soccerpro5674's Ballot for Preseason of 2018-19
Submitted on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at 4:13AM EDT
FYI: This is a provisional ballot. It does not count towards this poll's results.
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Kansas
|
For a team losing Devonte' Graham, Kansas is loaded. Bill Self finally has a frontcourt again and this team is full of vets. |
| 2 |
Duke
|
Coach K has finally embraced the one-and-done mentality and this is the closest class we've seen to the Fab Five. |
| 3 |
Kentucky
|
Sure, it's boring. However, Calipari has another stellar freshmen class and he's proven he can handle turnover. |
| 4 |
Nevada
|
Nevada will shed the underdog label right away. Bringing back the Martin twins solidifies the Pack as one of the nation's deepest teams. |
| 5 |
North Carolina
|
Inserting Nassir Little into one of the best lineups in the ACC makes the Tar Heels a legitimate title contender. The ceiling is the roof. |
| 6 |
Virginia
|
Under no circumstances will the team that broke ken poM sink Below fourth in this stacked Conference. Deandre Hunter is on a mission. |
| 7 |
Gonzaga
|
Perhaps I'm a tad low on the Bulldogs this year. I'll need a larger sample size to truly trust Josh Perkins as the leader of this offense. |
| 8 |
Tennessee
|
Tennessee won the SEC last season and returns all but one player. The Volunteers have been building for this year and the ceiling is high. |
| 9 |
Villanova
|
The reigning champions lose some huge pieces (Bridges, Brunson, DiVincenzo, Spellman), but have the tools to keep the Big East crown. |
| 10 |
Kansas State
|
Oh, yes. This is the year K-State is for real. This is high (maybe way too high) for the Wildcats, but Dean Wade and Xavier Sneed ball out. |
| 11 |
Virginia Tech
|
The Hokies are a real force in the ACC with an immensely deep lineup. Bringing back seven of the team's eight best will work wonders. |
| 12 |
Auburn
|
Losing Mustapha Heron will be costly for the Tigers and this may even be too high for the co-SEC champs. Health will rejuvenate this team. |
| 13 |
Michigan State
|
A turnover prone B1G favorite is becoming the mantra for the Spartans and losing Bridges, Jackson and Nairn certainly hurts. |
| 14 |
Florida State
|
Holy athleticism, Batman. If the Seminoles can rein in truly effective point guard play, they'll be tough to top on any given night. |
| 15 |
Oregon
|
The addition of Bol Bol makes this Ducks team a real threat in a wide-open Pac-12 conference. |
| 16 |
Syracuse
|
I'm certainly low on the Orange and I'll own up to that. As soon as Syracuse proves to have anywhere close to a perimeter offense I'm in. |
| 17 |
Purdue
|
The Boilermakers will have the best player in the country in Carsen Edwards, but lose loads of production. Haarms is back, too, which helps. |
| 18 |
Marquette
|
The Big East could be fun this year with the Q gaining steam and Butler, St. John's and Providence showing signs. All hail Markus Howard. |
| 19 |
Loyola Chicago
|
First-time Arch Madness champs quickly turned Final Four darlings, Loyola-Chicago brings back key pieces and some swagger in the MVC. |
| 20 |
Michigan
|
Mo Wagner will be dearly missed, but the Wolverines are pushing stock that Jordan Poole will be a stud. This team needs to learn to score. |
| 21 |
TCU
|
That's right, Jamie Dixon might just have his best roster ever and it comes at a great time with the Big XII taking a step back. |
| 22 |
Nebraska
|
It feels so odd rewarding Nebraska with preseason hype, but Tim Miles has done something right to assemble this fantastic squad. |
| 23 |
Washington
|
The Huskies had a season-defining win over Kansas early in the year and are only going to improve upon that flash. Jaylen Nowell is money. |
| 24 |
UCF
|
The American is wide open this season and Tacko Fall will help UCF win the league. 8th in AdjDE, the Golden Knights are a force. |
| 25 |
West Virginia
|
This is low for a Mountaineers team with plenty of upside, but Bob Huggins hasn't seen a floor this low in years. The frontcourt is lethal. |