ESPN's Top 25 Potential CFB Playoff Teams

[iowajerms]

From May 27-July 3, Insider's college football experts will preview the season for the 25 teams with the best chance to make the inaugural College Football Playoff, based off of Brian Fremeau's post-spring projections. This is the landing page for all entries.

Top 25 potential CFB playoff teams

25. Washington Huskies
After losing a ton of talent, can Huskies overtake Oregon in Pac-12?

24. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame faces a tough slate again in 2014.

23. Arizona State Sun Devils
The Sun Devils have talent on offense, but can their defense hold up in the Pac-12?

22. Clemson Tigers
Some are calling it a transition year, but team is not buying it.

21. USC Trojans
The top-end talent to make a run is there. The depth might not be.

20. Michigan Wolverines
Brady Hoke will need to sort out his QB and O-line situations to avoid hot-seat chatter.

19. Auburn Tigers
Offense could be even better in 2014, but a spotty D could derail the Tigers' hopes.

18. UCLA Bruins
QB Brett Hundley is a star, but will need to play better against top competition.

17. Kansas State Wildcats
Wildcats bring back some key players, but playoff hopes still a long shot.

16. Missouri Tigers
A breakthrough from QB Maty Mauk might not be enough to overcome defensive losses.

15. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Roster turnover and a difficult schedule will make a playoff push difficult.

14. Georgia Bulldogs
An inexperienced secondary could be the Bulldogs' downfall.

13. Louisville Cardinals
Louisville must overcome a young QB and only four returning starters on D.

12. Baylor Bears
Is defense strong enough to lead Baylor into the playoff?

11. Wisconsin Badgers
With a strong rushing attack and easy schedule, Wisconsin should be in playoff hunt.

10. Iowa Hawkeyes
An easy schedule and improved QB play could lead Iowa to playoff.

9. LSU Tigers
Inexperience at the offensive skill positions could cost LSU a shot at the playoff.

8. Michigan State Spartans
Tough nonconference schedule and great D could boost Sparty to playoff berth.

7. South Carolina Gamecocks
Mike Davis could hold key to South Carolina's playoff hopes.

6. Stanford Cardinal
A strong defense and O-line should have Stanford in playoff hunt.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes
A strong D-line and Braxton Miller give Ohio State a good playoff chance.

4. Oregon Ducks
With Marcus Mariota returning, Ducks have strong playoff shot.

3. Oklahoma Sooners
An easy schedule and emergence of Trevor Knight make OU a contender.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide have extremely talented team capable of making a run.

1. Florida State Seminoles
With Jameis Winston and a talented D, Seminoles should make playoff.

ESPN Insider: College Football - Previewing the top 25 teams most likely to make the playoff - ESPN

 

[iowajerms]

I am surprised Wisconsin is under Iowa. I would have Nebraska over Michigan. With Notre Dame's schedule, I don't see how they made this list.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Isn't this basically a pre-season top 25 poll?

Hardly any of those teams have a real shot at the playoff. ND? Clemson? Kansas State? My own Gamecocks? No, no, no, and hell no.

 

[iowajerms]

Isn't this basically a pre-season top 25 poll?

Hardly any of those teams have a real shot at the playoff. ND? Clemson? Kansas State? My own Gamecocks? No, no, no, and hell no.

I would be shocked if Iowa is Top 10 in preseason. Basically, top 5 are conference winners. After that, it is basically teams that are set up best to be conference champs.

 

[Olyduck]

I am surprised Wisconsin is under Iowa. I would have Nebraska over Michigan. With Notre Dame's schedule, I don't see how they made this list.

Iowa ahead of wisconsin due to schedule most likely

 

[rmilia1]

Honstly it looks OK. I wouldnt have MSU that high or LSU that high but otherwise not bad. Id probably have Wisconsin ahead of Iowa but maybe not since the Badgers have to play LSU and at Iowa.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

Most likely teams to win the playoffs:

1. Nebraska

 

[WB1214]

If Pruitt can get our defense together, we got a chance to sneak in. If we can stay healthy, of course. I think Mason will be fine with the weapons around him

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

If Pruitt can get our defense together, we got a chance to sneak in. If we can stay healthy, of course. I think Mason will be fine with the weapons around him

Perhaps.

But an inexperienced secondary could be the Bulldogs' downfall.

 

[WB1214]

Most likely will be haha

 

[bamabear82]

Most likely will be haha

Bama's secondary was the weak link last season and it showed, I had the shits from like week 3 til about a week after the Sugar Bowl.

 

[WB1214]

Bama's secondary was the weak link last season and it showed, I had the shits from like week 3 til about a week after the Sugar Bowl.

Really though, the big departures finally caught up to you guys last year. Games like the A&M one last year just don't happen to that defense.. Evans was unstoppable

 

[bamabear82]

Really though, the big departures finally caught up to you guys last year. Games like the A&M one last year just don't happen to that defense.. Evans was unstoppable

They had flashes of looking like a Saban D then other times they looked lost out there. I'm optimistic things will be better this season. The combo of the talent coming back, new talent coming in and Smart being moved back to coach to the secondary should only help things. The players have already been talking about how different it is have Smart back there again than it was with Coach Brown last season. Didn't hurt my feeling in the least to see Brown hit the road lol.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

Bama's secondary was the weak link last season and it showed, I had the shits from like week 3 til about a week after the Sugar Bowl.

Luckily this year Crimson Tide have extremely talented team capable of making a run.

 

[bamabear82]

Luckily this year Crimson Tide have extremely talented team capable of making a run.

That's what I hear.

 

[WB1214]

They had flashes of looking like a Saban D then other times they looked lost out there. I'm optimistic things will be better this season. The combo of the talent coming back, new talent coming in and Smart being moved back to coach to the secondary should only help things. The players have already been talking about how different it is have Smart back there again than it was with Coach Brown last season. Didn't hurt my feeling in the least to see Brown hit the road lol.

Smart is a helluva coach, so I'm sure they are happy to have him back there again lol.

And you sound like I do with Grantham leaving, I was so happy lol

 

[Acrux]

3. Oklahoma Sooners
An easy schedule and emergence of Trevor Knight make OU a contender.

I thought this was a bad thing to have according to the committee? Disclaimer.. no i didn't even look to see whom they play and where... but it sounds easy already.

 

[WhiteMamba]

9 conference games is sufficient to qualify as a difficult road to undefeated.

Big12 or any other conference.

 

[WhiteMamba]

^^^ especially when your name is Oklahoma and everyone in conference already can't stand you and wants to beat you more than any other conference foe.

 

[Codaxx]

^^^ especially when your name is Oklahoma and everyone in conference already can't stand you and wants to beat you more than any other conference foe.

-
Schedule is favorable in the Big 12. Baylor, KSU, and Ok State all go to Norman. Only real away game that could catch the Sooners is vs TCU. OOC is Tenn, La Tech, and Tulsa. Does not seem to me to be a real easy schedule.