FAVORITE TEAMS

Good morning everyone! Each month, I’ll post Top 25 expectations based on a current Top 25 teams’ current situations and future opponents of that month. A little something I cooked up for a couple of seasons and it’s fun to find out how it could play out. Have a great day!

25) BOISE STATE

Boise retains guys for another postseason run, but losing Ashton Jeanty was a blow. Can Fresno transfer running back Malik Sherrod follow up half of Jeanty’s production? As for the August/September schedule, underrated matchups involving USF and Air Force on the road with App State mixed in will test a Jeanty-less team.

24) TENNESSEE

The Vols lost alot. And I mean ALOT. Losing Nico Iamaleava especially was one half of what the offense was. The other half was losing Dylan Sampson to the NFL. There will be some turbulence against Syracuse in neutral site and Georgia. Should I sprinkle in Miss State???

23) TEXAS TECH

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and Texas Tech poured in big money for transfers, recruits, and a new facility. Could those translate to the playoffs? We’ll find out once they face Oregon State and Utah.

22) IOWA STATE

Rocco Becht is the real deal, but hopefully new receivers follow up on Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins’ last season’s performance. They have a chance for a Big 12 title return but must stand out in their conference. It starts with Week 0 in Ireland against their farmer rival Kansas State. Two weeks later, they face in-state rival Iowa. Arkansas State and Arizona shouldn’t be overlooked.

21) OLE MISS

Ole Miss has no breaks in September. Without Jaxson Dart and his weapons, the new boys have work cut out for them. The road starts with Kentucky before hosting Arkansas, Tulane, and LSU. If there’s a chance for Lane Kiffin and the gang to make a statement, it starts in mid-September.

20) INDIANA

Hey!? Google Curt Cignetti because he stays winning. Making the postseason was a huge accomplishment. Now, time to see if they repeat with a beefed-up schedule. After the first three cupcake games, Indiana deals with meaty opponents Illinois and Iowa.

19) TEXAS A&M

The Aggies had a good run last season, but it’s surprising to see them in the Top 25. They had leverage against good teams at home last season. It ain’t that way this season, but the roster’s underrated and could be promising. Let’s see what they look like in front of Football Jesus at Notre Dame and Auburn. Never easy, but their defense will keep them in games.

18) OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma has a defense…and an offense??? They bring in quarterback John Mateer and his offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Running back Jaydn Ott eventually arrives from Cal. Their September schedule is a mixed bag. The games to focus on are Michigan and Auburn at home. A bounce back is possible, but they must not lose at home in September.

17) KANSAS STATE

Kansas State has experienced players and transfers all in a mixed bag. Sounds like the ol’ Bill Snyder days. Anyway, Kansas State has a Week 0 matchup against Iowa State, the same team that ended their shot at a Big 12 title appearance. Two weeks later, they face Army and Arizona in a tricky situation before hosting UCF.

16) SMU

The Ponies surprised everyone with ACC dominance and a playoff appearance in Year 1. SMU might have an encore in Year 2 with the majority of experience returning. They start off the season against two big in-state rivals Baylor and TCU. If all goes well, they jump start to a 4-0 record by October.

15) FLORIDA

Coach Billy Napier had his bacon saved after DJ Lagway took control of the offense. For now, Florida could improve if Lagway stays healthy. Their last two games in September are on the road against heated rivals LSU and Miami. If they succeed, Florida could be for real. If they fail, someone’s heating Napier’s seat again.

14) MICHIGAN

The Bryce Underwood era begins. He should eventually be the quarterback to get Michigan back on track. Expectations rose thanks to him, and hopefully coach Sherrone Moore can back it up. Road games at Oklahoma and Nebraska is one for an unforgettable or forgettable start in Ann Arbor in September.

13) SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina’s expectations soared to great heights that haven’t been seen since the Steve Spurrier era. Most of those expectations started with their defense and special teams. Eventually, quarterback LaNorris Sellers came on. If they believe to be a playoff threat, it starts with winning their early schedule against mid-teams like Virginia Tech in the “Beamer Bowl”, Vanderbilt, and Missouri.

