College football's five most surprising teams through Week 4

With just shy of a third of the season in the books, the national picture in college football already looks a lot different than it did a month ago.

The Amway Coaches Poll is by no means a perfect lens through which to view the season. But it does provide some insight into how some programs were perceived before taking the field compared to how they’re seen now. Here are the five biggest surprise teams of September based upon the rankings.

Louisville

Current rank: No. 4. Preseason rank: No. 23. Even the most optimistic Cardinals’ fan probably didn’t expect everything to come together this quickly. While Lamar Jackson’s highlight-reel plays have drawn most of the attention, Louisville has been just as impressive on defense and in the kicking game when the first-unit players have been in the field.

Wisconsin

Current rank: No. 8. Preseason rank: second among others receiving votes. Two wins against teams believed to be top-10 worthy can accelerate a rise up the polls. The Badgers will know soon enough if they indeed have staying power with a trip to Michigan on deck.

Texas A&M

Current rank: No. 10. Preseason rank: sixth among others receiving votes. The Aggies have again been sound in September. Their fans can be forgiven if they want to see results the rest of the way, but this year’s version appears to have the leadership and defensive toughness that has been lacking in recent seasons. Again, time will tell.

Miami (Fla.)

Current rank: No. 14. Preseason rank: first in others receiving votes. The Hurricanes can mainly thank teams that have gone by the wayside for their current poll position, though their businesslike performance at upstart Appalachian State has for now earned them the team-to-beat label in the ACC Coastal.

Utah

Current rank: No. 18. Preseason rank: fourth in others receiving votes. The Utes aren’t blowing anyone away by any stretch. But there’s always something to be said for doing what it takes to win. Even though name-brand programs BYU and USC have losing records at present, Utah’s victories against them still carry weight in the world of perception.

AMWAY COACHES POLL