The Associated Press released the first edition of the AP Top 25 poll for the 2024 college football season on Monday, less than three weeks before the start of the season.
This Top 25 sets the tone for a season full of change as conference realignment takes place across the nation and the College Football Playoffs get ready for the first season in which 12 teams will qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the new playoff format was instated in 2014.
Preseason @AP_Top25
1 Georgia (46 1st place votes)
2 Ohio St (15)
3 Oregon (1)
4 Texas
5 Alabama
6 Ole Miss
7 Notre Dame
8 Penn St
9 Michigan
10 Florida St
11 Missouri
12 Utah
13 LSU
14 Clemson
15 Tennessee
16 Oklahoma
17 Oklahoma State
18 Kansas State
19 Miami
20 A&M
21 Arizona…— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 12, 2024
Here are the top two surprises and snubs from the first edition of the poll.
Top Surprises:
Top three teams all missed the CFP last season
The top three teams in the first AP Top 25 poll — Georgia, Ohio State, and Oregon — all missed the CFP last season after losing in their conference’s title game.
Georgia returns to the top spot after losing out to Alabama during the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs were undefeated prior to that point and appeared primed to go after a third straight championship title. Instead, the back-to-back champs in 2021 and 2022 fell short. Still, Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs have been the best squad in college football over the last three years, and rightfully take back the top spot.
Tim Warner/Getty Images
Ohio State was the biggest riser on the list, climbing eight spots to the No. 2 team on the list. The Buckeyes lost to Michigan in last year’s Big Ten Championship, but are ready to re-claim their conference title following the departure of Jim Harbaugh. The offense added offensive coordinator Chip Kelly this offseason, as they seek a shot at the title.
After Ohio State, Oregon rose to No. 3. While the Ducks lost quarterback Bo Nix, they still have Dan Lanning as head coach and one of the top defenses. The Ducks also brought in transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, which the team hopes will keep them from missing a step.
Michigan falls to No. 9
The Wolverines finally won their national championship, but have quickly dropped off from the No. 1 spot in the poll. After finishing the season undefeated, the Wolverines underwent a series of changes as they lost head coach Jim Harbaugh, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, and a myriad of players who left for the NFL Draft.
With a mass exodus in Ann Arbor and former offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore taking over as head coach, there are quite a few unknowns for Michigan heading into this season.
Biggest Snubs:
Washington drops out of the list
While Michigan underwent numerous changes, their changes likely won’t have the same effect as the losses for Washington. The Huskies were one of the feel-good stories of 2023, as Kalen DeBoer led a team that went undefeated in the regular season and made it to the National Championship Game when they lost to the Wolverines.
DeBoer left in the offseason to take Nick Saban’s spot at Alabama. The team also lost quarterback Michael Penix Jr., wide receiver Rome Odunze, the majority of their starting offensive line (including Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten), and several key defenders like Bralen Trice all left for the NFL or the transfer portal, leaving Washington with plenty of question marks.
Louisville lands outside the list
Another major snub was Louisville, who received 111 votes in the poll but landed just off the list. Louisville finished 10-4 overall and 7-1 in the ACC but were kept off the list despite finishing ahead of top-25 teams like N.C. State, Clemson, and USC were in the standings a season ago.
