College Football Rankings

June 10, 2014

Even though College Football rankings may mean less than ever, with the new mini-Play Off system, many folks find them as necessary a fix as NFL Mock Drafts. So with many College Football publications currently hitting the media avenues it seemed like a good time to project a TOP 20 of my own.

1)   FLORIDA STATE   When the defending national champ is a program that tops the recruiting charts year in and year out I can’t drop them in the rankings until they start to lose some games. It also helps when said team has a returning Heisman Trophy winning QB (JAMEIS WINSTON), assuming the team can keep him eligible through a myriad of off-field issues. Just like the good old days, the FSU program just plugs in new players of high talent to replace the departing ones. They are my No. 1 until/if they struggle to win.

2) OKLAHMA    BOBBY STOOPS ran his mouth about how overrated the SEC is and then went out and beat ‘BAMA  in the Sugar Bowl. The talent level is high in Norman and TREVOR KNIGHT/QB really emerged last season. Former starting QB BLAKE BELL is now a 265 lb. TE. Now the question is can Frosh sensation RB/JOE MIXON be the next ADRIAN PETERSON?  14 returning starters and a top ranked recruiting class (again) bode well for the SOONERS.

3)   OHIO STATE     It’s now pretty much URBAN MEYER’s program with his third recriuting class coming in. Thank goodness he has a key leftover from the TRESSEL regime in QB/BRAXTON MILLER. The speed factor is up several notches as more & more MEYER recruits work their way into playing time.  To be honest the only thing that could trip up the high hopes in Columbus is if the new OL doesn’t step up. That would seem unlikely given the perennial Top 10 recruting classes, which always include some prime Ohio beef for up front.

4)    AUBURN    So how many die-hard ‘Bama faithful have I just upset by picking AUBURN to finish ahead of the Crimson Tide? The truth is this is close, but in this day and age of soaring college offenses GUS MALZAHN gets the nod if the talent is close. AUBURN returns 13 starters from 2013 and QB/NICK MARSHALL should be much improved as a passer this season. And even with TRE MASON gone Coach Gus feels he has 3 guys to fill those running shoes. Word is out that MALZAHN is a player’s coach and AUBURN reeled in yet another Top 10 recruiting class. Despite a few warts & moles this program looks awfully good right now.

5)   ALABAMA    Oh, come on now you really didn’t expect me to move the Tide down very far behind Auburn did you? Saint Nick only has 4 defensive starters returning, but the previous non-starters by and large have plenty of playing experience. And the team has had the top (arguably) recruiting class for about 7 consecutive years, which is since SABAN got to town. So what we are really debating here is finding a QB who can handle the reins and at least make a few big throws each game. FSU Transfer JARED COKER & BLAKE SIMS seem to be battling for the job. YELDON & HENRY look like a thundering duo to churn up the running game again. The key is for the Bama Offense to eat clock while the young D gets settled in.

6)     OREGON    I am still debating how well HC MARK HELFRICH is guiding the good ship Nike/Kelly. The stable looks full of stallions, and IMO a healthy MARCUS MARIOTA/QB is a better overall player than any of the QB who were just taken in the recent NFL Draft. Nine starters return on Offense, so MARCUS should have adequate support to pile up yardage & points. The D just has to force enough punts to keep every game from looking like a basketball score.

7)     STANFORD     DAVID SHAW continues the STANFORD program on the same tenets established by JIM HARBAUGH. The team is tough, physical and wears opponents down. I’m counting on  QB/KEVIN HOGAN to iron out some of his mistakes and inconsistency to give the team the diversity & boost it needs offensivley. I have no doubt the defesne will be stout despite some serious player losses.

8)     MICHIGAN STATE    While many have been sleeping at the switch MARK DANTONIO has built himself a rock solid program. And based on the development of QB/CONNOR COOK this edition of the Spartans could feature the most diverse offense the team has had since KIRK COUSINS went to the NFL. But the key to the team’s success will still ride primarily on their Defense. There’s a LB unit to rebuild, but recruiting has been solid  and replacements should be available.

9)     BAYLOR     The offesne is loaded starting with QB/BRYCE PETTY and a boatload of receivers to spread the field. This is a high projection considering the rebuild needed on defense. But HC BRILES has been doing some first class recruiting in recent years and there should be some talent to plug the breaches caused by graduation and NFL losses. Have no doubt however that the Offense has to carry the load here.

10)    UCLA     I really like the job JIM MORA and his staff have done in their first two seasons on the job. The talent base is increasing, but more importantly the team seems tougher and more aggressive than in recent memory. There is some grit mixed in with the talent these days, with the Bruins acting more like grizzlies most weekends. They are making their crosstown rivals (and others) work harder in the SoCal recruiting arena. BRETT HUNDLEY/QB is a legit Heisman candidate and may be ready to carry this team on his right shoulder.

11)     SOUTH CAROLINA

12)     L.S.U.

13)     GEORGIA

14)     CLEMSON

15)     NOTRE DAME

16)     FLORIDA

17)     WISCONSIN

18)     SOUTHERN CAL

19)     USC

20)    OLE MISS

PIGSKIN PAUL