News/Commentary

FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll: Alabama Strengthens Hold On No. 1

September 4, 2018 by CFP Staff

NOTE: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is among the voters.

Defending national champion Alabama strengthened its hold on the top spot of the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll, released today. The Crimson Tide received 36 first-place votes in the preseason poll released back on August 20, but saw that number increase to 45 after dismantling Louisville 51-14 in the opener in Orlando. Clemson and Georgia held on to their respective positions at 2nd and 3rd. Clemson received four first-place votes and Georgia one.

Interestingly enough, the schools announced last Friday that they will renew their rivalry on August 31, 2024 in the Chick-fil-A Kick-off Game in Atlanta. It will mark the 65th meeting, but the first since the Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 45-21 to open the 2014 season in Athens. Georgia holds a 42-18-4 advantage over Clemson all-time.

Ohio State climbed from 6th to 4th, and Oklahoma moved up from 7th to 5th. But it's No. 6 Auburn that received the other two first-place votes after beating Washington in this year's Chick-fil-A Kick-Off game.

Miami (Fla.) fell out of the poll after its 33-17 loss to LSU in Arlington, Texas after it entered that game ranked 8th. Michigan, which was No. 13, also dropped out after falling at Note Dame. The Irish rose from 12th to 8th, one spot behind Wisconsin which somehow tracked backward from its previous No. 4 position despite taking an easy 34-3 win over Western Kentucky in the opener.

Stanford jumped from 14 to 9, while Washington fell from 5 to 10.

LSU entered the poll at No. 11 and Virginia Tech, which won 24-3 at Florida State on Monday night, popped in at No. 15.

West Virginia defeated Tennessee and moved in at No. 14, TCU dropped out of the poll despite winning its opener over Southern.

The poll was established at the conclusion of the 2013 season by long-time partners, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF). Voters rank the top 16 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and the results will be released every Monday of the 2018 season; the individual votes of all members will also be made public. The pollsters consist of FWAA writers and College Football Hall of Famers who were selected to create a balanced-geographical perspective.

Congrove's top 16 ballot had no change for the first 6 teams on his preseason ballot. He still has Alabama at No.,1, followed by Clemson, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan State and Auburn. He listed Georgia 7th, followed by Ohio State, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Northwestern, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Stanford, Virginia Tech and Washington. Congrove dropped Miami off his ballot and Virginia Tech was the only new entry.

FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll
(For games through September 3, 2018)

  Team Points 1st LW
1. Alabama (1-0) 822 45 1
2. Clemson (1-0) 757 4 2
3. Georgia (1-0) 697 1 3
4. Ohio State (1-0) 618 --- 6
5. Oklahoma (1-0) 610 --- 7
6. Auburn (1-0) 586 --- 9
7. Wisconsin (1-0) 566 --- 4
8. Notre Dame (1-0) 453 --- 12
9. Stanford (1-0) 245 --- 14
10. Washington (0-1) 240 --- 5
11. LSU (1-0) 239 --- N/A
12. Michigan State (1-0) 210 --- 11
13. Penn State (1-0) 199 --- 10
14. West Virginia (1-0) 171 --- N/A
15. Virginia Tech (1-0) 145 --- N/A
16. USC (1-0) 142 --- 15

Others receiving votes:

TCU (121), Mississippi State (80), UCF (38), Michigan (38), Boise State (37), South Carolina (13), Florida (12), Oregon (11), Northwestern (6), Miami, Fla. (5), Florida State (3), Utah (3), BYU (2), Oklahoma State (1), Cincinnati (1), Mississippi (1).