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Rece Davis is an Alabama alumnus, but the longtime ESPN “College GameDay” host isn’t ready to anoint the Crimson Tide as the top team in the nation just yet.
In his preseason AP ballot, Davis picked Oklahoma No. 1. Of the 63 voters, he was just one of 16 to not pick Alabama in that slot, a decision he explained on the “AP Top 25 podcast” per 247Sports.
“I think Alabama and Clemson are demonstrably stronger than Oklahoma in some areas, but quarterback is the most important position in sports,” Davis said. “It’s the most important position in college football. Of all the teams I considered at the top, (Oklahoma quarterback) Spencer Rattler is easily the most proven commodity.
“Will he be the best at the end, that remains to be seen, but that gave them the slightest of edges at the moment.”
Davis was one of 6 voters to tab Oklahoma as pre-season No. 1, and the Sooners ended up second in the poll with 1,462 points, 86 points behind Alabama.
Davis also said that Alabama and Clemson were the only other teams he considered for the top spot, and that Georgia and Ohio State would round out the rest of his top 5.
“I just didn’t see anyone else that merited that type of consideration,” Davis said. “Those programs have set themselves apart. That group of five, those were the only ones I considered, and to be honest, I didn’t consider Georgia for No. 1 nor Ohio State.”
"Chris Wallace covers college football for Saturday Down South. He has covered college athletics for multiple newspapers and also worked previously for Rivals.com and GolfChannel.com."
