Way too early college football top-25

WAY-TOO-EARLY COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP-25
Craig Campbell
June 10th, 2019

Spring practices are in the books and we just a few short months away from kicking off the 2019 college football season on Saturday, August 24th. This season will surely bring its fair share of excitement and of course it’s never too early to look into the future and start thinking about how your favorite college program will fare this season. Everyone is in agreement who the top two college teams are again this season (Clemson & Alabama, depending on who you root for) and the rest of the top 25 gets intriguing from there. 

Each team begins the season with championship aspirations, looking to make their way to the national championship game on Jan. 13, this year in New Orleans, La., in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Here are my “way too early” picks for the college football top-25.

1. Clemson Tigers 2018 Record: (15-0, 8-0 ACC Atlantic)
Returning starters: eight offense, four defense, one special teams
Outlook: Even while losing a lot of talent to the NFL Draft, Clemson is still one of the most talented teams in the country. Losing WR Amari Rodgers to a torn ACL in March will hurt, but the Tigers still possess one of the most dynamic offenses, with QB Trevor Lawrence leading the way. With their only non-conference test coming early in the season, hosting Texas A&M, and no other team looks to come close to matching up, the Tigers are the overwhelming favorite in the ACC and will look to claim their fifth straight crown.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide
2018 Record: (14-1, 8-0 SEC West)
Returning Starters: seven offense, five defense, one special teams
Outlook: Even after a blowout loss in last year’s national championship game to Clemson, losing seven underclassmen to the NFL Draft, and hiring a slew of new assistant coaches, Alabama signed a No. 1 recruiting class, returning QB Tua Tagovailoa will still have plenty of weapons on offense, and Steve Sarkisian is returning as offensive coordinator. Alabama is still the team to beat in the SEC.

3. Georgia
2018 Record: (11-3, 7-1 SEC East)
Returning Starters: six offense, seven defense, two special teams
Outlook: The Bulldogs have come heartbreakingly close to dethroning Alabama in past 2 seasons in the SEC Championship game. Head Coach Kirby Smart continues to reload in recruiting, boasting another top-two recruiting class, and returning QB Jake Fromm might have the best offensive line in the FBS in front of him, making the Bulldogs the SEC East favorites again.

4. Oklahoma
2018 Record: (12-2. 8-1 Big 12)
Returning Starters: four offense, 10 defense, zero special teams
Outlook: Alabama graduate transfer QB Jalen Hurts, who went 26-2 as a starter and came off the bench to help the Tide beat Georgia 35-28 in the SEC championship game, will attempt to continue the recent trend of QB success under HC Lincoln Riley and looked great in the spring game. Ten starters are expected back from what was a very porous defense this past season, but Riley hired Ohio State's Alex Grinch as his new defensive coordinator so… the defense can’t get any worse, right?

5. Ohio State
2018 Record: (13-1, 8-1 Big 10 East)
Returning Starters: five offense, 10 defense, one special teams
Outlook: NCAA approved QB Justin Fields' waiver application (for some reason), granting him immediate eligibility for the 2019 season. Offense will be in some transition under Ryan Day, but having running back J.K. Dobbins, wideouts K.J. Hill & Austin Mack will be a huge help.

6. LSU
2018 Record: (10-3, 5-3 SEC West)
Returning Starters: eight offense, seven defense, one special teams
Outlook: The Tigers are coming off a solid 10-win season in HC Ed Orgeron's second full season and showed a new offensive outlook during the spring game, hardly snapping from under center. Orgeron hired New Orleans Saints assistant Joe Brady to coach receivers and serve as passing game coordinator and is calling Brady an expert in the run-pass option offense. Returning QB Joe Burrow will have to continue to develop but there is plenty of optimism in Baton Rouge in 2019.

7. Notre Dame
2018 Record: (12-1)
Returning Starters: seven offense, six defense, zero special teams
Outlook: The Fighting Irish are coming off a very strong season, making it to the College Football Playoff, and a solid spring. Returning QB Ian Book is undoubtedly the starter and the defense will be anchored by a strong, experienced line. The Irish have a great chance to make it back to the CFP again this year, but will have their work cut out for them, with home games vs Virginia, USC, and Virginia Tech, and on the road vs Georgia, Michigan, and Stanford.

