My ballot is in: Here’s how I think the AP preseason rankings should look

The view here is that adding celebrated defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will provide an edge to the Longhorns defense that has been missing.

The No. 3 through No. 5 teams — Oregon, Georgia and Ohio State — were very close, with the loaded Ducks getting the nod over the Bulldogs’ stout defense and the Buckeyes’ explosive offense.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning, who helped build a legendary defense at Georgia, has assembled great talent in Eugene featuring one of the most elite quarterbacks in the nation, Dante Moore.

The Ducks have dangerous road games at USC (Sept. 26) and Ohio State (Nov. 7) but should have the depth to make a postseason run.

The Buckeyes, with returning quarterback Julian Sayin and explosive receiver Jeremiah Smith, could trigger a shuffle on my ballot if they prevail in their road game at Texas on Sept. 12.

My guess is one of those top five teams will win the College Football Playoff National Championship, but as recent seasons have shown, the 12-team playoff presents a second season of its own.

Attrition will once again be a factor, so the preseason top 25 can only be so much of an indicator of what the far-off future might hold.

Georgia’s quest to record what would be its first College Football Playoff win since the 2022 season will depend on its ability to evolve on offense.

The Bulldogs lack proven playmakers at the receiver position, challenging returning starting quarterback Gunner Stockton to quickly develop a chemistry with his pass catchers after losing five of the top six targets from a season ago, including single-season school receptions record-holder Zachariah Branch.

Coach Kirby Smart has said UGA will look to establish a strong run game, off of which Stockton can make explosive downfield throws or find tight ends running open.

Georgia’s schedule is conducive to development, as the Bulldogs open the season with nonconference games against FCS opponent Tennessee State and Conference USA member Western Kentucky before a road trip to 2025 SEC cellar-dweller Arkansas, which was 0-8 in league play last season and has a new head coach.

Georgia will be heavily favored to be 3-0 when it faces SEC contender Oklahoma at home on Sept. 26, and likely 5-0 when it travels to Alabama on Oct. 10 for what figures to be a pivotal league showdown.

Notre Dame stands atop the country, loaded with talent, and holding the advantage of not having to play in a conference championship game.

As Georgia fans would note, winning the SEC title is a badge of honor, but it’s also several more physical snaps of football, and that means more mileage on the players after finishing what’s already a grueling conference slate capped by a bruising rivalry game with Georgia Tech.

The Irish, thanks to a tweak in the CFP rules, are guaranteed a spot in the 12-team playoff field if they finish ranked in the top 12 of the CFP standings.

Ten of the SEC’s 16 teams are in my preseason top 25, but because many have to play one another, it’s likely there won’t be that many by season’s end.

The Big Ten has eight teams in my preseason top 25, and once again has the look of a top-heavy conference.

Indiana, the defending CFP champion, has another strong team but likely does not possess the No. 1 overall draft pick and Heisman Trophy winner as it did a season ago with Fernando Mendoza.

One imagines last season would have played out differently had Georgia — and not Indiana — won the recruiting battle for Mendoza’s services.

Duke transfer Darian Mensah appears to be the big quarterback prize in this offseason’s transfer portal.

The gifted Mensah, who ranked second in the nation with 3,973 passing yards last season and had 34 TD passes with only 6 interceptions, figures to make a run for the Heisman Trophy following in the footsteps of the QB transfers before him at Miami.

Cam Ward transferred from Washington State to Miami and became the top NFL Draft pick after one season, while Carson Beck led the Hurricanes to the CFP Championship game and was the third overall quarterback selected (albeit in the third round) of the draft.

Miami tailback Mark Fletcher and 2025 FWAA Offensive Freshman of the Year Malachi Toney were two players on my preseason AP All-America team, and they give Miami explosive offensive elements beyond Mensah.

Miami plays at Notre Dame on Nov. 7 in a game that figures to have heavy CFP implications.

How I voted on the AP Top 25 preseason ballot

Others on the radar: Arizona, UNLV, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Missouri, Boise State, TCU, Utah, Houston