Even after the loss of NFL Draft top 10 selection Blaine Gabbert from the quarterback position, Gary Pinkel's roster at Missouri is still dangerous enough to land at No. 21 on the preseason AP Top 25 poll that came out today. They're one of several Big 12 teams jostling for power positions in the rankings.
Oklahoma sits at No. 1 to no one's surprise and the rest of the top 10 read familiar as well. Oregon rebounds from last season's title game to sit at No. 3 overall. Alabama is in between at No. 2 after losing to Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers last year in the SEC. Speaking of, LSU represents the power conference at No. 4, giving the Southeastern Conference half of the top 4.
Andrew Luck came back to Stanford and despite the loss of head coach Jim Harbaugh, it's enough to keep voters confidence that lands Stanford at No. 7. Nebraska moves to the Big 10 this season and takes a Top 10 ranking with it as it sits on the fringe of top teams, providing a very interesting storyline for the entire season.
The Big 12 is incredibly well represented with the Sooners at the top. Texas A&M sits at No. 8 and the Aggies are more formidable than most people on the national scene truly understand. Oklahoma State comes in right underneath them at No. 9. Notably missing is Texas from the Top 25, who came in at No. 24 in the USA Today poll earlier this summer.