8. Michigan
2018 Record: (10-3, 8-1 Big 10 East)
Returning Starters: eight offense, five defense, two special teams
Outlook: Expectations are high for Michigan, returning most of its offense, including QB Shea Patterson. Jim Harbaugh has (finally) handed the offense over to new coordinator Josh Gattis, coming from Alabama, to bring a shot in the arm to this Michigan offense. Michigan does have a few tough conference games on the road (Wisconsin, Penn State) but host most of their toughest opponents at home (Iowa, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Ohio State). It’s “championship or bust” season in Ann Arbor.

9. Texas
2018 Record: (10-4, 7-2 Big 12)
Returning Starters: five offense, three defense, two special teams
Outlook: Coming off a 10-win season and having stability at QB with Heisman candidate Sam Ehlinger, Texas should be in the mix for the Big 12 championship in Tom Herman’s third season. If the Longhorns are going to contend for a CFP spot in 2019, the defense will have to step up in a big way.

10. Florida
2018 Record: (10-3, 5-3 SEC East)
Returning Starters: five offense, seven defense, two special teams
Outlook: The Gators were one of the most improved teams in the nation (4-7 to 10-3) in Dan Mullen's first season. QB Feleipe Franks will need to improve to become a real threat to Georgia. Florida opens the 2019 season against Miami in Orlando, Florida, and will leave the state of Florida only four times for road games at Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina and Missouri. Pretty favorable schedule for the Gators to potentially be a threat to Georgia in the SEC East.

11. Oregon
2018 Record: (9-4, 5-4 Pac 12 North)
Returning Starters: 10 offense, seven defense, two special teams
Outlook: Heisman candidate QB Justin Herbert is back and with the Ducks returning 17 total starters, they are not only the favorites to win the Pac-12 in 2019, but the best chance at the Pac-12 being represented in the College Football Playoff. We’ll know where the Ducks stand after their Week 1 opponent, the Auburn Tigers in Eugene.

12. Texas A&M
2018 Record: (9-4, 5-3 SEC West)
Returning Starters: six offense, five defense, two special teams
Outlook: Going all-in with Head Coach Jimbo Fisher is already paying dividends for the Aggies, winning nine games in a season for the first time since 2013, routing NC State 52-13 in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and signing the No. 3 recruiting class. A brutal schedule in 2019 could bring troubled season in College Station with road games at Clemson, Georgia, and LSU, and hosting Auburn and Alabama.
 
13. UCF
2018 Record: (12-1, 8-0 AAC East)
Returning Starters: eight offense, six defense, zero special teams
Outlook: Notre Dame transfer QB Brandon Wimbush should be a nice replacement for QB McKenzie Milton as Knights are the Group of Five New Year's Six favorite for third consecutive year.

14. Utah
2018 Record: (9-5, 6-3 Pac 12 South)
Returning Starters: eight offense, seven defense, zero special teams
Outlook: The Utes are arguably the Pac-12 South favorites (and maybe even more) with key returners at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and cornerback. Another thing going in Utah's favor: its schedule. The Utes have a manageable non-conference slate (at BYU, Northern Illinois, Idaho State) and miss both Oregon and Stanford during Pac-12 play.

15. Syracuse
2018 Record: (10-3, 6-2 ACC Atlantic)
Returning Starters: five offense, eight defense, two special teams
Outlook: The Orange won 10 games for the first time in 17 seasons in 2018. They have a favorable schedule and the Orange will play only one Power 5 non-conference opponent (Maryland) and will play ACC road games at Duke, FSU, Louisville and NC State. They took defending national champion Clemson to the wire last season (27-23 loss) and Syracuse could have some very high aspirations if they can repeat in 2019.

16. Washington
2018 Record: (10-4, 7-2 Pac 12 North)
Returning Starters: seven offense, two defense, two special teams
Outlook: Transfer QB Jacob Eason coming from Georgia will fill the shoes of departed QB Jake Browning to an offense that is returning seven starters. The defensive personnel will look vastly different in 2019, only returning two starters but the Huskies will always be a factor in the Pac-12 under Chris Petersen.

