Where is the ACC in the preseason poll? preseason AP poll is out in Georgia once again ranked number one the dogs will be looking to win the national title for the third time in four years Georgia as you see there followed by Ohio State Oregon and Texas and now the changes following the conference realignment eight of the AP top 10 come from either the Big 10 or the SEC look how that worked out as we welcome Stanford Steve to the show with Greg maroy and Sam AO what's up Stanford Steve I want to start with you here at what stands out to you most about that first preseason poll well as you go down the poll Laura you look SEC Big 10 Big 10 SEC SEC SEC where's the ACC with all that off seon of talking about who should have been in it all the way down at 10: and just to see that there's four teams from the ACC in the top 25 but the top ranked team is Florida State at 10 that's pretty eye opening when you talk about what they're going to have to get back to in in this new day and age of the four power conferences so that's what stuck out to make I actually think the ACC is pretty good this year I I'm not sure it's necessarily reflected in the AP poll Miami being at 19's abur but I digress uh looking at the SEC we've it's long The SEC is dominating already been super deep we we understand that even the 14 team era it always had ridiculous depth now moving into the 16 team area era the rich get richer Texas and Oklahoma both newcomers both in the top 16 nine of the top 20 from the Southeastern Conference uh five at the top 11 six at the top 13 then if you want to go a little deeper there is a really coherent argument to be made on behalf of Kentucky with what they bring in and what they bring back I think there's a lot of people that are super optimistic about Auburn as well if I had to put together a preseason top 25 right now Auburn would be in I think they are looking right at an eight and Four Season at the bare minimum with some of the additions that Hugh frees has made so this team in this league they can go 10 or 11 deep in the top 25 Without Really causing a lot of chaos that's how deep it's become yeah and just take a look at the Top Big Ten teams will face off top three teams and two of those top three teams Oregon Ohio State play each other let's go to four four plays one Georgia plays Texas so I'm most interested in those top teams specifically in the Big 10 that play each other Michigan's got to play Ohio State end of the season sc's on their schedule as well and so so the Big 10 teams at the top specifically not only are they ranked but they will face each other potentially multiple times when it comes especially to a big 10 Championship one of the most fascinating things is what we just witnessed right there in the Big 10 you have the offensive dominance of SC which is at 23 I think is probably about right if you want to have them inside the top 25 or outside the to 25 there're somewhere between 21 and 35 in college football versus the defensive dominance of Iowa both teams might as we fast forward to the end of the year have eight and four records but they might look really really different in getting to eight and four I think Iowa actually has a much better chance based on their schedule of having a really impressive win loss record whereas SC challenging non-conference against LSU challenging non-conference against Notre Dame plus a big 10 schedule it's going to be really tough for them to dig in and be in that 23rd spot because they're going to have some massive wins but also some big potential losses along the way and as we talk about all this remembering the expanded playoff there's just more opportunity for some of these teams despite how they get to that end of season record Greg the first few weeks Best early season games what are you going to be watching out for well there's so many great games week one it's almost impossible to pick I'm going to look at one that could have massive effects on the perception of both programs and it's going to be Miami and Florida partly because the loser of that game there's going to be a very strong reaction more so than probably most of the other outcomes week one if Miami loses the negativity surrounding Mario crystal ball and the trajectory of the program is going to be unbearable and the same can be said for Florida if Florida lose that game people are going to say Oh Billy naier can't get it done he's done got to go got to move on can't possibly win with this guy so I think the Fallout from that game Sam will be fascinating to watch because that go that one carries a lot of weight for how each programs proceed moving forward especially from the Miami side you look at all the talent that Miami has been able to get not only in recruiting but even transfer cam Ward is unbelievably talented if you go through another seven and six season last year they lost three of their last four it'd be frustrating what I'm most excited about watching is that Clemson game vers Georgia Clemson defensively is going to be El lead led by guys like Barrett Carter and then at quarterback Kade clubic the maturity the growth that everyone is expecting Phil mafa running back taking over fulltime for will simply if Clemson can find a way to pull off what many believe I think most people believe as an upset it can really shake up the perception of the SEC the ACC and all of college football and guys I it's time to really put your feet to the fire here okay and Conference champion preseason picks make some preseason picks when it comes to who's actually going to win these conferences who's going to end up being the national champion we'll get to that in just a little bit but let's begin with our conference champion in the ACC who do we have so I'm going with Clemson it's been a couple years since Clemson has had the success that they wanted we talked about their defense already I think K Club Nick at quarterbacks going to have a huge upswing went