AP Top 25 (Preseason)

[Travelin]

NEW YORK -- Southern California is No. 1 in the AP Top 25, tossing off the weight of NCAA sanctions and returning to a familiar place in the rankings - with a boost from LSU's problems.

USC earned the top spot in The Associated Press' preseason college football poll for the seventh time in school history and the first time in five seasons, edging out No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 LSU.

The Trojans received 25 of a possible 60 first-place votes from a media panel in a close vote. USC received 1,445 points. Defending national champion Alabama had 17 first-place votes and 1,411 points while LSU, the Crimson Tide's SEC rival, got 16 first-place votes and 1,402 points.

Oklahoma was fourth with a single first-place vote and Oregon was fifth. Michigan, at No. 8, received the only other first-place vote.



9. S. Carolina

Rounding out the top 10 in the AP rankings, Georgia was No. 6, followed by Florida State and Michigan. No. 9 South Carolina and No. 10 Arkansas give the Southeastern Conference half of the first 10 teams.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/1...#storylink=cpy

[RudeCock]

The SEC is so strong, and it's great to finally be part of that strength.

[Travelin]

Originally Posted by RudeCock

The SEC is so strong, and it's great to finally be part of that strength.

Yes it is. A few good breaks here and there, and we'll find ourselves back in the SECCG.

[GamecockInHell]

In spite of numerous violations, it doesn't seem that the Trojans were hurt very much by the NCAA.

[TroubleCock]

Some luck we could climb up that list nicely by week 3.

[BigSteven34]

5 teams in the top 10... We play 3 of them, Georgia plays 1. That is some bs right there, I hope we crush UGA!

[I Bleed Garnet]

Originally Posted by GamecockInHell

In spite of numerous violations, it doesn't seem that the Trojans were hurt very much by the NCAA.

It's pretty difficult to hurt Elite Programs.

But their Scholarship reduction starts this year.
Not going to be easy playing with 75 scholarship players.

[TKE226]

about what I expected. usually only about 10 teams have a legit shot at a NC...so happy to see us in that mix.

[Travelin]

Seth Emerson of The Macon (Georgia) Telegraph dropped LSU from No. 1 to No. 3, behind Alabama and USC.

"On the one hand, he wasn't exactly known as a lock-down cornerback and LSU has plenty of other talent. On the other hand, I was in the Georgia Dome last year when Mathieu single-handedly turned the tide of the SEC championship," Emerson wrote on his blog. "He's a dynamic player. There's a reason he was fifth in the Heisman voting.

"That's why I moved LSU to third, but not any further down."

[Goofyboy]

With the soft schedule out west, several teams get rated highly most of the year without having to bang it out against really strong teams and only get a reality check at bowl time - unless they get a typically over-rated Big 10 (12) team. USC will be declared "team of the decade" sometime during the year while buzzing through their west coast schedule, and Kiffen, the Daddy legacy jerk, will be touted as a miracle worker.

[Spurz]

Originally Posted by GamecockInHell

In spite of numerous violations, it doesn't seem that the Trojans were hurt very much by the NCAA.

Ironically, I think the sanctions actually helped them recruit better, since the scholarship reductions increased the value of being able to play for USCw (which is already high).


Posted from Cockytalk.com App for Android

[uscgamecocks88]

Georgia #6? OVERRATED!!! Haha they will be out of the Top 10 after Mizzou.

[gamecockgal]

Originally Posted by uscgamecocks88

Georgia #6? OVERRATED!!! Haha they will be out of the Top 10 after Mizzou.

Have you seen their schedule. BY FAR it is the easiest overall in the SEC.

Us and possibly Auburn are the two toughest teams that they play this year. I am just not convinced that Mizzou is ready to play in the SEC yet.

[uscgamecocks88]

Originally Posted by gamecockgal

Have you seen their schedule. BY FAR it is the easiest overall in the SEC.

Us and possibly Auburn are the two toughest teams that they play this year. I am just not convinced that Mizzou is ready to play in the SEC yet.

Yeah i know, they have a C-USA schedule. They will lose to us, Mizzou, and UF or AU have a chance to beat them.

They will be missing a lot of their O-line for Mizzou game, which will really hurt them.

[I Bleed Garnet]

Cockytalk has an android app?

[Shep]

Originally Posted by uscgamecocks88

Georgia #6? OVERRATED!!! Haha they will be out of the Top 10 after Mizzou.

That will be the only game this season where I will be pulling for Mizzou.

[Garnet Gamecock]

Originally Posted by uscgamecocks88

Georgia #6? OVERRATED!!! Haha they will be out of the Top 10 after Mizzou.

You nailed it!

[I Bleed Garnet]

Originally Posted by Shep

That will be the only game this season where I will be pulling for Mizzou.

I'll be pulling for them when they play Florida and Tennessee too.

[uscgamecocks88]

Originally Posted by Garnet Gamecock

You nailed it!

Haha yeah, ive been saying that all this time, Georgia has the easiest schedule i have ever seen.

They better play Bama, LSU, or Arkansas next year.

[USCBASEBALL1]

Originally Posted by I Bleed Garnet

I'll be pulling for them when they play Florida and Tennessee too.

^^ this