Good morning. This is LEADOFF, an early look at Atlanta sports.
The four FBS-level college football teams in the state of Georgia are ranked from No. 15 to No. 122 nationally, according to a poll that expands the rankings far beyond the customary Top 25.
"The CBS Sports 130," weekly rankings with a place for every FBS team, released its preseason edition Tuesday. Alabama is ranked No. 1. Massachusetts is ranked last, No. 130. And in between, this is where our state's teams are ranked:
Georgia is No. 15.
Georgia Tech is No. 39.
Georgia Southern is No. 105.
And Georgia State is No. 122.
The rankings are based on ballots cast by “college football experts” from CBS Sports and 247Sports.
Behind No. 1 Alabama, Ohio State is ranked No. 2 and Florida State No. 3.
Alabama and Florida State will open the season against each other in a Chick-fil-A Kickoff game at Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 2. Based on the teams’ high rankings, Chick-fil-A Kickoff officials are calling the matchup “GOAT,” for Greatest Opener of All Time.
.@CBSSports confirms the GOAT. @AlabamaFTBL comes in at #1 and @FSU_Football checks in at #3. #CFAKickoffhttps://t.co/xifsdmCLEp
— ChickfilA Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) August 8, 2017
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ...
Seth Emerson examines the barbecue brouhaha at UGA. Read it here.
Georgia Tech's A-backs are ready to build off last season's success, Tyler Duke writes here.
ICYMI: The dugouts have been removed. The natural-grass baseball field has been turned into an artificial-turf football field. A new grandstand has been constructed in what used to be right field. Here's the story on how Turner Field was turned into Georgia State Stadium.