The college football season is over, but it’s not too early to take a look at the college football rankings for 2017 and the projected Top 25.
Clemson and Alabama played an absolute classic in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The Tigers won in the final second with a touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to Hunter Renfrow. But will either Clemson or Alabama be at the top of nest year’s college football rankings?
They’ll both be in the running again as will teams like the USC Trojans who had a big win in the Rose Bowl over the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Oklahoma Sooners who get Baker Mayfield back for another season. The Ohio State Buckeyes get their quarterback back as well with J.T. Barrett returning for his final year and Penn State and Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines will look to take the next step.
Clemson will be the defending national champions next year, but they may not be the best team in the ACC with the return of Heisman winner Lamar Jackson at Louisville and Jimbo Fisher’s FLorida State Seminoles looking poised for a title run.
The way-too-early look at the 2017 college football rankings begins with the Boise State Broncos at No. 25.
It’s not often you take a look at a 10-3 season and you say that a team left a lot on the table. One of those teams that can say that is Boise State.
2016 was a season of “what if” and missed opportunities for Boise State, way before. disappointing 31-12 loss to Baylor in the Cactus Bowl. Losses to Wyoming and Air Force kept the Broncos out of the New Year’s Six and even with one loss, they might’ve passed Western Michigan for entry into the Cotton Bowl. However, 2017 is a new season and I fully expect the Broncos to start the 2017 season as on of two top contenders for the “Group of 5” bid into the New Year’s Six.
The 2017 edition of Boise State returns quarterback Brett Rypien but loses running back Jeremy McNichols. The Broncos defense will also have to improve in 2017 as they finished 53rd in total defense in 2016. 2017’s schedule gives the Broncos a chance to right some wrongs and picks up a few key wins out of conference as well. Both Wyoming and Air Force make the trip to the blue turf and games against Washington State, BYU, and Virginia gives Boise State a chance to boost their profile.