Below is my way-to-early 2017 top 10. I'll throw together 11-25 at some point as well, but this is a good starting point. Put a fair amount of work into this, so I'm interested in your opinions. I'm sure there will be plenty of disagreements...
1. Alabama
- Offense: 3 seniors (Dieter - WR, Kirven - RG, Howard - TE)
- Defense: 5 seniors (Allen - DE, Thomlinson - DE, Williams - JLB, Anderson - SLB, Foster - WLB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Griffith - P)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Robinson - OT, Humphrey -CB)
- Total returning starters: 8 Offense, 5 Defense, 1 ST
Let's be honest, until somebody knocks Bama off the throne they're on they are going to be #1. From 2014-2017, they have landed 21 five star players... a quarter of a normal 85-man roster. Saban continues to lose assistant coaches and continues to replace them seamlessly. Kiffen to Sark will be no different. Oh, and Jalen Hurts is a TRUE FRESHMAN. Running back Bo Scarborough is just the next in line of excellent Bama backs. Oh and the defense? Reload, reload, reload.
2. Florida State
- Offense: 3 seniors (Whitfield - WR, Are - LG, Stevenson - FB)
- Defense: 2 seniors (Walker - DE, White - CB)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Cook - RB, Johnson - LT)
- Total returning starters: 6 Offense, 9 Defense, 2 ST
People look at the drubbing Louisville laid on the Seminoles September 17th like it will define them forever. Ask Penn State and USC how much September beat downs mean. Their other two losses were a stunner by 2 to UNC and a close 3-point loss to Clemson - who is in their second straight national title game. Additionally, the cupboard is overflowing with talent to replace the few missing ingredients they need for a ACC title run and a CFP push. Deondre Francios - just a RS-FR - is tough as nails and has grown more and more each week.
3. Ohio State
- Offense: 1 seniors (Elflein - C)
- Defense: 0 seniors (N/A)
- Special Teams: 2 senior (Durbin - PK, Johnston - P)
- Likely early NFL entries: 3 (Conley - CB, Hooker - S, McMillan - LB)
- Total returning starters: 10 Offense, 8 Defense, 0 ST
It's uncommon to go 11-2 and have people consider it a failure of a season. After OSU's thrashing at the hands of Clemson, most have written them off as an after thought for 2017 and just another case of an overrated B1G conference. What most people forget is that OSU is one of the youngest teams in the country and, barring any additional NFL declarations like Curtis Samuel and Tyquan Lewis, they will return 16-18 starters from an 11-1 regular season team that disrobed Oklahoma, beat Michigan and Wisconsin, and lost by 3 on the road to an excellent Penn State squad. Can JT Barret develop more as a passing threat? If so, Urban Meyer has a team poised to make yet another CFP run in 2017.
4. Oklahoma
- Offense: 2 seniors (Westbrook - WR, Wren - C, )
- Defense: 4 seniors (Wade - DT, Roberts - DE, Evans - ILB, A. Thomas - FS)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Perine - RB, Walker - DT)
- Total returning starters: 8 Offense, 6 Defense, 0 ST
Remember what I said about Florida State's loss to Louisville in September? Same can be said for Oklahoma's no-show in Norman against the Buckeyes. A lot has been made about the youth of teams like Ohio State, Penn State, and USC, but not many people realize that Boomer Sooner returns 8 starters on offense including QB Baker Mayfield who finished 3rd in the 2016 Heisman voting. A lot has also been made of Penn State and USC's poor Septembers and incredible turn arounds, yet the 1-2 start for OU has defined their year despite winning 10 straight (including the Big XII and Sugar Bowl) to close out the year. Don't sleep on this team. If they can get a road win in Columbus next September, they shouldn't be challenged again until Bedlam.
