The AP Poll is out. Louisville received votes but landed outside the top 25. Three top 25, including #1 Florida State, dot the 2014 schedule.
No, preseason polls, or any polls for that matter, don't matter in the brave new world of the College Football Playoff and the Selection Committee. Nevertheless, they can still provide some indication of team perception heading into the 2014. After back to back seasons finishing ranked in the top 25, Louisville enters the 2014 unranked in the AP Top 25. While it's no indication where the team will finish up, general media skepticism about a team with a new coach, replacing an all-time great quarterback, and heading into a newer and much tougher conference was to be expected.
Louisville did receive votes, however. If the poll extended beyond 25, Louisville would be ranked #31. Should Louisville open with a win over Miami, it's reasonable to expect the Cardinals will find their way into the top 25 shortly thereafter.
The good news for Louisville is that the schedule will provide opportunities to impress pollsters (or perhaps the selection committee) multiple times. That's because Louisville will face the defending national champions and preseason #1 team in Florida State. In addition to the Seminoles, Louisville will play road games at #16 Clemson and #17 Notre Dame. In the ACC, North Carolina checked in at #23, while Miami and Duke also received votes.
You can view the entire poll here or below.
| Rank | School | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida State (57) | 1,496 |
| 2 | Alabama (1) | 1,361 |
| 3 | Oregon (1) | 1,334 |
| 4 | Oklahoma (1) | 1,324 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 1,207 |
| 6 | Auburn | 1,198 |
| 7 | UCLA | 1,106 |
| 8 | Michigan State | 1,080 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 1,015 |
| 10 | Baylor | 966 |
| 11 | Stanford | 885 |
| 12 | Georgia | 843 |
| 13 | LSU | 776 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 637 |
| 15 | USC | 626 |
| 16 | Clemson | 536 |
| 17 | Notre Dame | 445 |
| 18 | Mississippi | 424 |
| 19 | Arizona State | 357 |
| 20 | Kansas State | 242 |
| 21 | Texas A&M | 238 |
| 22 | Nebraska | 226 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 194 |
| 24 | Missouri | 134 |
| 25 | Washington | 130 |
| Others receiving votes: UCF 94, Florida 87, Texas 86, Duke 71, Iowa 68, Louisville 48, Marshall 41, Oklahoma State 37, Virginia Tech 26, TCU 23, Mississippi State 22, Michigan 19, Texas Tech 19, Miami (FL) 16, Cincinnati 15, Boise State 10, Oregon State 10, Northwestern 8, BYU 8, Penn State 5, Vanderbilt 2, Navy 2, Nevada 1, Louisiana-Lafayette 1, Utah State 1 |
