Final Predictions for CFB's Biggest Winners and Losers of 2020 Signing Window

College football coaches and recruiters are working to land key commitments for their programs in the coming weeks. Naturally, some teams will walk away thrilled after national signing day Feb. 5, while others will have to set their sights on the 2021 recruiting cycle.

The signing window can be a chaotic time, especially for programs that are working with brand-new head coaches. Trying to recruit for a school that you just arrived at is an incredible challenge for new coaches, while big names like Alabama's Nick Saban and Clemson's Dabo Swinney have the benefit of well-established connections across their recruiting pipelines.

That being said, a couple of new head coaches could surprise us with big commitments in the coming weeks, while some established coaches will likely disappoint. 

As things stand, let's look at some of the programs that are projected to either be winners or losers at the conclusion of the signing window. 

Winner: Georgia Bulldogs

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Despite not making it to the College Football Playoff, the Georgia Bulldogs have sky-high expectations for the 2020 season. Having one of the best recruiting classes in the nation should help head coach Kirby Smart's team stay competitive in the SEC after it finished No. 5 in the CFP poll.

Losing the likes of quarterback Jake Fromm and running back D'Andre Swift would be tough to overcome for some programs, but the Bulldogs head into national signing day with the third-best recruiting class in the country. If all goes well, that class could get even better in the coming weeks.

Bulldogs fans are keeping their fingers crossed that 5-star Zachary Evans will join the long list of elite running backs to play in Athens. As the No. 1 recruit at his position, he would be the second top-ranked RB to commit to Georgia in the last three years.

Of course, Evans could want to go to a program where he would be a featured back more quickly, but he isn't the only prospect still considering Georgia. No. 1 JUCO corner Nadab Joseph and No. 2 safety Avantae Williams are interested in the Bulldogs. 

With a few more big names at the end of the signing window, the Bulldogs could walk away with the best haul of 2020.

Loser: USC Trojans

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It has been a tumultuous couple of years for the USC Trojans athletic department. Under new athletic director Mike Bohn, who replaced Lynn Swann after his resignation in September, the time is now to start rebuilding the football program.

Unfortunately, that rebuild probably isn't going to happen overnight.

The Trojans are facing an uphill battle with this year's recruiting class. Not only does their 2020 class rank just 61st nationally, but it also ranks 10th in the Pac-12.

Four-star all-purpose back Michael Drennen II is considering USC after a visit in December, as is 3-star tight end Jack Yary, who visited Friday. But there aren't a whole lot of prospects leaning toward the Trojans. 

The uncertainty of Clay Helton's job likely didn't help things. The team went 13-12 over Helton's last two seasons as head coach, and with him likely on the hot seat in 2020, it's unlikely we'll see many big names put on USC hats Feb. 5.

Winner: Florida Gators

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In just two seasons with the Florida Gators, head coach Dan Mullen has brought the program back into the national spotlight. Based on his 2020 recruiting class, the Gators might not be going away anytime soon.

Coming off an 11-2 season that included a 36-28 Orange Bowl win over the Virginia Cavaliers and No. 9 finish in the CFP poll, the Gators boast the eighth-best recruiting class in the nation. That class includes a big-time in-state recruit. Gervon Dexter, a 5-star defensive tackle, signed a letter of intent in December. 

The Gators likely aren't done yet either. The aforementioned Avantae Williams is considering joining Mullen's defense after a visit Friday. 247Sports' crystal ball gives Florida a 92 percent chance of landing him.

Princely Umanmielen is another name to keep a close eye on. The Manor, Texas, native is a 4-star recruit and a top-10 strong-side defensive end. While there doesn't seem to be a clear front-runner to land Umanmielen, an official visit to Gainesville last Friday could help swing things in the program's favor.

Regardless of whether the Gators land any other big-time recruits, Mullen should be fired up with his current haul and his team's outlook in the coming seasons. 

Loser: Washington State Cougars

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The Washington State Cougars have boasted one of the most electric passing offenses under head coach Mike Leach over the past few seasons. Unfortunately, with Leach leaving for Mississippi State and starting quarterback Anthony Gordon heading to the NFL, the Cougars have a lot of questions to answer.

New head coach Nick Rolovich joined the program at an awkward time, with the 2020 recruiting cycle nearing its end and few commitments up in the air this far into the signing window. To make matters worse, Rolovich has to implement a new offense and find a new starting quarterback.

Although Rolovich also uses a pass-heavy system, slight tweaks in terminology and concepts could take time for some of the more tenured players to grasp after getting comfortable with Leach's offense.

It's not likely that many, if any, incoming freshmen will be impact players right away. Washington State's recruiting class is dead last in the Pac-12 and 66th nationally, with zero 4-star or 5-star recruits.

The Cougars don't have a lot of coals in the fire either. Perhaps the only realistic target in the coming weeks is Nusi Malani, a 3-star defensive end who visited the campus Friday.

Don't expect national signing day to come with a lot of fanfare in Pullman this year, but fans can still be excited about the future of the program with a new era beginning under Rolovich. 

Winner: Baylor Bears

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It may not look like it now, but the Baylor Bears have a chance to be one of the surprise winners of national signing day. 

Matt Rhule turned a struggling Baylor program around during his three seasons with the team. However, with Rhule departing to take over as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers, Baylor's future is once again in limbo.

Baylor finished at No. 7 in the CFP poll, going from 1-11 in 2017 to a Big 12 contender with an 11-3 record this past season. A tough 26-14 loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl put a damper on an exciting campaign, and now new head Dave Aranda will try to keep the team from regressing.

While Aranda is trying to flip Raesjon Davis, the top outside linebacker this year, Baylor is scraping to find other names to fill out its 2020 class. The Bears rank dead last in the conference in recruiting, with zero 5-star recruits and only two 4-stars, defensive end James Sylvester and cornerback Jahdae Barron.

Grabbing Davis would obviously be a massive signing for Aranda, and there's a legitimate possibility the Bears could flip him. Aranda was the one heavily recruiting Davis while he was coaching for the Tigers, and that personal relationship could have the 5-star linebacker thinking long and hard about his decision.

Still, even if Davis stays with LSU, there are a couple of promising recruits who are considering Baylor.

The Bears are the favorites to land 4-star dual-threat QB Malik Hornsby, which could turn their recruiting class around. Hornsby will be doing his final visit with Baylor on Friday, which is a good sign that he will make his commitment shortly after that.

If Aranda is able to land at least one or two of Davis, Hornsby and Princely Umanmielen, who is also considering Baylor, the Bears could be one of the biggest winners of the final couple of weeks of the signing window.

Recruiting info courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.