Asmussen: Top 25 explainer

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Sat, 08/18/2012 - 4:04pm | The News-Gazette

Bob Asmussen was the only voter on the AP panel to cast Michigan at No. 1. Here is his take on Saturday's release of the AP Top 25:

— So I'm out on my own limb, a real skinny one, with the Michigan pick. Based on some early emails that have in today, the choice is not real popular. Actually, they question the voter more than the school. Wrote Kevin: "I have a question. Do you even watch college football? Michigan #1?? Really??? You should have your voting privileges revoked." And from Mike: "Hard to believe that there is one guy in the AP in the U.S. that thinks that U-M is the #1 team in the nation. Apparently you think they are going to beat 'Bama in Dallas." We'll find out if Michigan was the right pick on Sept. 1.

Ask Bob what he was thinking here

— Not a whole lot of love for Illinois ... or Purdue. They were the only two BCS schools to win their 2011 bowl games and not receive any votes in the opening poll. Overall, the Big Ten wasn't treated with a ton of respect. Michigan is first at No. 8 and four more ranked between No. 12 and No. 18. Even more surprising, none of the other Big Ten schools received a vote. No Northwestern. No Iowa. Meanwhile, the SEC has five in the Top 10, six in the Tp 25 and five others receiving votes.

— The good news is that the preseason poll isn't the final poll. We will know a whole lot more about the teams after the first week of the season. There are key games, including Alabama-Michigan, Boise State-Michigan State, Navy-Notre Dame, Auburn-Clemson and Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech. There will all sorts of adjusting after the opening weekend. And it will continue throughout September as we find out who can and cannot make a run at the national title.

How Bob voted

1. Michigan
2. Southern Cal
3. Alabama
4. LSU
5. Oklahoma
6. Florida State
7. Oregon
8. Georgia
9. South Carolina
10. Oklahoma State
11. Wisconsin
12. West Virginia
13. Arkansas
14. Michigan State
15. Virginia Tech
16. Texas
17. Clemson
18. Nebraska
19. TCU
20. Ohio State
21. Boise State
22. Stanford
23. Kansas State
24. Washington
25. North Carolina

AP Top 25

Team (first-place votes) Points

1. USC (25) 1445
2. Alabama (17) 1411
3. LSU (16) 1402
4. Oklahoma (1) 1286
5. Oregon 1274
6. Georgia 1107
7. Florida State 1093
8. Michigan (1) 1000
9. South Carolina 994
10. Arkansas 963
11. West Virginia 856
12. Wisconsin 838
13. Michigan State 742
14. Clemson 615
15. Texas 569
16. Virginia Tech 548
17. Nebraska 485
18. Ohio State 474
19. Oklahoma State 430
20. TCU 397
21. Stanford 383
22. Kansas State 300
23. Florida 214
24. Boise State 212
25. Louisville 105
Others receiving votes: Notre Dame 83, Washington 55, Auburn 53, UNC 32, Utah 30, Georgia Tech 25, Brigham Young 22, Tennessee 15, SOUFLA 11, Baylor 9, Texas A&M 5, UCF 4, Missouri 3, NCSTATE 3, Cincinnati 3, Houston 1, Louisiana Tech 1, Mississippi State 1, Northern Illinois 1

Sections (3):Illini Sports, Football, Sports

Categories (3):Illini Sports, Football, Sports

Comments

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Moonpie wrote on August 19, 2012 at 10:08 am

Bob should have voted The RAV4 number one!

tonyjb37 wrote on August 20, 2012 at 11:08 am

C'mon Bob! Illinois should have gotten your first place vote, you know Bob that Illinois is the number one team in the country! How could you? Traitor!!!!!!!!!!!

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