Phil Steele's Preseason Top 25

[Cruloc]

1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas
5. Ohio State
6. Georgia
7. Alabama
8. Oregon
9. Oklahoma
10. Michigan
11. LSU
12. SMU
13. Baylor
14. Miami
15. Boise State
16. Illinois
17. Florida
18. Utah
19. Texas A&M
20. Indiana
21. Iowa State
22. USC
23. Arizona State
24. Kansas State
25. Toledo

 

[DawgAlum2054]

I never understand the Penn State hype. they have lost 2 games or more every season under Franlkin

Florida at 17, but South Carolina not found is also interesting

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I never understand the Penn State hype. they have lost 2 games or more every season under Franlkin

Florida at 17, but South Carolina not found is also interesting

Their schedule. Steele was on The Herd yesterday and he went over his top 5/10 and he basically said Penn St is sitting at #1 because of their schedule. They don't leave their stadium but twice in the first two months of the season and Oregon has question marks at the QB position. They also had to replace other top talent so he feels like Penn St, with their returning players is the favorite for that game. Outside of the Oregon game, they have a cakewalk the first two months of the season.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

Penn State will definitely lose to Ohio State.

 

[Cruloc]

Phil Steele's position rankings:
QB
1. Clemson
2. LSU
3. Texas
4. Penn State
5. South Carolina
33. Georgia
36. Alabama

RB
1. Penn State
2. Notre Dame
3. Texas
4. Louisville
5. Oklahoma
7. Alabama

WR
1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. LSU
4. Alabama
5. Texas

OL
1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas A&M
5. Florida
9. Alabama
20. Georgia

DL
1. Oklahoma
2. Clemson
3. Penn State
4. Notre Dame
5. Michigan
6. Alabama
12. Georgia

LB
1. Texas
2. Michigan
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Pittsburgh
10. Alabama

DB
1. Notre Dame
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Penn State
5. Texas A&M

Special Teams
1. Iowa
2. Georgia
3. BYU
4. Vandy
5. Michigan
45. Alabama

 

[denver]

Schedules are ignored by pollsters....a weak one doesn't matter because a win is a win in their eyes. Penn St has bye weeks prior to their two hardest games...every year they are ranked high and under deliver, doesn't matter that they haven't won a significant game since Paterno was coach...must be a lot of B10 alumni voters in these polls is all I can figure

 

[Cruloc]

Their schedule. Steele was on The Herd yesterday and he went over his top 5/10 and he basically said Penn St is sitting at #1 because of their schedule. They don't leave their stadium but twice in the first two months of the season and Oregon has question marks at the QB position. They also had to replace other top talent so he feels like Penn St, with their returning players is the favorite for that game. Outside of the Oregon game, they have a cakewalk the first two months of the season.

View attachment 52164

Other reasons he's got them rated in the top 5 at QB / RB / OL / DL / DB

 

[BamaNation]

I never understand the Penn State hype. they have lost 2 games or more every season under Franlkin

Florida at 17, but South Carolina not found is also interesting

What, you don't respect that PSU has 13 NCAA Championships ... across various sports, with 12 of those titles coming in the last 14 years? Penn State has achieved national championship glory on the gridiron ... in 1982 and 1986 ... under disgraced coach Joe Paterno.

That should be enough to give them premier rankings year after year after year after year, right? I mean, they are in the Big 10/XI/16/937483 now!

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I would almost put money on State Penn not finishing #1. They will lose to any team with a pulse

 

[DzynKingRTR]

What, you don't respect that PSU has 13 NCAA Championships ... across various sports, with 12 of those titles coming in the last 14 years? Penn State has achieved national championship glory ... in 1982 and 1986 ... under disgraced coach Joe Paterno.

That should be enough to give them premier rankings year after year after year after year, right? I mean, they are in the Big 10/XI/16/937483 now!

Plus they play up north in November!

 

[Cruloc]

Major problem for Penn State has always been their level of talent....still is. Now with the additions of Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA that will become even more relevant.

Big 10 recruiting ranking
2025 - Penn State was 5th....behind Ohio State / Oregon / Michigan / USC
2024 - Penn State was 3rd....behind Oregon / Ohio State
2023 - Penn State was 2nd....behind Ohio State
2022 - Penn State was 2nd....behind Ohio State
2021 - Penn State was 6th....behind Ohio State / Michigan / Wisconsin / Maryland / Nebraska

QB Drew Allar was a 5 star in the 2022 class
RB Nick Singleton was a 5 star in the 2022 class
DL Dani Dennis Sutton was a 5 star in the 2022 class
OT J'ven Williams was a 5 star in the 2023 class
TE Luke Reynolds was a 5 star in the 2024 class
OL Malachi Goodman was a 5 star in the 2025 class

They don't get enough highly rated skill position players. They'll never consistently compete with Ohio State (never have). Oregon will surpass them has a Big 10 member. So will USC when they get themselves straight.

 

[BamaNation]

Plus they play up north in November!

And they have a charismatic and arrogant, if highly overrated, coach.

All the things you need to be at the top.

What about Clempson?

I like us being the top 10 and not at the top. Gives us something to work on without being buried at the bottom with the wannabes. We're in the mix from the beginning if we do what we should do. Let PSU and Dabo and the usual suspects deal with the pressure. We don't have pressure. We have purpose.

 

[Cruloc]

And they have a charismatic and arrogant, if highly overrated, coach.

All the things you need to be at the top.

What about Clempson?

I like us being the top 10 and not at the top. Gives us something to work on without being buried at the bottom with the wannabes. We're in the mix from the beginning if we do what we should do. Let PSU and Dabo and the usual suspects deal with the pressure. We don't have pressure. We have purpose.

Dabo and Clemson are rated highly because of Klubnick having experience and both their OL and DL appear to be rated very highly this year again.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Phil Steele's position rankings:
QB
1. Clemson
2. LSU
3. Texas
4. Penn State
5. South Carolina
33. Georgia
36. Alabama

RB
1. Penn State
2. Notre Dame
3. Texas
4. Louisville
5. Oklahoma
7. Alabama

WR
1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. LSU
4. Alabama
5. Texas

OL
1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas A&M
5. Florida
9. Alabama
20. Georgia

DL
1. Oklahoma
2. Clemson
3. Penn State
4. Notre Dame
5. Michigan
6. Alabama
12. Georgia

LB
1. Texas
2. Michigan
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Pittsburgh
10. Alabama

DB
1. Notre Dame
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Penn State
5. Texas A&M

Special Teams
1. Iowa
2. Georgia
3. BYU
4. Vandy
5. Michigan
45. Alabama

It'll be interesting to see how these lists change as the season progresses.

 

[BamaNation]

The college football season is officially ON THE CLOCK! I'm ready. My snark quotient has just gone vertical.

 

[Power Eye]

Penn St. and Clemson have been getting a ton a preseason praise for the simple reason that they have established returning QBs and an extremely manageable schedule. It's an interesting year because there really aren't any big name QBs returning. At least none that none that are elite, but Klubnik and Allar get all this hype for some reason and I think it's because there are no other returning QBs at big schools to hype up. I've watched both of them play quite a bit and I just don't see it. I'll put it this way, if Simpson plays at the level Allar did last year against decent competition, which we play quite a bit more of than Penn St., then we will probably have a disappointing year. If we can get Klubnik level from Simpson, which isn't a stretch by any means, then we can have a successful year.

 

[Cruloc]

Penn St. and Clemson have been getting a ton a preseason praise for the simple reason that they have established returning QBs and an extremely manageable schedule. It's an interesting year because there really aren't any big name QBs returning. At least none that none that are elite, but Klubnik and Allar get all this hype for some reason and I think it's because there are no other returning QBs at big schools to hype up. I've watched both of them play quite a bit and I just don't see it. I'll put it this way, if Simpson plays at the level Allar did last year against decent competition, which we play quite a bit more of than Penn St., then we will probably have a disappointing year. If we can get Klubnik level from Simpson, which isn't a stretch by any means, then we can have a successful year.

They are both getting hype because they are the only ones with returning QB's yes.....but both of them are also highly rated on the OL and DL. Both top 5 in that regard. I think Penn State gets the edge over Clemson for Phil Steele simply because of their running game. He's got Penn State with the best RB room along with those lines.

If Penn State can get past Oregon at home......it'll set up their season for the match up in the horseshoe. What I'd love to see though.....them beat Ohio State, get all hyped up, then lose to Indiana at home in their next game.

 

[spidermayin]

Phil Steele's position rankings:
QB
1. Clemson
2. LSU
3. Texas
4. Penn State
5. South Carolina
33. Georgia
36. Alabama

RB
1. Penn State
2. Notre Dame
3. Texas
4. Louisville
5. Oklahoma
7. Alabama

WR
1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. LSU
4. Alabama
5. Texas

OL
1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas A&M
5. Florida
9. Alabama
20. Georgia

DL
1. Oklahoma
2. Clemson
3. Penn State
4. Notre Dame
5. Michigan
6. Alabama
12. Georgia

LB
1. Texas
2. Michigan
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Pittsburgh
10. Alabama

DB
1. Notre Dame
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Penn State
5. Texas A&M

Special Teams
1. Iowa
2. Georgia
3. BYU
4. Vandy
5. Michigan
45. Alabama

If all goes well, that QB ranking will change a few games in the season for us.

 

[MikeInBama]

There is no way Ty should be behind UGA QB. That's fine, we'll see 5 weeks in.

 

[Cruloc]

There is no way Ty should be behind UGA QB. That's fine, we'll see 5 weeks in.

I'd imagine he got the edge because Stockton has played meaningful minutes. He had to start vs Notre Dame and got significant time vs Texas.

Simpson hasn't had any of that.

From the outside looking in, I can see why anyone would give Stockton the edge.

We shall see when we go to Athens. Hope Ty has a great game and announces his presence.