Phil Steele Predicts Preseason AP Top 10

College Football expert Phil Steele unveiled his annual projected top 10 of the preseason AP poll and pegged LSU at No. 5.

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5. LSU Tigers
Les Miles was on the verge of being fired late last year, but he has proven to be a Tiger with nine lives and bounced back with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. I have great respect for the folks at ESPN Stats & Info, and their Football Power Index (FPI) has LSU rated No. 1 -- one of my main sets of power ratings agrees with that. The Tigers have 18 returning starters, which is the most in the SEC, and one of those returnees is running back and Heisman favorite Leonard Fournette. While LSU was depleted by the number of players leaving early for the NFL in 2012 and 2013, and three left early after last season, just one starter left early after 2015 (offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins).

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Projected preseason AP top 10 teams:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida State
5. LSU
6. Ohio State
7. Michigan
8. Baylor
9. Stanford
10. Tennessee