2015 College Football Top 25

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusmail
Facebooktwittergoogle_plus

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Life has been good for the Ohio State Buckeyes under head football coach Urban Meyer. In three seasons under Meyer, the Buckeyes are 37-3 and they won the inaugural College Football Playoff. And thus Ohio State will enter the season as the defending national champions. But for the Buckeyes they will have a huge question mark hovering over their football program. Meyer and Ohio State have a quarterback controversy on their hands which threatens to be their toughest opponent for the upcoming season.

Last year a shoulder injury ended the season of Braxton Miller who was set to be the starter for Ohio State at quarterback. The injury for Miller happened just prior to the start of the 2014 college football season and Meyer went with J.T. Barrett at quarterback. Barrett was an unproven redshirt freshman who accounted for 3,772 yards and 45 touchdowns in helping Ohio State finish the regular season with a record of 11-1. Barrett suffered a broken ankle in the regular season finale versus the Michigan Wolverines which paved the way for Cardale Jones. In the final three games of the season Jones threw five touchdown passes to just a pair of interceptions in helping Ohio State win the national title. The problem for Ohio State is that prior to Miller’s injury, he was the starting quarterback and he hadn’t done anything to lose the job. Barrett was expected to be the heir apparent once Miller graduates next spring, but the folks in Columbus got a look at the future sooner than expected. Jones had been lost in the shuffle on the Buckeyes bench behind Miller and Barrett until this past January. Meyer has three quality quarterbacks, but only one can start and whoever does will always be looking over his shoulder. But with Miller volunteering to play wide receiver for Ohio State, it does cut down on the controversy as this team looks to repeat as national champions.

Ezekiel Elliot

The Buckeyes do return four starters on an offensive line that will continue to pave the way for junior running back Ezekiel Elliot who should once again flirt with gaining 2,000 rushing yards and he should also be in the discussion to win the Heisman Trophy.

The Buckeyes will also return seven starters on their defense led by defensive end Joey Bosa who had 13.5 sacks last season.

The Virginia Tech Hokies were the only team to defeat Ohio State in 2014. And a trip to Blacksburg, Virginia to meet Virginia Tech is how Ohio State will begin the season. The Buckeyes Big Ten Conference schedule is favorable for them as their last two games will be against the Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines respectively. And Ohio State should once again be in the mix to not only win the Big Ten, but also to repeat as national champions.

2. TCU Horned Frogs

After struggling to find their way in their first two years in the Big 12 Conference, the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs became one of the nation’s elite college football programs in 2014. TCU went 12-1 last season and they finished ranked third in the Associated Press Poll. TCU head football coach Gary Patterson has become the most successful coach in the history of the program and heading into this college football season, he has a team that is capable of winning the school’s first national title in football since 1938.

Trevone Boykin

TCU senior quarterback Trevone Boykin has adjusted his game from being a running quarterback to being more of a pocket passer while still being the second leading rusher for the Horned Frogs last season. Boykin has learned to be a more efficient quarterback while spreading the football around to an array of wide receivers. TCU returns their top three wide receivers from last season in Josh Doctson, Kolby Listenbee, and Deante’ Gray who combined to account for 23 receiving touchdowns. Doctson, Listenbee, and Gray will all be seniors this year and speed is the name of the game for them. Like Boykin, Doctson, Listenbee, and Gray, TCU running back Aaron Green is back for his senior season as he’ll look to crack the 1,000-yard mark this season in rushing.

Along with the players at the skill positions, TCU will return four starters on the offensive line and six starters from a defense that was ranked 18th in the nation last season in total defense.

Last year it was a weak non-conference schedule along with Big 12 Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby’s inability to determine an outright conference champion that hurt the chances of TCU as far as qualifying for the College Football Playoff. The Horned Frogs once again will have a weak non-conference schedule in 2015, but they are hopeful that road games against the Kansas State Wildcats and Oklahoma Sooners will balance things out for them this time around.

3. USC Trojans

With NCAA sanctions behind them the University of Southern California Trojans are ready to once again burst onto the national scene. The Trojans finished last season with a record of 9-4 with three of those losses coming by a combined 13 points. The Men of Troy narrowly missed out on winning the Pac-12 South in 2014 which is something that they are focused on accomplishing this season along with winning the national championship.

Steve Sarkisian

For USC head football coach Steve Sarkisian, he’ll call on senior quarterback Cody Kessler to lead the Trojans this season. Kessler is coming off of a season in which he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes while throwing 39 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions. Kessler will be in the mix to win the Heisman Trophy along with being the Pac-12 Conference’s Player of the Year. USC is still “Tailback U.” and after after watching Buck Allen light it up last season, the job of being the Trojans feature back will fall to junior running back Justin Davis who is more than capable to keep the running back tradition going at Southern Cal. Just like Davis, wide receiver JuJu Smith is ready to emerge from the shadow of former USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor. The Trojans also will return all five starters on their offensive line and they should do a good job in keeping Kessler’s uniform clean.

Led by junior outside linebacker Su’a Cravens, USC returns nine starters on defense to a unit that will look to shut down the high-powered offenses that are in the Pac-12.

The Trojans will have their work cut out for them this season as road games versus the Arizona State Sun Devils, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Oregon Ducks will offset tough home affairs with the Arizona Wildcats and UCLA Bruins. And these games will definitely let us know if USC is truly ready once more for the bright spotlight.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

Nick Saban

Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban has done what many people said that he wouldn’t be able to when he came to Tuscaloosa in 2007 which is that he’s been able to return the Tide to national prominence.

The Tide come into this college football season looking to wipe the taste out of their mouths from last season that was a heartbreaking loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl. The Tide have seen their fair share of players go to the National Football League, but the machine there under Saban continues to roll along.

Quarterback Jacob Coker waited patiently on Alabama’s bench last year as he backed up Blake Sims. But with Sims having graduated, Coker is ready for his moment to lead the Crimson Tide offense. Last season running back Kenyon Drake was lost early last season due to an injury. But Drake is back as a senior to team with junior running back Derrick Henry to give the Crimson Tide a “thunder and lightning” duo coming out of the backfield.

Alabama also returns eight starters on the defensive side of the football as they should all be more seasoned after another year under Saban.

The bright lights of the college football world will be on the Tide from their first game of the season as they’ll be at AT&T Stadium in Arlington,Texas to take on the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference which will get them prepared for the gauntlet that is playing in the Southeastern Conference.

5. Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats head football coach Rich Rodriguez has a history of getting things turned around at each stop on his journey in the college football world. Last year Rodriguez guided the Wildcats to the Pac-12 Championship Game and in spite of losing their final two games in 2015, big things could be on the horizon for Arizona this season.

Anu Solomon

Last year, Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon was a freshman that played well beyond his years. Solomon has the innate ability to run and pass which is vital for Rodriguez’s spread offense and he’s only poised to get better. Solomon passed for nearly 3,800 yards last season and he’ll be in the running to be the Pac-12 Conference’s Player of the Year in 2015. Solomon isn’t the only sophomore that will be expected to have a big impact for Arizona as sophomore running back Nick Wilson is the perfect running mate for him in the Wildcats backfield. The Wildcats also bring back their two top wide receivers in seniors Cayleb Jones and Samajie Grant back as they’ll both provide speed on the outside.

Led by junior middle linebacker Scooby Wright, the Wildcats return six defensive starters from a unit that was very opportunistic last season as they amassed 38 sacks. And of those 38 sacks, Wright accounted for 14 as he can single handedly destroy an opponent’s campaign.

The Wildcats have an easy non-conference schedule and the first part of their conference will be manageable. But three of Arizona’s last four games will be on the road as they’ll face the Washington Huskies, USC Trojans, and their in-state showdown with the Arizona State Devils which could determine the champion of the Pac-12 South.

