Every College Football Playoff Contender's Biggest Strength and Weakness
As we prepare for the third week of the 2014 college football season, the good and the not-so-good qualities of the contenders for the inaugural College Football Playoff are coming into focus.
With the exception of Cincinnati (which bizarrely won’t start its season until Saturday) every FBS team has played at least one game, giving us a chance to examine its positives and negatives.
Through two weeks, the Associated Press Top 25 poll has shuffled, with five teams in this week’s Top 10 that weren’t there in the preseason poll.
It’s the perfect time to examine each contender’s biggest assets and liabilities. We took a look at the strengths and weaknesses for each of the top 12 teams in this week’s AP Top 25. If your team isn’t listed here, that doesn’t mean your squad isn't a contender. It just means your favorite players have a little bit more work to do (or, in some cases, a loss to overcome) to join the playoff party come December.
12. UCLA
1 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Even after losing first-round NFL draft pick Anthony Barr (who had 23 sacks in 2012 and 2013 combined), the UCLA linebackers are a major strength. Senior Eric Kendricks is a steady force, and sophomore Myles Jack is one of the nation’s best, most versatile all-around players. Last fall, he became the first player ever to win the Pac-12’s defensive and offensive freshman of the year award after piling up 76 tackles and two interceptions. He needs to improve his pass rush but is more than capable of developing into a true star this fall.
Weakness
UCLA has one of the nation’s most dynamic players in junior quarterback Brett Hundley, who led the Bruins in rushing last fall. This year, he has 65 yards on 26 carries, which is partially due to some of the struggles UCLA has endured on the offensive line, particularly in the season opener at Virginia, a closer-than-expected 28-20 win. Sophomore Paul Perkins has 178 yards rushing while averaging 4.6 yards per carry but is not a breakout star. Hundley is great, but he needs more help in the running game.
11. Notre Dame
2 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Even without junior wideout DaVaris Daniels (who remains suspended along with four other players as the university investigates an academic matter) Notre Dame’s passing game has been impressive. Junior quarterback Everett Golson, who returned this fall following an honor-code violation that sidelined him last year, has thrown for 521 yards with five touchdowns against no interceptions, completing 66 percent of his passes.
Sophomore Will Fuller has 13 receptions for 174 yards and two scores, and junior Amir Carlisle has nine receptions for 115 yards and two scores. If Daniels returns this season, the Fighting Irish’s passing game could truly be something special.
Weakness
Junior defensive tackle Sheldon Day and sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith were the only returnees in the Fighting Irish’s defensive front seven under new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, thanks to the NFL departures of Louis Nix III and Stephon Tuitt. Early on, the line has been OK, not great, with five sacks and 12 tackles for loss in two games.
Will its inexperience catch up with it as the season rolls on? Probably not in the next two games against Purdue and Syracuse, but an October stretch of Stanford, North Carolina and Florida State could be quite telling.
10. LSU
3 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Championships are ultimately won in the trenches, and LSU has very talented and deep offensive and defensive lines. The defensive line is a bit stronger of the two, led by senior defensive end Jermauria Rasco and junior end Danielle Hunter. According to NOLA.com's Randy Rosetta, Hunter is even able to slide over to defensive tackle for a different look.
LSU is rotating tackles in and out next to sophomore Christian LaCouture, but it is hard to argue with the line’s overall depth, which is nothing new given the Tigers’ recent defensive history. LSU is coming off a seven-sack night against FCS foe Sam Houston State.
Weakness
The Tigers shut down Wisconsin starting quarterback Tanner McEvoy in the opener but have yet to be truly tested by a talented quarterback. That’ll be a concern as the SEC season rolls on. There are questions in the secondary, where sophomore Tre’Davious White was the only returning starter from a year ago. LSU is also breaking in a pair of new starting safeties, and they’ll be tested this fall.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
9. USC
4 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
USC has only 75 scholarships due to NCAA probation, but the Trojans are deep and talented along the defensive line. Junior end Leonard Williams is a returning All-American and one of the top ends in college football. He has excelled alongside the likes of J.R. Tavai, Claude Pelon and Antwaun Woods in new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox’s 3-4 scheme that will wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks this fall.
Weakness
The Trojans gained attention with last week’s 13-10 win over Stanford, which marked them as an early Pac-12 contender. They have talented offensive pieces with junior wideout Nelson Agholor and junior quarterback Cody Kessler. But Steve Sarkisian’s team has to stay healthy, due to the aforementioned 75-scholarship limit that is a lingering aftereffect of the NCAA probation. A few key injuries could thrust inexperienced players into the spotlight and derail the dream of a College Football Playoff berth.
