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Ridiculously early poll for 2020. The usual contestants for the team that does the least with the most make their appearances...
25. North Carolina (6-6 in 2019)
Could the Tar Heels be the second-best team in the ACC? Freshman QB Sam Howell threw for 38 TDs and just seven interceptions in 2019 and RB Michael Carter is back after a 1,003-yard junior season. LB and leading tackler Chazz Surratt is coming back too after having a breakout season following his mid-career switch from QB. Surratt had 115 tackles and 15 tackles for loss.
24. Tennessee (8-5)
Tennessee managed to rebound from a disastrous start to the 2019 season by winning six straight games to close out the year, including a comeback victory over Indiana in the Gator Bowl, to finish with an 8-5 record. The Vols still have a ways to go to realistically compete with the likes of Georgia and Florida in the SEC East, but it seems like Jeremy Pruitt has his program on the right track. The Vols travel to Oklahoma in Week 2 next season, so that could be an opportunity to make a statement.
23. USC (8-5)
The Trojans will have one of the more interesting quarterback competitions in the country between Kedon Slovis and JT Daniels. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is poised for a monster year after a 77-catch, 1,042-yard performance as a sophomore. Safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Isaiah Pola-Mao return on a defense that will have a new coordinator in 2020 after the firing of Clancy Pendergast. We don’t know who that new coordinator is just yet, however. USC still hasn’t made a hire.
22. Boise State (12-2)
The 2019 Boise State team dealt with a ton of injuries and wasn’t quite as talented as previous Bryan Harsin-led teams but still managed to win 12 games and the Mountain West title. Now with so much talent returning, including quarterback Hank Bachmeier, the Broncos should be the clear favorite to win the conference again and even get back to a New Year’s Six bowl game. The position group dealing with the most losses is the defensive line, including All-American Curtis Weaver. Weaver had 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in 2019.
21. Iowa (10-3)
Never count out the Hawkeyes under coach Kirk Ferentz. But Iowa needs to replace QB Nathan Stanley and, likely, DE AJ Epenesa. DB Jack Koerner and LB Djimon Colbert are back to lead the defense and RB Tyler Goodson is poised to take on a bigger role after rushing for 638 yards and five scores as a freshman. A 2020 return by Holiday Bowl MVP WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette would be a big boost.
20. Memphis (12-2)
While Mike Norvell left for Florida State and Antonio Gibson and Joey Magnifico are off to the NFL, Memphis should still be one of the most-talented Group of Five teams in the country. The school promoted offensive line coach Ryan Silverfield to head coach and he had a strong debut in the Cotton Bowl, a shootout loss to Penn State. Brady White will be back at QB for one final season and he will have stars like Kenneth Gainwell (1,459 rushing yards) and Damonte Coxie (76 catches, 1,276 yards) back with him on offense.
19. Virginia Tech (8-5)
The Hokies scored big with the arrival of former Rutgers RB Raheem Blackshear over the weekend. Blackshear played just four games in 2019 before redshirting ahead of a transfer and in 2018 was the Scarlet Knights’ top rusher with 586 yards and their top receiver with 367 yards. He’ll join QB Hendon Hooker in the backfield after Hooker emerged as Tech’s starter down the stretch in 2019.
18. Utah (10-3)
Utah has won the Pac-12 South the last two seasons and was a Pac-12 title game win over Oregon away from the College Football Playoff. Now the Utes have to replace stars at quarterback and running back in Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss, not to mention three defensive backs who are leaving for the NFL. But Kyle Whittingham has a knack for developing talent, especially on defense. He also brought in graduate transfer quarterback Jake Bentley from South Carolina. The Utes may not compete for a playoff berth, but it’d be shocking if they weren’t in the mix to win the division again.
17. Texas A&M (8-5)
QB Kellen Mond got some good news when leading WR Jhamon Ausbon announced that he was coming back for his senior season. Isaiah Spiller emerged as the team’s leading rusher as a freshman in 2019 with 946 yards and 10 scores and could easily top 1,000 yards in 2020. DL Justin Madubuike and CB Debione Renfro are off to the NFL but the Aggies return their top three tacklers while pass-rusher Tyree Johnson is back for his junior season.
