College Football is just around the corner. Here are the teams that could make the most noise this season, with the AP Top 25 programs rankings. Some familiar names make the list, with some new faces hoping to shake up the college football world in 2021.
1. Alabama (13-0 in 2020)
No Mac Jones, Najee Harris, or Devonta Smith? No problem. Alabama simply reloads year after year, and until proven otherwise has earned the right to start the season as the nation’s number 1 ranked program.
Players to watch: John Metchie III (WR), Bryce Young (QB)
2. Clemson (10-2 in 2020)
Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne are now members of the Jaguars, which means the Tigers will have a very different look on offense in 2021. Nevertheless, Dabo has brought in another top recruiting class, and Clemson won’t have a hard time finding playmakers to step in and take over the load left by the departure of Travis and Trevor.
Players to watch: D.J. Uiagalelei (QB), Justyn Ross (WR)
3. Oklahoma (9-2 in 2020)
Oklahoma had a rough start to the 2020 season before rattling off 8 consecutive wins including victories in the Big 12 Championship and Cotton Bowl. The much maligned OU defense should take a step forward this year, and Lincoln Riley’s offense as always will be one of the more explosive units in the country.
Player to watch: Spencer Rattler (QB)
4. Georgia (8-2 in 2020)
Is this the year the Bulldogs finally solve the puzzle that is Alabama? Fans certainly hope so. Georgia returns several stars on the offensive side of the ball and will have one of the more potent running back duos in the nation in White & Cook in the backfield.
Players to watch: Zamir White (RB), James Cook (RB)
5. Iowa State (9-3 in 2020)
Iowa State fans are as excited about this season as they’ve ever been in program history. Several returning players on offense and a top 10 finish in 2020 have expectations sky high in Ames. Sprinkle in an early season clash with rival Iowa University and the hype train could be in full force by mid September.
Players to watch: Brock Purdy (QB), Breece Hall (RB)
6. Ohio State (7-1 in 2020)
No Justin Fields under centre has some wondering whether Ohio State’s days of dominating the Big 10 could be coming to an end this year. Luckily for the Buckeyes, they’ve got one of the better offensive lines in the NCAA at their disposal and a talented group of wide receivers. That uncertainty at quarterback will be short-lived as the much hyped prospect Quinn Ewers will be taking over signal calling duties sooner rather than later in Columbus.
Player to watch: Thayer Munford (OT)
7. Texas A&M (9-1 in 2020)
Texas A&M reportedly wasn’t thrilled with the notion of rival Texas joining the SEC in the near future. And with the departures of longtime starter Kellen Mond, Jimbo Fisher will have some interesting positional battles going on in camp. Luckily they return two solid RB’s in Spiller and Achane for 2021.
Players to watch: Isaiah Spiller (RB), Devon Achane (RB)
8. Cincinnati (9-1 in 2020)
Cincy saw a potentially undefeated season go down the drain in the Peach Bowl on a last second field goal vs. Georgia. However the Bearcats return a talented lineup to the field, especially on the offensive side of the ball. With a new DC on defense, it will be interesting to see how the Cincinnati defense fares out of the gates in the early going.
Player to watch: Desmond Ridder (QB)
9. Oregon (4-3 in 2020)
The 2020 season for Oregon (and much of the remaining Pac 12 members) was a mess from start to finish, so it’s hard to put much emphasis on any game film from last year. With the return of several players who sat out due to COVID concerns, the Ducks look to be (on paper) a much improved team that could cause problems for the competition. Especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Players to watch: Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE), Verone McKinley III (S)
10. Iowa (6-2 in 2020)
It’s not often that the Hawkeyes find themselves as “second fiddle” in the state of Iowa, but at least in the preseason, most of the attention seems to be focused on their cross state rivals the Cyclones. Iowa should have a balanced team in 2021 with several returning players on offense and defensive end Zach VanValkenburg leading the charge on defense.
Player to watch: Zach VanValkenburg (DE)
11. LSU (5-5 in 2020)
Losing Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson (amongst others) was too tall a task for the Tigers to overcome in 2020. Expect there to be a QB battle in camp right up to the last minute before LSU names a starter for 2021. Luckily, both the offensive and defensive lines appear to be in good shape heading into the season and will likely be a huge factor in the team’s title hopes.
Player to watch: Derek Stingley Jr (CB)
12. Miami (8-3 in 2020)
The million dollar question surrounding Miami this season is whether QB D’Eriq King can make a healthy return to the field after tearing his ACL last year. You never like to pin any team’s season on one player, but in this case that’s precisely what we’re doing. As King goes, so do the Hurricanes in 2021.
Player to watch: Will Mallory (TE)
13. Notre Dame (10-2 in 2020)
At a certain point we have to say “we’ve seen this movie before” when it comes to teams. Is this the year the Irish finally exorcise their postseason demons? Or is it going to be more of the same in South Bend? Without Ian Book under centre anymore there will certainly be some question marks heading into the season, but as always, Notre Dame has a promising blend of new recruits and returning veterans taking the field in 2021.
Players to watch: Kyle Hamilton (S), Jarrett Patterson (C)
14. North Carolina (8-4 in 2020)
QB Sam Howell is back for his junior season and is one of the preseason favourites to win the Heisman. On the defensive side of the ball, it appears as though the Tar Heels will be returning 10 starters, making it one of the most experienced units in the nation.
Player to watch: Sam Howell (QB)
15. Wisconsin (4-3 in 2020)
Add Wisconsin to the list of teams dramatically affected by COVID in 2020. They started out looking like world beaters before struggling mightily to find pay dirt in their 3 losses as COVID outbreaks sidelined many of the Badgers stars down the stretch. As always, Wisconsin should have a stout defense, however their offense lacks a true star and will likely have to score “by committee” if the Badgers hope to qualify for a bowl game this year.
Player to watch: Keeanu Benton (DL)
16. Indiana (6-2 in 2020)
Indiana was one of the pleasant surprises of 2020. A healthy QB in Michael Penix is paramount to the Hoosiers success this season. A solid linebacking group should help make the Hoosiers one of the better defenses against the run this season.
Player to watch: Ty Fryfogle (WR)
17. Florida (8-4 in 2020)
Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts are gone, which could prove troublesome for the Gators if they aren’t able to shore up their defense in 2021. Florida found itself in more than its fair share of track meets owing to a leaky defensive unit down the homestretch last season. If they aren’t able to turn things around in the early going, this could be as high as Florida reaches on the AP top 25 list.
Player to watch: Kaiir Elam (CB)
18. Texas (7-3 in 2020)
As always, Texas enters the college football season with a huge amount of hype behind them. Not only are they (along with Red River rivals Oklahoma) making the jump to the SEC in the coming years, but new head coach Steve Sarkisian is now in the mix and looking to return UT to its past glory days. Lots of positional battles up for grabs especially with a new coaching staff in place.
Player to watch: DeMarvion Overshown (LB)
19. Coastal Carolina (11-1 in 2020)
The Chanticleers are hoping to take the next step forward with their program and qualify for a high profile bowl game in 2021. Several returning starters mean that Coastal Carolina will have a solid base to build off this year, and hope to touch the double digit win total they posted in 2020.
Player to watch: Isaiah Likely (TE)
20. Ole Miss (5-5 in 2020)
Lane Kiffin will have the Ole Miss offense ready to roll in 2021. The question is whether the same can be said about the Rebels defense. And when you’re playing in the buzzsaw that is the SEC, questions about your defensive prowess are never a good thing.
Players to watch: Matt Corral (QB), Jerrion Ealy (RB)
21. Penn State (4-5 in 2020)
2020 was a year to forget for Penn State. A litany of factors played into the Lions 0-5 start to the year, but a strong finish, along with the return of several key players, has given fans reason to be optimistic. Questions surrounding some of their Big 10 rivals also could play into how far the Happy Valley faithful can go this year.
Players to watch: Rasheed Walker (OT), Jesse Luketa (LB)
22. Washington (3-1 in 2020)
Washington has a relatively small sample size to go off of from 2020. The Huskies return several key players on both sides of the ball, however their secondary is relatively inexperienced. The Huskies will hope that their ability to collapse the pocket and pressure opposing QBs will be enough to compensate for this in 2021.
Player to watch: Zion Tupuola-Fetui (DE)
23. Arizona State (2-2 in 2020)
Top tackler Evan Fields is back on defense, and the offense looks ready to roll for the Sun Devils. Although they only played 4 games last season, Arizona State piled up the rushing yards and will look to have one of the more explosive offenses in the PAC 12 this season.
Players to watch: Dohnovan West (G), Jayden Daniels (QB)
24. USC (5-1 in 2020)
Like the rest of the PAC 12, USC has a small sample size to evaluate from last season. Perhaps that’s why we see so much love given to the conference in the early season voting. The Trojans will be a balanced team, returning multiple starters on both sides of the ball in 2021. USC could have a few players who hear their names called on draft day in 2022 if they continue their on field progression.
Players to watch: Drake Jackson (LB), Drake London (WR)
25. Louisiana (10-1 in 2020)
The Ragin’ Cajuns are for real. Another impressive season in the books where they eclipsed double digit wins, and suddenly Louisiana is looking like a dangerous matchup for opposing teams this year. A strong secondary and offensive line could help Louisiana punch its ticket to a meaningful bowl game this winter.
Player to watch: Mekhi Garner (CB)
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner