Cincinnati Football: Bearcats ranked 23rd in Associated Press preseason poll

A week after appearing in the Coaches Poll, the Bearcats were included in the AP preseason top-25 as the 23rd ranked team in the country. Cincinnati was also voted the highest rated Group of Five team in both major preseason polls.

The Bearcats are scheduled to travel to Arkansas for the season opener on September 3 as the quest for a third straight conference championship begins. In the recently released Associated Press poll, the Razorbacks were ranked 19th.

Houston was the other Group of Five program to earn a spot in the AP Poll as the 24th ranked team. Appalachian State, Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, UCF and Utah State received votes but will start the regular season unranked.

Cincinnati Football: Bearcats ranked 23rd in Associated Press preseason poll

After losing in the national championship game last season, Alabama was the clear cut top ranked team in the country with 54 first place votes. Ohio State (6) and Georgia (3) were the only other programs to receive any of the 63 first place votes.

According to the Associated Press, the top-10 consists of Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Utah, Michigan, Oklahoma and Baylor. Texas A&M was the only team that didn’t finish last season ranked in the AP Top-25.

A year from now, the Bearcats will be a part of the new look Big 12 and are hoping to compete at a high level from day one. The conference would have six teams ranked including Oklahoma, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Cincinnati, Houston and BYU.