16. Oklahoma State (8-5)
Oklahoma State has one of the top offensive trios in the country. The Cowboys return running back Chuba Hubbard, wide receiver Tylan Wallace and quarterback Spencer Sanders. Hubbard just led the nation with 2,094 rushing yards, Wallace has 139 catches for 2,394 yards and 20 touchdowns combined over the last two seasons and Sanders threw for 2,065 yards and rushed for 628 yards as a freshman. If the Cowboys take another step forward defensively, there’s a chance they could halt a streak of five straight losses to rival Oklahoma.
15. Michigan (9-4)
Michigan’s offense showed signs of significant life in the second half of 2019. How will it carry over into 2020 without QB Shea Patterson? Dylan McCaffrey enters the season as the favorite for the starting gig after backing up McCaffrey. WRs Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell are back along with RB Zach Charbonnet who impressed with 726 yards and 11 TDs as a freshman. DL Aidan Hutchinson will be asked to take another step forward with the departures of Khaleke Hudson and Jordan Glasgow and the return of DE Kwity Paye for his senior season is a great boost.
14. Texas (8-5)
Texas’ win over Georgia in last year’s Sugar Bowl raised expectations exponentially for the Longhorns entering 2019. But maybe 2020 was the year for Texas’ ascension all along. Sam Ehlinger will be back at quarterback for his senior season. Though he loses his top two receivers, UT should be deep at running back and along the offensive line. As it showed in the Alamo Bowl, the defense could be a strength — especially with Joseph Ossai back at linebacker and stud safety Caden Sterns back at 100 percent health.
13. Minnesota (11-2)
A Gopher offense that averaged over 34 points per game could be even better in 2020 with the return of QB Tanner Morgan, RB Mohamed Ibrahim and WR Rashod Bateman. The loss of S Antoine Winfield Jr. to the NFL is big but it was also expected. DBs Jordan Howden and Benjamin St-Juste return on a defense that loses a lot of seniors so it may be up to the offense to pick up the slack on any defensive dropoff from Minnesota’s first 11-win season in a century.
Clemson’s players back include QB Trevor Lawrence, WR Justyn Ross, CB Derion Kendrick and LB Baylon Spector. The Tigers are going to be really, really, really good again
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25. North Carolina (6-6 in 2019)
Could the Tar Heels be the second-best team in the ACC? Freshman QB Sam Howell threw for 38 TDs and just seven interceptions in 2019 and RB Michael Carter is back after a 1,003-yard junior season. LB and leading tackler Chazz Surratt is coming back too after having a breakout season following his mid-career switch from QB. Surratt had 115 tackles and 15 tackles for loss.
24. Tennessee (8-5)
Tennessee managed to rebound from a disastrous start to the 2019 season by winning six straight games to close out the year, including a comeback victory over Indiana in the Gator Bowl, to finish with an 8-5 record. The Vols still have a ways to go to realistically compete with the likes of Georgia and Florida in the SEC East, but it seems like Jeremy Pruitt has his program on the right track. The Vols travel to Oklahoma in Week 2 next season, so that could be an opportunity to make a statement.
23. USC (8-5)
The Trojans will have one of the more interesting quarterback competitions in the country between Kedon Slovis and JT Daniels. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is poised for a monster year after a 77-catch, 1,042-yard performance as a sophomore. Safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Isaiah Pola-Mao return on a defense that will have a new coordinator in 2020 after the firing of Clancy Pendergast. We don’t know who that new coordinator is just yet, however. USC still hasn’t made a hire.
22. Boise State (12-2)
The 2019 Boise State team dealt with a ton of injuries and wasn’t quite as talented as previous Bryan Harsin-led teams but still managed to win 12 games and the Mountain West title. Now with so much talent returning, including quarterback Hank Bachmeier, the Broncos should be the clear favorite to win the conference again and even get back to a New Year’s Six bowl game. The position group dealing with the most losses is the defensive line, including All-American Curtis Weaver. Weaver had 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in 2019.
21. Iowa (10-3)
Never count out the Hawkeyes under coach Kirk Ferentz. But Iowa needs to replace QB Nathan Stanley and, likely, DE AJ Epenesa. DB Jack Koerner and LB Djimon Colbert are back to lead the defense and RB Tyler Goodson is poised to take on a bigger role after rushing for 638 yards and five scores as a freshman. A 2020 return by Holiday Bowl MVP WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette would be a big boost.
