Associated Press College Football Rankings 2020

As the College Football Playoff begins to take shape, you might be interested in knowing where your team ranks among its peers. Each week, the Associated Press releases its college football rankings. It’s a poll of sportswriters and broadcasters across the country that will be updated after every game.

The AP Top 25 is meant to be a snapshot of the best teams at this point in the season, and it’s one of the most important preseason rankings in college football. The top five teams receive a first-round bye in the playoff, while the next five receive a No. 12 seed.

Last year, Clemson was the AP’s preseason No. 1 and received 38 of 62 first-place votes. The Tigers won the national championship and have the talent to challenge again in 2020. They’re followed by Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia.

Clemson, which is the defending ACC champion, is a popular pick to win another title. Coach Dabo Swinney has a deep roster led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne. The defense has plenty of experience under coordinators Brent Venables and Tony Elliott.

Alabama is a close second, and the Crimson Tide are expected to have another strong defensive unit. The front seven is deep, and defensive end Jonathan Allen has the potential to be a great pro prospect.

Georgia is a close third, and the Bulldogs might have one of the most talented teams in the nation. They’ll be up there with Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State, and a lot will depend on how Heisman winner Joe Burrow and RB D’Andre Swift perform this season.

The Big Ten has a couple of pleasant surprises in Indiana and Northwestern. Both programs were in the Top 10 in late November and December, and they will likely be ranked a little higher when the season ends.

Ohio State and Penn State round out the top 10. The Nittany Lions have a powerful offense with QB Sean Clifford and TE Pat Freiermuth. The Buckeyes have a solid defense under new DC Kirk Ciarrocca and will benefit from the return of all-american linebacker Baron Batchelor.

The Big 12 also has a pair of interesting teams in Oklahoma and Texas. The Red River Showdown between the Sooners and Cowboys will be a huge game for both programs, especially in the No. 6 spot. Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts and CeeDee Lamb are gone, but Lincoln Riley should be able to build off an outstanding sophomore campaign.

The other intriguing matchup will be No. 17 Iowa and No. 24 Michigan. Both teams are expected to be very good, but their resumes have some blemishes. Michigan’s losses include two games against ranked opponents and a close loss to Wisconsin, while Iowa lost to No. 2 Ohio State and No. 14 Illinois. A win against the Wolverines could help this group rise to the top of the Big Ten.