For the first time in school history, Clemson is No. 1 in the AP Preseason Top 25 college football poll. The Tigers defeated Alabama in the 2019 National Championship game, 44-16. It was the school’s second title in three years.
That was a big reason the Tigers received 52 of the 62 first-place votes. The Crimson Tide got the other 10 top votes. Both programs are 9/4 to win the National Championship, and were also in the same spots in the Coaches Poll.
Though the honor of being the top-ranked team going into the season, which kicks off Aug. 29 against Georgia Tech, is a first for Clemson, head coach Dabo Swinney isn’t particularly impressed with the distinction.
“It just doesn’t matter,†Swinney said Monday after practice about being preseason No. 1. “Unless they bring us a trophy.â€
Soft Schedule Criticized
Clemson could easily become the third team to start the preseason poll No. 1 and be at the top every week of the season. The other two teams that accomplished that feat are Florida State in 1999, and USC in 2004. If they stumble and get knocked off the No. 1 spot, they could still become the 12th team to start and finish at No. 1.
AP Top 25 Preseason Poll
Rank Team       Conference          Votes                2018 Record
1      Clemson         ACC              1,540 (52*)             15-0
2      Alabama         SEC               1,496 (10*)       14-1
3      Georgia      SEC               1,403            11-3
4      Oklahoma    Big 12            1,331                      12-2
5      Ohio State    Big 10            1,261            13-1
6Â Â Â Â Â Â LSUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SECÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,199Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10-3
7      Michigan      Big 10            1,164                     10-3
8      Florida       SEC              1,054            10-3
9      Notre Dame   Independent  1,044                      12-1
10   Texas             Big 12       1,005                      10-4
11   Oregon       Pac 12       860             9-4
12Â Â Â Texas A&MÂ Â Â SECÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 852Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 9-4
13   Washington   Pac 12       786                        10-4
14   Utah         Pac 12       772              9-5
15   Penn State    Big 10       651              9-4
16   Auburn       SEC         578              8-5
17   UCF         American     410                        12-1
18   Mich.State    Big 10       377              7-6
19   Wisconsin      Big 10       370              8-5
20   Iowa         Big 10       330              9-4
21   Iowa State       Big 12            302              8-5
22   Syracuse        ACC              209             10-3
23   Wash. State   Pac 12           200                        11-2
24   Nebraska     Big 10            154              4-8
25   Stanford         Pac 12           141              9-4
*Denotes first-place votes Â
The Tigers’ schedule has been criticized by some as been way to easy. They only play two teams (No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 22 Syracuse) that are ranked in the top 25.
Swinney bristled recently about the lack of competition, especially in his conference, the ACC.
“There’s no lack of competition in our league,†Swinney said. “There’s a reason we’ve won two out of the last three national championships and it’s not because we don’t play anybody. We’ve played everybody. We’ve played Alabama three times in national championships. We’ve played Ohio State, Oklahoma, we play Texas A&M, we play South Carolina every year. Our league, I think we had 11 bowl teams this year, 10 the year before, 11 the year before that. Our league is incredibly competitive and deep.â€
While the strength of the ACC is debatable, Swinney doesn’t have much ground to defend his nonconference schedule. The Tigers play Charlotte, who were 5-7 last year, as well as Wofford, who are in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Alabama, Others Waiting
Both Clemson and Alabama bring back their starting quarterbacks. The Tigers’ Trevor Lawrence, and the Crimson Tide’s Tua Tagovailoa are both the 3/1 favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.
Alabama’s schedule is a little more difficult than Clemson’s. They play three teams in the Top 25, including No. 6 LSU, No. 12 Texas A&M, and No. 16 Auburn.
The rest of the teams in the Top 10 include, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 LSU, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Florida, No. 9 Notre Dame, and No. 10 Texas.