{"id":76215,"date":"2025-08-12T12:00:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T16:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=76215"},"modified":"2025-09-20T14:32:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T18:32:38","slug":"give-it-a-10-ap-poll-has-more-sec-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/12\/give-it-a-10-ap-poll-has-more-sec-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Give It a 10! AP Poll Has More SEC Love"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Varsity Blues is streaming on Netflix. And if you are a certain age, like this writer, the movie is iconic. So what do Varsity Blues and the AP Poll have in common? Texas high school football? Nope, but that sounds pretty cool too. Not wanting the life of unrealistic parents? Nope. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Let&#8217;s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> start with a quote to give you a hint.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> &#8220;<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I give it a 10. I give it a F***ing 10.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8221; <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While we cannot confirm that Billy Bob (or Miss Davis) is a voting member of the Associated Press, 10 was the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">big <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">number in the 2025 AP Preseason Poll.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last week, the Southeastern Conference locked up nine of the 2025 spots in the <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/05\/nine-reasons-the-sec-loves-the-2025-coachs-poll\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Coaches&#8217;<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Poll<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. While we <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">won&#8217;t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> debate SEC bias, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">we&#8217;ll<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> save that for Twitter and Reddit. We will take a look at the narratives that are helping shape the start of the college football season in less than two weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Give It a 10! AP Poll Has More SEC Love<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Below is the AP Poll conference breakdown, with each <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">team&#8217;s<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Coaches\u2019<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Poll ranking noted in parentheses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Boomer! It Just Means More<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/06\/16\/texas-longhorns-2025-running-back-room\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#1 Texas Longhorns (1)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/09\/2025-georgia-offense-preview-fix-the-damn-offense-bobo\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#5 Georgia Bulldogs (4)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/07\/03\/alabama-june-recruiting-recap\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#8 Alabama Crimson Tide (8)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/09\/thoughts-from-joe-sloan-on-the-lsu-offense\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#9 LSU Tigers (9)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chiefsportsnetwork.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#13 South Carolina Gamecocks (13)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/08\/gators-2025-predictions-top-25-clashes\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#15 Florida Gators (17)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#18 Oklahoma Sooners (NR)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/07\/30\/texas-am-linebacker-earns-spot-on-butkus-award-watch-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#19 Texas A&amp;M Aggies (21)\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/02\/ole-miss-hopes-dezhaun-stribling-brings-reminders-of-past-receivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#21 Ole Miss Rebels (16)\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#24 Tennessee Volunteers (18)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Welcome to the party, Oklahoma. The Boomer Sooner preseason love continued in the AP Poll. Some of that glow began to tarnish a bit as reports that new Sooner quarterback John Mateer may have been gambling and using his Venmo. While there is a lot of social media speculation and prosecution going on, Mateer holds the key to Oklahoma and Brent <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Venables&#8217;<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> success in 2025. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> will surely be a story that we will continue to monitor and develop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Looking at the rest of the poll, Texas again garners the most love, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">locking out<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the top spot in <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the two<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> polls.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> The Longhorns, Dawgs, Tide, and Tigers all seem to be the frontrunners for the College Football Playoff spots. Ole Miss and Tennessee took a few steps back in the AP Poll.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">B1G Three<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/05\/five-keys-to-penn-state-2025-football-and-trap-game-risks\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#2 Penn State Nittany Lions (3)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/11\/ohio-state-starts-the-2025-season-ranked-behind-week-1-foe\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#3 Ohio State Buckeyes (2)\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#7 Oregon Ducks (7)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#12 Illinois Illini (12)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/11\/michigan-wolverines-2025-nfl-preseason\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#14 Michigan Wolverines (14)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#20 Indiana Hoosiers (19)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Five points. That is all that separated us from a world where James Franklin and Penn State could have locked up the #1 preseason ranking. Now, there could be an article coming out later this year entitled,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> &#8220;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-HkQKYc4GfE\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I Was Wrong.<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8221; <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Franklin will have to overcome history, though, for that to happen. He will have a chance to knock off both the Buckeyes and Ducks (at least once) this season and shut us all up.