Boise State football has highest preseason AP ranking in five years, but isn’t atop Group of Five

For the second time in the last five years, the Boise State football team is ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 25, but the Broncos aren’t the top Group of Five team.

Released Monday, Boise State is No. 22 in the preseason poll, its best since 2013. However, UCF, which went undefeated in 2017, is one spot ahead at No. 21.

Boise State had appeared in eight of the previous 13 AP preseason polls, and finished ranked in four of those seasons. The Broncos were also ranked No. 22 in the USA Today coaches’ poll, released Aug. 2.

No Bronco opponent is currently in the preseason top 25, but Troy (two points) and Fresno State (one) received votes. Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen’s Washington team is ranked No. 6, the school’s highest in the preseason since 1977.

This marks 17 straight seasons in which Boise State will appear at least once in the AP Top 25, a streak which is tied for the eighth-longest in the nation with USC.

EX-MAJOR LEAGUER JOINS BASEBALL STAFF: Boise State baseball coach Gary Van Tol completed his staff Monday with the addition of six-year major leaguer Travis Buck, who will be director of player development and bench coach.

Buck played for Oakland (2007-10), Cleveland (2011) and Houston (2012). The Broncos, who begin play in 2020, also have on staff hitting coach Hilton Richardson, pitching coach Brock Huntzinger and bullpen coach Michiel van Kampen.

Here is the preseason AP poll:

1. Alabama (42 first place votes) 1,505 points

2. Clemson (18) 1,476

3. Georgia 1,350

4. Wisconsin (1) 1,271

5. Ohio State 1,256

6. Washington 1,215

7. Oklahoma 1,173

8. Miami (Fla.) 1,027

9. Auburn 1,013

10. Penn State 1,012

11. Michigan State 877

12. Notre Dame 804

13. Stanford 778

14. Michigan 773

15. USC 543

16. TCU 553

17. West Virginia 511

18. Mississippi State 450

19. Florida State 384

20. Virginia Tech 351

21. UCF 312

22. Boise State 292

23. Texas 216

24. Oregon 148

25. LSU 106

Others receiving votes: South Carolina 96, Florida 68, Utah 60, Oklahoma State 51, FAU 38, Arizona 28, NC State 22, Texas A&M 21, Boston College 18, Northwestern 13, Kansas State 10, Iowa State 8, Houston 6, Memphis 3, Troy 2, Iowa 2, Kentucky 1, Arkansas State 1, Fresno State 1.

Here is how I voted:

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. Ohio State

5. Washington

6. Wisconsin

7. Oklahoma

8. Miami (Fla.)

9. Michigan State

10. Auburn

11. Penn State

12. Michigan

13. Notre Dame

14. Stanford

15. Mississippi State

16. TCU

17. USC

18. Virginia Tech

19. Florida State

20. Boise State

21. West Virginia

22. Texas

23. UCF

24. Oklahoma State

25. FAU

This story was originally published August 20, 2018 at 10:20 AM.