This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/usffan on 2025-06-11 12:38:44+00:00.
The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here.
It’s time to welcome Mississippi State (high = 52, low = 99) and the SEC to the countdown. Jeff Lebby returns for his sophomore season in charge of the Bulldogs with the 37th ranked returning production in the country, including a top 20 team on defense. He also gets back former Baylor QB Blake Shapen, who got knocked out for the season last year in week 4 against Florida (backup Michael Van Buren, Jr., who played the last 8+ games, transferred to LSU), and leading rusher Davon Booth. Pretty much the rest of the offense is coming in via the portal, which Lebby hit hard, ranking 17th nationally (but 10th in the SEC, according to 247 - no SEC bias, no sir!). Paired with the 28th best recruiting class in the country (and 13th in the conference) they have the 31st best overall class (3rd from the worst in the SEC). Will that talent translate to wins on the field? An early tell will be week 2 when defending Big XII champs Arizona State come to Stark Vegas for a night game. If the Bulldogs win that, they’re likely 4-0 (calling them winning @ Southern Miss and home games against Alcorn State and Northern Illinois) before they hit the teeth of their schedule (Tennessee, @ Texas A&M, @ Florida, Texas, with Georgia sandwiched between road trips to Arkansas and Missouri before the Egg Bowl). So to go bowling, all Lebby has to do is beat 3 teams in the top 40 of these aggregated rankings. Feels like a tall mountain to climb in 2025.