8. Baylor
5 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Baylor has one of the nation’s best offenses, led by Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Petty, a huge reason why the Bears won their first outright league title in 33 years last fall. But while Petty is impressive, one of the team’s biggest strengths is its run game.
Through two games, Baylor is averaging 263 rushing yards per game (No. 20 nationally) and has eight rushing touchdowns. Even without Petty (who sat with a cracked transverse process in his back), the Bears had no issues with FCS team Northwestern State on Saturday, cruising to a 70-6 win. Petty will start at Buffalo Friday night.
Sophomore Shock Linwood is a powerful, quick runner, and freshman Johnny Jefferson is also impressive. Jefferson is averaging 82 yards per game and Linwood 61. The backfield is deep, too: Silas Nacita, a backup, rushed for 104 yards Saturday and is averaging 62 yards per game.
Weakness
While Petty is an impressive talent, keeping him upright and healthy is a major concern. That means a rebuilt offensive line has to take a step forward. Baylor returned only one starter (junior left tackle Spencer Drango) from 2013, and while Baylor outscored SMU and NW State by a combined total of 115-6, the Mustangs have looked like one of college football’s worst teams. The schedule will get tougher, and the line must be ready to protect the offense’s most talented players.
7. Texas A&M
6 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill has received plenty of attention, and with good reason. He set a program single-game passing yardage record in A&M’s season-opening 52-28 rout of South Carolina and has 794 yards passing with seven touchdowns in two games. But he also has some very impressive receiving targets.
Senior Malcome Kennedy leads the way with 17 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown, and freshmen Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones have combined for 17 receptions for 238 yards and two scores. A&M lost first-round pick Mike Evans to the NFL, but the wideouts haven’t missed a beat.
Weakness
There were questions about the Aggies defense entering the season, and they didn’t exactly inspire confidence in the opener. Lost in the 52-point outburst was the fact that South Carolina quarterback Dylan Thompson threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns, with touchdowns of 46 and 69 yards. Beyond senior cornerback Deshazor Everett, A&M doesn’t have lockdown corners, which could emerge as a concern as the SEC season rolls on.
6. Georgia
7 of 12
Record 1-0
Strength
Georgia has perhaps college football’s best backfield. Junior tailback Todd Gurley is a strong Heisman Trophy candidate, with eye-popping speed, burst and physicality. In the opener against Clemson, Gurley had 198 yards and three rushing touchdowns (including a 51-yard run) and threw in a 100-yard kickoff return score for good measure. He did so against one of the nation’s best defensive lines. Yahoo's Eric Edholm says Gurley is a threat to go in the top half of the first round of next spring's NFL draft.
Behind Gurley, junior Keith Marshall is a speedy counterbalance. He is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season and had only eight yards on six carries against Clemson but has plenty of potential. And freshman Nick Chubb flashed his potential with 70 yards against Clemson, including a powerful 47-yard touchdown run.
Weakness
Last fall, the Bulldogs secondary was a major liability, and that was before safety Josh Harvey-Clemons (Louisville), cornerback Shaq Wiggins (Louisville) and safety Tray Matthews (Auburn) departed in the offseason.
UGA allowed 203 yards to Clemson and its quarterback tandem of Cole Stoudt and Deshaun Watson and intercepted Stoudt, with help from a strong defensive line that consistently pressured the Tigers offense. But to challenge for an SEC title and College Football Playoff berth, Georgia and the secondary, led by senior corner Damian Swann, must show consistent improvement.
5. Auburn
8 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
A year ago, Auburn’s offense, fueled by a strong run game, powered the Tigers’ run to the BCS National Championship Game. This fall is no different. Even after Heisman Trophy finalist Tre Mason’s early NFL departure, the Gus Bus has the running game as a strong, strong option.
Auburn averages 330 yards rushing per game, which ranks No. 10 nationally. Seniors Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant have picked up where Mason left off at tailback. Artis-Payne is averaging 144.5 rushing yards per game with four touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Grant is averaging 88 yards per game and averages an impressive 8.8 yards per carry.
And don’t forget about senior quarterback Nick Marshall, who rushed for 1,068 yards and 12 touchdowns a year ago. This fall, he has 122 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per tote.
Weakness
Last year, Auburn ranked No. 102 nationally in passing yards allowed per game, and the Tigers still have questions in the secondary after losing a pair of starters in cornerback Chris Davis and safety Ryan Smith. Through two weeks, AU has improved to No. 60 nationally, allowing 214.5 yards per game, but neither Arkansas nor San Jose State strikes much fear into opponents through the air.
SJSU quarterback Blake Jurich burned the Tigers secondary for a 75-yard touchdown early last week, but AU did pick him off twice. We’ll likely find out a lot more about the secondary when Auburn travels to Kansas State next Thursday to face off with senior quarterback Jake Waters.