17. Washington State
2018 Record: (11-2, 7-2 Pac 12 North)
Returning Starters: eight offense, six defense, two special teams
Outlook: Wazzu is coming off a school-record 11 wins in 2018. QB Gage Gubrud will transfer from Eastern Washington, where he was twice a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS offensive player of the year. Gubrud threw for more than 5,000 yards in 2016. Pair him with Mike Leach's offense and who knows what kind of numbers Gubrud will put up in 2019. The Cougars will be in the mix for the Pac-12 North crown with Washington & Oregon.

18. Stanford
2018 Record: (9-4, 6-3 Pac 12 North)
Returning Starters: three offense, five defense, two special teams
Outlook: The Cardinal are in a bit of a stacked Pac-12 North and have only three returning starters on offense & five on defense. All three of Stanford's non-conference opponents in 2019 finished ranked in the final AP Top 25 (No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 11 UCF and No. 21 Northwestern). The Cardinal might have the most difficult four-game stretch to open the season, with games at USC and home against Oregon, the opener against Northwestern and a cross-country trip to UCF. Stanford will have to find their identity very quickly if they want to have a successful season in 2019.

19. Nebraska
2018 Record: (4-8, 3-6 Big 10 West)
Returning Starters: seven offense, six defense, two special teams
Outlook: The Huskers started the 2018 season 0-6 but finished 4-2 in 2018, with 5 of those losses by 5 points or less and 3 coming on the road. Sophomore QB Adrian Martinez looked really good in the back half of the season and should take a giant leap forward in 2019. The combination of hosting Ohio State, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa at home and avoids playing Michigan, Michigan State or Penn State in the regular season could add up to a big second season for Scott Frost & Co.

20. Northwestern
2018 Record: (9-5, 8-1 Big 10 West)
Returning Starters: six offense, seven defense, one special teams
Outlook: The Wildcats will be getting a major boost from Clemson QB transfer Hunter Johnson (whom ESPN rated as the top pocket-passer in the 2017 recruiting class) on an offense that returns six starters. Defending the Big Ten West crown won't be an easy task in 2019, facing all of their toughest opponents within the first seven games of the season. The Wildcats will know exactly where they stand in the Big Ten by the end of October.

21. Iowa State
2018 Record: (8-5, 6-3 Big 12)
Returning Starters: seven offense, eight defense, two special teams
Outlook: Sophomore QB Brock Purdy is set to become a breakout star after stepping in after a 1-4 start and led the Cyclones to a 7-1 finish as well as a bowl appearance in 2018. Matt Campbell's coaching ability has kept the Cyclones improving every season and locking him up through 2024 is a huge win for Iowa State, who now looks to be, at worst, the third best team in the Big 12 in 2019.

22. Wisconsin
2018 Record: (8-5, 5-4 Big 10 West)
Returning Starters: six offense, seven defense, one special teams
Outlook: The rest of the Big 10 West division finally caught up with the Badgers in 2018. QB Alex Hornibrook’s recurring head injury could prevent him from starting for the 4th straight season. However, incoming QB Graham Mertz (ESPN's top-rated pocket passer and No. 21 overall recruit in the 2019 class) could compete for the starting spot. Heisman Trophy contender Jonathan Taylor returns at running back but must improve in the passing game, finishing 118th in passing in 2018.

23. Penn State
2018 Record: (9-4, 6-3 Big 10 East)
Returning Starters: six offense, six defense, two special teams
Outlook: Five PSU underclassmen entered the NFL draft, while 11 others (mostly graduated players) have entered the transfer portal. Penn State will be a young team in 2019 in a (yet again) top-heavy Big 10 East.

24. Auburn
2018 Record: (8-5, 5-3 SEC West)
Returning Starters: six offense, six defense, two special teams
Outlook: Make-or-break season for HC Gus Malzahn. Tough SEC West but favorable bounces may shoot them up the rankings & in national title contention

25. Army
2018 Record: (11-2)
Returning Starters: seven offense, six defense, zero special teams
Outlook: The Knights are coming off one of their best seasons in the program’s 125-year history, winning 11 games for the 1st time ever. They retained Head Coach Jeff Monken and QB Kelvin Hopkins Jr. returns, who was the 1st Army player ever to pass and run for more than 1000 yards in a season in 2018.