The preseason AP Top 25 college football poll was released Monday, and four of the teams ranked ahead of Oklahoma State — Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Wisconsin — will not be playing this fall. Nonetheless, those programs are clogging up the top of the rankings, and they are the difference between a No. 11 ranking (where OSU would be without those teams) and a No. 15 ranking (where OSU currently stands).
The poll puts the Pokes just behind Texas and just ahead of Michigan and USC, both of which are not currently on pace to play this fall because of the Big Ten and Pac-12’s decision to cancel the season.