College Football Rankings 2017: Projected Top 25 after Week 1

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Bo Scarbrough #9, head coach Nick Saban, and Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate with the Chick-fil-A Kick-Off Game trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 24-7 in their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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Quinton Flowers, QB, South Florida Bulls

TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 2: Quarterback Quinton Flowers #9 of the South Florida Bulls prepares to throw the ball to a receiver during their game against the Stony Brook Sea Wolves at Raymond James Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images) /

18. South Florida Bulls

Ranking coming into Week 1: No. 19

It may not be a prominent job like Texas is, but Charlie Strong has found a new home with South Florida and the way Strong recruited in the southern part of Florida at Louisville, this could be a perfect redemption story for him.

In the second game of the season for the Bulls on Saturday, quarterback Quinton Flowers had over 200 total yards of total offense in USF’s 31-17 victory over Stony Brook. It wasn’t a flawless performance from the Bulls, but it’s another victory for one of the top contenders in the American Atheletic Conference this season.

If Strong and and the Bulls are already a top-20 team before he really gets a chance to recruit in Florida and beyond in the years ahead, USF could be in really good shape even outside of the Power Five conferences.

Houston won the AAC a couple of years ago and earned a Peach Bowl berth where they defeated Florida State. It’s not the playoff, but it’s a huge payday for the university with a ton of exposure.

With time, Charlie Strong might be able to work some magic like he did at Lousiville before the struggles that came at Texas.

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