Faculty 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 Large Ten’s media rights deal is the envy of different leagues, however the SEC continues to be the premier faculty 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 prime 10.
Eight SEC applications rank within the prime 16, additionally together with Missouri (No. 11), LSU (No. 12), Tennessee (No. 15) and Oklahoma (No. 16).
Texas A&M (No. 20) is the final SEC crew within the rankings, whereas Auburn, Kentucky, Florida and South Carolina additionally acquired votes.
The Large Ten begins its profitable seven-year, roughly $8B media rights take care of CBS, Fox, and NBC this yr, whereas the SEC enters the primary yr of its 10-year, $3B unique rights take care of ESPN. Primarily based on the coaches’ ballot, ESPN obtained the higher deal.
Large expectations for switch QBs
Final season’s Heisman finalists featured three switch quarterbacks, and expectations are excessive that a number of applications will discover related success in 2024.
Michael Penix Jr. (Indiana to Washington), Bo Nix (Auburn to Oregon) and 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels (Arizona State to LSU) had huge seasons a yr in the past, and applications together with Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame want large issues from 2024 newcomers to stay 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 Large 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?
TCU skilled a freefall final yr following its 65-7 Faculty Soccer Playoff Championship sport loss to Georgia in January 2023, and the identical is anticipated of Washington. The Huskies had 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 total 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.
Kansas ranked within the coaches preseason ballot for the primary time since 2008
The Large 12 is large open. So large open, actually, that Kansas has a professional 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 without doubt one of the convention’s prime returning quarterbacks whereas working again Devin Neal is without doubt one of 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 acquired two voting factors forward of head coach Deion Sanders’ second season main this system. The Buffaloes had been the largest story within the sport final September however light down the stretch after their 3-0 begin, going 1-8 over their closing 9 video games.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/large 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 needs to be.
