Revised Top 25- Participating Conferences

#1

SNAFU

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#1
Andy Staples
1. Clemson

Whereas several top-flight NFL prospects have opted out of the season, Tigers QB Trevor Lawrence has spearheaded the #WeWantToPlay movement. As long as he’s in, #IWon’tPickAgainstClemson.

2. Alabama

Be very scared, everybody. Quarantine just gave Nick Saban’s team time to sit and stew about its unconscionable two-loss season last year. The Tide are masked up and ready to embark on their 2020 Revenge Tour.

3. Georgia

The Dawgs’ passing game stunk last year, so Kirby Smart snagged both Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman and USC’s JT Daniels. This really, truly could be Georgia’s year. So it’s almost certainly going to get canceled.

4. LSU

I originally had the defending champs lower, what with losing the Heisman winner and two-thirds of last year’s starters. But hey, now everyone’s going to be losing starters for two weeks at a time, and LSU’s backups are better than yours.

5. Oklahoma

Lincoln Riley’s team is the class of the Big 12, and the Big 12 champ is going to make the College Football Playoff by default. The Sooners have already done a better job containing the spread of COVID-19 than they generally do containing the spread.

6. Florida

Do Big Ten and Pac-12 fans still get to accuse me of #SECBias when their own conferences aren’t playing? I admit four in the top six is a bit much, but the Gators did win 11 games last season and bring back QB Kyle Trask.

7. Texas

Texas is back — mostly by process of elimination. Veteran leadership will be more important than ever if there’s a season, and the ’Horns have a great one in fourth-year QB Sam Ehlinger. Also: No LSU game anymore.

8. Texas A&M

Ditto Aggies QB Kellen Mond, though he does admittedly need to work on that whole “being a consistent passer” thing. A year after playing at Clemson and Georgia, A&M instead gets South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

9. Notre Dame

I’ve been using the phrase “fluid situation” a lot lately. Case in point: Two weeks ago, I picked the Irish to finish third in the ACC. Now I’ve got them ninth in the country. By next week, Ian Book will be my first team All-American QB.

10. North Carolina

What an offseason for Mack Brown, whose program has gone from 7-6 Military Bowl champion to trendy early Top 25 team to recruiting juggernaut to — am I really doing this? — preseason Top 10. All hail, Sam Howell.

11. Cincinnati

Forget Power 6, the AAC is now one of the Power 4. The Bearcats have won 11 games each of the past two seasons and bring back the bulk of a very good defense. I look forward to their Peach Bowl date against 6-4 Auburn.

12. UCF

Colleague Chris Vannini sold me on the Knights. QB Dillon Gabriel is a stud with weapons around him. Note: I shudder to think how AD Danny White will react if UCF manages to go undefeated this year and still misses the Playoff.

13. Auburn

I was actually planning to move Auburn down after realizing just how inexperienced the Tigers are in their offensive line and backfield. But now, just having Bo Nix and some great receivers is enough to land in the top half.

14. Memphis

There’s really not much separating the top three AAC teams. Memphis is the returning champ with a veteran QB, Brady White, but it’s Ryan Silverfield’s first year in charge, so I dinged the Tigers just an itty bit.

15. Iowa State

If I’m Iowa State, I’m actually rooting to push this thing to spring, when QB Brock Purdy and his mostly blue-collar band of Cyclones could probably win the Big 12 once OU and Texas lose all their draft prospects.

16. Louisville

I’m so high on Scott Satterfield’s abilities I wouldn’t put it past him to come up with a vaccine by the season opener. The first sign this might be the Cardinals’ year is when the ACC magically took Clemson off their schedule.

17. Miami

I know I might regret this one, but with 40 percent of the field out, suddenly QB D’Eriq King is getting my hopes up, too. Temple grad transfer Quincy Roche becomes even more important now that star DE Gregory Rousseau opted out.

18. Tennessee

The last time I was this optimistic about a Tennessee football season was the year before the year when Butch Jones’ program imploded. The Vols aren’t close to SEC-title ready, but they could mess it up for Georgia or Florida.

19. Appalachian State

Shame on me for leaving the Mountaineers out to this point. App State brings back veteran QB Zac Thomas and eight other starters from its 13-1 squad. It’s a shame we won’t see them face Wisconsin as planned.

20. Kentucky

Mock the SEC East no longer; it’s now a division with four preseason Top 20 teams. Terry Wilson is back after suffering a Week 2 knee injury last year, and we know Mark Stoops’ guys can run the ball and play defense.

