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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/usffan on 2025-06-08 14:37:13+00:00.
The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here.
South Alabama (high = 64, low = 92) comes in at #76, the highest rated team in the Sun Belt West and the preseason pick to meet James Madison in the championship game. Major Applewhite looks to follow up last year’s 7-6 campaign and Camellia Salute to Veterans Bowl win over Western Michigan with some lofty expectations. They rank 68th nationally in returning production, which seems high given that starting QB Gio Lopez is gone to Bill Belichick and North Carolina and leading rusher Fluff Bothwell transferred to Mississippi State. They did bring in Minnesota QB Zach Pyron, who’s projected to be the new starter. That said, their recruiting (2nd worst in conference, 118th nationally), portal (3rd worst in conference, 111th nationally) and overall incoming class (2nd worst in conference, 117th nationally) suggests that this preseason rating over defending Sun Belt West champions Louisiana and Texas State might be a stretch. The Jaguars host Tulane in week 2 and then go to Auburn in week 3, so if they win at least one of those the preseason hype might stick heading into the conference schedule, where they host Louisiana, miss the top 2 rated teams in the Sun Belt East and travel to Texas State in the last week of the season.