At 307 we
never feel like it’s too early to start talking about next season. The truth is, we still have 208 days until
the beginning of the 2015 season and we need some college football to talk
about. We realize that top 25’s are
ridiculous and they’re even more ridiculous in February but we’re still a month
away from March Madness and let’s face it, does anyone watch baseball before
the All-Star break?
So, here it
is. Our ‘Way Too Early Top 25.’ We’re starting with 25-21 and over the next
few days we’ll bring you 20-16, 15-11, 10-6 and finally 5-1. Let the arguing begin!!!
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Before last
season if you’d asked most experts, they would have told you that Ohio State
was probably a year away from contending for a national championship,
especially after Braxton Miller went down.
Going into 2015, the only question mark in Columbus is which quarterback
to choose from- Braxton Miller, the two-time Big 10 POTY. J.T. Barrett, who replaced Miller, was a
Heisman contender before his own injury and accounted for 3,772 yards and 45 TD’s. Or, the replacement for the replacement who
in three starts won the Big 10 Championship, beat Alabama in the playoff and beat
Oregon in the National Championship, Cardale Jones? Given what the Buckeyes have returning it won’t
make much difference who’s playing quarterback.
Ezekiel Elliott returns at running back and they lose only Devin Smith at
receiver. Defensively, Joey Bosa and
Adolphus Washington will anchor one of the college football’s best d-lines and
there’s talent abound at linebacker and in the secondary. The only thing that could keep Ohio State out
of the playoff in 2015 is injury or complacency.
Best case: 12-0Worst case: 10-2
#2 TCU Horned Frogs
TCU took college football by storm and by seasons end they might have been the best team in the nation. Trevone Boykin was a revelation in 2014 under co-OC’s Sunny Cumbie and Doug Meachem and given what the Horned Frogs have coming back (10 returning starters), there’s no reason to think they won’t be as good or better in 2015. They return their top three receivers as well as their top running backs. Defensive has been the calling card for TCU since Gary Patterson arrived and that won’t change this coming season. He’ll have some holes to fill at linebacker and in the secondary but Patterson seems to always just plug a new player in and keep right on truckin’. It’s going to be playoff or bust in Ft. Worth this year and I don’t see any reason to think that won’t happen. This might be the most complete team in the country.
Best case: 12-0
Worst case: 10-2
I’m really excited about the 2015 Auburn team and biggest reason is the addition of Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator. Muschamp should be able to elevate the defense to at least a middle-of-the-pack squad which would be a major improvement over the past few seasons. Getting DE Carl Lawson back from injury, along with a slew of young talent Auburn has brought in over the last few recruiting classes and you’ve got a recipe for a nasty unit. Combine an improved defense with what Gus Malzhan will field on offense and this team is a legit contender. The offense might be a work in progress early but Jeremy Johnson should be a solid replacement for Nick Marshall at quarterback and the ground game should be in good hands with JC transfer Jovon Robinson and incoming freshman Kerryon Johnson. Duke Johnson returns at receiver, giving the Tigers a deep threat keep defenses from loading up the box to stop the run.
Best case: 11-1
Worst case: 9-3
#4 Baylor Bears
With all that’s returning for the Bears, a return to the top five and a run at the playoff seems more than likely for Baylor. Art Briles brings back 17 starters from last year’s team including eight on offense. The skill positions are among the elite in college football with KD Cannon and Corey Coleman on the outside to go along with running backs Shock Linwood and Devin Chafin. The line should again be solid, which should smooth the transition for presumed starter Seth Russell at quarterback. The Bears defense is an underrated squad and with the return of Shawn Oakman, Andrew Billings and K.J. Smith up front and Orion Stweart and Xavien Howard among the returners in the back seven, Baylor should be solid.
Best case: 12-0
Worst case: 10-2
Alabama will
almost completely overhaul their offense from 2014, losing nine starters. Blake Sims had a solid season as a starter
but it’s not a stretch to think that Jacob Coker can equal or surpass what Sims
brought to the Tide last year. The major
losses for Alabama are at the receiver position- they lose Amari Cooper,
DeAndrew White and Christian Jones, as well as the offensive line where Nick
Saban will have to replace three starters.
