UNC Football: AP Top 25 Poll

Let’s dispense with any drama right now: The North Carolina Tar Heels are not in the AP Top 25. They will be extremely fortunate to be in the AP Top 25 at any point this season. But there are 25 wonderful and promising teams that ARE in the AP Top 25.

Here are the 25 best teams in America according to 61 sportswriters (a handful of which you might have read at some point).

AP Top 25:

1. Alabama (42)
2. Clemson (18)
3. Georgia
4. Wisconsin (1)
5. Ohio State
6. Washington
7. Oklahoma
8. Miami
9. Auburn
10. Penn State
11. Michigan State
12. Notre Dame
13. Stanford
14. Michigan
15. USC
16. TCU
17. West Virginia
18. Mississippi State
19. Florida State
20. Virginia Tech
21. UCF
22. Boise State
23. Texas
24. Oregon
25. LSU

Top Takewaways:

• The four CFP finalists from 2017 (Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Oklahoma) all are ranked in the Top 10, reminding us all just how top heavy college football is.
• No conference dominates the rankings (a la early 2010s SEC) but the Big 10 and SEC both have three Top 10 teams apiece
• For the third season in a row, Nick Saban’s Alabama juggernaut begins the year at #1. Wash, rinse, repeat. Fun debate to have: Rank the following dynasties; Wooden’s UCLA Basketball, Auriemma’s UCONN Womens Basketball, Dorrance’s UNC Women’s Soccer, and Saban’s Alabama Football.

Top Games to Watch:

• #6 Washington vs. #9 Auburn on September 1st at 3:30 pm ET
• #8 Miami @ #25 LSU on September 2nd at 7:30 pm ET
• #12 Notre Dame vs. #14 Michigan on September 1st at 7:30 pm ET
• #19 Florida State vs #20 Virginia Tech on September 3rd at 8:00 pm ET

Conference Breakdown:

AAC - 1

ACC - 4

Big 10 - 5

Big 12 - 4

Mountain West - 1

Pac 12 - 4

SEC - 5

Notre Dame - 1