5. Southern California
- Offense: 4 seniors (Rogers - WR, Wheeler - LT, Banner - RT, McNamara - TE)
- Defense: 3 seniors (Tu'ikolovatu - NT, Hutchings - ILB, McQuay - SS)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Smith-Schuster - WR, Jackson - CB)
- Total returning starters: 6 Offense, 7 Defense, 2 ST
Looking back at the year, the emergence of Sam Darnold this year may be one of the biggest stories of 2016. A redshirt freshman with a bazooka arm, pocket presence and awareness well beyond his years, and good mobility to boot, Darnold could end up a future first-round NFL draft pick. of course, it helps to play behind arguably the best OL in college football. The Trojans allowed a combined 4 sacks in their last 9 games of 2016 (all wins). Replacing both OT will not be an easy task nor will losing Rogers and Smith-Schuster who are two of the most physically gifted WR in the nation. Don't be thrown off by Penn State's 49-point performance in the Rose Bowl, SC returns 7 starters to an extremely athletic defense in 2017. I think the "instant classic" Rose Bowl may have overvalued USC's 2017 projection a little, but I do expect them to be the Pac 12 Champions and in the CFP discussion.
6. Clemson
- Offense: 2 seniors (Guillermo - C, Legget - TE)
- Defense: 4 seniors (Watkins - DT, Boulware - WLB, Johnson - SS, Tankersley - CB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Teasdall - PK)
- Likely early NFL entries: 5 (Watson - QB, Williams - WR, Scott - WR, Gallman - RB, Crowder - RG)
- Total returning starters: 4 Offense, 7 Defense, 1 ST
Clemson will inevitably take a step back next year from back-to-back national title games, but don't expect them to fall off the face of the earth. The Tigers will have a stout defense built around a young and very talented DL (Wilkins, Lawrence, Farrell). Clemson hasn't had trouble recruiting elite skill position players, but they need to replace their QB (35 starts), #1 RB (37 starts), and top two WR (combined 163 receptions, 1,875 yards, 15 TD), #1 TE (39-641-7), and two offensive linemen. Too much fire power to replace.
7. Penn State
- Offense: 1 seniors (Gaia- C)
- Defense: 3 seniors (Schwan - DE, Bell - LB, Golden - SS)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Sickels- FS, Godwin - WR)
- Total returning starters: 9 Offense, 7 Defense, 2 ST
The best story in college football for 2016, Cinderella State's clock struck midnight in Pasadena Monday night (maybe because the game was 4 hours and 15 minutes). Still, the resurgence of Penn State cannot be overlooked. Picked against in nearly every game during their 9-game winning streak, the Nittany Lions defied all odds and was a few miscues away from snatching the Rose Bowl title away from pseudo-home team USC. A couple of big losses to the NFL include WR Chris Godwin and emerging star DE Garrett Sickels. Run-stuffing safety Marcus Allen is also anticipated to declare for the draft. Even without them, Penn State still returns 16 starters from a team that went 11-2 in the regular season with a B1G championship. Oh yeah, if you haven't done so yet maybe check out some Saquon Barkley highlights on YouTube.
8. Wisconsin
- Offense: 2 seniors (Wheelwright - WR, Houston - QB, Clement - RB)
- Defense: 3 seniors (Biegel - OLB, Musso - FS, Shelton - CB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Endicott - PK)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Watt - OLB, Ramczyk - LT)
- Total returning starters: 8 Offense, 7 Defense, 1 ST
Running the ball, good defense, cheese, and beer. It's been a successful recipe in Madison for decades and even in the new era of spread-em-out football, the Badgers were still successful going "old-school". After one of the toughest schedules in the country (LSU, OSU, at Michigan, Penn State in the B1G title), it was nice for Wisconsin to get an "easy" matchup in the Cotton Bowl against Western Michigan (and it might not be the last time Paul Chryst goes against PJ Fleck). While the Badgers offense loses some key parts, QB Alex Hornibrook and RB Dare Ogunbowale both played significant roles for the team. Jazz Peavy should return which will help stabilize the offense as well as the return game. A stout defense loses it's two best playmakers Beigel and Watt, but return star ILBs Ryan Connelly and TJ Edwards. Wisconsin is rewarded with a much easier schedule in 2017 than 2016 facing Utah State and Lane Kiffin's Florida Atlantic Owls before heading to Pravo to face a tricky BYU team. They do go to Lincoln, but get Michigan in Camp Randall and replace Michigan State and Ohio State with Maryland and Indiana. Expect the Badgers to be near the top of the B1G west come November.
