NCAA Re-Rank just 1-76: Clemson, Alabama lead
USA TODAY Sports’ NCAA ReRank’s preseason ranking of the Bowl Subdivision only goes to 76 due to the impact of COVID-19 on college football.
Regardless of the shortened list, one thing remains the same: Clemson is still at the top. The Tigers are trailed by Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.
Fifty-four teams have been removed from the normal list of 130 as a result of four conferences opting against playing this fall. The teams no longer considered include Ohio State, which had a case for being ranked ahead of Clemson, and projected Pac-12 front-runner Oregon, which was a contender for the top five.
In fact, the four conferences no longer in competition – the Big Ten, Pac-12, Mountain West and MAC – might’ve accounted for as many as nine teams in the preseason Top 25. The upper third of the 1-76 now includes five representatives from the Group of Five.
Yeah, it’s going to be a strange season. With the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 playing just one non-conference game and the Southeastern playing none, look for very few teams from these Power Five leagues to end the regular season with two or fewer losses.
In addition to the Group of Five programs, the Top 25 features seven teams from the SEC and another seven teams from the ACC, counting temporary member Notre Dame. The SEC has No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Florida and No. 7 LSU. From the Big 12, No. 4 Oklahoma is joined by No. 8 Texas, No. 12 Oklahoma State, No. 21 TCU and No. 23 Iowa State.
Complete re-rankings from 1-76 can be found at ncaaf.usatoday.com