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Predicting the 2017 College Football Playoff field

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Deondre Francois (12) attempts s pass against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Deondre Francois (12) attempts s pass against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Even though the season just ended, here’s the way-too-early look at what the 2017 College Football Playoff might look like.

Is it too early to start looking at the 2017 season? Maybe, but college football fans have already started the countdown to kickoff in the fall despite the National Championship Game concluding on Monday night. The Clemson victory is still fresh in the minds of many, but there is some talk about a repeat already.

Do I think the Tigers could join Alabama as one of the few teams to repeat in the past couple of decades? Absolutely, but they will face some stiff competition in their own conference to get back to the College Football Playoff.

Vegas has already released betting odds for next year’s national title favorites, but I’m avoiding those at all costs. Instead, I’m giving you my own opinion on who I believe will make it to the playoff next season based on returning talent, 2016 results and recruiting.

Here are my projected playoff invitees for the 2017 season.

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USC Trojans

Pac-12, Projected Record: 12-1

To finish the 2016 season, there’s little debate that USC was the hottest team in the country. It could be argued that a distinction like that should go to the national champions, but outside of the title game, the Trojans were the one team that took college football by storm.

In fact, the Trojans won their final nine games of 2016 after starting the year 1-3, including a come-from-behind Rose Bowl victory over red-hot Penn State. Although Washington returns Jake Browning to its reigning Pac-12 title team, Sam Darnold and the Trojans are my pick to win the conference.

Darnold isn’t a better quarterback than Browning right now, but he’s quickly rising the ranks into Pac-12 elite. He looked like the quarterback of the future for the Trojans and will lead USC to a 12-1 season, and make no mistake about it, they could very well could go 13-0 with the conference title victory.

Moreover, the Trojans are bringing in Scout.com‘s 14th-ranked recruiting class and had the nation’s 12th-best in 2016. There are a couple major pieces departing, such as JuJu Smith-Schuster and Adoree Jackson, but this team is reloading.

USC will get the No. 4 seed in the playoff, but could the Trojans become the first Pac-12 program to win the four-team bracket?

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