\u00a0 Those three teams also seem most likely to be vying for spots in the College Football Playoff.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Grab Your Tortillas!<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#11 Arizona State (11)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#17 Kansas State Wildcats (20)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#22 Iowa State Cyclones (22)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/04\/18\/texas-tech-spring-transfer-portal-update\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#23 Texas Tech Red Raiders (24)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Somebody had to go with the SEC, adding another team. BYU (23) was the only team to fall out of the AP Poll. That happens when your quarterback breaks the honor code and transfers to Tulane. A B1G or SEC team may have to travel to Big 12 country for the first round of the Playoff<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. Whether<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that is Lubbock or the Little Apple, that will surely be an electric atmosphere and a tough place to win.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">ACC! <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We&#8217;re<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Down to Three<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/07\/31\/fall-camp-goals-for-clemson\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#4 Clemson Tigers (6)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/07\/29\/who-will-the-starting-quarterback-be-for-notre-dame-in-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish* (5)\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#10 Miami Hurricanes (10)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#16 SMU Mustangs (16)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lil ole Clemson and Dabo Swinney found some more media love. The Tigers climbed up two spots. The ACC has actually put itself in a strong position, despite having the fewest teams ranked in the AP Poll. Whether you include Notre Dame or not, we do it for fun and to poke a little bit, the ACC could find three teams in the Playoff. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> is also why Tony <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Pettiti&#8217;s<\/span> <a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/06\/28\/strength-of-record-solution-solve-it-on-the-field\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">model<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">doesn&#8217;t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> make sense for anyone.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Why limit and handicap the number of teams that could be in the playoffs? <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Miami at 10 is also putting a lot of faith <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">into<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Mario Cristobal and Carson Beck, who have both shown that they do not always shine when the lights are <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">at their<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> brightest.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_72705\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-72705\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-72705 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/USATSI_25541928_168400562_lowres-1024x638.jpg\" alt=\"How the House v. NCAA Settlement Could Affect Clemson\" width=\"640\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/USATSI_25541928_168400562_lowres-1024x638.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/USATSI_25541928_168400562_lowres-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/USATSI_25541928_168400562_lowres-768x479.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/USATSI_25541928_168400562_lowres.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-72705\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: Ken Ruinard \/ staff \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">G6 Broncos<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#25 Boise State Broncos (25)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Fly like a G6. Boise leads an impressive list of teams that are going to be vying for that final at-large playoff spot. How cool would it be to have a service academy in that spot?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hey, At Least We Got a Vote!<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here are the teams in the conferences that at least received a vote or two in the AP Poll. Auburn was the lowest SEC team receiving votes. Maybe Hugh Freeze thought they were on the golf course?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Big 12: BYU, Utah, Baylor, Louisville, TCU, Colorado,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">B1G: USC,\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/02\/position-breakdown-nebraskas-running-backs\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Nebraska<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, Iowa<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">ACC: Georgia Tech. Florida State, Duke, Pittsburgh,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">SEC: Missouri,\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/02\/08\/who-will-replace-jarquez-hunter-for-auburn\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Auburn<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">G6: Tulane, UNLV, Toledo, James Madison, Memphis,\u00a0 Liberty, Navy, Army, Louisiana-Lafayette<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Main Photo: Brett Patzke-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Varsity Blues is streaming on Netflix. And if you are a certain age, like this writer, the movie is iconic. So what do Varsity Blues and the AP Poll have in common? Texas high school football? Nope, but that sounds pretty cool too. Not wanting the life of unrealistic parents? Nope. Let&#8217;s start with a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4424,"featured_media":76223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,35574,10906,35584,17,35676,35609,35610,3,35576],"tags":[102,35,18,7983,35419,65,86,94,259,73,309,20,204],"class_list":["post-76215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-alabama-crimson-tide","category-cfb","category-lsu-tigers","category-news","category-notre-dame-fighting-irish","category-ohio-state-buckeyes","category-penn-state-nittany-lions","category-sec","category-texas-longhorns","tag-acc","tag-alabama-crimson-tide","tag-big-12","tag-big-ten-football","tag-g6","tag-georgia-bulldogs","tag-lsu-tigers","tag-miami-hurricanes","tag-notre-dame-fighting-irish","tag-ohio-state-buckeyes","tag-penn-state-nittany-lions","tag-sec","tag-texas-longhorns"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4424"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76215"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76224,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76215\/revisions\/76224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}