21. Baylor

The Bears lost not only Matt Rhule but nine starters from the Big 12’s top scoring defense. Dave Aranda has his work cut out there. But it will be fun to watch veteran QB Charlie Brewer run a blend of coordinator Larry Fedora’s and 2019 LSU’s offense.

22. Pitt

Guys, I’m starting to get a little desperate at this point. Might the Associated Press consider cutting it back to a Top 20 like the good old days? Pitt, though, should have a filthy defense even with star DL Jalen Twyman opting out.

23. Kansas State

I don’t have a great explanation for this one. Chris Klieman just strikes me as a coach who could handle something as daunting as coaching during a pandemic with the steely calm of a fisherman on a Sunday morning.

24. Virginia

I’ve been down on the Cavs primarily because Bryce Perkins was their entire offense the past two seasons, but at this point, I’d be overthinking it to leave out a reigning division champ of one of the three P5 leagues still playing.

25. Louisiana Lafayette

Lo and behold, the door now opens for more Top 25 Sun Belt teams. Billy Napier quietly led the Ragin’ Cajuns to the best season in school history last year and should have another prolific offense behind QB Levi Lewis.
 
#2
#2
So I guess there will be an "Asterisk" that Vols are Top 25. No thanks. Prefer to earn it.
 
#5
#5
Andy Staples
1. Clemson

Whereas several top-flight NFL prospects have opted out of the season, Tigers QB Trevor Lawrence has spearheaded the #WeWantToPlay movement. As long as he’s in, #IWon’tPickAgainstClemson.

2. Alabama

Be very scared, everybody. Quarantine just gave Nick Saban’s team time to sit and stew about its unconscionable two-loss season last year. The Tide are masked up and ready to embark on their 2020 Revenge Tour.

3. Georgia

The Dawgs’ passing game stunk last year, so Kirby Smart snagged both Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman and USC’s JT Daniels. This really, truly could be Georgia’s year. So it’s almost certainly going to get canceled.

4. LSU

I originally had the defending champs lower, what with losing the Heisman winner and two-thirds of last year’s starters. But hey, now everyone’s going to be losing starters for two weeks at a time, and LSU’s backups are better than yours.

5. Oklahoma

Lincoln Riley’s team is the class of the Big 12, and the Big 12 champ is going to make the College Football Playoff by default. The Sooners have already done a better job containing the spread of COVID-19 than they generally do containing the spread.

6. Florida

Do Big Ten and Pac-12 fans still get to accuse me of #SECBias when their own conferences aren’t playing? I admit four in the top six is a bit much, but the Gators did win 11 games last season and bring back QB Kyle Trask.

7. Texas

Texas is back — mostly by process of elimination. Veteran leadership will be more important than ever if there’s a season, and the ’Horns have a great one in fourth-year QB Sam Ehlinger. Also: No LSU game anymore.

8. Texas A&M

Ditto Aggies QB Kellen Mond, though he does admittedly need to work on that whole “being a consistent passer” thing. A year after playing at Clemson and Georgia, A&M instead gets South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

9. Notre Dame

I’ve been using the phrase “fluid situation” a lot lately. Case in point: Two weeks ago, I picked the Irish to finish third in the ACC. Now I’ve got them ninth in the country. By next week, Ian Book will be my first team All-American QB.

10. North Carolina

What an offseason for Mack Brown, whose program has gone from 7-6 Military Bowl champion to trendy early Top 25 team to recruiting juggernaut to — am I really doing this? — preseason Top 10. All hail, Sam Howell.

11. Cincinnati

Forget Power 6, the AAC is now one of the Power 4. The Bearcats have won 11 games each of the past two seasons and bring back the bulk of a very good defense. I look forward to their Peach Bowl date against 6-4 Auburn.

12. UCF

Colleague Chris Vannini sold me on the Knights. QB Dillon Gabriel is a stud with weapons around him. Note: I shudder to think how AD Danny White will react if UCF manages to go undefeated this year and still misses the Playoff.

13. Auburn

I was actually planning to move Auburn down after realizing just how inexperienced the Tigers are in their offensive line and backfield. But now, just having Bo Nix and some great receivers is enough to land in the top half.

14. Memphis

There’s really not much separating the top three AAC teams. Memphis is the returning champ with a veteran QB, Brady White, but it’s Ryan Silverfield’s first year in charge, so I dinged the Tigers just an itty bit.

15. Iowa State

If I’m Iowa State, I’m actually rooting to push this thing to spring, when QB Brock Purdy and his mostly blue-collar band of Cyclones could probably win the Big 12 once OU and Texas lose all their draft prospects.

