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I feel like we usually do some sort of preseason ranking/playoff prediction thread and I haven't seen anything in that vein yet, so I figured might as well get it started.  Top 10 feels like not enough and top 25 feels like too much (there appear to be a lot of interchangeable teams between 16-30ish this year), so I settled on a top 15.

  1. Texas - call me a homer, I don’t care - I don't see a better or deeper roster in the sport and I think the defense is going to be absolutely dominant this year.  I'd put our playoff odds at around 90%
  2. Ohio State - I don't know if I really believe that they are better than a few of the teams that immediately follow them, but I find more reasons to be questionable about those teams than I do tOSU.  I'd also put their playoff odds at around 90%
  3. Notre Dame - If the QB can play, I really, really like their roster.  They'll be great defensively and should have one of the better running games in the country.  I'll put their playoff odds around 85%
  4. Penn State - on paper, they have an argument for #1, but Drew Allar and James Franklin are going to have to prove it to me before I rank them ahead of any of teams I currently have ahead of them.  However, due to their roster and their schedule, I feel like if I had to bet my life on just one team to make the playoffs this year, I might pick Penn State.  I'll put their playoff odds at 95%.  I'll be stunned if they aren't there (while also laughing my ass off at Allar and Franklin).
  5. Clemson - I'm very high on them this year.  Their defensive front should be one of the nation's best and while I wasn't as high on Klubnik as others were coming in to last season, he really impressed me towards the end of the season (most notably in the game against our Horns in Austin) and he's got some nice weapons to throw to.  Combine that with their easy ACC schedule and I take back what I said about Penn State, I think I'm most sure that Clemson will be in the playoffs this year.  Let’s put their playoff odds at 95.1%.
  6. Alabama - I honestly think getting Ryan Grubb to come reestablish the connection with DeBoer and coordinate the offense may be one of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason and I'm including player acquisitions in that.  The roster is still elite and the combination of DeBoer and Grubb is enough for me to be very high on them coming in to the season.  I'd put their playoff odds around 75%.
  7. Georgia - This is lower than where they are in the major preseason polls, but I cannot comfortably put them ahead of any of the teams listed ahead of them going in to the season.  I am not sold on the QB or offense in general and I think there is a culture problem that is infesting itself into the program.  They are obviously still loaded as they have recruited as well as anyone in the country over the past several years, but I don't see them as one of the favorites coming in to the season.  I'll put their playoff odds at 60%.
  8. LSU - I think their offense is going to be explosive, but they do not have an easy schedule.  I'm mixed on Brian Kelly as well - he did a very good job at Notre Dame, and has done fine at LSU, but his ceiling may be just shy of elite.  Due to their schedule, I'll put their playoff odds at 50.1%.  I think 4 SEC teams will make it and they feel like the most likely fourth team.
  9. Arizona State - I'm very high on them this year.  I really like Dillingham as a head coach and Leavitt showed last year that he can be a really good college QB.  Their schedule is very manageable and they feel like the most obvious choice to win the Big 12.  Because of that, I'll put their playoff odds at 65%.
  10. Oregon - Like Georgia, I'm sure they'll be pretty good, but I'm just not super sold on them this year.  I think Lanning is a very good coach and they obviously have a lot of talent.  I think they'll be in the playoff, but I don't see them as a legitimate threat to win it all (or even win more than 1 playoff game) this year.  I'll put their playoff odds at 65%.
  11. Miami - There are certainly things not to like, but I think they will be boosted by playing in a weak ACC and having a roster that should be able to out-talent most teams on its schedule.  I think Beck will be fine at QB.  It was ridiculous that he was ever talked about as a potential #1 overall draft pick, but I think he is perfectly serviceable to lead that roster to a playoff berth.  Still, I wouldn't be shocked if it all fell apart.  We know they're screwed if they have to rely upon FG kicking to win games.  I'll give them a 55% shot to make the playoff.
  12. Illinois - Maybe I should have stopped at 10 afterall...I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about Illinois other than their coach is a fat fucking retard, their QB is pretty good, their defense is solid and they have a fairly weak schedule.  I'll put their playoff odds at 45%.
  13. Kansas State - I think the Big 12 will get 2 teams into the playoff this year and right now I have K-State slightly ahead of teams like Tech, Iowa State, Baylor, and Utah in that race.  This could all blow up in 8 days when they play Iowa State somewhere overseas, but I reserve my right to change my opinion.  I'll put them around 33.3% to make the playoffs.
  14. South Carolina - They definitely have a shot at being the 4th SEC team in the playoffs.  The QB is special, they've got playmakers on defense, and they ended last season well and should come into the season with a lot of confidence.  Still, the schedule is not easy and they are South Carolina.  I'll put their playoff odds at 25%.
  15. Florida - I think they're more talented than the three teams that proceed them on this list and we're all big fans of the QB.  However, it’s another brutal schedule this year and they haven't had the healthiest fall camp.  I think its far more likely that they are once again ready to move on from Sun Belt Billy at the end of the year than it is that they're planning for the playoffs.  I'll give them a 20% change to make the playoffs.

Other contenders for spots to complete 16-25 in these rankings include:

Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech, SMU, Oklahoma, aggy, Ole Miss, Washington, Louisville, USC, Michigan

 

How do you all see these teams as we begin the 2025 season?

  • Hook 'Em 1

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