6. Michigan State Spartans

Mark Dantonio

It’s safe to say that Michigan State Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio has built a strong program in East Lansing. In each of Dantonio’s eight seasons at Michigan State, the Spartans have gone bowling and they’ll once again be one of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference along with contending for a spot in the college football playoff. And for Dantonio, he and his team can take solace in knowing that the only two teams that they lost to in 2014 (Oregon and Ohio State) played in the national championship game.

Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook is back for his senior season and he has been a consistent player for Dantonio. After being the understudy for Jeremy Langford, junior running back Delton Williams will get his opportunity to be the feature back in East Lansing.

But the name of the game for Michigan State is tough and physical football. Led by senior center Jack Allen, Sparty returns four starters on their offensive line which can go along way in getting them to where they want to be in 2015.

Shilique Calhoun

Michigan State had the eighth ranked defense last season and you can expect more of the same this season as led by senior defensive end Shilique Calhoun, they return seven starters defensively and you can expect more physical football from them.

Unlike last season, Michigan State will host Oregon in September. But the Spartans have a more difficult road slate in the Big Ten Conference as they have road affairs with the Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Ohio State as they seek to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

 

7. Oregon Ducks

Oregon Ducks head football coach Mark Helfrich was handed a good football team when he became the head football coach there in 2013 and he has made the most of it. In two years of running things in Eugene, Helfrich has a record of 24-4 including an appearance in the first title game of the College Football Playoff. But things will a little bit different in 2015 for Helfrich and the Ducks.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 and he decided to take his talents to the National Football League. Junior quarterback Jeff Lockie saw some time here and there in 2014, but now it is his turn to run the spread offense for the team that originated the fad of having numerous uniform combinations. As a freshman, running back Royce Freeman was elusive coming out of the Oregon backfield as he gained 1,365 rushing yards in 2014. Freeman will have to be more of a factor this season as Lockie gets his feet wet at the quarterback position. Aside from Freeman, the Ducks have plenty of speed returning at the skill positions offensively in senior running back Byron Marshall and sophomore wide receiver Darren Carrington. Sophomore wide receiver Devon Allen suffered a torn ACL injury in Oregon’s Rose Bowl victory over the Florida State Seminoles this past January and Helfrich is hopeful to have him back at some point this season while the Ducks will also have three starters returning from their offensive line led by senior offensive tackle Matt Pierson.

The Ducks were 89th last season in total defense and once again their fast paced offense will have to carry them.

The schedule isn’t as favorable this year for Oregon as they’ll have road games against the Michigan State Spartans, Washington Huskies, Arizona State Sun Devils, and Stanford Cardinal.

8. Baylor Bears

In his seven years as the head football coach of the Baylor Bears, Art Briles has built a football program that is making the other football schools within the State of Texas envious. Over the past four seasons Baylor has won 40 games and by the looks of things they are not ready to slow down.

Seth Russell

With the graduation of quarterback Bryce Petty, junior quarterback Seth Russell is ready for his chance to become the next gunslinger in Briles’ spread offense. In backing up Petty last season, Russell did appear in eight games for Baylor as he threw eight touchdowns to just one interception as he appears to be ready for the challenges of the Big 12 Conference. Russell will have plenty of talent around him on the offensive side of the football. All five of Baylor’s offensive lineman are returning which includes a quartet of seniors. The Bears also have their two top wide receivers in junior Corey Coleman and sophomore KD Cannon returning as well. In Baylor’s spread offense, they also have a shifty tailback in junior Shock Linwood who should garner some interest in being a first-team All-Big performer this season.

Offense hasn’t the problem in Waco for the Bears as it has been on defense. The Bears had four games last season in which they surrendered at least 40 points. Baylor’s offense can bail them out in the wild world of the Big 12, but for them to be a national championship contender, their defense that returns nine starters from 2014 must improve.

Baylor has another weak non-conference schedule, but the month of November will be telling for them. In November, the Bears will have three road contests against the Kansas State Wildcats, Oklahoma State Cowboys, and TCU Horned Frogs before they finish at home against the Texas Longhorns. The Big 12 doesn’t have a title game, but the Bears are hopeful that their late season stretch will get them some national recognition.

