Creg StephensonAlabama Media Group (Theodore, AL)
E-mail: cstephenson@al.com
Twitter: @CregStephenson
About: Creg Stephenson is a sports writer for AL.com, with a primary focus on in-state college sports. He covers South Alabama and Troy athletics, and also writes in-depth historical features on a variety of topics including Alabama, Auburn and the state's various college and professional teams. A two-time graduate of the University of Alabama, he has more than 25 years of sports writing experience. He is a past president of the Alabama Sports Writers Association and has won numerous awards for his writing, including the ASWA's 2018 and 2023 Herby Kirby Awards for story of the year.


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Aug 17, 2026Pre-Season Rankings for Creg Stephenson
1Ohio State (40)
12-2Actual: 1
Highest: 1 - 40 Voters
Lowest: 7 - Kirk Bohls
1672
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
2Miami (FL) (1)
13-3Actual: 7
Highest: 1 - Javon Edmonds
Lowest: 9 - Michael Katz
1379
Points
3Texas
10-3Actual: 5
Highest: 2 - 10 Voters
Lowest: 9 - Javon Edmonds
1483
Points
4Oregon (14)
13-2Actual: 2
Highest: 1 - 14 Voters
Lowest: 10 - Javon Edmonds
1597
Points
5Georgia
12-2Actual: 3
Highest: 2 - 7 Voters
Lowest: 8 - 2 Voters
1513
Points
6Indiana (8)
16-0Actual: 6
Highest: 1 - 8 Voters
Lowest: 9 - Chris Carter
1440
Points
7Ole Miss
13-2Actual: 9
Highest: 6 - 2 Voters
Lowest: NR - Pat Welter
1102
Points
8Notre Dame (6)
10-2Actual: 4
Highest: 1 - 6 Voters
Lowest: 10 - Chelsie Brown
1510
Points
9Texas A&M
11-2Actual: 8
Highest: 7 - 3 Voters
Lowest: 17 - Ralph Russo
1131
Points
10Alabama
11-4Actual: 13
Highest: 8 - Matt Murschel
Lowest: 20 - Brett McMurphy
904
Points
11Oklahoma
10-3Actual: 10
Highest: 7 - Josh Furlong
Lowest: 17 - Randy Johnson
1047
Points
12LSU
7-6Actual: 11
Highest: 5 - Javon Edmonds
Lowest: NR - Tom Murphy
988
Points
13Texas Tech
12-2Actual: 12
Highest: 5 - Brett McMurphy
Lowest: 23 - Jon Wilner
983
Points
14USC
9-4Actual: 14
Highest: 8 - BJ Rains
Lowest: 25 - Brett McMurphy
839
Points
15BYU
12-2Actual: 14
Highest: 8 - Stephen Means
Lowest: NR - Chris Carter
839
Points
16Washington
9-4Actual: 17
Highest: 10 - Brett McMurphy
Lowest: NR - 6 Voters
501
Points
17Michigan
9-4Actual: 16
Highest: 10 - BJ Rains
Lowest: 23 - Javon Edmonds
718
Points
18Utah
11-2Actual: 21
Highest: 15 - Tom Murphy
Lowest: NR - 15 Voters
304
Points
19Iowa
9-4Actual: 22
Highest: 15 - Javon Edmonds
Lowest: NR - 6 Voters
260
Points
20SMU
9-4Actual: 19
Highest: 12 - Kirk Kenney
Lowest: NR - Ian Kress
434
Points
21Houston
10-3Actual: 23
Highest: 15 - Bob Asmussen
Lowest: NR - 10 Voters
252
Points
22Louisville
9-4Actual: 24
Highest: 16 - Nicole Auerbach
Lowest: NR - 19 Voters
198
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
23Georgia Tech
9-4Actual: 39
Highest: 23 - Creg Stephenson
Lowest: NR - 66 Voters
4
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
24Memphis
8-5Actual: 44
Highest: 24 - Creg Stephenson
Lowest: NR - 67 Voters
2
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
25James Madison
12-2Actual: 42
Highest: 24 - David Jablonski
Lowest: NR - 66 Voters
3
Points
Ranked Teams Not on Ballot: 18-Penn State20-Tennessee25-Missouri