TIDE, TIGERS TOP SPORTSWRITERS’ LIST …
Clemson University‘s football team is ranked No. 2 in the nation, according to the preseason Associated Press Top 25 – which was released on Sunday. The only team ahead of the Tigers? Defending national champion Alabama – which edged Clemson in January’s second-ever college playoff final.
America’s sportswriters showed a little more faith in head coach Dabo Swinney‘s team, though, awarding the Tigers sixteen first-place votes. That’s nine more first-place votes than the program received in the preseason Amway coaches’ poll – released earlier this month.
As with the coaches’ poll, this is Clemson’s highest-ever preseason ranking. The Tigers were ranked fourth in the preseason poll by the coaches and the Associated Press in 1988 – and fourth by Associated Press in 1984. The sixteen first-place votes the team received is also a new high-water mark for the program – besting the eleven first-place votes Clemson received in 1984.
Such lofty expectations are warranted, too.
Clemson quarterback DeShaun Watson – a 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior from Gainesville, Georgia – is the returning Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) player of the year as well as the preseason frontrunner to capture the Heisman Trophy.
The Tigers also return junior running back Wayne Gallman and junior wide receiver Artavis Scott – as well as three offensive linemen (including last year’s freshman All-American left tackle Mitch Hyatt).
On defense it’s supposed to be another rebuilding year, but that’s what critics said about coordinator Brent Venables‘ unit heading into the 2015 campaign, too.
The University of South Carolina – which was a fixture in the national football rankings from 2010-13 – was unranked in the AP preseason poll for the second consecutive year. The Gamecocks are kicking off their first season under new head coach Will Muschamp – hoping to improve on a disastrous 3-9 campaign in 2015.
To the poll …
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2016 ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
1. Alabama (33) 0-0 1469
2. Clemson (16) 0-0 1443
3. Oklahoma (4) 0-0 1352
4. Florida State (5) 0-0 1325
5. LSU (1) 0-0 1269
6. Ohio State (1) 0-0 1224
7. Michigan (1) 0-0 1147
8. Stanford 0-0 1029
9. Tennessee 0-0 1021
10. Notre Dame 0-0 1006
11. Ole Miss 0-0 718
12. Michigan State 0-0 710
13. TCU 0-0 707
14. Washington 0-0 651
15. Houston 0-0 644
16. UCLA 0-0 496
17. Iowa 0-0 484
18. Georgia 0-0 448
19. Louisville 0-0 447
20. USC 0-0 344
21. Oklahoma State 0-0 316
22. North Carolina 0-0 283
23. Baylor 0-0 280
24. Oregon 0-0 218
25. Florida 0-0 180
Dropped from rankings: Utah 17, Navy 18, Wisconsin 21, Northwestern 23, Western Kentucky 24.
Others receiving votes: Miami 159, Texas A&M 81, Utah 74, Washington State 68, Boise State 49, San Diego State 46, Wisconsin 42, Auburn 22, Pittsburgh 15, Arkansas 14, Texas 12, Nebraska 11, Navy 8, Northwestern 5, Western Kentucky 4, South Florida 2, Toledo 2.