Louisville football No. 24 in preseason AP top 25 poll

For the first time Lamar Jackson’s junior season of 2017, the Louisville football program will begin a season nationally ranked.

The Cardinals check in at No. 24 in the preseason Associated Press top 25 poll, which was released early Monday afternoon.

U of L will open the season against another nationally ranked foe, Ole Miss, which is No. 9 in the poll. The Cards have never started a season with a win over a top 25 opponent.

Reigning national runner-up Miami is the highest-ranked team out of the ACC, checking in at No. 7. Week three opponent SMU is No. 17.

Here’s the complete poll:

Associated Press preseason top 25

1. Ohio State (40) 1,672
2. Oregon (14) 1,597
3. Georgia 1,513
4. Notre Dame (6)
5. Texas 1,483
6. Indiana (8) 1,440
7. Miami (1) 1,379
8. Texas A&M 1,131
9. Mississippi  1,102
10. Oklahoma 1,047
11. LSU 988
12. Texas Tech 893
13. Alabama 904
14. BYU 839
15. USC 839
16. Michigan 714
17. Washington 501
18. Penn State 482
19. SMU 434
20. Tennessee 394
21. Utah 304
22. Iowa 260
23. Houston 252
24. Louisville 194
25. Missouri 117

Also receiving votes: Clemson 112, Florida 51, Boise State 43, Arizona 32, TCU 11, Navy 10, South Carolina 10, Illinois 9, Oklahoma State 8, Vanderbilt 8, Pittsburgh 7, Virginia Tech 6, Minnesota 5, UNLV 4, New Mexico 4, Georgia Tech 4, Louisiana 4, James Madison 3, Auburn 3, Memphis 2, California 2, Liberty 1, Western Michigan 1, Tulane 1, Virginia 1