Since preseason power rankings are mere conjecture, what follows is my attempt at looking into the crystal ball. I’m releasing my preseason Top 25, five names at a time.
25. Florida Gators
Will Muschamp is on the hottest seat of any college football coach, and rightfully so. You’re not allowed to lose to an FCS school in The Swamp, regardless of how many injuries you might have had. Still, the Gators are one of the most talented teams in the nation and they should be back to bowl eligibility in 2014 as they return the next great Gators defensive lineman, Dante Fowler.
Offensively, there’s one more chance for Jeff Driskel to live up to his billing and he should do so by leaning heavily on a very good rushing attack. The man with great Gator DNA, Kelvin Taylor (son of Fred) could break out on the national scene and Mack Brown will return as well.
The Gators schedule isn’t particularly easy, but there will be an improvement in the win-loss column over last season. Florida has two “no chance games” at Alabama and at Florida State and everything else is winnable. The Gators get Georgia on the neutral site at Jacksonville and Steve Spurrier at home. Again, if Florida plays up to their talent level they could be one of the nation’s biggest surprises.
24. Missouri Tigers
The Tigers will benefit in 2014 from some of 2013 injuries as it’s now quarterback Maty Mauk’s show. Mauk’s biggest problem will be a lack of receiving targets as the team lost Dorial Green-Beckham to suspension and ultimately transfer, as well as Marcus Lucas and L’Damian Washington to graduation.
Defensively, the team will have to reload without the historic Michael Sam and second-round pick Kony Ealy. They will do so with talented pass rushers Markus Golden and Shane Ray. Kentrell Brothers will lead the middle of the defense and Mizzou should be another team that improves as the year progresses despite a tough schedule.
Missouri has a tricky non conference home game with UCF before they begin their SEC slate which includes trips to South Carolina, Florida, Texas A & M and Tennessee. After stumping the SEC a season ago there should be a correction in 2014, despite Missouri being a solid team.
23. UCF Knights
How many people realize that the Knights finished 2013 as a Top 10 team in the nation? Unless you went to school in Orlando or Tampa, you probably didn’t. Sure, the Knights lost the first quarterback taken in the NFL Draft in Blake Bortles, running back Storm Johnson and three-fifths of their offensive line, but this team won in many different ways in 2013.
UCF isn’t as talented on paper as they were a season ago. It’s also likely that they won’t win as many one-possession games (7-1 in 2013). Still, the Knights return ten defensive starters and their schedule is well balanced with a few tougher non-conference games mixed in with a very winnable AAC.
UCF usually plays their best football against the stiffest competition and they’ll have to get out of the gates strong as they play Penn State in Ireland and travel to Columbia to take on Missouri. They will have another tough road test at Houston and should be heavy favorites in the rest of their games.
22. Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State looks like the type of team that could struggle early but play better football as the year progresses. They have a potential ugly one with Florida State to open the season as they try to find replacements for 28 graduating seniors. Still, Mike Gundy had a great recruiting class and the Cowboys have plenty of talent on the roster.
The team is stacked at the skill positions with wide receivers Jhajuan Seales, Brandon Sheperd and Marcell Ateman along with Desmond Roland in the backfield. Veteran J.W. Walsh will likely be the starting quarterback and if he can play well this team will be solid.
The Cowboys schedule isn’t overly friendly as they try to break in a lot of new players while taking on the national champs. Oklahoma State also finishes with a tough pair of road games at Baylor and Oklahoma. Aside from those three ballgames, everything else is highly winnable and Mike Gundy should have his team playing better football in October.
21. Georgia Bulldogs
There’s a weird buzz around Georgia that I can’t really figure out. I spoke to several employees at different Las Vegas sportsbooks and they said that Georgia gets some of the most action on overs and futures betting.
The Bulldogs return potential first-round draft pick running back Todd Gurley as well as wide receiver Michael Bennett, but they will have to find a replacement for ultra-productive quarterback Aaron Murray.
The schedule seems to be in Georgia’s favor as they get three of their four toughest games at home- Auburn, Clemson and Tennessee, along with Florida on a neutral site and only one tough road game in Columbia, South Carolina. The Bulldogs should have a better record than their talent level.
