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College football rankings: SN's preseason top 25 for 2019 | Sporting News
It's June 15 CFB ranking day folks – here's the Sporting News version, we made the cut and guess who's #1?
College football rankings: SN's post-spring preseason top 25 for 2019
Sporting News updated its top 25 after spring football heading into the summer. For those who don't like the process, keep in mind that all the teams in this year's Playoff opened in our top 10 - with Notre Dame the lowest team, at No. 9. We will continue to update throughout the offseason heading into the beginning of the season Aug. 24.
With that in mind, here's a look at our Top 25:
25. Nebraska
Scott Frost enters his second season with the same expectations after the Huskers appeared to turn a corner last November. Adrian Martinez is among the Heisman Trophy sleepers, and he will continue to get better under Frost. The defense must improve after surrendering 31.2 points per game last season. The Sept. 28 matchup with Ohio State is a candidate for ESPN "College GameDay."
24. Northwestern
The Wildcats are the defending Big Ten West champion. Expect Pat Fitzgerald to build on that with five-star Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson at quarterback, who has not been named the starter yet but can be the guy to take the next step with this program. Linebacker Paddy Fisher is a first-round NFL Draft candidate, too. The Wildcats have upgraded the program on all fronts.
23. Iowa State
Matt Campbell is 19-19 after three seasons, and the Cyclones were close to a Big 12 championship game berth last season. Sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy will improve, and there was spring practice buzz around four-star running back Breece Hall, who will be in the running to replace David Montgomery. Iowa State plays four of its first five games at home and is set up for a fast start, but it will have to win at Oklahoma and West Virginia to keep their Big 12 championship hopes alive.
22. UCF
Will McKenzie Milton play? That's the big question after a gruesome leg injury suffered in last year's victory against South Florida. Darriel Mack Jr., and Brandon Wimbush competed for reps in the spring, and the Knights have enough talent to win the American Athletic Conference for the third straight year, no matter who's under center. UCF faces FAU, Stanford and Pitt in nonconference play. They will know where they stand heading into the conference slate.
21. Wisconsin
Wisconsin slipped to 8-5 in Paul Chryst's fourth season, and Alex Hornibrook transferred to Florida State in the offseason. Jack Cohn is the favorite to start quarterback, but he will get pushed by Graham Mertz. Doak Walker Award winner Jonathan Taylor returns, and the Badgers are good enough to win the Big Ten West, despite crossover games against Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State.
20. Stanford
K.J. Costello is a NFL prospect at quarterback, and he will have to prove it if Stanford wants to be more than just a Pac-12 contender under David Shaw. Cameron Scarlett is slated to take over at tailback for Bryce Love, but Scarlett missed most of the spring. The offensive line will be a strength behind tackle Walker Little. The Cardinal will get all the attention they need in season-opening stretch that includes Northwestern, USC, UCF and Oregon.
MORE: Best nonconference games
19. Syracuse
This is the best bet to challenge Clemson in the ACC Atlantic, and Dino Babers and the Orange have proven that the last two seasons. Tommy DeVito takes over at quarterback, and he was 13 of 15 for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game. The offensive line's development is worth monitoring, but most of the skill players return from an offense that averaged 40.2 points per game last season. Clemson visits the Carrier Dome on Sept. 14.
18. Washington State
Mike Leach won't have Gardner Minshew, but he continues to make it work with a pass-happy system where it's next man up. Anthony Gordon took the lead in the spring, but Eastern Washington transfer Gaage Gabrud will be in the mix for the starting job this fall. The Cougars have been close to a Pac-12 championship, but that next step won't happen until they unseat rival Washington in the Apple Cup. The Cougars travel to Utah, Oregon and Washington this season. That won't be easy.
17. Army
The Black Knights won a record-11 games in 2018, and have a 21-5 record the last two seasons under Jeff Monken. Star quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. returns on a team that has experience on both sides. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman's departure to North Carolina is the only downer heading into next season. The Black Knights gave Oklahoma a scare in 2018; if they can do the same at Michigan on Sept. 7, this independent team could work into the New Year's Day Six conversation.
