Baylor Ranked 10th in Preseason AP Poll

Coming off a program record 12-2 season and a Sugar Bowl victory, the Baylor Bears were ranked 10th in the nation by the Associated Press in their preseason poll published Monday. This matches their No. 10 ranking in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.

Coach Dave Aranda’s Bears received 884 points, which slotted them in the middle of the top three Big 12 teams in the rankings. The Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 9 with 956 points, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys ended up at No. 12 with 814 points.

“It is a tight grouping, and given the scope of the poll and the consistent recruiting success, it should come as no great surprise that Oklahoma edged out Baylor.” That is what I said when the Coaches Poll was released, and it still tracks.

No to be forgotten, the green and gold topped the Sooners in the Big 12 media’s preseason poll for the first time this year.

Elsewhere in the Big 12 and in the state of Texas, the Longhorns who were 18th Coaches Poll, were not in the top 25 for the AP. A couple of key injuries that have presumably ended the season for two projected Longhorn starters are the most likely reason for this. Texas was 27th with 164 points.

Elsewhere in the lone star state, the Texas A&M Aggies came in at No. 6 with 1212 points, and the Houston Cougars were ranked No. 24 with 263 votes. New Big 12 members Cincinnati and BYU came in at No. 23 and No. 25 respectively.