College Football Rankings 2015: Predictions for Week 1 NCAA Standings
College football gets underway with a bang in just a few days.
Between Sept. 3 and 7, all AP Top 25 teams will be in action. The highlight of the opening week will be the No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers taking on the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide on Sept. 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Get ready to see two dominant running games in action. Despite the fact that the Badgers lost leading rusher Melvin Gordon to the NFL, the offense that ranked fourth in the nation in rushing will again be tough on the ground.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The offensive line features three upperclassmen led by left tackle Tyler Marz. The issue for Wisconsin will be handling the speed and versatility of Alabama's defense. Junior defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson can wreak havoc on the inside or outside.
The Crimson Tide defense could be one of the best units in years, as every projected starter except sophomore cornerback Tony Brown is an upperclassman, per Ourlads.com. With more dynamic players on both sides of the ball, Alabama will prove to be the better team.
Look for 'Bama to make a major statement with a blowout win to begin the season. Its big win will help it move ahead of the TCU Horned Frogs into No. 2 in the polls.
Here's a prediction for the Top 25 rankings after the Week 1 games.
| 1 | Ohio State (61) |
| 2 | Alabama |
| 3 | TCU |
| 4 | Baylor |
| 5 | Michigan State |
| 6 | Auburn |
| 7 | Oregon |
| 8 | USC |
| 9 | Georgia |
| 10 | Florida State |
| 11 | Notre Dame |
| 12 | Clemson |
| 13 | UCLA |
| 14 | LSU |
| 15 | Arizona State |
| 16 | Georgia Tech |
| 17 | Ole Miss |
| 18 | Arkansas |
| 19 | Oklahoma |
| 20 | Arizona |
| 21 | Boise State |
| 22 | Missouri |
| 23 | Wisconsin |
| 24 | Tennessee |
| 25 | Northwestern |
Northwestern Will Knock Off No. 21 Stanford
Pat Fitzgerald has done a decent job with the Northwestern Wildcats football program. His coaching record is 60-53, but the Wildcats are coming off 5-7 records in two straight seasons. Despite some uncertainty at quarterback, Northwestern is in position to take strides this year. In the video below from BTN.com, Fitzgerald talks about the upcoming season.
The head coach can't afford another season without a bowl game. Tom Dienhart of BTN.com knows this game will be a big one for Northwestern, as it needs as many nonconference wins as possible. He wrote: "Stanford typically is a tough, physical team that doesn’t beat itself. The offense is loaded with vets, while the defense is retooling. This will be a great measuring stick for Northwestern."
Fitzgerald and his players will come out focused in their home opener, and Stanford is a beatable ranked opponent.
The Cardinal lost eight players off their defense from last season. A relatively new cast of players opens the season on the road against a team hungry and desperate for a season-opening win. This is the perfect setup for an upset, and the Wildcats will vault themselves into the Top 25 with a win.
Trevone Boykin's Heisman Trophy Run Begins
Despite the fact that we have the Crimson Tide leapfrogging TCU after Week 1, Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin is going to put on a show on the road against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Minnesota finished 8-4 last season, but its defense won't be able to contain Boykin and the high-powered Horned Frogs offense. TCU averaged 46.5 points per game last season, and it's hard to imagine Minnesota slowing it down or keeping pace.
Boykin will show off his dynamic arm and legs in a game that stays close enough for him to remain in to put up huge numbers.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
