2018 Preseason College Football Rankings: Post-Championship Poll Predictions
We're only 12 or so hours removed from the national championship game where Alabama beat Georgia 26-23 in overtime. Still, there's no time like the present to look ahead about seven months to the 2018 season.
So, what will the preseason rankings look like next summer? Which teams are sure to be near the top of the preseason polls? Will your team make the cut?
Let's find out.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
2018 Projected Preseason Poll
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Wisconsin
6. Miami
7. Oklahoma
8. Washington
9. Penn State
10. Auburn
11. Michigan State
12. Notre Dame
13. Stanford
14. LSU
15. Michigan
16. USC
17. Virginia Tech
18. Florida State
19. TCU
20. Oklahoma State
21. West Virginia
22. Mississippi State
23. UCF
24. Texas
25. Boise State
Breaking Down the Top 5
Yeah, it's boring to go with the two teams from Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship Game atop next year's rankings, but it's also important to remember that Alabama had the top recruiting class in 2017, per 247Sports, while Georgia had the site's top-ranked recruiting class in 2018.
Suffice to say, reinforcements are on the way for the two teams that were the best in the country this past season.
Alabama will return its starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts, while Georgia returns Jake Fromm. And the Crimson Tide are so stacked after topping every recruiting class between 2014-17, it's hard to keep them out of the top spot.
Expect head coach Nick Saban's reign of dominance to continue.
Because of the talent Georgia will lose on defense, putting it at No. 2 was a closer call, with Clemson and Ohio State looming. But the return of Fromm and the top 2018 recruiting class kept Georgia in the top two.
In quarterback Kelly Bryant, running back Travis Etienne and defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, the Tigers have a strong nucleus to build around in 2018. Clemson's offense will be dynamic, but questions on the defensive side of the ball with a number of NFL departures keep it just below Alabama and Georgia.
Ohio State, meanwhile, has a ton of talent returning, though it will have to adjust to life without quarterback J.T. Barrett. Still, the Buckeyes should have one of the better running games in the country, and defensive star Nick Bosa is worth the price of admission on his own.
Then there's Penn State, one of the more intriguing teams to consider.
On one hand, the Nittany Lions were two razor-thin losses away from a surefire playoff berth and return star quarterback Trace McSorley. On the other, they are losing do-it-all running back Saquon Barkley, wideout DaeSean Hamilton and tight end Mike Gesicki. It's possible the Nittany Lions will lose some major bite on offense next season, especially given the departure of offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, who took over as the head coach of Mississippi State.
Penn State still has a lot of talent, but how it adjusts to its losses from the 2017 season—and how the team fares in future close contests—will define its 2018 season.
Finally, there's Florida State, widely considered one of the top teams coming into this past season. The Seminoles had a rough 2017 campaign, but the loss of quarterback Deondre Francois was a major factor.
Next season will be fascinating for the Seminoles. They'll have a new head coach in Willie Taggart, and there is talent on this roster, namely in running back Cam Akers. If there's one team that could make a major jump next season, it's Florida State.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
