College Football Rankings: AP Top 25 Has Michigan 8th, MSU 13th

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AP Preseason Top 25: Champaign News-Gazette Writer Defends First-Place Vote For Michigan

Champaign News-Gazette writer Bob Asmussen was the only writer to give the University of Michigan a No. 1 vote in the preseason college football AP Top 25 and the only writer to vote them higher than third. Kyle Meinke of AnnArbor.com caught up with Asmussen, a beat writer covering the University of Illinois, for the rationale behind his vote:

Asmussen knows he's in the minority, but is standing behind the pick. Why? "First of all, Brady Hoke has done a great job," Asmussen said of the second-year Michigan coach.

"I think when he came in there, it could have been a disaster. And instead, he managed that season last year. So, I'm impressed with the way he's turned that thing. I think they have extreme momentum going into the year, coming off the bowl and they played well down the stretch last year. I like that, and I think that's important to this team because, they obviously lost their way under (Rich Rodriguez). I like what he does, I like the staff he has there. So start with the coaching. I think it's fantastic, and everywhere (Hoke's) gone, he's done this. He's been good, and now he actually has the bodies to help him win a national championship."

Michigan was voted eighth in the poll.

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AP Preseason Top 25: Michigan State Spartans Check In At No. 13

The Michigan State Spartans are ranked No. 13 overall in the preseason college football AP Top 25 released Saturday. The Spartans check in as the third Big Ten team on the list, behind No. 8 Michigan and No. 12 Wisconsin. Nebraska (No. 17) and Ohio State (No. 18) also made the list.

USC is the AP's preseason No. 1, garnering 25 first-place votes. Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma also earned first-place votes to round out the top four teams. Michigan somehow earned a first-place vote as well, becoming the only team outside the top four and only Big Ten team to do so.

The Spartans are hoping to make their way to the Rose Bowl this season after falling a game short last year. An experienced defense returns but the offense must rebuild after losing quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Edwin Baker, and wide receivers B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin to the NFL.

For more on the Michigan State Spartans, go to The Only Colors and check out SB Nation's dedicated NCAA Football hub.