9. Washington
- Offense: 3 seniors (Eldrencamp - LG, Brostek - RG, Daniels - TE)
- Defense: 2 seniors (Wooching - LB, King - CB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Van Winkle)
- Likely early NFL entries: 4 (Ross - WR, Jones - CB, Baker - FS, Qualls - DT)
- Total returning starters: 7 Offense, 6 Defense, 1 ST
Arguably the most debated team of 2016, Washington's 12-1 regular season was only blemished by white-hot Southern Cal. Though the game was never in doubt, the Huskies put up a fight for a while against Alabama in the CFP - a game that was essentially a Tide home game. Washington has some big shoes to fill in 2017, but should still be the odds on favorite to win the Pac 12 North and face (probably) Southern Cal for the conference crown. If Peterson can sure-up the interior of his OL and find enough playmakers to replace 3/4 of the U-Dub secondary, they should easily be on their way to another 10+ win season. Biggest issue for Washington next year? To make the CFP again, they may have to go undefeated as they have a cotton-soft OOC schedule (at Rutgers, Montana, and Fresno State). Jake Browning emerged as a star in 2016, but without his go-to WR, Dante Pettis will have to step into the role as game breaker.
10. Oklahoma State
- Offense: 4 seniors (Seales - WR, Jarwin - TE/FB, Salako - LT, Wilson - RG)
- Defense: 6 seniors (Maile - DT, Burton - SLB, Averette - WLB, Lampkin - CB, Pipkins - CB, Sterns FS)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Grogan - PK)
- Likely early NFL entries: 1 (Taylor - DT)
- Total returning starters: 7 Offense, 4 Defense, 1 ST
Little surprised to see the Pokes so high? I was too when I went through the information and placed them in this spot. By now you should have this embedded in your sub-conscious: September losses are not the be-all, end-all (let alone losses that were a direct result of an officiating error). Yes, they lost to Baylor early in the year... before the bottom fell out of the Bears' season, but we'll forgive them because why? (hint, it was in September). The 38-20 loss to arch-rival OU was not enough to derail them from absolute domination of #10 Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. The Buffs, considered one of the best defenses in the nation, was picked apart in a 38-8 romping by OK State. QB Mason Rudolph will return for his season season to anchor a potent offensive attack that ranked 3rd in the Big XII. If Mike Gundy and his epic mullet can find a way to replace the production of the 2016 defense (6th in the conference in total defense, but 3rd in scoring defense), the Cowboys could surprise many as they're most difficult game (Oklahoma) is in Stillwater.
1. Alabama
- Offense: 3 seniors (Dieter - WR, Kirven - RG, Howard - TE)
- Defense: 5 seniors (Allen - DE, Thomlinson - DE, Williams - JLB, Anderson - SLB, Foster - WLB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Griffith - P)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Robinson - OT, Humphrey -CB)
- Total returning starters: 8 Offense, 5 Defense, 1 ST
Let's be honest, until somebody knocks Bama off the throne they're on they are going to be #1. From 2014-2017, they have landed 21 five star players... a quarter of a normal 85-man roster. Saban continues to lose assistant coaches and continues to replace them seamlessly. Kiffen to Sark will be no different. Oh, and Jalen Hurts is a TRUE FRESHMAN. Running back Bo Scarborough is just the next in line of excellent Bama backs. Oh and the defense? Reload, reload, reload.
2. Florida State
- Offense: 3 seniors (Whitfield - WR, Are - LG, Stevenson - FB)
- Defense: 2 seniors (Walker - DE, White - CB)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Cook - RB, Johnson - LT)
- Total returning starters: 6 Offense, 9 Defense, 2 ST
People look at the drubbing Louisville laid on the Seminoles September 17th like it will define them forever. Ask Penn State and USC how much September beat downs mean. Their other two losses were a stunner by 2 to UNC and a close 3-point loss to Clemson - who is in their second straight national title game. Additionally, the cupboard is overflowing with talent to replace the few missing ingredients they need for a ACC title run and a CFP push. Deondre Francios - just a RS-FR - is tough as nails and has grown more and more each week.
3. Ohio State
- Offense: 1 seniors (Elflein - C)
- Defense: 0 seniors (N/A)
- Special Teams: 2 senior (Durbin - PK, Johnston - P)
- Likely early NFL entries: 3 (Conley - CB, Hooker - S, McMillan - LB)
- Total returning starters: 10 Offense, 8 Defense, 0 ST
It's uncommon to go 11-2 and have people consider it a failure of a season. After OSU's thrashing at the hands of Clemson, most have written them off as an after thought for 2017 and just another case of an overrated B1G conference. What most people forget is that OSU is one of the youngest teams in the country and, barring any additional NFL declarations like Curtis Samuel and Tyquan Lewis, they will return 16-18 starters from an 11-1 regular season team that disrobed Oklahoma, beat Michigan and Wisconsin, and lost by 3 on the road to an excellent Penn State squad. Can JT Barret develop more as a passing threat? If so, Urban Meyer has a team poised to make yet another CFP run in 2017.
