The 2015 college football season is finally here and we have experienced what the College Football Playoff can bring us. Year two is here and there is really only one question to be answered now. Who’s in?
1. Ohio State
The Buckeyes are coming off a remarkable and improbable season. After Braxton Miller went down in the preseason and the team fell to Virginia Tech early in the year, many people wrote them off. With both J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones leading the charge, the team has a 13-game win streak and are the defending national champions. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be number one overall.
2.TCU
The Horned Frogs fell just short of making the CFP last season and if it weren’t for a late field goal by the Baylor Bears early in the season, the Buckeyes would have never been in contention for the national championship. Heisman hopeful Trevone Boykin has his team poised and ready to compete for a national championship.
3. Michigan State
The Spartans are a team that a lot of people are overlooking right now. Connor Cook is without a doubt one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft and the defense returns a lot from what was the best rushing defensive unit in the country in 2014.
4. Auburn
The Tigers have been predicted by many to win the SEC West this year and they will rely on a tough rushing attack with Roc Thomas and Jovon Robinson carrying most of the load out of the backfield. With Montravious Adams anchoring the defensive line in the front seven, this team should be like a fly buzzing around your head. Annoying and just won’t go away.
5. Baylor
The Bears were also on the edge of the CFP alongside the Horned Frogs in 2014 and they were able to win the Big 12 championship thanks to a tiebreaker. The team was not able to overcome an early season loss to West Virginia. 11-1 may not have been good enough in 2014, but it could be the magic number for Baylor this year.
6. Oregon
There is no way the Ducks would have been this high on my list if transfer quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. didn’t get cleared to play. Adams is the sole reason why this team will be a threat to anyone trying to get to Arizona in January.
7. Georgia
The Bulldogs’ quarterback competition has been decided for at least the first game of the year. The team has been criticized for starting a guy that has a bad track record, but Greyson Lambert didn’t have the tools at Virginia that he does in Athens. With Nick Chubb healthy, this offense is going to be lethal, but can they adjust without long-time offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
8. Alabama
The Crimson Tide are in the same boat Georgia was earlier this week. While there are rumors of Jacob Coker being the starter for the team on Saturday, there is still reason to believe that a guy that has never taken a snap in college football (Cooper Bateman, Alec Morris) will be leading the offense for the Tide. Nick Saban’s crew could be in a little bit of trouble in 2015.
9. USC
Cody Kessler is in his final season as a Trojan and he already has high aspirations of leading this team to a national championship. With weapons like Adoree Jackson being available to him, there’s no way Kessler shouldn’t have his team competing for at least the PAC-12 title. And don’t forget about safety Su’a Cravens, who is doing all he can to bring his defense back to their former selves.
10. Clemson
Raise your hands if you thought Florida State was going to be in this spot. Okay, now put them down. The Seminoles have yet to show me enough to be in the top ten, while the Tigers are going to be dangerous with one of the best young quarterbacks in the country in Deshaun Watson leading this team. Wide receiver Artavis Scott is one of the top weapons on the outside in the nation and these two should be hooking up a lot this season.
11. Florida State
While the Seminoles shouldn’t be in the top ten this preseason, we still have to recognize that this team has only lost one game in the last two seasons. Jameis Winston is gone, however, and Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson has been tagged to lead this team. Dalvin Cook is also going to have to look past his distractions to be able to perform this year.
12. LSU
The Tigers look fantastic in every position except for quarterback. True sophomore Brandon Harris has to throw the ball around this year as all eyes are on another true sophomore, running back Leonard Fournette. If Harris can alleviate some of the pressure on him and Tre’Davious White can live up to the number 18, the Tigers can be a dark horse for the CFP this year.
13. Notre Dame
Here’s another team that may have lost too much to compete this year. Greg Bryant is gone. Ishaq Williams is gone. Everett Golson is gone. The only thing this team has going for them is the fact that there is essentially no pressure on them. The team may be able to make a run at the CFP, but it’s looking like this team is at best looking at an appearance in a New Year’s Six bowl game.
14. UCLA
This team has a ton going for them right now. The Bruins have one of the most talented and athletically gifted players in Myles Jack. He can control both sides of the ball, but has found himself more enamored with hitting guys in the mouth. Jack’s success is going to be the key part in the success of the Bruins this year.
15. Georgia Tech
Justin Thomas is poised to lead his Yellow Jackets back to the ACC Championship game. With the buzzsaw that is Florida State no longer a dominant force on the field, Georgia Tech has a good shot of winning the Coastal Division after ending last season on such a positive note.
16. Arkansas
The Razorbacks were one of the hottest teams to end the 2014 season. The team recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time in nearly ten seasons and then had an impressive victory over Texas in the 2014 Texas Bowl. The Razorbacks will miss Jonathan Williams after he had season-ending foot surgery, but Alex Collins will be able to run the ball well behind the nation’s biggest offensive line.
17. Arizona State
The Sun Devils are poised to be a legitimate threat to the PAC-12 South this season. The team won ten games in what was supposed to be a “rebuilding year.” With Antonio Longino leading one of the scariest defenses in all of college football, Todd Graham’s club is well past rebuilding and they feel like it’s their time to shine.
18. Ole Miss
The Rebels have two of the top linemen corps in all of college football. On the offense, Laremy Tunsil is a top ten pick and will be able to block whatever comes near him. On the defense, Robert Nkemdiche, like Tunsil, is a top ten pick as well. He is a edge rushing beast and he will be able to give teams fits all season long.
19. Arizona
The Wildcats are another legitimate threat to any team that steps on the field against them. This is mostly in part to the humble All-American Scooby Wright. He is slowly working his way into the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft and he is the heart and soul of Rich Rod’s defense in 2015.
20. Oklahoma
This team is the only team that has a chance to knock the Horned Frogs and Bears off the top of the mountain. Samaje Perine exploded onto the scene after breaking Melvin Gordon’s single-game NCAA rushing record only weeks after it was set. Look for Perine to do much of the same in 2015.
21. Texas A&M
Myles Garrett. Is there really any other reason why teams should be afraid of the Aggies? You need one? Oh, well there’s Kyle Allen and Speedy Noil who last season proved to be one of the top passing combinations in all of the SEC.
22. Boise State
The only “mid-major” team on my list comes from the Mountain West. Is that really a huge surprise though? The Broncos no longer have Jay Ajayi running the ball for their offense, but the real story is on the defense. Tyler Gray and Tanner Vallejo are two linebackers that are moving up the draft charts quickly. I’d look for them to be a big part of this team’s success in 2015.
23. Mississippi State
How can anyone think this team isn’t going to be a threat this year? Look at 2014. The team was a near-nobody in the preseason polls and were picked to finish last in the SEC West. The Bulldogs were the number one team in the land for nearly two months before the back half of their schedule did them in. Dak Prescott is still in StarkVEGAS and his still very good. That’s really all you need to know with this team.
24. Wisconsin
The Badgers are without Melvin Gordon who moved on to the NFL, but they replace him with Corey Clement, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards behind Gordon. The passing defense is going to be strong for the Badgers with Michael Caputo returning for his senior year. This team is the safest bet to represent the Big Ten West in 2015.
25. Virginia Tech
Beamer Ball has been the name of the game for nearly 30 years now and this season will be no different. Linebacker Deon Clarke, defensive back Donovan Riley, and defensive end Dadi Lhomme Nicolas are going to be the reason why this team gives Georgia Tech all they can handle for the ACC Coastal crown and the reason why they can go out and beat the Buckeyes…again.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