16. Auburn
Auburn has a three-way quarterback competition between Malik Willis, Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood, and Gus Malzahn needs to find the answer in a pivotal season on The Plains. The Tigers have had four or more losses in each of the last five seasons. The good news? Alabama and Georgia visit Jordan-Hare Stadium. The defense should be tough up front with future first-round picks Derrick Brown and Nick Coe.
MORE: Best bets to disrupt Clemson-Bama V
15. Mississippi State
The Bulldogs won four of their last five regular-season games and offered a glimpse of what could be with second-year coach Joe Moorhead. There are huge losses on the defensive line with Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons, and Nick Fitzgerald was a program-building quarterback, Now it is Keytaon Thompson's turn, and he played well given the chance last season and ran with the first team in the spring. If the Bulldogs can get through midseason road trips to Auburn and Tennessee, then November presents an opportunity in Starkville.
14. Washington
Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin are gone, and the defense must replace five seniors from the front seven. It's time for transfer quarterback Jacob Eason to seize the opportunity, and the schedule is set up for a quick start after the opener against FCS powerhouse Eastern Washington. Chris Petersen still has one of the best teams in the Pac-12, but the competition up top in the division will be fierce. The Huskies' defense dominated the spring game, and that is not such a bad thing.
13. Oregon
Justin Herbert's decision to stay in school has the Ducks thinking Pac-12 championship again under coach Mario Cristobal, who elevated that belief with a top-10 recruiting class. Penn State transfer Juwan Johnson could develop into a go-to receiver in this offense, and he played well in the spring game. Now it's time for the Ducks to win big conference games again. Road trips to Stanford, Washington and USC make that possible, but not until after the season opener against Auburn at Jerry World.
12. Penn State
Tommy Stevens' decision to enter the transfer portal shook up the quarterback race, and Sean Clifford impressed enough in the spring to take a run at the job. The Nittany Lions likely will have a running back committee, and receiver KJ Hamler will build on a breakout season. Linebacker Micah Parsons could have a breakout season, too. Close losses to Ohio State have kept the Nittany Lions out of the Playoff race the last two seasons. James Franklin still has the talent capable of a breakthrough, but that means closing in the Big Ten East showdowns.
11. Texas A&M
Jimbo Fisher returns a talented team that includes quarterback Kellen Mond, and the Aggies have enough four- and five-star talent to be an SEC West contender. The Sept. 7 trip to Clemson won't be easy, and the Oct. 12 matchup with Alabama will again be a measuring stick. Texas A&M will have a tough challenge with consecutive road trips at Georgia and LSU to end the season. If Texas A&M can win 10 games against this schedule, then they might deserve Playoff consideration.
10. Notre Dame
The Irish took the next step by reaching the College Football Playoff, and Ian Book must break in some new skill position talent. Tommy Kraemer and Liam Eichenberg lead another talented offensive line. The defense returns Khalid Kareem, Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gillman. Notre Dame's depth through recruiting will be tested under Brian Kelly, but there should be no complaints about a schedule that features road trips to Georgia, Michigan and Stanford. The early test against the Bulldogs will be a season-shifting game, too.
9. Michigan
The Wolverines have the eighth-best record among Power 5 teams since Jim Harbaugh arrived at Ann Arbor in 2015, but the only record that gets air time is 0-4. Harbaugh still hasn't beat Ohio State, and the schedule features the same potholes with an early matchup against Army and road trips to Wisconsin and Penn State. The hire of offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and the promise of #SpeedInSpace on offense will build some enthusiasm around quarterback Shea Patterson and a talented group of receivers that includes Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins and Tarik Black. The Wolverines still need to find a running back, and defensive coordinator Don Brown has several pieces to replace on defense.
8. Florida
This is the first of four SEC teams in the top 10 capable of winning a national championship. That is not a perception. It is a product of conference depth, and Dan Mullen proved what a difference one year makes in Gainesville. Feleipe Franks has taken control of the starting quarterback job, and the defense is led by more NFL Draft-caliber talent, including cornerback C.J. Henderson. The September schedule includes Miami, Kentucky and Tennessee. Sweep those games, and the matchup against Georgia could be a top-five showdown. High expectations are a good thing.
