Who Needs a Blog Poll: 2020 Week 1

DYK: 11 of last year’s Top 25 aren’t playing football this week? It feels alien to have a Top 20ish list without Ohio State or even a midmajor power like Boise.

We’ll take this for what it is, I suppose. I had to do a little projecting based on the shortened schedule, opt-outs, and the like. Unlike previous seasons, I put a lot more emphasis on returning starters in this first week than I usually do.

The nameplate on the back of the jersey isn’t going to get you quite as far in 2020. For instance, you can easily foresee the LSU Tigers going 4-6 this season, just as you can see a loaded Oklahoma State squad emerging to be the darling over the Sooners or Longhorns. Then there are the up-and-comers in the ACC who have a chance to make serious noise under new coaching staffs — particularly ones in Chapel Hill and Louisville.

Next week is absolutely going to be radically different than this week. But, for now, given the returning players, how much I trust the coaching staff, and the schedules they face, here’s the Week 1 WNABP.