Defensively, Alabama should still be solid. Saban and Co. bring back plenty of talent along
the defensive line and expectations will be high for a secondary full of young
5-stars that should take a major step forward in 2015.
Best case: 11-1Worst case: 9-3
#6 Clemson Tigers
Worst case: 9-3
#7 Oregon Ducks
Worst case: 9-3
#8 USC Trojans
Worst case: 8-4
#9 Michigan State Spartans
Worst case: 9-3
Worst case: 8-4
#11 Florida State Seminoles
No team in
college football was hit harder by the NFL draft than the Seminoles. They lose their Heisman winning quarterback,
four offensive line starters, their all-time leading receiver and starting
tight end. And that‘s just the
offense. The skill positions should be
in good shape with the return of Dalvin Cook at running back and the ‘Noles are
brimming with young talent at the receiver position. Defensively, the Seminoles underachieved in
2014 and the loss of Eddie Goldman and Mario Edwards Jr. on the defensive line,
along with starting corners PJ Williams and Ronald Darby will hurt. Jimbo Fisher has recruited as well as anyone
in college football over the past few years and if FSU has any chance of competing
in the ACC or the playoff they’ll need that talent to step up and play big.
It’s safe to
assume there will be playoff expectations for the Clemson Tigers in 2015. Deshaun Watson, despite being limited by
injuries, looked the part of a Heisman-type quarterback and he’s got big-time
weapons to work with on offense. Mike
Williams and Artavis Scott highlight one of the most talented groups of
receivers in the country. Wayne Gallman
was a solid contributor as a freshman from the running back position and they
return three starters along the line.
Keep an eye on how they replace a brilliant OC Chad Morris with co-OC’s
Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott. DC Brent Venables
will have his hands full trying to replace eight starts from the #1 ranked
defense in college football last year.
Given what Clemson should get from offense, as long as the defense is a
little above average, they’ll be in the mix for an ACC Championship and playoff
picture.
Best case: 11-1Worst case: 9-3
The biggest
question, and really the only question in Eugene this offseason is who will
replace Heisman winner, Marcus Mariota at quarterback. Whether Mariota’s replacement is junior Jeff
Lockie or recent Eastern Washington transfer, Vernon Adams, they’ll have plenty
of weapons around them. Royce Freeman
and Thomas Tyner both return at running back and the Ducks bring back their top
three receivers. There are holes to fill
along the offensive line which was shaky at times in 2015. Defensively, they lose some key pieces along
the d-line in Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, as well as in the secondary
with Erick Dargan, Troy Hill and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Ultimately, it’s going to come down to the
quarterback for the Ducks. Oregon has a
proven system and with the right trigger-man this team can make a return trip
to the playoff.
Best case: 11-1Worst case: 9-3
Steve
Sarkisian will field one of the most talented teams in the nation in 2015 and
for the first time since Pete Carroll, the Trojans might finally live up to
their lofty expectations. Quarterback
Cody Kessler returns along with all five starters on the offensive line. They lose their best receiver in Nelson Agholor
but JuJu Smith, Darreus Rogers and Steven Mitchell are stars in the making. Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox will have
some holes to fill defensively, especially along the defensive line but the
secondary is as talented as any in the country.
Depth is still a bit of a concern for the Trojans and considering the
depth of the Pac-12 South, SC might be a year away from a playoff berth but
they should be a favorite in the conference.
Best case: 11-1Worst case: 8-4
Michigan
State’s 2015 got a big boost when quarterback Connor Cook decided to return for
his senior season. Cook gets three
offensive lineman back but will have to break in a new group of skill players. A few promising underclassman to keep an eye
on are TE Josiah Price and WR R.J. Shelton.
The defense returns seven starters and despite the loss of DC Pat
Narduzzi, should still be among the best in the nation. Mark Dantonio always does a great job
developing players and getting the absolute best out of what he’s got to work
with. Shaq Calhoun coming back for his
senior year should help as they bring along players like Malik McDowell. The secondary should be among the best in the
Big 10.
