Projecting College Football Preseason Top 25 at the Start of Fall Camp
Take a deep breath, everyone. The offseason is almost over.
Football is coming soon—for some programs, it'll be as early as next week. The start of fall camps is upon us as teams make their final preparations for what should be an exciting second season in the College Football Playoff system.
Several powerhouses will enter fall camp with major position battles still needing resolution, while others will be looking to break in new starters with more practice time. The month of August will answer as many questions as possible before the actual games take place in September.
With camps opening soon, it's a great time to take stock of the top 25 teams in college football and what concerns they have heading into fall practice. This top 25 is based on a mixture of several preseason polls and projections here at Bleacher Report, as well as some of the rankings put out by other national outlets such as Phil Steele, Athlon Sports and Sporting News.
Because it's a preseason poll, there is plenty of room for debating these rankings and the entire concept of sorting out teams before the season officially gets underway. Battle it out with other fans in the comments below.
Also Receiving Votes
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Nebraska
Mike Riley inherited plenty of playmakers at Nebraska and should have a Big Ten West contender on his hands. Reloading the offensive line and improving on defense will be his biggest challenges heading into the season.
Penn State
James Franklin has 15 returning starters at Penn State this year and had one of the nation's top defenses in 2014. Outside of road games against Ohio State and Michigan State, the Nittany Lions have a favorable schedule and plenty of room for improvement on offense.
Texas A&M
The Aggies went just 8-5 last season, but they return a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball and add new defensive coordinator John Chavis. If The Chief can turn around a struggling A&M defense this fall as the offense finds consistency at quarterback, the Aggies will be tough to beat.
Utah
Experience on defense and star running back Devonte Booker should give the rest of the Pac-12 reasons to fear the Utes this fall. Utah also features possibly the best special teams unit in all of college football, which is led by head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Virginia Tech
The offense in Blacksburg should show signs of improvement after a lackluster 2014 season. The strength of the Hokies is once again their defense as they boast one of the nation's most-feared defensive lines and secondaries for 2015.
25. Stanford
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After four straight seasons of double-digit wins, Stanford slumped to an 8-5 record last year under head coach David Shaw. But the Cardinal finished the year with three commanding wins and return plenty of talent on offense for a return to 10 wins.
Senior quarterback Kevin Hogan, who had a strong end to the 2014 season, is surrounded by seven of his top eight receiving targets from last year, several running backs who saw solid carries and four returning starters on a massive offensive line.
Defense is a concern, though, as the Cardinal return just four starters from another strong unit in 2014. If the offense can progress and the defense can continue to develop its defensive starters in fall camp, this team is built to be a contender in the Pac-12 North.
24. Oklahoma State
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Oklahoma State took its licks as a young team last season but finished with a 7-6 record and a victory over Oklahoma in a wild Bedlam Game. This season, the Cowboys have the potential to make some noise in what many view as a top-heavy Big 12.
Sophomore Mason Rudolph looks like the real deal at quarterback for Oklahoma State after coming off the bench to lead the team to back-to-back wins at the end of the 2014 season. OSU also has a veteran defense, led by sack master Emmanuel Ogbah and shutdown cornerback Kevin Peterson.
The Cowboys also appear to have an answer in the running game, an area they have struggled in the last couple of seasons. JUCO transfer Chris Carson is the preseason pick for the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year, and he'll be backed up by an improving Rennie Childs.
23. Boise State
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Once again, Boise State looks like the best team from the "Group of Five" conferences after last year's 12-2 campaign and win over Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Broncos lost starting quarterback Grant Hedrick and running back Jay Ajayi, but they return the remaining nine starters on offense and eight on defense. That's the most returning experience Boise State has had since a 2010 season in which it was a top-five team for most of the year.
With a more experienced depth chart and a head coach entering his second year in charge, Boise State could make another undefeated run through its schedule this fall. The Broncos will need to sort out their biggest problem during fall camp, though, as projected starting quarterback Ryan Finley was arrested in April.
22. Tennessee
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Tennessee is the trendiest pick in the SEC this year, and for good reason. The Volunteers return 18 starters from a 7-6 team that improved game after game last season, and the talent from several high-profile recruiting classes is starting to come together in Knoxville.
