Every year in late February, I put out my Projected AP Top 10 basically six months ahead of the AP Top Ten release.
Here we are in July and while my top 10 remains the SAME, I will make two very minor modifications to the order since that February posting.
It is important to make the point that this is NOT my preseason Top 10 for next season, rather what I am projecting the Preseason AP Top 10 will look like to start the season.
My predicted AP Top 10 has been a PERFECT 10 for 10 in EIGHT of the 14 years that I have put it out! When I predict the AP Top 10 in February (about a HALF YEAR ahead of the actual AP poll), I have now hit on 134 out of 140 over the last 14 years! That means hitting all 10 teams in eight of the fourteen years and missing by just one team in the other six years. Once again, predicting the top ten teams in the AP poll SIX MONTHS in advance, the record is now 134 out of 140 or 95.7%!
Last year was one of those years where I missed by one. Interestingly I had Oregon at #10 in my Projected AP Top Ten and they opened #11 in the AP poll. The AP writers put Baylor in at #10. Oregon was actually AP #9 with one game to go in the regular season but blew a 31-10 lead at Oregon St or likely would have finished in the top 10 (they finished #15). Baylor finished 6-7 and unranked so maybe the AP writers should have gone with Oregon.
When I put the original top 10 out last February, I was starting the second write through process for each team. The second write thru process lasts about a month and a half. Once spring practices have ended, the 3rd write through process begins which involves me talking to 120+ coaches spending about an hour each going over their teams with them. We sent the last page to the press on June 7th.
It took a little longer at the printer than expected and we are very short on regional covers. This week if you order thru our office ORDER HERE you will get the digital magazine for free!
The great thing about the digital version is that it is updated all the way thru September! We fix any typos and circle any players that are gone plus add any late signees!
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Here are the ten teams I feel will be in the 2023 AP Preseason Top Ten and over the last thirteen years 134 of my 140 (95.7%) Projected top ten teams in February made the actual top ten, so as I said earlier, I seem to have a pretty good feel for how the voters will rank these teams come August. The only change between this blog and the February blog is the order of the ten teams but they are not changed much. I moved Michigan ahead of Ohio St as it looks like Michigan will be the preseason favorite to win the Big 10. LSU slid ahead of Penn St Those are the only changes as most of it remains the same, but all 10 teams are the same.
My 2023 Projected AP Preseason Top 10 (slightly reordered)
1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Michigan
4. Ohio State
5. LSU
6. Penn State
7. Florida State
8. Clemson
9. USC
10. Notre Dame