7. LSU
The Tigers steadied the program with a Fiesta Bowl victory under coach Ed Orgeron, and despite a few early departures LSU should feel good heading into 2019. Joe Burrow, who took command of the offense last season, returns for his second year as the starting quarterback. LSU also hired Saints passing game coordinator Joe Brady to supplement second-year offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger's system. The defense features All-American candidates Grant Delpit and Kristian Fulton in the secondary, and incoming freshman Derek Stingley arrives with huge expectations. The road trip to Texas and the usual date with Alabama on Nov. 9 will determine the Playoff possibilities that are very real.
6. Texas
Tom Herman has another cycle of four- and five-star talent to work with, and the Longhorns will get another chance to show they're ready for the big stage. Herman also has an experienced quarterback in Sam Ehlinger, and Collin Johnson's decision to return to school is huge. Keontay Ingram and Daniel Young add to the backfield, and freshman Bru McCoy could be the X-factor if he's cleared by the NCAA. The defense led by safety Caden Sterns. A huge September game against LSU will determine how right (or wrong) this preseason billing is and whether we can belt out that three-word phrase.
MORE: 19 questions for 2019
5. Ohio State
Ryan Day takes over the Buckeyes, and he already brought in a new-look staff with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich from Oklahoma State and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison from Michigan. The latter move will be in the spotlight given the rivalry ties, but the defensive line features Chase Young and freshman instant-impact player Zach Harrison. Georgia transfer Justin Fields took over at quarterback in the spring, and he will have competition from Kentucky transfer Gunnar Hoak, a Columbus native. Expect J.K. Dobbins to be more involved in the offense, and freshman Garrett Wilson will make some head-turning catches. The schedule is set up for a fast start, but the Buckeyes' season will be defined in the last two weeks against Penn State and Michigan.
4. Oklahoma
Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff wth Heisman Trophy-winning seasons the last two years, and now it is Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts' turn. Trust third-year coach Lincoln Riley and a high-flying offense that will be good enough to win the Big 12 with playmakers Kennedy Brooks and CeeDee Lamb, even with an offensive line that will need a rebuild after a massive NFL exodus. The defense must improve under new coordinator Alex Grinch if the Sooners want to go from Playoff contender to national champion after losses to Georgia and Alabama the last two seasons. The Big 12 is counting on it.
3. Georgia
Georgia has put the season-ending losses to Alabama and Texas in the past, and now it is on Kirby Smart to deliver the school's first national championship since 1980. They have the talent to do it. Jake Fromm is a three-year starter at quarterback and he will have several new targets, but the running back will be strong around D'Andre Swift, Brian Herrien, James Cook and Zamir White. Andrew Thomas is a first-round talent that leads the defensive line. Smart has recruited at a ridiculous clip on the defensive side the last two years, and now that talent must stand up.
2. Clemson
The Tigers have the unique opportunity to win three national championships in four seasons under Dabo Swinney, and there is no way to contain the hype around megastar quarterback Trevor Lawrence after his performance against Alabama in last year's championship game. Travis Etienne, Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins all return to an offense that could score 50 points per game. The defense will have to rebuild after sending three defensive linemen to the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but Xavier Thomas is ready to fill that void along with linebacker Isaiah Simmons and cornerback A.J. Terrell. As good as this team could be - and we will find out early against Georgia Tech, Texas A&M and Syracuse - they will be even better in 2020.
1. Alabama
Surprise! We know Clemson won the latest meeting, but Alabama still has a little more depth heading into 2019. The beat goes on for the Crimson Tide, and Tua Tagovailoa will be the Heisman front runner with Biletnikoff Award winner Jerry Jeudy back in the fold. Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Henry Ruggs IV all are back, too. Alabama has 10 of the top 50 players on our 2020 NFL Draft big board. The coaching staff was remodeled and brought back offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian while promoting Pete Golding to defensive coordinator. Expect a few freshmen to jump right in, including defensive end Antonio Alfano and running back Trey Sanders. Alabama will have to weather the usual set of NFL defections, new coordinators on offense and defense and an SEC schedule that features road trips to South Carolina, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Auburn. Since when has any of that stopped Nick Saban? Prepare for Clemson-Alabama V.
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