Junior quarterback Joshua Dobbs took over the position last season and provided a spark to a struggling offense, and he's joined by sophomore running back Jalen Hurd and veteran groups at wide receiver and the offensive line. Sophomore defensive end Derek Barnett stars on the other side of the ball with senior linebacker Curt Maggitt and junior cornerback Cameron Sutton.
Another year under head coach Butch Jones should help Tennessee, which is Bleacher Report SEC writer Barrett Sallee's pick to win the conference's East Division this year. It remains to be seen if these Volunteers, who are still young in several spots, will be able to make the big breakthrough and finally get some signature wins this year.
21. Wisconsin
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Sure, Wisconsin has a new head coach and must replace the talents of all-world running back Melvin Gordon. But the Badgers are still the top pick to win the Big Ten East and fight for a spot in a major January bowl this season.
Junior running back Corey Clement totaled just shy of 1,000 yards during Gordon's nearly record-breaking 2014 season, and Wisconsin has a monstrous offensive line with a pedigree of paving the way for big rushing numbers. The Badgers return most of their starters—and excellent defensive coordinator Dave Aranda—on a defense that finished No. 4 nationally in yards allowed per game last year.
Finding a more consistent passing attack with senior quarterback Joel Stave will be key this fall. After a season opener against Alabama at AT&T Stadium, the Badgers have an excellent chance to be favorites in the remaining 11 games on their schedule. Don't sleep on Paul Chryst and Wisconsin.
20. LSU
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LSU is a tough team for preseason polls this year—the Tigers have the talent and potential to make a serious run in the SEC West, but last season's 8-5 campaign and the departure of veteran defensive coordinator John Chavis to Texas A&M are reasons for concern.
Les Miles' team returns most of its top skill players from a season ago, including potential Heisman contender Leonard Fournette and receiver combo Travin Dural and Malachi Dupre. On defense, breakout star Kendell Beckwith and veteran safety Jalen Mills anchor a reloading unit under new assistant Kevin Steele.
The biggest issue continues to be quarterback play, and LSU needs to see major improvement during fall camp from Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings after finishing dead last in the SEC's passing charts last season. If the Tigers can turn things around under center, they could shoot up the rankings this season.
19. Georgia Tech
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Paul Johnson's Georgia Tech team is coming off an 11-win 2014 season that featured an ACC Coastal Division title and an Orange Bowl victory over Mississippi State. This year, the Yellow Jackets were picked to repeat as Coastal champions and received the third-most votes to take home the conference title.
Quarterback Justin Thomas is the star to watch for the Yellow Jackets after he excelled as the team's top rusher and leader of a dangerous option attack. Georgia Tech's defense should improve from last season's shaky numbers as it returns eight starters, including senior defensive tackle Adam Gotsis and sophomore defensive end KeShun Freeman.
In fall camp, Georgia Tech must find some answers in the backfield after losing its top four backs from last season. According to Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Johnson said he was "not too worried" about a position that will "take care of itself." Time to see how effective the plug-and-play system works in Atlanta.
18. Arizona
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Rich Rodriguez has his two biggest stars coming back this year at Arizona—sophomore quarterback Anu Solomon and junior linebacker Scooby Wright III, who are determined to lead the Wildcats to another title in an increasingly crowded Pac-12 South.
After a freshman season with ups and downs, Solomon gave coaches "plenty to like in terms of the passing game and [his decision making] this offseason," according to Tucson.com. He has his top playmakers back for 2015 and will be aided by the defense and the return of Wright, who racked up nearly every conceivable national honor last season.
The Wildcats have holes they need to continue to address during fall camp on the offensive line and in the secondary. But with Solomon and Wright leading the way on their respective sides of the ball, Arizona's star power should put it in contention for another division crown.
17. Arkansas
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Arkansas took the title of the team no one wanted to play in the SEC West toward the end of the 2014 season. The Razorbacks now return 15 starters off a dangerous squad that, unlike Tennessee, knocked off a pair of ranked teams last season—in fact, they shut out both LSU and Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks.
