As opening weekend dawns upon the college football world, Coaches' Poll and AP rankings are all out and the wait is on for Thursday night kickoff on September 3rd, a stacked inception of the season headlined by matchups featuring the #2 TCU Horned Frogs, the #16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the #22 Arizona Wildcats.
Ten NCAA writers here at VAVEL filled out polls to form the preseason VAVEL rankings. The votes were ranked on a specific scale, a journalist's #1 obviously receiving the most 'points', cementing a very solid Top 25 to start the 2015 NCAA campaign.
Every week of the season, the NCAA section here at the USA edition of VAVEL hopes to come out with new rankings. Stay tuned for analysis of every matchup, result, and surprise that comes from around the corner from now through the NCAA Playoff Championship in January.
Without further ado, here are the top 25 teams in NCAA Football as chosen by the VAVEL NCAA writers.
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (Unanimous)
Last season: 14-1, defeated Oregon, 42-20 in first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship
Opening matchup: At Virginia Tech, September 7th
Key players: Joey Bosa (DE), Ezekiel Elliott (HB), Cardale Jones (QB), Taylor Decker (OT), J.T. Barrett (QB), Darron Lee (LB)
#2 TCU Horned Frogs
Last season: 12-1, defeated Ole Miss, 42-3 in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Opening matchup: At Minnesota, September 3rd
Key players: Trevone Boykin (QB), Josh Doctson (WR), Davion Pierson (DT), Derrick Kindred (S), Aaron Green (RB), Kolby Listenbee (WR)
#3 Alabama Crimson Tide
Last season: 12-2, defeated by Ohio State, 35-42 in Allstate Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal
Opening matchup: Vs. Wisconsin, September 5th
Key players: A'Shawn Robinson (DT), Reggie Ragland (LB), Derrick Henry (HB), Cam Robinson (OT), Jonathan Allen (DT), Cyrus Jones (DB)
#4 Baylor Bears
Last season: 11-2, defeated by Michigan State, 41-42 in Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Opening matchup: At SMU, September 4th
Key players: Shawn Oakman (DE), Spencer Drango (OT), Andrew Billings (DT), K.D. Cannon (WR), Corey Coleman (WR), Seth Russell (QB)
#5 Michigan State Spartans
Last season: 11-2, defeated Baylor, 42-41 in Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Opening matchup: At Western Michigan, September 4th
Key players: Connor Cook (QB), Shilique Calhoun (DE), Jack Conklin (OT), Jack Allen (C), Riley Bullough (LB), Montae Nicholson (DB)
#6 Oregon Ducks
Last season: 13-2, defeated by Ohio State, 20-42 in first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship
Opening matchup: Vs. Eastern Washington, September 5th
Key players: DeForest Buckner (DE), Royce Freeman (HB), Tyler Johnstone (OT), Byron Marshall (WR), Vernon Adams (QB), Bralon Addison (WR)
#7 Auburn Tigers
Last season: 8-5, defeated by Wisconsin, 31-34 in Outback Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Louisville, September 5th
Key players: Duke Williams (WR), Jeremy Johnson (QB), Carl Lawson (DE), Kris Frost (LB), Cassanova McKinzy (LB), Johnathan Ford (DB)
#8 Florida State Seminoles
Last season: 13-1, defeated by Oregon, 20-59 in Rose Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal
Opening matchup: Vs. Texas State, September 5th
Key players: Jalen Ramsey (DB), Dalvin Cook (HB), Roderick Johnson (OT), Travis Rudolph (WR), Everett Golson (QB), Derwin James (DB)
#9 USC Trojans
Last season: 9-4, defeated Nebraska, 45-42 in National University Holiday Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Arkansas State, September 5th
Key players: Cody Kessler (QB), Max Tuerk (C), Adoree' Jackson (WR), Su'a Cravens (LB/DB), JuJu Smith (WR), Toa Lobendahn (OG)
#10 Georgia Bulldogs
Last season: 10-3, defeated Louisville, 37-14 in Belk Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Louisiana-Monroe, September 5th
Key players: Nick Chubb (HB), Leonard Floyd (LB), Lorenzo Carter (LB), Malcolm Mitchell (WR), Trent Thompson (DT), Dominick Sanders (DB)
#11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last season: 8-5, defeated LSU, 31-28 in Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Texas, September 5th