9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Brian Kelly

In the long and storied history of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program, they never had a head football coach to lead the team to a bowl game in each of his first five years with the Irish until current head football coach Brian Kelly. In five years at Notre Dame, Kelly has a record of 45-20 and he has given the Fighting Irish stability and consistency which is something that they have not had since Lou Holtz left South Bend in 1996. Kelly has been able to win at Notre Dame in spite of the fact he has not consistently stuck with a starting quarterback.

After appearing in just games last season, junior quarterback Malik Zaire is ready to be the next player to run Kelly’s offense. Zaire is a physical presence as a quarterback being that he is more or a runner than a passer and it will be interesting to see how much patience that Kelly will have with him this season. Any productivity that Zaire will be able to have in the passing game this season will come down to his ability to connect with junior wide receiver Will Fuller who could have an All-American type season. The strength of Notre Dame’s offense will be found in their offensive line as led by senior guard Nick Martin, they have three returning starters to the unit.

The Irish’s defense was only ranked 73rd last season, but they do return 10 starters and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is in his second year in South Bend as he looks to improve his troops.

The first half of Notre Dame’s schedule will be daunting as it includes their season opener against the Texas Longhorns along with home games versus the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and USC Trojans as well as a road meeting with the Clemson Tigers. And from that we’ll see how much trust that Kelly has in Zaire.

10. Arizona State Sun Devils

The past two years have seen the Arizona State Sun Devils finish ranked in the top 25 poll in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997. And under head football coach Todd Graham, Arizona State feels that they have everything to win the Pac-12 Conference.

The past few years have seen Taylor Kelly as Arizona State’s starting quarterback. As a senior, Kelly missed part of 2014 with an injury which paved the way for Mike Bercovici to get some reps as the starting quarterback in Tempe. Bercovici will take over this season as the Sun Devils full-time starting quarterback and he can sling the football all around the field. The Sun Devils will look to senior wide receiver Gary Chambers and junior wide receiver Cameron Smith to fill the void in the passing game left by wide receiver Jaelen Strong who is now in the National Football League while senior running back D.J. Foster is as versatile as they come with his running and pass catching ability.

The Sun Devils return nine defensive starters, but they “must” find a way to improve as they were 83rd in total defense last season.

The Sun Devils will begin the season in Houston against the Texas A&M Aggies of the Southeastern Conference and a victory there could steer them in the right direction towards a tough slate in the Pac-12 as they have road games versus the UCLA Bruins and Utah Utes along with homes games against the USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, and Arizona Wildcats.

11.Florida State Seminoles

The past two years have seen the Florida State Seminoles reemerge as one of the nation’s elite in college football. The ‘Noles went 27-1 over the last two years including winning the national championship for the 2013 college football season. But all of that success for the Seminoles was with quarterback Jameis Winston under center. Winston has departed from Florida State which initially paved the way for junior quarterback Sean Maguire to be the next quarterback for the Seminoles, but that changed once senior quarterback Everett Golson transferred from Notre Dame.

Around Golson, the ‘Noles will be a little green on offense as they only return for starters from last year’s squad that won the Atlantic Coast Conference which means that it will be up to Florida State head football coach Jimbo Fisher to coach his young squad up.

The Seminoles return seven starters defensively, but they were ranked 63rd in the nation in total defense for 2014 as Winston masked some problems with this team. And if Florida State is going to win their fourth consecutive ACC Title, the defense must step it up.

The ‘Noles schedule this season is manageable, but an October trip to Atlanta to meet the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and a November road game against the Clemson Tigers will go a long in determining whether or not that Florida State will once again win the ACC.

12. Missouri Tigers

Gary Pinkel

In a very short time Missouri Tigers head coach Gary Pinkel has done what many didn’t expect him to do which is to win in the Southeastern Conference. Missouri is entering their fourth year in the SEC and they are the current, two-time defending champions of the SEC East as they’ll once again be in the mix to get to Atlanta for the conference title game.