Bret Bielema's master plan on offense is nearing completion thanks to a huge, veteran offensive line and a deadly one-two punch of running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins. On defense, Arkansas must replace several standouts on its front seven but returns an experienced secondary and a few potential stars.
Senior quarterback Brandon Allen has one more year to prove the doubters wrong and lead a strong second dimension for this run-heavy scheme. If Arkansas is firing on all cylinders, it's already proved to be a tough team to beat in the SEC West.
16. Oklahoma
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Oklahoma came into 2014 with Big 12 and even national title hopes, but Bob Stoops' team went just 8-5 as the league was taken over by playoff contenders Baylor and TCU. In response, Stoops shuffled his defensive staff and hired new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley.
The new-look Sooners still have plenty of talent—running back Samaje Perine, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, defensive end Charles Tapper and linebacker Eric Striker, to name a few. Most of their starters are back this season, and they figure to be in the hunt for the Big 12 title once November rolls around.
But in order for Oklahoma to become a legitimate contender again, it will need better play from its quarterback position. According to Brandon Chatmon of ESPN.com, Stoops said the race is still wide-open between Baker Mayfield, Trevor Knight and Cody Thomas heading into fall camp. One thing is for sure—it will be hard to run Riley's Air Raid offense and utilize all the talent on offense without improvement at signal-caller.
15. Arizona State
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Arizona State returns a lot of talent from a team that put together the program's second straight 10-win season in 2014. The new offensive faces aren't inexperienced by any stretch, and the defense lost just two starters from an aggressive unit.
Senior quarterback Mike Bercovici stood out in his three starts last season, and fellow senior DJ Foster has moved from running back to wide receiver in order to fill in the gap left by star target Jaelen Strong. A veteran defense that had to replace nine starters from a season ago put together some strong performances and returns mostly intact for 2015.
The Sun Devils must account for Strong's production at wide receiver while breaking in two new starters at offensive tackle. If they can live up to their offensive potential and fill in the small gaps on defense, Arizona State could be in for a huge season.
14. Ole Miss
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Most of the starting Rebels from last season's breakout campaign are back, including a veteran offensive line and several key players from the famed "Land Shark" defense.
Ole Miss has weapons on offense with the return of junior wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who has gone through a rough summer with an arrest and NCAA investigation. On defense, Robert Nkemdiche leads a nasty defensive line that will be assisted by new starting linebacker CJ Johnson and defensive backs Tony Conner, Mike Hilton and Trae Elston.
The big story heading into fall camp—and the one that could determine how high Ole Miss flies this season—is the replacement for veteran quarterback Bo Wallace. Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze wants the Rebels to play faster this season on offense, and the winner of the quarterback battle will be asked to do a lot from the very beginning.
13. UCLA
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Experience is the name of the game for UCLA this season as the Bruins return 18 starters from a season ago. Head coach Jim Mora has put together back-to-back 10-win campaigns in Los Angeles and will have another strong contender again this year.
On offense, the Bruins return every starter except for quarterback Brett Hundley. While Mora hasn't announced his replacement yet, all eyes will continue to be on true freshman Josh Rosen during fall camp. The 5-star early-enrollee looks to be the one to lead an offense that features Pac-12 leading rusher Paul Perkins and a cohesive front five.
Defensively, UCLA needs to replace stars Eric Kendricks and Owamagbe Odighizuwa in order to continue its success into the 2015 season. If Rosen can avoid a rocky start to his promising collegiate career, the Bruins' mounds of experience should help them win plenty of ballgames this year.
12. Georgia
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Georgia is once again the favorite in the SEC East thanks to a star-studded rushing game and a defense with elite talent and potential.
The Bulldogs have star sophomore Nick Chubb, who had an almost historic true-freshman campaign, several former blue-chip backups and four returning starters on the offensive line. Georgia's defense should improve in its second season under coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, especially with a stacked group of pass-rushers and young stars down the middle.
Georgia needs to find some answers in the passing game, though, as Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Greyson Lambert continue the quarterback battle into fall camp. The pieces are there for a huge season in Athens if Mark Richt's team can fill in the gaps quickly and avoid the big letdown losses.