Best case: 10-2Worst case: 9-3
#10 Arizona State Sun Devils
By all
accounts ASU overachieved last season.
The defense was incredibly young and despite some struggles, the unit
showed flashes and with nine starters returning, should be much better in 2015.
Probably the biggest benefit the Sun Devils have going into 2015 is the return
of Mike Bercovici at quarterback.
Bercovici played as well or better than Taylor Kelly and despite the
loss of Jalen Strong, ASU still has weapons of offense. Running back DJ Foster returns along with
promising freshman Demario Richard. USC
is the likely favorite in the South but ASU should be right in the mix.
Best case: 10-2Worst case: 8-4
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 9-3
Worst case: 9-3
#12 Georgia Bulldogs
Like a
number of teams on this list, quarterback is a big question mark going into
2015. The Bulldogs should be one of the
better running teams in the country with the return of Nick Chubb but the
passing game will be a work in progress.
I expect the defense to continue to improve under second year
coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. There’s loads
of talent on that side of the ball and they should be among the best defenses
in the conference.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 8-4
Worst case: 8-4
# 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Brian Kelly
is bringing back what look like his best team yet. The Irish should have a strong ground game
with the emergence of Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant and they return most of
their offensive line. Whether Kelly goes
with Golson or Zaire at quarterback, they’ll have plenty of options in the
passing game with their top four receivers all returning. Defense should be healthier and the return of
KeiVarae Russell and Ishaq Williams will be a boost.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 8-4
Worst case: 8-4
#14 UCLA Bruins
UCLA brings
back one of the more experienced groups in college football, with 18 returning
starters. All five starters return on
the offense line, along with running back Paul Perkins. Whether it’s Jerry Neuheisel, Asiantii
Woulard or talented freshman Josh Rosen at quarterback, they can take comfort
in what should be a solid ground game. Despite the loss of DC, Jeff Ulbrich, Eric
Kendricks and Owamagbe Odighizuwa, there’s still plenty playmakers on the
Bruins defense. If the quarterback
position develops, this team will be in the mix for the South and the playoff.
Best case: 11-1
Worst case: 8-4
Worst case: 8-4
#15 LSU Tigers
The recipe
for success in Baton Rouge has always been to play dominant defense and run the
football down defenses throats. That won’t
change in 2015 with the return of Leonard Fournette who will certainly garner
some early Heisman attention. The
question, as usual will be what they can get out of the quarterback
position. Whether it’s Anthony Jennings
or Brandon Harris, there are targets abound in one of the more talented groups
of receivers in the nation. Kevin Steele
steps in for John Chavis as defensive coordinator but with the athletes LSU
continually brings in, I don’t expect a drop off.
Best case: 10-2Worst case: 8-4
#16 Stanford Cardinal
I don’t see
Stanford having the same struggles in 2015 as they did in 2014. Under David Shaw, this has been one of the
most physically imposing teams in the country and I think they’ll be back to
their usual Stanford selves in 2015. The
running game never materialized last year and that put a lot of pressure on
Kevin Hogan, who wasn’t up to the task.
They return four starters along the offensive line so that should help
the ground game and open things up for Hogan to take advantage of some talented
players like McCaffrey, Austin Hooper and Michael Rector. The defense should continue to be among the nation’s
best.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 8-4
#17 Texas A&M Aggies
If I’d
written this immediately after the season, there’s no way A&M would be on
this list. But, after some of the moves
they’ve made so far this offseason, namely, adding John Chavis to run the
defense, I think the Aggies could be a player in the SEC West. We’ve seen Kevin Sumlin offenses put up yards
and points and Kyle Allen looks like he’s the right triggerman. There’s plenty of talent on the outside for
Allen to choose from with a young receiving corps that should be a year
better. The key here is what Chavis can
do with the defense. If A&M’s
defense is even just average, they could be a contender.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 7-5
#18 Arizona Wildcats
With a
freshman quarterback and a number of new starters on defense, Arizona
overachieved by all accounts in 2014. It’s
hard to imagine they’ll be any worse in 2015, given the return of Anu Solomon
and a dynamic group of receivers.
