Shockwaves in College Football: Why Colorado Fans Are Outraged by the Latest Preseason Top 25 Poll

So, the AP’s preseason Top 25 for college football just dropped, and Texas snagging the top spot is no shocker. Penn State and Ohio State follow suit — solid as ever. But here’s the kicker: Colorado, fresh off a 9-4 season, their best in nearly a decade, didn’t even crack the rankings. That’s puzzling, right? Especially considering they lost heavy hitters like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who’s now an NFL star. Is it fair to toss Colorado out just because they lost key players? Or did the pollsters overlook the grit and spirit Deion Sanders is instilling in that program? This preseason snub has some folks asking — did the Buffs just get disrespected? Let’s unpack the whole rankings drama and what it means for Colorado’s shot this season. LEARN MORE.

Deion Sanders Did A Good Thing For One Of His Players (1:21)

The official college football preseason AP Poll Top 25 came out on Monday afternoon, via the Associated Press.

Texas came in at No. 1 overall in the rankings. Penn State is No. 2, followed by fellow Big Ten foe Ohio State. Clemson and Georgia rounded out the top five. Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, LSU and Miami round out the top 10.

Where is Colorado?

The Buffaloes finished the 2024 season at 9-4 – their best season in years – and brought in a good recruiting class. But they lost Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, along with Shilo Sanders.

Should they have been ranked?

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images.

Bleacher Report suggested on Monday that Colorado was disrespected by not being ranked in the first Top 25 poll of the season.

“Colorado is UNRANKED heading into the season after finishing 9-4, their best record since 2016 😳👀 Do the Buffs deserved to be ranked? 🤔,” Bleacher Report CFB suggested on Monday afternoon.

Colorado is UNRANKED heading into the season after finishing 9-4, their best record since 2016 😳👀

Do the Buffs deserved to be ranked? 🤔

(via AP News) pic.twitter.com/iqZy0ry0ji

— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) August 11, 2025

It would be tough to rank Colorado after the Buffaloes lost Travis Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, and Shedeur Sanders, who’s now an NFL quarterback, right?

Here’s the complete Top 25:

Texas
Penn State
Ohio State
Clemson
Georgia
Notre Dame
Oregon
Alabama
LSU
Miami
Arizona State
Illinois
South Carolina
Michigan
Florida
SMU
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Texas A&M
Indiana
Ole Miss
Iowa State
Texas Tech
Tennessee
Boise State

The following teams received votes but did not get enough to make it: BYU 156, Utah 144, Baylor 132, Louisville 90, Southern Cal 64, Georgia Tech 63, Missouri 33, Tulane 23, Nebraska 23, UNLV 21, Toledo 13, Auburn 10, James Madison 9, Memphis 9, Florida St. 8, Duke 6, Liberty 5, Navy 5, Iowa 5, TCU 4, Pittsburgh 3, Army 2, Colorado 1, Louisiana-Lafayette 1.

Should Colorado have been ranked?