11. Florida State
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With just 11 starters returning from a team that lost in the College Football Playoff semifinal, Florida State knows lots of questions will surround the program heading into the 2015 season.
But this is still the ACC's most talented roster thanks to a long streak of top-five recruiting classes. The Seminoles add Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson to their battle to replace Jameis Winston. Playmakers such as Jalen Ramsey should prevent a major drop-off on defense.
Jimbo Fisher's team has already gone through a rough summer with the dismissal of DeAndre Johnson and the suspension of top running back Dalvin Cook for similar incidents. Without Cook—for the time being—and the presence of four new offensive line starters, the Seminoles could struggle on offense as the defense looks to reload. The talent is great in Tallahassee, but the amount of turnover is even greater.
10. Auburn
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Like Clemson, Auburn has a lot of starters to replace but still received the pick to win its conference during media days.
Junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson is cause for a lot of the Tigers' hype as the second-team All-SEC selection takes over for Nick Marshall this season. The junior has shown signs of excellence in his limited amount of work last season, and he inherits top receiver Duke Williams along with a strong offensive line.
Auburn needs improvement on defense, and it should get that this fall with the return of former defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and star pass-rusher Carl Lawson, who missed all of the 2014 season. Muschamp has plenty of work to do in fall camp with a defense that has veteran leadership but lacks depth in several areas, including the secondary. The potential and problems on the Plains have landed Auburn anywhere from playoff contender to another 8-5 squad this preseason.
9. Clemson
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With so many questions surrounding Florida State, Clemson has taken over the top spot in the ACC. The league's media voted the Tigers as the preseason favorites, thanks in large part to sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson.
When Watson was healthy last season, he was one of the most successful quarterbacks in all of college football with an efficient arm and some reliable rushing. He has his top two receivers in Artavis Scott and Mike Williams back for 2015, and there are plenty of seniors on the line tasked with protecting him.
But Clemson has its own question marks, particularly on a defense that lost eight starters after finishing No. 1 in the nation in yards per game. Even though star offensive coordinator Chad Morris is no longer in Clemson, Watson's presence has lots of people picking Clemson and its new-look defense, which returns key player Shaq Lawson and coordinator Brent Venables.
8. Notre Dame
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Even after a disappointing 8-5 season last year—with all five losses coming within the final six games of the year—Notre Dame is still getting plenty of buzz in 2015 because of the experience it has coming back in South Bend.
Star receiver Will Fuller headlines the returning names on offense, which will have a new quarterback in talented sophomore Malik Zaire. The Irish defense should take some major steps forward this season, when it returns the vast majority of its starters, including star linebacker Jaylon Smith.
If Notre Dame can avoid the injuries, turnovers and special teams woes that plagued it in 2014, it has a solid chance of competing for a playoff spot thanks to a tough schedule. This veteran Irish team should be battle-tested—now it's time to capitalize on the experience with a move back into national title contention.
7. USC
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The hype train has once again pulled into the station at USC after several up-and-down years. The Trojans have experience, talent and, most importantly, depth for a run to the Pac-12 title game and potentially the College Football Playoff.
The experience starts with veteran quarterback Cody Kessler, an extremely efficient signal-caller who should excel again behind an offensive line unit that has six former starters. USC also returns most of its contributors on defense and will be led by former third-team All-American Su'a Cravens, who should have a huge season in his new spot at linebacker.
Issues still remain, though, especially in the skill positions—the Trojans lost their starting running back and three of their top four receivers from a season ago. USC must overcome some question marks on the depth chart and a recent history of underachieving in order to cash in on its big-time potential in 2015.
6. Oregon
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The defending Pac-12 champions and national runners-up are out to prove they are still the team to beat out West, even without Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Oregon has perhaps the best combination of rushing and receivers in the entire country with its top three backs and top five receivers returning from a stunning 2014 campaign. With six starters coming back, the defense has a chance to improve greatly thanks to more depth and stars such as De'Forest Buckner.