Combine that with the return of running back Nick Wilson who ran for over
1,300 yards last year and we could see one of RichRod’s best offenses yet. The defense played above their talent level
most of last season and at their best, they were solid. At their worst they were giving up 51 point
to Oregon. This team went 9-3 last year
and if Solomon stays healthy they could be better in 2015.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 8-4
#19 Arkansas Razorbacks
Few teams
improved over the course of the 2014 season like the Razorbacks and I expect
that trend to continue into 2015… or we’ll all look really stupid for
overblowing a team that went 6-6 in the regular season. The running game should be among the best in
the nation with a massive offensive line and a pair of 1,000 yard backs,
Johnathan Williams and Alex Collins. The
defense finished in the top 10 last year and had back-to-back shutouts against
LSU and Ole Miss. They return seven
starters and should be very solid again.
Best case: 9-3
Worst case: 7-5
#20 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow
Jackets will likely fly under the radar yet again in 2015 but there’s a lot to
like about what Paul Johnson brings back.
Namely, quarterback Justin Thomas.
The triple-option is a challenge with an average point man, Thomas was
exceptional running it last year. He’s a
dangerous runner but showed some chops throwing the ball last year as
well. The defense improved over the
course of the season and ended up being pretty serviceable and return eight
starters. This team is always competitive
under Johnson and as long has he’s got someone like Thomas calling the shots,
they’ll be dangerous.
Best case: 9-3
Worst case: 8-4
#21 Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols
have come a long way under Butch Jones and 2015 could be the year that they
leap into a contender. Josh Dobbs was a
revelation at quarterback in the second half of 2014 and he’ll have a solid
supporting cast, including running back Jalen Hurd. The big questions facing Tennessee will be in
the trenches where youth and inexperience should be developing into more
consistent play. Ultimately, if the Vols
can grow up in 2015 and get solid play along the line of scrimmage they could
contend for a wide open SEC East.
Best case: 9-3
Worst case: 6-6
#22 Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners
wet the bed last year but don’t expect a repeat in 2015. Bob Stoops has proven that he’ll have his
team in contention for the Big 12 and the return of one of the deepest
backfields in the country should be a big help.
Samaje Perine exploded onto the scene and was one of the best young
backs in the nation and there’s depth behind him in Alex Ross, Keith Ford and
Joe Mixon. The passing game will be the
area to watch as it looks like Stoops will open things up and Trevor Knight
will have to beat out Baker Mayfield and Cody Thomas.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 8-4
#23 Ole Miss Rebels
The Rebels
might surprise me especially because they return 17 starters from a team that won
nine games last year. Getting some of
their star players back and healthy will be a major factor in 2015 as a number
of their best players were injured during the year. If players like Denzel Nkemdiche, Laremy
Tunsil and Laquon Treadwell come back healthy and Hugh Freeze finds a
quarterback to replace Bo Wallace, look out.
Best case: 9-3
Worst case: 7-5
#24 Missouri Tigers
After
back-to-back SEC East titles, you could argue that Missouri should start to get
the benefit of the doubt. But, for the second
year in a row Coach Gary Pinkel loses NFL talent along the defensive line. Replacing four starters along the line,
including Shane Ray will be a challenge.
Maty Mauk returns and normally a returning starter at quarterback is a
huge plus. Mauk has shown flashes but
consistency is an issue and he must replace is best pass catchers. The offense will be helped out by the return
of running back Russell Hansbrough at running back and four starters are back
along the offensive line.
Best case: 10-2
Worst case: 7-5
#25 Michigan Wolverines
Michigan
had, perhaps the biggest move of the offseason, hiring Jim Harbaugh and if he
can make Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick above average NFL quarterbacks, surely
he can manage to find someone to do the job at UM. The defense should be solid and much
healthier than 2014. The big question mark
here will be whether Harbaugh can improve an offensive line that has been a
disaster the past two years and find a passable (no pun intended) option to run
the offense.
Best case: 8-4
Worst case: 6-6