4. Oklahoma
9 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Oklahoma returned 13 starters from last season's 11-2 Sugar Bowl-winning team, but defense was the biggest strength with eight starters returning. And of that group, the biggest strength was at linebacker. Sophomore Dominique Alexander was the Big 12’s Defensive Freshman of the Year a season ago, and junior Eric Striker had 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Even without Frank Shannon, the team’s leading tackler a year ago before being suspended for his role in a sexual assault, the linebacking corps is plenty capable of causing havoc for opponents.
Weakness
While junior Sterling Shepard has been very impressive thus far (12 receptions, 226 yards, two touchdowns), he is the clear No. 1 option, and depth behind him is an issue. Junior Durron Neal has eight receptions for 112 yards, and freshman K.J. Young has six catches for 59 yards in two games. The Sooners need quality options to step forward and show consistency alongside Shepard.
3. Alabama
10 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Alabama has many strengths (its defensive line and wide receivers included), but perhaps its strongest selling point is its backfield.
Junior T.J. Yeldon is one of college football’s most punishing runners. In 30 carries this season, he has 169 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Backup Derrick Henry, a prodigiously talented sophomore, has 136 yards on 22 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per rush. He’d be a starter almost anywhere else in the FBS.
And don’t forget about Kenyan Drake, a speedy change-of-pace back. Alabama has shown it can grind opponents into submission and will do so with its backfield depth again this fall.
Weakness
For the past three years, Alabama fans were spoiled by AJ McCarron, who led the Crimson Tide to two BCS titles and to the brink of a third. Nick Saban has yet to settle on a starting quarterback between senior Blake Sims and junior Jake Coker.
Sims has completed 76.6 percent of his passes for 478 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while Coker has completed 62.5 percent of his throws for one touchdown and no picks. Both have been efficient, but neither have made truly game-changing plays.
According to AL.com's Andrew Gribble, Saban said Coker is progressing.
"I think sometimes people sort of underestimate how important it is for a quarterback to really understand the terminology, understand the offense, feel comfortable with exactly what's expected of him. Also, understanding exactly how other people that you play with are going to run a route or whatever, systematically being able to change plays, being comfortable with the terminology.
He's made a tremendous amount of progress, but I still think there's times when he's a little uncertain exactly about what he's supposed to do.
"
Until Saban picks a quarterback and sticks with him, the adage of “when you have two quarterbacks you really have none” will stick with him.
2. Oregon
11 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Oregon’s biggest strength is junior quarterback Marcus Mariota, its unquestioned leader. Mariota is a top Heisman Trophy candidate, and he showed why Saturday in a 46-27 win over Michigan State in the teams’ much-anticipated Top 10 showdown.
Michigan State held a 27-18 lead, but Mariota keyed the Ducks’ game-ending 28-0 run by scrambling to elude the Spartans’ pass rushing and throwing with accuracy and poise. He finished with 318 passing yards and three scores and contributed 42 rushing yards as well. He is the key to Oregon’s explosive offense, and if he goes down, the Ducks’ playoff hopes go with him.
Weakness
Oregon entered the season with only one returning starter in its secondary, senior cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Ekpre-Olomu is an All-America candidate, but the Ducks secondary has holes. MSU quarterback Connor Cook threw for 343 yards and two touchdowns against it, although Ekpre-Olomu had one of the young season’s most impressive interceptions, making a diving play off a deflected Cook pass. The rest of the unit must rise to his example.
1. Florida State
12 of 12
Record 2-0
Strength
Florida State is strong across the board, but the offensive line might be its biggest strength. The Seminoles returned four starters from the BCS national title team, and experienced backup Austin Barron stepped into the center role. All five starters are seniors, and left tackle Cameron Erving is an All-America candidate.
The line underperformed in the opener against Oklahoma State, as FSU had just 106 rushing yards. FSU is currently No. 97 nationally in third-down conversion percentage. But this line is too good not to be a dominant force the rest of the way and pave the road for another impressive offensive effort by sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston and the rest of the offense.
Weakness
While FSU is one of the nation’s deepest teams overall, punter remains a major concern. Junior Cason Beatty averaged 41.1 yards per punt last season and the Seminoles ranked near the bottom of the ACC in net punting. Beatty has been even worse this fall. FSU is averaging 36.5 yards per boot, ranking No. 117 nationally. FSU coach Jimbo Fisher is aware of the problem but doesn’t really have anyone to push Beatty. Walk-on Jonathan Hernandez is his backup. He said as much to Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel this week.
"Guys, if it was different, I would put somebody else in there. You got any problems at home? Anybody got debt? Everybody got things going on in your life? Why don't you just go erase it?"
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