16. Louisville

I’m so high on Scott Satterfield’s abilities I wouldn’t put it past him to come up with a vaccine by the season opener. The first sign this might be the Cardinals’ year is when the ACC magically took Clemson off their schedule.

17. Miami

I know I might regret this one, but with 40 percent of the field out, suddenly QB D’Eriq King is getting my hopes up, too. Temple grad transfer Quincy Roche becomes even more important now that star DE Gregory Rousseau opted out.

18. Tennessee

The last time I was this optimistic about a Tennessee football season was the year before the year when Butch Jones’ program imploded. The Vols aren’t close to SEC-title ready, but they could mess it up for Georgia or Florida.

19. Appalachian State

Shame on me for leaving the Mountaineers out to this point. App State brings back veteran QB Zac Thomas and eight other starters from its 13-1 squad. It’s a shame we won’t see them face Wisconsin as planned.

20. Kentucky

Mock the SEC East no longer; it’s now a division with four preseason Top 20 teams. Terry Wilson is back after suffering a Week 2 knee injury last year, and we know Mark Stoops’ guys can run the ball and play defense.

21. Baylor

The Bears lost not only Matt Rhule but nine starters from the Big 12’s top scoring defense. Dave Aranda has his work cut out there. But it will be fun to watch veteran QB Charlie Brewer run a blend of coordinator Larry Fedora’s and 2019 LSU’s offense.

22. Pitt

Guys, I’m starting to get a little desperate at this point. Might the Associated Press consider cutting it back to a Top 20 like the good old days? Pitt, though, should have a filthy defense even with star DL Jalen Twyman opting out.

23. Kansas State

I don’t have a great explanation for this one. Chris Klieman just strikes me as a coach who could handle something as daunting as coaching during a pandemic with the steely calm of a fisherman on a Sunday morning.

24. Virginia

I’ve been down on the Cavs primarily because Bryce Perkins was their entire offense the past two seasons, but at this point, I’d be overthinking it to leave out a reigning division champ of one of the three P5 leagues still playing.

25. Louisiana Lafayette

Lo and behold, the door now opens for more Top 25 Sun Belt teams. Billy Napier quietly led the Ragin’ Cajuns to the best season in school history last year and should have another prolific offense behind QB Levi Lewis.

Why have a "rating" system at all? Will mean nothing with the limited teams. Lets see - - - The fall NC is ??? the spring NC is ???? - - - the did not plat NC is ?????. No ratings will create more "talk" and interest by fans who will say we were/are the best!!! A lot like it was way back in the day when I was young. (a long time ago) Back then it was mostly decided by the mid west press guys. Hell' we all knew we were the best "down here" or for our far west folks to them "everyone one was great" cum by yah (or Kumbaya.
 
#8
#8
Why have a "rating" system at all? Will mean nothing with the limited teams. Lets see - - - The fall NC is ??? the spring NC is ???? - - - the did not plat NC is ?????. No ratings will create more "talk" and interest by fans who will say we were/are the best!!! A lot like it was way back in the day when I was young. (a long time ago) Back then it was mostly decided by the mid west press guys. Hell' we all knew we were the best "down here" or for our far west folks to them "everyone one was great" cum by yah (or Kumbaya.

I’m sure the Tuscaloosa Times will crown a National Champion this season that will be claimed by a certain program we know and loathe.
 
#9
#9
Why have a "rating" system at all? Will mean nothing with the limited teams. Lets see - - - The fall NC is ??? the spring NC is ???? - - - the did not plat NC is ?????. No ratings will create more "talk" and interest by fans who will say we were/are the best!!! A lot like it was way back in the day when I was young. (a long time ago) Back then it was mostly decided by the mid west press guys. Hell' we all knew we were the best "down here" or for our far west folks to them "everyone one was great" cum by yah (or Kumbaya.
At this point, I'd just be happy to see Vols play games...don't care if they call them exhibition games...no count games, no rankings games, whatever...
 
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#14
#14
If Alabama ops out of the regular season, will they still qualify for the play-offs?
 
#17
#17
I think we finally see some consistent life in our offense this year. If so we should easily win 7 games imo

Uh, winning 7 this year will be like winning 7 and no other year before. That's a serious accomplishment with what we're going to be facing.
 
#18
#18
Uh, winning 7 this year will be like winning 7 and no other year before. That's a serious accomplishment with what we're going to be facing.
Winning 7 games this year means we lose to Georgia, Florida and Bama. We beat everyone else which imo we should definitely be able to with consistent good QB play. We should be in the game in the 4th quarter last minute against the three I previously said we would lose to as well if we have good QB play.
 

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