house in Italy. Then the day she died in 1992 she had a cell phone. So UConn women's basketball and the rest of basketball is living in a place that didn't exist in 1985, not even in people's imagination. Jennings: How would you have explained NIL, the transfer portal and revenue share to that guy who was playing in Seton Hall in front of five people and a bunch of reporters with typewriters? Because that's what it sounds like. Auriemma: It's hard to explain. I shouldn't say it's hard to explain, but maybe it is. Anybody that doesn't want to understand, won't understand. But coaching in 1985 and coaching today, at least the level that we're coaching at in college basketball, is the difference between riding a tricycle and flying a jet plane. You can't even imagine the difference, the landscape, how it's changed and why so many coaches are dying to get out of the game because it's unmanageable. … It's unfair to the mid-majors. It's unfair to the schools that don't have the money. It's unfair to everybody except the 40 or 50 schools in the country that can afford to live in that world. It's unfair to the rest of college sports. But it's also unmanageable. You can't manage it because there's no rules, and no one can operate when there's no rules. We try to have rules on our team, but it's hard for those kids to understand the rules of the team when in the rest of their college experience, there is no rules. Whatever you want to do or have the ability to do at your school, that's what you do. Nobody worries about any ramifications, so it's unmanageable. Each and every year that this lasts (it becomes more difficult). The unmanageable part of it — and I'm not saying kids shouldn't get paid, I'm not saying they shouldn't make money off their ability to play basketball — but their ability to just pack up and leave anytime they want makes it unmanageable for the coaches. Everybody will say, 'You have parity because more players move from one place to another.' But in reality, that parity is going to go away when the teams that can spend the most money end up with the best players, so that parity is going to start going away. They say there's parity in college football – that is the biggest joke in the history of sports that there is parity in college football. There's only one sport that has parity and that's the NFL. Everybody else is fooling themselves that there's parity. So let's see what happens. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Connecticut Huskies, Women's College Basketball, The Athletic Women's Basketball Show 2025 The Athletic Media Company
