Fansided

College Football Rankings: FanSided preseason Top 25

By Andrew Hammond

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Clemson Tigers offensive lineman Mitch Hyatt (75) (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Clemson Tigers offensive lineman Mitch Hyatt (75) (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Ranking the top 25 teams in college football ahead of the season getting underway. Where did your favorite team rank?

Texas is back and then Texas lost to Kansas ending the Charlie Strong era in Austin. Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly blamed everybody and everything for Notre Dame’s 4-8 season. Christian McCaffrey’s 2016 Heisman run went up in smoke and Lamar Jackson’s came alive like Peter Frampton in 1976. Penn State and USC saw historic midseason turnarounds to compete in a classic Rose Bowl. Washington announced their return to the college football world by running to the Pac-12 title and the playoff. Michigan and Ohio State played a classic that saw the Buckeyes enter the playoff and Clemson got up from the mat to slay the dragon that is Alabama.

But that was all last year and last year means next to nothing when it comes to determining the best teams for the 2017 season and who will be among the contenders to vie for a College Football Playoff berth and who will ultimately win it all in January.

Many of the teams that were great last year will be great this year while others that were great last year will be wondering how they fell off so quickly by the end of 2017. Conversely, there will be teams that are ready to make their mark in 2017.

Before we kick anything off, it’s time to debut the preseason FanSided Top 25 for 2017.

PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 27: Quarterback Brett Rypien #4 of the Boise State Broncos drops back to pass during the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl against the Baylor Bears at Chase Field on December 27, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bears defeated the Broncos 31-12. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 27: Quarterback Brett Rypien #4 of the Boise State Broncos drops back to pass during the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl against the Baylor Bears at Chase Field on December 27, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bears defeated the Broncos 31-12. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Boise State Broncos 10-3

Last season, the Boise State Broncos had a golden opportunity to find their way to their second straight New Year’s Six bowl in three seasons and then a 30-28 loss at Wyoming washed all of that away. It’s a new season for the boys who occupy the blue turf of Albertsons Stadium and quarterback Brett Rypien will once again be under center for the Broncos. The Washington native improved in every area on the stat sheet last season but fell short in where it counted the most, an undefeated regular season.

Like it has been the last few seasons, the Mountain West will not be easy of the Broncos as they will have to face top quarterbacks and some tough road trips in the 2017 season. The defense will have to make up for losing their top four tacklers but do gain experience in the secondary with the junior duo of Tyler Horton and Michael Young. Sophomore Cameron Hartsfield should also be a name to watch on the defense this season as they battle it out in the Mountain West.

When it comes to the road to get back to a New Year’s Six bowl, the Broncos have seen the Mountain West catch up to them collectively with multiple teams gunning for them. While Wyoming remains the top gun to take out the Broncos there are still teams who are good enough to knock the Broncos off their perch. An early trip to Washington State will be their first test then they have an October to mid-November schedule that could ruin any New Year’s Six bowl hopes Boise State may have this season. If the Broncos do indeed reach a New Year’s Six bowl then they will have earned it.