LSU will begin the season ranked outside of the Top 5.
The Associated Press released its Preseason Top 25 poll on Monday morning and the defending national champions landed at No. 6. LSU becomes the first defending national champ to begin the following season ranked outside of the Top 5 in the AP Poll since Auburn in 2011.
The Southeastern Conference had the most teams ranked in the Top 25 with seven teams, including six of the first 13 (No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Georgia, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Florida, No. 11 Auburn and No. 13 Texas A&M.)
Clemson meanwhile took the top spot.
After the first week of the college football season is in the books, the poll will look vastly different. That’s because any of the Bowl Subdivision teams that opted to postpone their football seasons to the spring (due to COVID-19 concerns) will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Top 25.
That means that the Ohio State (No. 2), Penn State (No. 7), Wisconsin (No. 12), Michigan (No. 16), USC (No. 17), Minnesota (No. 19), Utah (No. 22) and Iowa (No. 24) would no longer be ranked after the first week.
LSU opens up the 2020 season at home against Mississippi State on Saturday, 26th.
AP Preseason Top 25 Poll
(First-Place Votes)
1. Clemson (38)
2. *Ohio State (21)
3. Alabama (2)
4. Georgia
5. Oklahoma
6. LSU (1)
7. *Penn State
8. Florida
9. *Oregon
10. Notre Dame
11. Auburn
12. *Wisconsin
13. Texas A&M
14. Texas
15. Oklahoma State
16. *Michigan
17. *USC
18. North Carolina
19. *Minnesota
20. Cincinnati
21. UCF
22. *Utah
23. Iowa State
24. *Iowa
25. Tennessee
Others receiving votes:
Memphis 86, Virginia Tech 85, Boise State 68, Arizona State 66, Miami FL 42, Louisville 32, Appalachian State 26, Washington 21, Kentucky 20, Indiana 19, Baylor 15, California 11, TCU 9, Virginia 7, Navy 6, Florida State 6, SMU 3, Mississippi State 3, Air Force 3, Northwestern 1, UAB 1.
* Indicates team canceled their games for the season.