through the fire last year so I'm choosing Clemson to win the ACC I'm going Miami I think their biggest issue last year was running back revolving wheel and a quarterback that turned it over but they really if you look at it man they had the ball on their racket on multiple different games into the first half of the Season very few teams in college football were playing better than them so yes the wheels came off down the stretch but I think it's another year of tremendous High School recruiting great front seven defensively excellent quarterback in cam Ward and I think on paper they have the best roster so I'm going with Miami Hurricanes to win the ACC okay now we go to the Big 10 of course Michigan the reigning National Champion who is going to win the Big 10 Sam I'm picking Oregon to win the Big 10 and the reason why is not only their talent but I think they'll be ready for a big 10 championship game yes they're transferring really transferring conferences if you want to say it that way but at quarterback Dylan Gabriel is going to be elite their defense is going to be so much better under Dan Lanning will Stein offensive coordinator will help get all those players offensively ready I'm going with Ohio State and I look at the regular season and Ohio State has to travel to Eugene will be tremendously difficult even if they lose that game I like the chances in a rematch setting if they get Oregon again this time it'll be in the dome it'll be in Indianapolis and that would favor a team that could throw it all over the yard like Ohio State likely can so I'm taking Ohio State to win the conference Championship game but I'd be surprised that they're undefeated when they got there another conference with realignment really being a factor the Big 12 so Sam you first who wins the Big 12 I'm going Kansas an underdog team now that Texas Oklahoma are gone I think that Lance lipold is finally going to be able to get the consistency from an injury perspective jayen Daniels at quarterback is unbelievable but he's had some health issues if he stays healthy him and Devon Neer running back I think will be able to help this offense even be more explosive than they have been the last three years I'm going with Oklahoma State and I think a lot of people have kind of focused their attention on Utah a lot of people love Kansas state with the addition of Avery Johnson becoming the full-time starter at quarterback but I look at last year and this was a team that didn't really have an ident in the first three weeks of the Season found that identity through Ole Gordon the do Walker Award winner they bring back 21 starters and hopefully their defense can collectively take a step under second-year defensive coordinator Brian Nardo so I think Oklahoma State's kind of a Darkhorse team to win that big 12 that not enough people are talking about so as you can see we're filling out our college football playoff bracket here let's go to the SEC who wins the sou Eastern Conference Sam Texas wins the SEC and here's why defensive studs on the edge Baron sell he was just saw on Bruce Feldman's freak list and then Anthony Hill a young stud even Trey Moore transfer from UTSA Ethan Burke their Edge rushes are finally good this year I think Texas defense is going to help them win the SEC I'm going Georgia I I think they somehow find a way to get to Atlanta and I still think at this point they have the fewest questions uh now are there questions yes I think the secondary will be elite I think the linebackers will be elite front four maybe not quite as good as we saw in 2021 and 2022 but offensively they should be top shelf assuming they continue to grow from where they were a year ago so I'll take Georgia in the SEC all right how about group of five go ahead Sam liberty liberty liberty liberty was undefeated last year until their bowl game 13-0 led by quarterback Kaden Stalter who was the group of five National player of the year but even more so running back Quinton everyone keep your eyes on him he's 5'7 200 lb but he's a bowling ball and a beast 1400 rushing yards top 10 16 touchdowns amazing yeah Liberty made it to the new year six last year but they had no business being there they got embarrassed by Oregon because they never challenged himself in the regular season I hope the committee HS them accountable this year they might be undefeated but will they be the best team I don't think so I think Memphis will be you look at their personnel the additions they've made the pieces that were back from last year's team they gave Missouri all they wanted last year while they lost the game they still gave them all they wanted this year they have a chance to do so against Florida State they will challenge themselves they might not be 12-0 but they will at least show us what they can do against the top teams in the country and if you're going to book a ticket to the college football playoff you better have at least played against a power five team so we can see how you National Championship picks measure up how about who wins it all the 2024 college football playoff National Champion is who Sam the Ohio State University this is their year three losses in a row versus Michigan a lot of those players who lost are returning so they're coming back for Revenge but defensively laan Ransom Caleb DS safeties are going to be huge for this team so I'd like Ohio State to win national championship I'm also taking Ohio State I think a lot of it has to do with the addition of Chip Kelly as their offensive Corner they're going to run the football that's what Chip Kelly does they have two unbelievable running backs Elite wide receiver I think will Howard will be solid and they have a defense that can go with anybody at all three levels so very very bullish on Ohio State I think they have the best roster hey that was incredible guys and that gets you ready for the season which is just around the corner down Gooding down CL some Hallelujah