12) ILLINOIS

The Illini returns many starters and add a few transfers. They look poised for a postseason run with less tough opponents to deal with. However, Duke and Indiana might say otherwise since Illinois travels to both of those places.

11) ARIZONA STATE

Arizona State returns quarterback Sam Leavitt and receiver Jordan Tyson to lead the offense while their defense looks poised for a strong season. How do they replace the 1700-yard rushing production of Cam Skattebo??? Arizona State has low-key early draws against Mississippi State and Baylor.

10) MIAMI

Miami retains key players while adding transfers, including Carson Beck. However, I’m not convinced Miami will threaten the ACC just yet. It starts with the defense improving for overall consistency because Cam Ward isn’t there to save the team. They’ll find out quickly in Week 1 against Notre Dame and Week 4 against Florida. Fun fact: Carson Beck faced Florida while watching Notre Dame from the sidelines with an injury last season.

9) LSU

This could be a make-or-break season for Brian Kelly. Garrett Nussmeier’s in his last season and Kelly has no room for error after seeing Marcus Freeman lead Notre Dame to a National Championship appearance. They must end their 5-game season-opener with a win against Clemson. Things get complicated when they host Florida a couple of weeks later.

8) ALABAMA

Kinda unfair that Kalen DeBoer’s under as much pressure as Brian Kelly despite it being his second year, but it’s Alabama. Going 9-4 in his first season isn’t bad, but it’s a failure in many Tide fans’ eyes that were spoiled by wins since Nick Saban’s second season. Facing road matchups at Florida State and Georgia is no easy feat, but Bama still sees these as winnable matchups based on past matchup success.

7) OREGON

Oregon’s a Top 10 team with the fewest roster returns. They dug into the portal to fill those spots, making them still a postseason threat. If young quarterback Dante Moore puts it together, watch out for the Ducks again. It’s unclear if their early schedule will be filled with dominance, but the game to keep an eye on in September is their road matchup with Penn State.

6) NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame must replace their quarterback again while dealing with injuries on the offensive lineman. While CJ Carr could show potential, a fragile offensive line doesn’t bode well for his confidence level. It gets worse because they don’t have a break in any part of their early schedule except Purdue. They face Miami and Arkansas on the road with Texas A&M coming to town.

5) GEORGIA

For the first time in a few years, Georgia has questions. Their offense will look different and their defense might finally have depth issues, especially on the defensive line. Special teams might be the only positive and that’s not saying much. They should clean house in the first three games, but things don’t look good against Bama with an 0-8 regular season/SEC title matchup record since 2008.

4) CLEMSON

Clemson’s not talked about for most of the offseason. Despite Dabo Swinney feeling less love about it, it’s actually a good thing. They return the majority of their players, including Cade Klubnik, to try and make mincemeat of their opponents. Their two biggest tests on their schedule is LSU in Week 1 and at Georgia Tech in Week 3.

3) OHIO STATE

The National Champions must replace a lot on their roster. At least they have an elite receiving corps and key defenders to keep the Buckeyes afloat. Hopefully it stays that way because Texas and Washington will try to poke holes into their boat before October.

2) PENN STATE

Penn State should have the roster fully ready for a deep postseason run and potentially a National Championship opportunity. All comes down to Drew Allar to put it all together. Their first four games are all at home, which sets them up nicely. They face Oregon, but Penn State has a bye prior. That really sets them up.

1) TEXAS

The Longhorns are the biggest hype in college football with a quarterback that has the royal name of the Manning family. They can own the SEC again but there’s plenty they must go through. Until then, their main focus is a rematch in Week 1 against Ohio State.

10 TEAMS THAT COULD BREAK THE TOP 25 BY OCTOBER

1) BYU

2) UTAH

3) BAYLOR

4) NEBRASKA

5) LOUISVILLE

6) MISSOURI

7) IOWA

8) TCU

9) JAMES MADISON

10) USC