Key players: Ronnie Stanley (OT), Jaylon Smith (LB), Sheldon Day (DT), KeiVarae Russell (DB), Will Fuller (WR), Malik Zaire (QB)
#12 Clemson Tigers
Last season: 10-3, defeated Oklahoma, 40-6 in Russell Athletic Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Wofford, September 5th
Key players: Deshaun Watson (QB), Mackensie Alexander (DB), Artavis Scott (WR), Shaq Lawson (LB), Zac Brooks (HB), Kevin Dodd (DE)
#13 LSU Tigers
Last season: 8-5, defeated by Notre Dame, 28-31 in Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. McNeese State, September 5th
Key players: Leonard Fournette (HB), Vadal Alexander (OT), Jamal Adams (DB), Tre'Davious White (DB), Kendell Beckwith (LB), Travin Dural (WR)
#14 UCLA Bruins
Last season: 10-3, defeated Kansas State, 40-35 in Valero Alamo Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Virginia, September 5th
Key players: Myles Jack (LB), Kenny Clark (DT), Jake Brendel (C), Ishmael Adams (DB), Fabian Moreau (DB), Jordan Payton (WR)
#15 Arizona State Sun Devils
Last season: 10-3, defeated Duke, 36-31 in Hyundai Sun Bowl
Opening matchup: At Texas A&M, September 5th
Key players: D.J. Foster (HB/WR), Mike Bercovici (QB), Kalen Ballage (HB), Marcus Hardison (DE), Damarious Russell (DB), Cameron Smith (WR)
#16 Ole Miss Rebels
Last season: 9-4, defeated by TCU, 3-42 in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. UTM, September 5th
Key players: Robert Nkemdiche (DT), Laremy Tunsil (OT), Laquon Treadwell (WR), Tony Conner (DB), Evan Engram (TE), Marquis Haynes (DE)
#17 Wisconsin Badgers
Last season: 11-3, defeated Auburn, 34-31 in Outback Bowl
Opening matchup: At Alabama, September 5th
Key players: Corey Clement (HB), Dan Voltz (C), Vince Biegel (LB), Michael Deiter (OG), Alex Erickson (WR), Sojourn Shelton (DB)
#18 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last season: 11-3, defeated Mississippi State, 49-34 in Orange Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Alcorn State, September 3rd
Key players: Justin Thomas (QB), D.J. White (DB), Jamal Golden (DB), Adam Gotsis (DT), KeShun Freeman (DE), Broderick Snoddy (HB)
#19 Arizona Wildcats
Last season: 10-4, defeated by Boise State, 30-38 in Vizio Fiesta Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Texas-San Antonio, September 3rd
Key players: Scooby Wright (LB), Cayleb Jones (WR), Nick Wilson (HB), Freddie Tagaloa (OT), Anu Solomon (QB), Will Parks (DB)
#20 Oklahoma Sooners
Last season: 8-5, defeated by Clemson, 6-40 in Russell Atheltic Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Akron, September 5th
Key players: Samaje Perine (HB), Eric Striker (LB), Sterling Shepard (WR), Zack Sanchez (DB), Baker Mayfield (QB), Dominique Alexander (LB)
#21 Arkansas Razorbacks
Last season: 7-6, defeated Texas, 31-7 in AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. UTEP, September 5th
Key players: Alex Collins (HB), Jonathan Williams (HB), Denver Kirkland (OT), Hunter Henry (TE), Brooks Ellis (LB), Jared Collins (DB)
#22 Boise State Broncos
Last season: 12-2, defeated Arizona, 38-30 in Vizio Fiesta Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Washington, September 4th
Key players: Marcus Henry (C), Tanner Vallejo (LB), Ben Weaver (LB), Ryan Finley (QB), Darian Thompson (DB), Donte Deayon (DB)
#23 Stanford Cardinal
Last season: 8-5, defeated Maryland, 45-21 in Foster Farms Bowl
Opening matchup: At Northwestern, September 5th
Key players: Kyle Murphy (OT), Kevin Hogan (QB), Joshua Garnett (OG), Blake Martinez (LB), Kevin Anderson (LB), Devon Cajuste (WR)
#24 Tennessee Volunteers
Last season: 7-6, defeated Iowa, 45-28 in TaxSlayer Bowl
Opening matchup: Vs. Bowling Green, September 5th
Key players: Derek Barnett (DE), Jalen Hurd (HB), Curt Maggitt (LB), Cameron Sutton (DB), Joshua Dobbs (QB), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (LB)
#25 Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last season: 10-3, defeated by Georgia Tech, 34-49 in Orange Bowl
Opening matchup: At Southern Miss, September 5th
Key players: Dak Prescott (QB), Chris Jones (DT), De'Runnya Wilson (WR), Will Redmond (DB), Beniquez Brown (LB), Ryan Brown (DE)