Lucky No. 13? Frogs Make AP Top 25

Thirteen days out from the start of the season, the Frogs have landed at number thirteen in the inaugural Associated Press Poll of the 2016 season.

For TCU, it represents the second consecutive season they begin ranked, after they began the 2015 campaign at no. 2, before finishing seventh overall. The Frogs are joined in the Top 25 by three other Big 12 teams; Oklahoma, last year’s Big 12 Champion and College Football Playoff participant, opens up third - and received four first place votes, behind national runner up Clemson and reigning champion Alabama. Also in the poll is Oklahoma State, at 21, and Baylor, at 23.

The Texas Longhorns, always a preseason darling, is not ranked, but did receive votes. With a plethora of talent on both sides of the ball, the Horns could certainly be contenders if true freshman QB Shane Buechele lives up to his enormous billing. Texas Tech, who boasts a potential Heisman contender in quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is not ranked to begin the year, but could be an early mover if they can prove their defense can make enough stops on the big stage.

As per usual, the SEC leads the country in ranked squads with six, including four of the top 11. Big 12 expansion candidate Houston is the only team from outside the Power Five to make the cut, coming in at 15. They will have a shot to move up after opening weekend, as they kickoff the season with a visit from the Sooners, at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The full rankings are as follows, with first place votes in parentheses.

1. Alabama (33)
2. Clemson (16)
3. Oklahoma (4)
4. Florida State (5)
5. LSU (1)
6. Ohio State (1)
7. Michigan (1)
8. Stanford
9. Tennessee
10. Notre Dame
11. Ole Miss
12. Michigan State
13. TCU
14. Washington
15. Houston
16. UCLA
17. Iowa
18. Georgia
19. Louisville
20. USC
21. Oklahoma State
22. North Carolina
23. Baylor
24. Oregon
25. Florida

Others receiving votes: Miami, Texas A&M, Utah, Washington State, Boise State, San Diego State, Wisconsin, Auburn, Pittsburgh, Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska, Navy,Northwestern, Western Kentucky, South Florida, Toledo