4. Oklahoma
- Offense: 2 seniors (Westbrook - WR, Wren - C, )
- Defense: 4 seniors (Wade - DT, Roberts - DE, Evans - ILB, A. Thomas - FS)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Perine - RB, Walker - DT)
- Total returning starters: 8 Offense, 6 Defense, 0 ST
Remember what I said about Florida State's loss to Louisville in September? Same can be said for Oklahoma's no-show in Norman against the Buckeyes. A lot has been made about the youth of teams like Ohio State, Penn State, and USC, but not many people realize that Boomer Sooner returns 8 starters on offense including QB Baker Mayfield who finished 3rd in the 2016 Heisman voting. A lot has also been made of Penn State and USC's poor Septembers and incredible turn arounds, yet the 1-2 start for OU has defined their year despite winning 10 straight (including the Big XII and Sugar Bowl) to close out the year. Don't sleep on this team. If they can get a road win in Columbus next September, they shouldn't be challenged again until Bedlam.
5. Southern California
- Offense: 4 seniors (Rogers - WR, Wheeler - LT, Banner - RT, McNamara - TE)
- Defense: 3 seniors (Tu'ikolovatu - NT, Hutchings - ILB, McQuay - SS)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Smith-Schuster - WR, Jackson - CB)
- Total returning starters: 6 Offense, 7 Defense, 2 ST
Looking back at the year, the emergence of Sam Darnold this year may be one of the biggest stories of 2016. A redshirt freshman with a bazooka arm, pocket presence and awareness well beyond his years, and good mobility to boot, Darnold could end up a future first-round NFL draft pick. of course, it helps to play behind arguably the best OL in college football. The Trojans allowed a combined 4 sacks in their last 9 games of 2016 (all wins). Replacing both OT will not be an easy task nor will losing Rogers and Smith-Schuster who are two of the most physically gifted WR in the nation. Don't be thrown off by Penn State's 49-point performance in the Rose Bowl, SC returns 7 starters to an extremely athletic defense in 2017. I think the "instant classic" Rose Bowl may have overvalued USC's 2017 projection a little, but I do expect them to be the Pac 12 Champions and in the CFP discussion.
6. Clemson
- Offense: 2 seniors (Guillermo - C, Legget - TE)
- Defense: 4 seniors (Watkins - DT, Boulware - WLB, Johnson - SS, Tankersley - CB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Teasdall - PK)
- Likely early NFL entries: 5 (Watson - QB, Williams - WR, Scott - WR, Gallman - RB, Crowder - RG)
- Total returning starters: 4 Offense, 7 Defense, 1 ST
Clemson will inevitably take a step back next year from back-to-back national title games, but don't expect them to fall off the face of the earth. The Tigers will have a stout defense built around a young and very talented DL (Wilkins, Lawrence, Farrell). Clemson hasn't had trouble recruiting elite skill position players, but they need to replace their QB (35 starts), #1 RB (37 starts), and top two WR (combined 163 receptions, 1,875 yards, 15 TD), #1 TE (39-641-7), and two offensive linemen. Too much fire power to replace.
7. Penn State
- Offense: 1 seniors (Gaia- C)
- Defense: 3 seniors (Schwan - DE, Bell - LB, Golden - SS)
- Special Teams: 0 senior (N/A)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Sickels- FS, Godwin - WR)
- Total returning starters: 9 Offense, 7 Defense, 2 ST
The best story in college football for 2016, Cinderella State's clock struck midnight in Pasadena Monday night (maybe because the game was 4 hours and 15 minutes). Still, the resurgence of Penn State cannot be overlooked. Picked against in nearly every game during their 9-game winning streak, the Nittany Lions defied all odds and was a few miscues away from snatching the Rose Bowl title away from pseudo-home team USC. A couple of big losses to the NFL include WR Chris Godwin and emerging star DE Garrett Sickels. Run-stuffing safety Marcus Allen is also anticipated to declare for the draft. Even without them, Penn State still returns 16 starters from a team that went 11-2 in the regular season with a B1G championship. Oh yeah, if you haven't done so yet maybe check out some Saquon Barkley highlights on YouTube.
