How the UW Huskies went from near-champions to unranked

Catch up quick: The AP Top 25 poll released Monday ranks Georgia as this year's No. 1 college football team, followed by Ohio State in the No. 2 spot.

• The UW Huskies, meanwhile, failed to make the list, coming in at No. 32.

Between the lines: The Huskies' plummeting ranking comes after the coach that led them to January's championship game, Kalen DeBoer, left to become the head coach at the University of Alabama.

• UW also lost 10 key players from last year's team to the NFL draft, Seattle Sports reported.
• That included star wide receiver Rome Odunze, who signed with the Chicago Bears; Heisman finalist quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who went to the Atlanta Falcons; and offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, who now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The intrigue: There's also the uncertainty that comes with UW entering a new conference this season, with the Huskies departing the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten.

• The Big Ten, now a sprawling conference of 18 teams, has six schools ranked in the AP's top 25.

• With two of them — Ohio State and Oregon — ranked second and third, and two more — Michigan and Penn State — also making the preseason top 10, that's some tough competition for an untested UW team under a new coach.

What we're watching: How new UW coach Jedd Fisch, who came from the University of Arizona, will fare during the Huskies' first games of the season.

• The Huskies will take to the field Aug. 31 for their season opener against Weber State.