Junior quarterback Maty Mauk is someone that Pinkel trusts to run his offensive system as he stays within the realm of the offense. Senior tailback Russell Hansbrough is looking for his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season and he’ll run behind an offensive line that will be returning four starters who are all seniors.

Defensively the Tigers were 23rd in the nation last season in total defense. And in spite of the losses of players such as defensive end Shane Ray to the National Football League, Missouri’s defense will once again be tough as they will be led by middle linebacker Michael Scherer.

The Tigers will open the year with a soft non-conference schedule and with the exception of a road affair against the Georgia Bulldogs, Missouri will welcome the top teams in the SEC East to Columbia this season as they look to win the division for a third consecutive year.

13. Mississippi State Bulldogs

A 9-0 start in 2014 made the Mississippi State Bulldogs the talk of college football. But the Bulldogs stumbled down the stretch losing three of their last four ball games including a 49-34 loss in the Orange Bowl to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. For Mississippi State head football coach Dan Mullen, his squad crept up on teams last year and it won’t be as easy in 2015.

Dak Prescott

Last year as a junior, quarterback Dak Prescott was the Bulldogs offense and for them to be a national title contender this season, it must be more of the same in Starkville. Prescott is a tremendous athlete, but how much will he be able to do by himself?

With just four starters returning on offense and four as well on defense, it will be difficult for Mississippi State to avoid getting lost in the shuffle in the SEC West. The Bulldogs 2015 schedule is much tougher as they have road games versus the Auburn Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, Missouri Tigers, and Arkansas Razorbacks along with home contests against the LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide which will be tough for Mississippi State to survive.

14. LSU Tigers

The Tigers of Louisiana State University are coming off of an 8-5 season, but there is no need to panic down in the Bayou. LSU head football coach Les Miles knows about quick turnarounds with the purple and gold and the Tigers should once again be ready to contend for the top spot in the Southeastern Conference’s Western Division.

Leonard Fournette

As a true freshman in 2014, LSU running back Leonard Fournette proved that he was ready for the bright lights of college football as he gained 1,034 and he totaled 5.5 yards every time that he toted the rock. At 6’1″, 230 lbs., Fournette is a load and what makes it worse is that he is like a runaway freight train because he possesses tremendous speed. Junior wide receiver Travin Dural has shown flashes of being the next good wide out at LSU and under Miles a breakout season could be on the horizon for him. But the biggest thing that can help LSU’s offense in 2015 is the improvement at the quarterback. Last year the snaps at quarterback were split between Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris. Jennings is now a junior and he does possess the better arm than the sophomore Harris as the LSU offense needs to take the next step.

Defense has always been a staple for LSU under Miles as they were ranked ninth nationally last season and led by junior middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith, you can expect more of the same from the Bayou Bengals in 2015. But it will be a little different for LSU this time around as longtime defensive coordinator John Chavis left to become the defensive coordinator of the Texas A&M Aggies and he has been replaced in Baton Rogue by Kevin Steele.

The road to an SEC West Title in 2015 will be a tough one for LSU as they’ll face some tough road challenges with games against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, South Carolina Gamecocks, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Ole Miss Rebels. But Miles always tends to have one a mentally tough that will be up for the challenge.

15. Georgia Bulldogs

Mark Richt

Since 2001, all that Georgia Bulldogs head football coach Mark Richt has done is win, but he doesn’t get the credit that he truly deserves. In 14 seasons at Georgia, Richt is 136-48 with a pair of Southeastern Conference Championships on his resume. But Georgia has remained in the shadow of other SEC powers like the Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers.

For Richt, he will go with his third different starting quarterback in as many years. Last year quarterback Brice Ramsey saw some mop up duty behind Hutson Mason. But with Mason having graduated, Ramsey will be taking over the reigns now as a sophomore. The past few years have seen the Dawgs develop a powerful running game and you can expect more the same this season from sophomore running back Nick Chubb. Chubb averaged 7.1 yards per carry and he’ll once again be expected to put fear into defenders in the SEC.

In 2014, Georgia had the 17th ranked defense and they’ll return seven starters from that unit including their entire starting secondary as the Dawgs will be led by senior cornerback Devin Bowman.

The month of October will make or break Georgia’s SEC season as they’ll face Alabama, the Tennessee Volunteers, Missouri Tigers, and the Florida Gators.

16. Clemson Tigers

Under head football Dabo Swinney, the Clemson Tigers have not only become one of the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but also in the nation. The Tigers have finished the last four seasons with a least 10 wins and they’ll be back for more in 2015.

Deshaun Watson

The Tigers have seven starters returning on offense. Sophomore Deshaun Watson saw time as a freshman last season and he threw 14 touchdowns to just a pair of interceptions. And entering the 2015 college football season, Watson is on the cusp of really untapping his potential. Also the Tigers have a pair of wide receivers who could garner All-ACC honors. Junior wide receiver Mike Williams along with sophomore wide receiver Artavis Scott are adding to the tradition that Clemson wide receivers have recently created.

The Tigers were tops in the nation last season in total defense, but they will be very green to start the 2015 college football season as they only have three starters coming back from that unit.

From late October to early November, Clemson has a three game stretch with consecutive road games against the Miami Hurricanes and North Carolina State Wolfpack which will be followed by a home affair with the Florida State Seminoles that will go a very long way in determining whether or not that the Tigers can reach the ACC Title Game in 2015.

17. Arkansas Razorbacks

If you want to see physical, smash mouth football, then pay attention to the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Hogs were 26th in the nation in rushing last year under head football coach Bret Bielema and you can expect more of the same if not an increase in their production for 2015. The Razorbacks have four starters returning on their offensive line to block for a pair of running backs that each gained more than 1,100 yards on the ground last season. Senior running Johnathan Williams and junior running back Alex Collins have combined to form the most dominant backfield at Arkansas since the “Hog Wild” days in the mid 2000’s with Casey Dick, Peyton Hillis, Darren McFadden, and Felix Jones. And this current Arkansas offense tends to lean on their opponents for 60 minutes and tests their stamina due to their powerful running game.

Led by three starters on the defensive line and three in the secondary, the Hogs return a total of seven starters from a squad that was tenth in the nation last year in total defense as they have become a stingy team under Bielema.

The Razorbacks will embark on an easy non-conference schedule and they should be force to be reckoned with this season in the SEC West.

18. Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off of just their third season under head football coach Bob Stoops in which they lost five games. The past two times would see the Sooners win at least 12 games in the following year which does leave some optimism for the folks in Norman, Oklahoma as they look to get the bad taste of 2014 out of their mouths.

Semaje Perine

One good thing that the Sooners had going for them in 2014 was that they possessed the 24th ranked offense in the nation which should only improve this season. As a true freshman last year, running back Semaje Perine torched opposing defenses in the Big 12 Conference as he rushed for over 1,700 yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. And as long as Perine remains healthy in 2015, not only will he flirt with rushing for 2,000 yards, but he’ll also hear his name thrown around in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy. Quarterback Trevor Knight didn’t have the 2014 season that most people expected him to have, but Stoops and the Sooners are hopeful that he’s ready to respond as a junior in 2015. What Knight will need to do is to become more comfortable in the pocket and play off of Perine and the Sooners strong running game.

The Sooners return six starters from a defense that was ranked 52nd in the nation last season and as Mike Stoops enters his fourth year as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma, he’ll need to develop a play making defense that can stop some of the top offenses in the Big 12.

The Sooners have a favorable schedule in 2015 which help them contend for the Big 12 Title and also be in the discussion for the national title.

19. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Paul Johnson

After several mediocre seasons in a row under head football coach Paul Johnson, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets rebounded for an 11-win campaign in 2014 that culminated with the school’s first Orange Bowl victory since 1951. The option attack might be a dinosaur to most of the college football world, but for Johnson it is his bread and butter.

Justin Thomas

As a sophomore in 2014, quarterback Justin Thomas led the Yellow Jackets in rushing and he could be in line to do it again in 2015. Thomas is a runner at the quarterback position who harkens back to the days when the likes of Tony Rice and Tommy Frazier were quarterbacks that dominated the option attack. Thomas will be protected by an offensive line that has four returning starters including senior offensive tackles Bryan Chamberlain and Errin Joe.

The Jackets also return eight starters on the defensive side of the football as they look to improve as a unit as they were ranked 81st in the nation last year in total defense.

The Yellow Jackets would love to contend to the title in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but it won’t be easy with road games against the Duke Blue Devils, Clemson Tigers, and Miami Hurricanes, along with a non-conference road affair against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

20. UCLA Bruins

In three years as the head football coach of the UCLA Bruins, Jim Mora has a record of 29-11 and UCLA will begin this season coming off of consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time since 1999. But it will be a little bit tougher for the Bruins to reach the 10-win plateau for a third consecutive year in an improved Pac-12 Conference this season.

Brett Hundley was UCLA’s starting quarterback for the last three years and now he has moved on the National Football League. Junior quarterback Jerry Neuheisel has seen limited action in his first two years at UCLA and now he’ll more than likely be the guy under center this season. Mora doesn’t need Neuheisel to attempt to carry UCLA’s offense as he has plenty of talent around him. All five starters on UCLA’s offensive line from 2014 will return this season as they’ll be opening up gaps for junior tailback Paul Perkins to run through. Perkins gained over 1,500 yards rushing last season and he should get some consideration for the Heisman Trophy in 2015.

Led by junior outside linebacker Myles Jack, UCLA returns eight starters on a very athletic defense that is looking to help the Bruins win their first Pac-12 Championship since 1998.

UCLA’s first three conference games will be against the Arizona State Sun Devils, Stanford Cardinal, and Arizona Wildcats which will give us an idea of how they’ll be able to do in the Pac-12 this season.

21. Auburn Tigers

Gus Malzahn

Under head football coach Gus Malzahn, the Auburn Tigers offense has been “three yards and a cloud of dust”. The Tigers have had one of the nation’s top rushing attacks over the past two years as they will test the stamina of an opponent’s defense. The Tigers will have to re-tool this season at the offensive skill positions as quarterback Nick Marshall, running back Cameron Artis-Payne, and wide receiver Sammie Coates are now pursuing their careers in the National Football League.

Junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson will be running Malzahn’s offense this season. At 6’5″, 240 lbs., Johnson is bigger than Marshall and he has the potential to be a more physical runner. The Tigers will be green in the backfield, but they have three starters returning on the offensive line which could make things a bit easier.

Auburn was 66th in the nation in 2014 for total defense, but you can expect a big improvement from them with Will Muschamp returning as their defensive coordinator. Muschamp spent the last four years as the head football coach of the Florida Gators, but he was also Auburn’s defensive coordinator from 2006-2007 and he can coach defensive football in his sleep. Muschamp will have plenty of experience to work with as the Tigers will return eight starters on defense.

Auburn’s last two conference games of the will be home affairs against the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide and both games will go a long way in determining if the Tigers will win the SEC West.

22. Texas Longhorns

The first season for the Texas Longhorns under head football coach Charlie Strong was a rocky one, but greener pastures to appear to be on the horizon in Austin. Strong spent his first year at Texas weeding out the guys that he felt were not committed to the Longhorns program as he is trying to find the young men that have a passion for the burnt orange that is close to his.

Tyrone Swoopes

In 2014, Strong appeared to have found his quarterback going forward in Tyrone Swoopes. Like the Longhorns program under Strong, Swoopes was up and down as a quarterback in 2014, but he could be a breakout performer as a junior in 2015. Swoopes threw 13 touchdowns to 11 interceptions last season, but he is an athlete that would benefit from the a running game that must improve for Texas. Last season, the Longhorns were 101st in the nation in rushing which is unacceptable in Austin; especially for a program that has a tradition for sending running backs to the National Football League. But Texas will return all five starters on their offensive line from 2014 including a trio of seniors in left tackle Marcus Hutchins, left guard Sedrick Flowers, and center Taylor Doyle.

Strong has made his reputation in college football on the defensive side and you can expect the Longhorns to improve from being the 26th ranked unit defensive last season as they’ll be led by senior cornerback Duke Thomas.

Strong and the Longhorns might not be ready to contend for a national title in 2015, but they are coming.

23. Texas A&M Aggies

Kevin Sumlin

In each of his first three years at the helm in College Station as the head football coach of the Texas A&M Aggies, Kevin Sumlin has seen his win total decrease. And Sumlin is hopeful that he will be able to buck that trend in 2015. The Aggies had five games in which they scored at least 40 points last season, but they also had five games in which they surrendered at least 30 points which won’t get it done in the Southeastern Conference. The Aggies were 104th in total defense last season, but former LSU Tigers defensive coordinator John Chavis will be charged with turning things around. And if you cannot play defense in the Southeastern Conference, the victory float will pass you by.

Aggies sophomore quarterback Kyle Allen can sling the football around and he should be poised for a big year that will include him finding junior wide receiver Josh Reynolds a ton.

The Aggies will begin this season as they’ll take on the Arizona State Sun Devils out of the Pac-12 Conference which should be a tough contest that will prepare them for the riggers of the SEC.

24. Louisville Cardinals

Bobby Petrino

2014 was a year of transition for the Louisville Cardinals football program. It marked the Cardinals first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference and it was also the first season of Bobby Petrino’s second run at Louisville as the head football coach. The Cards would finish in third place in the Atlantic Division of the ACC behind the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers. And the Cards are hopeful that they’ll be able to close the gap on both the Seminoles and the Tigers in 2015.

Petrino loves to throw the football and he’ll be relying on junior quarterback Will Gardner to be the signal caller that’ll get the job done for him this season. And aside from Gardner, for the Cardinals to go where they want to go, junior running back Brandon Radcliff will need to have a big season.

The Cards did have the sixth ranked defense nationally last season which should once again be a big part of their potential success in the ACC.

The Cardinals should be in contention this season in the ACC, but their regular season opener against the Auburn Tigers of the Southeastern Conference will let us know how far that they’ve come under Petrino.

T-25. Central Michigan Chippewas

Slowly but surely the Central Michigan Chippewas were improving under head football coach Dan Enos. But Enos shocked some people when he left Central Michigan to become the offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Enos has been replaced at Central Michigan by John Bonamego and this is the year that they could be ready to once again make some noise in the Mid-American Conference.

Junior quarterback Cooper Rush is coming off of a season in which he passed for 3,157 yards and threw 27 touchdown passes as he’ll be in the discussion to be the Player of the Year in the MAC. Last season as a freshman, Devon Spalding saw limited action for Central Michigan behind running back Thomas Rawls. But with Rawls graduating, Spalding is going to have his time to shine as the Chippewas need the running attack offset the right arm of Rush.

The non-conference schedule for the Chippewas isn’t an easy one as they host the Oklahoma State Cowboys of the Big 12 Conference and they’ll travel to take on the Michigan State Spartans of the Big Ten Conference, but they should be in the discussion to win the MAC for the first time since 2009.

T-25. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Mike Gundy

Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy feels that he has the team in place to avoid a second consecutive up-and-down season. In 2014, the Cowboys began with a record of 5-1 before they lost their next five games only to finish the season on a two-game winning streak. Senior quarterback Daxx Garman showed flashes of mastering Gundy’s wide open offense last season and if he is able to take his game to the next level this year, the folks in Stillwater will be happy in 2015.

Aside from Garman, the Cowboys return seven starters on offense along with eight defensive starters as they look to contend for the Big 12 Championship.

Oklahoma State has road games this year within their conference against Texas and West Virginia along with finishing the season with consecutive home games against Baylor and in-state rival Oklahoma as they look to prove their worth in 2015.

Sources: Sports-reference.com, Cfbstats.com, Nationalchamps.net

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusmail
Facebooktwittergoogle_plus

About the Author:

Leave A Comment