Replacing Mariota, though, will be a top concern, especially since highly touted Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams told Ryan Thorburn of the Register-Guard that he would miss the first three days of fall camp. If the Ducks can settle their quarterback situation and improve on defense, they will be strong candidates to return to college football's biggest stage.
5. Michigan State
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Michigan State's returning talent is among some of the best in the country. The Spartans have a strong senior at quarterback, two of college football's best lines and secondary that continues to reload year after year.
Senior Connor Cook has a chance at a huge season behind one of the nation's best centers in Jack Allen and an All-American candidate in junior tackle Jack Conklin. Lawrence Thomas and Shilique Calhoun lead an extremely deep defensive line, while Ed Davis, Darien Harris and RJ Williamson anchor a fearsome back seven.
But the Spartans have some issues standing in their way from title contention—not just the annual matchup with Ohio State for the Big Ten East lead. Michigan State must find new playmakers at running back and wide receiver while replacing two key defensive backs. Still, it's hard to count out a Mark Dantonio team, especially since the program has won at least 11 games in four of the last five seasons.
4. Alabama
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Like several other powerhouses in the SEC, Alabama has to replace several key players—the Crimson Tide only return 11 starters this season. But the gigantic amount of star-studded depth and Nick Saban's track record in Tuscaloosa keep Alabama a contender year after year, and this one is no different.
Physical phenom Derrick Henry has a chance to break out as the No. 1 running back this season as Alabama brings back senior center Ryan Kelly and a freshman All-American at tackle in Cam Robinson. The Tide's defensive line is stacked with stars such as A'Shawn Robinson, while senior Reggie Ragland leads an experienced linebacker group.
Fall camp will feature the conclusion to another big battle for the starting quarterback job—and the race to replace the top three receivers from last year—while Saban will want to see more out of his defensive backs after they finished No. 59 in pass defense. But due to its recruiting prowess and development of NFL-ready talent, Alabama seems to be the most equipped to handle major questions again this year.
3. Baylor
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After winning at least a share of the Big 12 title in back-to-back seasons, Baylor is ready to move forward and claim a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Bears have it all—a veteran coach, experience on both sides of the ball and a ridiculous offense that led the nation in yards and points each of the last two years.
That offensive success will be important as Baylor breaks in a new quarterback in junior Seth Russell. Plugging him into an attack with Shock Linwood, KD Cannon, Corey Coleman and five returning offensive linemen should give him plenty of chances for success. On defense, Baylor has a nasty defensive front led by Shawn Oakman and Andrew Billings.
The Bears need more improvement in pass defense and will have some newcomers across the back seven this season. Those issues can be lessened, though, if Russell can step right into head coach Art Briles' nightmare-inducing offense.
2. TCU
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TCU is the preseason favorite to win it all in the Big 12 and has a lot to look forward to heading into the 2015 season. The breakout offensive system that led to a massive team turnaround in 2014 returns most of its starters, and head coach Gary Patterson is known for putting out quality defense year in and year out.
Senior quarterback Trevone Boykin lit up defenses last season and is the current pick in Vegas to win the Heisman Trophy, according to Odds Shark. The Horned Frogs return their No. 1 rusher and five of their top six receivers from a season ago, along with four starting linemen.
Patterson's defenses are usually stout, and he'll have to replace a majority of his starters in that unit without veteran coordinator Dick Bumpas, who retired this offseason. Linebacker is a big area of concern heading into fall camp, as TCU has little experience in that unit. This season, the offense might have to pull off the rare role of leading the team into national title contention.
1. Ohio State
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The Ohio State Buckeyes should top everyone's preseason polls and lists as they return most of their starters from a national championship team.
The possible answers to the sport's biggest preseason question—who will start at quarterback?—were narrowed down this weekend to J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. The winner of fall camp's massive battle will lead an offense that includes star running back Ezekiel Elliott, four receivers who found the end zone last season, four returning starters on the offensive line and what will be an elite No. 2 quarterback.
Ohio State returns an impressive seven starters on defense and has a couple of questions to sort out on the line and at cornerback heading into the season. Urban Meyer has a complete team with title-winning experience on his hands, and the quest for another title is starting soon.
Justin Ferguson is an on-call college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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