20. Memphis (12-2)
While Mike Norvell left for Florida State and Antonio Gibson and Joey Magnifico are off to the NFL, Memphis should still be one of the most-talented Group of Five teams in the country. The school promoted offensive line coach Ryan Silverfield to head coach and he had a strong debut in the Cotton Bowl, a shootout loss to Penn State. Brady White will be back at QB for one final season and he will have stars like Kenneth Gainwell (1,459 rushing yards) and Damonte Coxie (76 catches, 1,276 yards) back with him on offense.
19. Virginia Tech (8-5)
The Hokies scored big with the arrival of former Rutgers RB Raheem Blackshear over the weekend. Blackshear played just four games in 2019 before redshirting ahead of a transfer and in 2018 was the Scarlet Knights’ top rusher with 586 yards and their top receiver with 367 yards. He’ll join QB Hendon Hooker in the backfield after Hooker emerged as Tech’s starter down the stretch in 2019.
18. Utah (10-3)
Utah has won the Pac-12 South the last two seasons and was a Pac-12 title game win over Oregon away from the College Football Playoff. Now the Utes have to replace stars at quarterback and running back in Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss, not to mention three defensive backs who are leaving for the NFL. But Kyle Whittingham has a knack for developing talent, especially on defense. He also brought in graduate transfer quarterback Jake Bentley from South Carolina. The Utes may not compete for a playoff berth, but it’d be shocking if they weren’t in the mix to win the division again.
17. Texas A&M (8-5)
QB Kellen Mond got some good news when leading WR Jhamon Ausbon announced that he was coming back for his senior season. Isaiah Spiller emerged as the team’s leading rusher as a freshman in 2019 with 946 yards and 10 scores and could easily top 1,000 yards in 2020. DL Justin Madubuike and CB Debione Renfro are off to the NFL but the Aggies return their top three tacklers while pass-rusher Tyree Johnson is back for his junior season.
16. Oklahoma State (8-5)
Oklahoma State has one of the top offensive trios in the country. The Cowboys return running back Chuba Hubbard, wide receiver Tylan Wallace and quarterback Spencer Sanders. Hubbard just led the nation with 2,094 rushing yards, Wallace has 139 catches for 2,394 yards and 20 touchdowns combined over the last two seasons and Sanders threw for 2,065 yards and rushed for 628 yards as a freshman. If the Cowboys take another step forward defensively, there’s a chance they could halt a streak of five straight losses to rival Oklahoma.
15. Michigan (9-4)
Michigan’s offense showed signs of significant life in the second half of 2019. How will it carry over into 2020 without QB Shea Patterson? Dylan McCaffrey enters the season as the favorite for the starting gig after backing up McCaffrey. WRs Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell are back along with RB Zach Charbonnet who impressed with 726 yards and 11 TDs as a freshman. DL Aidan Hutchinson will be asked to take another step forward with the departures of Khaleke Hudson and Jordan Glasgow and the return of DE Kwity Paye for his senior season is a great boost.
14. Texas (8-5)
Texas’ win over Georgia in last year’s Sugar Bowl raised expectations exponentially for the Longhorns entering 2019. But maybe 2020 was the year for Texas’ ascension all along. Sam Ehlinger will be back at quarterback for his senior season. Though he loses his top two receivers, UT should be deep at running back and along the offensive line. As it showed in the Alamo Bowl, the defense could be a strength — especially with Joseph Ossai back at linebacker and stud safety Caden Sterns back at 100 percent health.
13. Minnesota (11-2)
A Gopher offense that averaged over 34 points per game could be even better in 2020 with the return of QB Tanner Morgan, RB Mohamed Ibrahim and WR Rashod Bateman. The loss of S Antoine Winfield Jr. to the NFL is big but it was also expected. DBs Jordan Howden and Benjamin St-Juste return on a defense that loses a lot of seniors so it may be up to the offense to pick up the slack on any defensive dropoff from Minnesota’s first 11-win season in a century.
Clemson’s players back include QB Trevor Lawrence, WR Justyn Ross, CB Derion Kendrick and LB Baylon Spector. The Tigers are going to be really, really, really good again
Yahoo Sports' absurdly early 2020 college football preseason top 25
Clemson might have lost Monday night's national title game but they're at No. 1 in our way-too-early rankings.
