College football preseason poll ranking errors include Tennessee, Oklahoma, Clemson

Media members voting in college football’s AP Top 25 followed the lead of the US LBM Coaches Poll by anointing Texas as the preseason No. 1. You’ll get no objection from me.

The Longhorns possess the coach, the roster and the quarterback to pursue a national championship.

After the No. spot, though, the two polls featured several discrepancies. Oklahoma became subject to the biggest disagreement. The Sooners went unranked by the coaches, but landed No. 18 in the AP poll.

Here’s a look at the eight biggest discrepancies between the polls, with my ruling on which poll got it right:

Clemson finished with four losses last season, but never mind that fading object in the rearview mirror, because Dabo Swinney retained a talented roster that’s now more experienced. He even added some polish with a few transfers. Clemson touts the nation’s best defensive line, along with arguably the nation’s top quarterback, Cade Klubnik. The Tigers aren’t just contenders inside the ACC. They’re national championship contenders.

Both poll services overrated the Gators, but the coaches came closer to the mark. Florida ended last season playing well. DJ Lagway is one of the nation’s most promising quarterbacks, but he rehabbed injuries throughout the offseason, and after an underwhelming transfer haul, I question whether Lagway enjoys enough support on either side of the ball to justify these rankings in the face of a daunting schedule.