School soccer’s preseason US LBM Coaches Ballot was launched on Monday, lower than three weeks from the beginning of the 2024 common season on Aug. 24.
These are 5 takeaways from the rankings.
SEC nonetheless guidelines over all
The Huge Ten’s media rights deal is the envy of different leagues, however the SEC continues to be the premier school soccer convention. Georgia is No. 1 within the coaches ballot and is adopted by Texas (No. 4), Alabama (No. 5) and Ole Miss (No. 6) within the high 10.
Eight SEC packages rank within the high 16, additionally together with Missouri (No. 11), LSU (No. 12), Tennessee (No. 15) and Oklahoma (No. 16).Â
Texas A&M (No. 20) is the final SEC crew within the rankings, whereas Auburn, Kentucky, Florida and South Carolina additionally obtained votes.Â
The Huge Ten begins its profitable seven-year, roughly $8B media rights cope with CBS, Fox, and NBC this yr, whereas the SEC enters the primary yr of its 10-year, $3B unique rights cope with ESPN. Based mostly on the coaches’ ballot, ESPN bought the higher deal.
Huge expectations for switch QBs
Final season’s Heisman finalists featured three switch quarterbacks, and expectations are excessive that a number of packages will discover comparable success in 2024.Â
Michael Penix Jr. (Indiana to Washington), Bo Nix (Auburn to Oregon) and 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels (Arizona State to LSU) had large seasons a yr in the past, and packages together with Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame want huge issues from 2024 newcomers to reside as much as their preseason expectations.
Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard is anticipated to take over at Ohio State, which is No. 2 within the coaches ballot, adopted by Huge Ten newcomer Oregon at No. 3. Dillon Gabriel, a five-year starter at UCF (2019-21) and Oklahoma (2022-23) takes over for Nix and is the main contender for the Heisman (+750), per ESPN Wager.
In the meantime, the Irish (No. 7) plucked quarterback Riley Leonard from Duke to guide their offense after going 10-3 final season. He battled via an injury-plagued 2023 season however had his greatest yr in 2022, ending 250-of-392 (63.8 p.c) for two,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
The sooner they rise, the tougher they fall
Is a curse of the nationwide runner-up forming?Â
TCU skilled a freefall final yr following its 65-7 School Soccer Playoff Championship sport loss to Georgia in January 2023, and the identical is anticipated of Washington. The Huskies have been No. 2 within the closing ballot of the 2023 season however are unranked coming into 2024.
Former head coach Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama, whereas Penix Jr. was chosen No. 8 general by the Atlanta Falcons within the 2024 NFL Draft. Jedd Fisch left Arizona to take over as Washington head coach, and the crew added former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers within the switch portal. They’ve a mountain to climb to make sure final yr wasn’t a mirage.Â
Kansas ranked within the coaches preseason ballot for the primary time since 2008
The Huge 12 is broad open. So broad open, the truth is, that Kansas has a reliable probability to win the convention for the primary time in program historical past.
Head coach Lance Leipold has the Jayhawks ranked within the preseason coaches’ ballot for the primary time since 2008 after they started at No. 13 following a 12-1 season. Kansas went 9-4 final season, and quarterback Jalon Daniels is among the convention’s high returning quarterbacks whereas operating again Devin Neal is among the nation’s most underrated backs.
In 2008, Kansas completed 8-5 and fell out of the coaches ballot rankings on Oct. 26. We’ll see if this yr’s Jayhawks have endurance.
No love for Colorado
Voters aren’t shopping for the hype in Boulder. Colorado solely obtained two voting factors forward of head coach Deion Sanders’ second season main this system. The Buffaloes have been the largest story within the sport final September however pale down the stretch after their 3-0 begin, going 1-8 over their closing 9 video games.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/broad receiver Travis Hunter are two of school soccer’s most enjoyable gamers, however till the crew’s shoddy offensive line and porous protection enhance, Colorado is ranked precisely the place it must be.