8. Wisconsin
- Offense: 2 seniors (Wheelwright - WR, Houston - QB, Clement - RB)
- Defense: 3 seniors (Biegel - OLB, Musso - FS, Shelton - CB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Endicott - PK)
- Likely early NFL entries: 2 (Watt - OLB, Ramczyk - LT)
- Total returning starters: 8 Offense, 7 Defense, 1 ST
Running the ball, good defense, cheese, and beer. It's been a successful recipe in Madison for decades and even in the new era of spread-em-out football, the Badgers were still successful going "old-school". After one of the toughest schedules in the country (LSU, OSU, at Michigan, Penn State in the B1G title), it was nice for Wisconsin to get an "easy" matchup in the Cotton Bowl against Western Michigan (and it might not be the last time Paul Chryst goes against PJ Fleck). While the Badgers offense loses some key parts, QB Alex Hornibrook and RB Dare Ogunbowale both played significant roles for the team. Jazz Peavy should return which will help stabilize the offense as well as the return game. A stout defense loses it's two best playmakers Beigel and Watt, but return star ILBs Ryan Connelly and TJ Edwards. Wisconsin is rewarded with a much easier schedule in 2017 than 2016 facing Utah State and Lane Kiffin's Florida Atlantic Owls before heading to Pravo to face a tricky BYU team. They do go to Lincoln, but get Michigan in Camp Randall and replace Michigan State and Ohio State with Maryland and Indiana. Expect the Badgers to be near the top of the B1G west come November.
9. Washington
- Offense: 3 seniors (Eldrencamp - LG, Brostek - RG, Daniels - TE)
- Defense: 2 seniors (Wooching - LB, King - CB)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Van Winkle)
- Likely early NFL entries: 4 (Ross - WR, Jones - CB, Baker - FS, Qualls - DT)
- Total returning starters: 7 Offense, 6 Defense, 1 ST
Arguably the most debated team of 2016, Washington's 12-1 regular season was only blemished by white-hot Southern Cal. Though the game was never in doubt, the Huskies put up a fight for a while against Alabama in the CFP - a game that was essentially a Tide home game. Washington has some big shoes to fill in 2017, but should still be the odds on favorite to win the Pac 12 North and face (probably) Southern Cal for the conference crown. If Peterson can sure-up the interior of his OL and find enough playmakers to replace 3/4 of the U-Dub secondary, they should easily be on their way to another 10+ win season. Biggest issue for Washington next year? To make the CFP again, they may have to go undefeated as they have a cotton-soft OOC schedule (at Rutgers, Montana, and Fresno State). Jake Browning emerged as a star in 2016, but without his go-to WR, Dante Pettis will have to step into the role as game breaker.
10. Oklahoma State
- Offense: 4 seniors (Seales - WR, Jarwin - TE/FB, Salako - LT, Wilson - RG)
- Defense: 6 seniors (Maile - DT, Burton - SLB, Averette - WLB, Lampkin - CB, Pipkins - CB, Sterns FS)
- Special Teams: 1 senior (Grogan - PK)
- Likely early NFL entries: 1 (Taylor - DT)
- Total returning starters: 7 Offense, 4 Defense, 1 ST
Little surprised to see the Pokes so high? I was too when I went through the information and placed them in this spot. By now you should have this embedded in your sub-conscious: September losses are not the be-all, end-all (let alone losses that were a direct result of an officiating error). Yes, they lost to Baylor early in the year... before the bottom fell out of the Bears' season, but we'll forgive them because why? (hint, it was in September). The 38-20 loss to arch-rival OU was not enough to derail them from absolute domination of #10 Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. The Buffs, considered one of the best defenses in the nation, was picked apart in a 38-8 romping by OK State. QB Mason Rudolph will return for his season season to anchor a potent offensive attack that ranked 3rd in the Big XII. If Mike Gundy and his epic mullet can find a way to replace the production of the 2016 defense (6th in the conference in total defense, but 3rd in scoring defense), the Cowboys could surprise many as they're most difficult game (Oklahoma) is in Stillwater.
Last edited:
