USA Today way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2020

[Shanemansj13]

For Ohio St, well after last season of course the goal is to go undefeated in conference play and get into the CFP. Ultimate goal: CFP title.

Offense: OL is still going to be beastly, losing WR's but they are loaded
Defense: Young and Okudah as well as Fuller and Harrison hurts but the DL is loaded still and LB's still have talent. DB's seems like the question mark every year bc of guys leaving early. Guys seem to step up every year but Wade will be the star in the seconadary in 2020.

An overall pretty tough schedule but not too bad.

Tough games...
@ Oregon
Iowa
@ Michigan St
@ Penn St
Nebraska
Michigan

 

[Shanemansj13]

Not sure what you mean... In college football, its a 12 game schedule. Before championship games. Yes, I am expecting undefeated, at least until the SECCG.

And Auburn isn't on the schedule. We get Kiffin this year. See prior post.

My fault. ONLY LSU and Georgia being the tough games but that's why I said 11 is expected and anything less is a bad year. You can't expect to go undefeated when Mullen has never proved to win a big game. That schedule is so bad they will have a LSU team with Burrow and Georgia without Fromm. Can't get easier than that but I know better than to say...Mullen can go undefeated. He will screw up somewhere.

 

[Gatorchip]

My fault. ONLY LSU and Georgia being the tough games but that's why I said 11 is expected and anything less is a bad year. You can't expect to go undefeated when Mullen has never proved to win a big game. That schedule is so bad they will have a LSU team with Burrow and Georgia without Fromm. Can't get easier than that but I know better than to say...Mullen can go undefeated. He will screw up somewhere.

I can, and I do! Mullen has to prove it this year.

 

[fredsdeadfriend]

For Ohio St, well after last season of course the goal is to go undefeated in conference play and get into the CFP. Ultimate goal: CFP title.

Offense: OL is still going to be beastly, losing WR's but they are loaded
Defense: Young and Okudah as well as Fuller and Harrison hurts but the DL is loaded still and LB's still have talent. DB's seems like the question mark every year bc of guys leaving early. Guys seem to step up every year but Wade will be the star in the seconadary in 2020.

An overall pretty tough schedule but not too bad.

Tough games...
@ Oregon
Iowa
@ Michigan St
@ Penn St
Nebraska
Michigan

That should be an easy 5 wins, but PSU, in Penn?

 

[gob]

For Ohio St, well after last season of course the goal is to go undefeated in conference play and get into the CFP. Ultimate goal: CFP title.

Offense: OL is still going to be beastly, losing WR's but they are loaded
Defense: Young and Okudah as well as Fuller and Harrison hurts but the DL is loaded still and LB's still have talent. DB's seems like the question mark every year bc of guys leaving early. Guys seem to step up every year but Wade will be the star in the seconadary in 2020.

An overall pretty tough schedule but not too bad.

Tough games...
@ Oregon
Iowa
@ Michigan St
@ Penn St
Nebraska
Michigan

Yep, slight drop off at RB, slight drop off at DL, moderate drop off at DB. Everything else should be better. Those drop offs are all on paper, too. People probably assumed our D-Line would be worse when we were Bosa-less. We could just reload in those groups.

 

[Rolltide94]

Either way, it would be a choke.

Florida doesn't choke against Alabama...choking implies something you were responsible for. The word you were looking for is gagging. The 90's was 20 years ago.

 

[ElTexan]

I don't understand. Please use easier words.

Did you lead with the head too often?

 

[rmilia1]

10 is probably a little high for Iowa considering we dont know how good Petras will be. Id probably have them more towards 13-15 BUT if Petras is good a Top 10 finish is completely feasible

 

[Rolltide94]

So Cal gets in for beating a shitty Illinois team, but Minnesota that destroyed Illinois and beat Auburn in their bowl gets left out? Are they losing every significant player?

 

[kburjr]

Even though Wisconsin is losing Taylor, Cephus and Biadasz on offense and Orr and Baun off defense, don't sleep on them. 9 starters back on defense with also their season starting safety who was injured in their 1st game coming back. The OL is Wisconsin's reload position along with RB. If one of the redshirt fresh tirns out to be 75% of what Taylor was, thats still 1500 yards. QB Jack Coan progressed quite nicely this year but will be pushed by Mertz.

Don't sleep on them.

 

[kburjr]

So Cal gets in for beating a shitty Illinois team, but Minnesota that destroyed Illinois and beat Auburn in their bowl gets left out? Are they losing every significant player?

Hell, damn near the entire team is coming back.

 

[Across The Field]

For Ohio St, well after last season of course the goal is to go undefeated in conference play and get into the CFP. Ultimate goal: CFP title.

Offense: OL is still going to be beastly, losing WR's but they are loaded
Defense: Young and Okudah as well as Fuller and Harrison hurts but the DL is loaded still and LB's still have talent. DB's seems like the question mark every year bc of guys leaving early. Guys seem to step up every year but Wade will be the star in the seconadary in 2020.

An overall pretty tough schedule but not too bad.

Tough games...
@ Oregon
Iowa
@ Michigan St
@ Penn St
Nebraska
Michigan

I think Zach Harrison is going to have a monster year. He actually had better numbers this year than Chase Young did as a true freshman, and that was being the 4th/5th string DE. He's going to be yet another top 5 picks from the OSU DL in a couple of years. The secondary takes hits, but when don't they? We are always loaded. Wade is a beast, and there are other guys who have just been waiting for their chance.

My biggest concern is RB. Dobbins was such a monster, and was a true elite talent at the position. We have some good guys, but none of them are the alpha Dobbins was. I'm hoping we see Teague or Crowley step up and take it over, but there's no way we're gonna get another 2,000 yard/20+TD campaign from any of them. That said, I think the WR group is going to be even better with a full season of Olave and especially Garrett Wilson. It's going to be a scary good receiver group with the TEs included.

 

[Deep Creek]

College football: The way-too-early Top 25 for 2020 season

No. 1 Clemson
No. 2 Alabama
No. 3 Ohio State
No. 4 LSU
No. 5 Oklahoma
No. 6 Oregon
No. 7 Penn State
No. 8 Florida
No. 9 Notre Dame
No. 10 Iowa
No. 11 Georgia
No. 12 Michigan
No. 13 Auburn
No. 14 Texas
No. 15 Memphis
No. 16 Cincinnati
No. 17 Southern California
No. 18 Wisconsin
No. 19 Texas A&M
No. 20 Boise State
No. 21 Iowa State
No. 22 Baylor
No. 23 California
No. 24 Washington
No. 25 North Carolina

Is there a team(s) outside the top 10 that you feel will make the playoffs? If so, who?

 

[gob]

I think Zach Harrison is going to have a monster year. He actually had better numbers this year than Chase Young did as a true freshman, and that was being the 4th/5th string DE. He's going to be yet another top 5 picks from the OSU DL in a couple of years. The secondary takes hits, but when don't they? We are always loaded. Wade is a beast, and there are other guys who have just been waiting for their chance.

My biggest concern is RB. Dobbins was such a monster, and was a true elite talent at the position. We have some good guys, but none of them are the alpha Dobbins was. I'm hoping we see Teague or Crowley step up and take it over, but there's no way we're gonna get another 2,000 yard/20+TD campaign from any of them. That said, I think the WR group is going to be even better with a full season of Olave and especially Garrett Wilson. It's going to be a scary good receiver group with the TEs included.

Our running game (well, RB usage) is probably going to be like 2018, I'd guess. Definitely using multiple backs. Like you said, WR is going to be better. Fields SHOULD be better, so maybe that takes since defensive pressure off the backs.

And yeah, Harrison is going to be a beast.

 

[Gatorchip]

Florida doesn't choke against Alabama...choking implies something you were responsible for. The word you were looking for is gagging. The 90's was 20 years ago.

Let’s not erect a straw man here…

I’m talking about expectations for 2020. My expectations are that UF will be favored in every game this season leading up to the SECCG, unless of course, they start getting major injuries.

This coming season is as easy as it will ever be for Florida to go on a run.

Here is a good piece on how the stars have aligned: For Dan Mullen and the Gators, 2020 is the time to make their move - Read and Reaction

If they fail, then it's a big time choke job IMO. Even if they are the underdog in a SECCG.

 

[gob]

Is there a team(s) outside the top 10 that you feel will make the playoffs? If so, who?

I don't think so

 

[Across The Field]

Our running game (well, RB usage) is probably going to be like 2018, I'd guess. Definitely using multiple backs. Like you said, WR is going to be better. Fields SHOULD be better, so maybe that takes since defensive pressure off the backs.

And yeah, Harrison is going to be a beast.

I hope they get guys like Jaelen Gill involved more next year. He's a playmaker with the ball in his hands, so there should be more touches available. We might not need a true workhorse RB. If we end up with a couple of guys that have 700-800 yards, with Fields getting another 500-600, that'll be more than enough with our passing attack.

 

[Across The Field]

Let’s not erect a straw man here…

I’m talking about expectations for 2020. My expectations are that UF will be favored in every game this season leading up to the SECCG, unless of course, they start getting major injuries.

This coming season is as easy as it will ever be for Florida to go on a run.

Here is a good piece on how the stars have aligned: For Dan Mullen and the Gators, 2020 is the time to make their move - Read and Reaction

If they fail, then it's a big time choke job IMO. Even if they are the underdog in a SECCG.

Not a dig at Florida, they're going to be good, but assuming wins over UGA, LSU, and even at Tennessee are a bit premature. You're riding a 3-game losing streak to UGA, and it's not like they're losing everything, so that's far from a guaranteed W.

 

[Deep Creek]

I don't think so

I don't either. In fact, I'm not sure a couple of those in the top 10 really have a chance to make it.

 

[wingsauce7]

10 is probably a little high for Iowa considering we dont know how good Petras will be. Id probably have them more towards 13-15 BUT if Petras is good a Top 10 finish is completely feasible

With the starters we're losing, not sure why we'd even be top 25 at this point tbh. Must be a KF consistency/respect thing.