5 College Football Teams on the Rise in 2016 Recruiting Rankings

With the college football season halfway completed, teams across the nation are hoping to close strong in order to build momentum for the final recruiting push before signing day.

So far, a handful of teams have already made statements on the field that are causing top prospects to take notice.

In other cases, powerhouse programs are hoping to solve their issues by chasing recruits who can step in and provide an immediate boost next fall.

Which schools are poised to make a strong push on the recruiting trail in the coming months?

*Teams listed in alphabetical order.

Auburn

David Stephenson/Associated Press

Auburn isn’t having the season most experts envisioned coming into the season.

With only 11 commitments in its 2016 class, Auburn is a school that needs to close strong in order to keep up in the rough and rugged SEC West.

However, Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff have the Tigers in the running for a number of the nation’s elite recruits.

As Rusty Mansell of Dawgs247 notes, the Tigers are trending positively for 5-star wide receiver Kyle Davis—who is scheduled to announce his decision on Friday. 

In addition to Davis, the Tigers are in the running for blue chippers such as 5-star defensive tackles Rashan Gary and Derrick Brown, 5-star linebacker Ben Davis and 4-star defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson.

Malzahn’s staff is littered with elite recruiters, and that should be enough to help the Tigers close strong on signing day.

Florida

While Auburn’s slow start was unexpected, the rise of the Florida Gators was a development few saw coming under first-year head coach Jim McElwain.

The Gators' 6-1 start is already starting to pay dividends on the recruiting trail. 

Florida has 21 commitments and a class that currently rates No. 14 in the nation.

Additionally, it is in the lead group for players such as 5-star defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Shavar Manuel, 5-star linebacker Lyndell Wilson and 5-star receiver Nate Craig-Myers.

Given the strides the Gators have shown on the field under McElwain, expect Florida to climb into the top 10 and maybe even the top five of the rankings by February.

Michigan State

Tony Ding/Associated Press

While Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has posted 11 or more wins in four of the last five years, he’s only brought in two recruiting classes that finished in the top 25 since he arrived in East Lansing back in 2007. 

Coincidentally, those two classes came in the last two years, where the Spartans finished 25th in 2014 and 22nd in last year’s cycle.

This year, the Spartans currently sit at No. 11—with Dantonio and his staff far from being done.

The Spartans are involved with blue-chippers such as 4-star linebacker Daelin Hayes, 4-star athlete George Hill and 4-star receiver Donnie Corley. 

With the Spartans well on their way toward another year with more than 10 wins and potentially competing for a national title, Dantonio figures to land the highest-rated class of his career.

Notre Dame

One of the main reasons Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has had a successful run is because of his ability to lure elite prospects to South Bend.

The Irish are having another strong season and are currently sitting at No. 15 in the 247Sports team rankings.

They are poised to add to their haul as Kelly and his staff appear to be the prime beneficiaries of a pair of recent high-profile decommitments, as noted by Bleacher Report’s Tyler Donohue. 

During last weekend’s win over USC, the Irish hosted former USC pledge and 4-star linebacker Daelin Hayes and former Alabama commit and 4-star defensive end Khalid Kareem. 

Those are just two studs who have a great shot at ending up in Notre Dame’s class—which should continue to surge as signing day approaches.

Oklahoma

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

One powerhouse that has gotten off to a slow start has been the Oklahoma Sooners. 

With only 11 commitments, the Sooners currently have the No. 49 class nationally—which is below fellow Big 12 members such as TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

However, head coach Bob Stoops and his staff are active with a number of stud recruits from the state of Texas—including 4-star receivers Devin Duvernay and Tyrie Cleveland, 4-star defensive tackle Chris Daniels and 4-star running back Devwah Whaley.

Also, the Sooners have recruited the state of California well under Stoops, with three current pledges hailing from the Golden State. They hope to add to that haul with players such as 5-star linebacker Caleb Kelly and 4-star safety Lamar Jackson.

While most powers are nearing full capacity in their 2016 recruiting classes, the Sooners figure to be one of the more active programs in the months leading up to signing day.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani