News/Commentary

Preseason Consensus Top 25

August 21, 2017 by CFP Staff

It is our tradition to provide a comparison of our Congrove Computer Rankings rankings, preseason voter polls, and a selection of widely-read season preview magazines.

In 2014, the College Football Playoff replaced the wildly unpopular BCS. The foundation of the playoff is a 13-member committee which independently determines a "Final 4" for an end-of-season mini playoff. For the 2017 season, the committee will release its own weekly rankings beginning October 31. The final rankings, playoff seeding and other bowl matchups will be announced on December 3.

There are often amazing similarities between the preseason "voter polls" (coaches, AP) and the preseason annuals which would seemingly defy logic. After all, there is an inherent difference between a "poll" and a "preseason magazine prediction". The magazines are typically picking where they think the teams will be at the end of the year. The human are generally determining where the teams should be ranked to begin the year.

It is NOT the goal of The Congrove Computer Rankings (CCR) to try to match the rankings of the AP or Coaches' Poll, or any other rankings for that matter, but rather to present a more accurate and unbiased ranking.

Here is a sampling of this season's rankings, listed in alphabetical order of the teams that appear on at least one published Top 25 list.

Abbreviation descriptions
CCR Proj - Congrove Computer Rankings - Projected Final Regular Season Rankings.
CCR Wk. 1 - Congrove Computer Rankings - Opening Week Rankings.
Cons. Rank - Consensus rankings exclude both Congrove Computer Rankings to allow for comparison to the CCR.

Team Coaches AP Athlon Lindy's Phil Steele USA
Today 		Street/
Smith's 		Cons. Rank CCR (Proj.) CCR (Wk.1)
Alabama 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 7 6
App. St.
 * * * * * * * * 20 48
Army * * * * * * * * 15 26
Auburn 13 12 9 10 12 14 16 13 27 12
Boise State * * * 24 * 16 * 26 51 52
BYU * * * * * * * * 25 33
Clemson 5 5 7 7 8 9 5 6 9 8
Florida 16 17 16 16 9 22 13 14 13 17
Florida State 3 3 3 4 3 1 3 3 1 1
Georgia 15 15 15 12 22 17 14 16 40 19
Georgia Tech * * * * * * * * 10 9
Houston * * * * * * * * 23 24
Iowa * * * * * * * * 41 25
Kansas State 19 20 22 * 24 * 20 22 34 27
Louisville 17 16 18 13 17 19 15 17 55 32
LSU 12 13 11 15 13 11 10 12 32 18
Miami (Fla.) 18 18 23 19 11 * 19 20 18 16
Michigan 9 11 10 14 16 4 9 9 49 50
N.C. State
 * * * * * * * * 22 23
Northwestern * * * 21 * * * 30 24 28
Notre Dame * * 20 * 19 * * 27 99 57
Ohio State 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 2 2 2
Oklahoma 8 7 8 9 5 6 6 8 5 5
Oklahoma State 11 10 14 5 15 10 11 10 14 20
Old Dominion * * * * * * * * 16 29
Oregon * * 21 * 23 * * 29 91 75
Penn State 6 6 6 6 6 8 7 5 4 4
San Diego St. * * * * * * * * 19 41
Stanford 14 14 17 18 14 15 17 14 8 7
TCU * * * 20 20 * * 28 35 31
Tennessee 24 25 19 * * 18 24 24 30 13
Texas 23 23 13 23 21 24 21 19 76 56
Tulsa * * * * * * * * 21 21
UCLA * * * * * 25 * 32 78 62
USC 4 4 5 2 4 7 4 4 17 15
USF 21 19 24 17 18 20 23 18 6 22
Utah 25 * * 25 * 21 25 25 58 49
Virginia Tech 22 21 25 * 25 13 18 21 31 14
Washington 7 8 4 8 7 5 8 7 11 10
Wash. St. * 24 * * * * * 31 12 11
West Virginia 20 22 * 22 * 23 22 23 70 72
Wisconsin 10 9 12 11 10 12 12 10 3 3