College Football Rankings 2018: Alabama, Clemson top way-too-early Top 25

It’s unusual to rank a first-year head coach’s new team so high – especially one that consistently recruits in the bottom half of its conference. However, Dan Mullen built a terrific foundation in Starkville and raised the talent level on the roster by earning an increasing number of commitments from blue-chip prospects while continuing to find hidden gems and developing them into superstars and key contributors.

With legitimate Top 25 talent and one of the most experienced rosters in the SEC, Mullen handed new head coach Joe Moorhead the keys to a contender when he returned to Florida.

Strengths:

Though changing coaching staffs is never a seamless transition, and past starters and contributors may not mesh perfectly with new schemes, the experience returning to Mississippi State is a major reason for optimism for 2018. Nine starters are expected to return on offense and eight on defense, led by quarterback Nick Fitzgerald – one of the most productive players in the SEC when healthy.

Even if Fitzgerald isn’t at 100 percent when the season kicks off, State will have four starters on the offensive and 9 of its 10 top linemen back, as well as every running back that earned a carry in 2017. Two senior receivers from last season are gone, but seven of the team’s top nine targets return.

The Bulldogs are in similarly good shape defensively. Leading tackler Mark McLaurin, who also picked off six passes, leads a group of 12 players to record at least 15 tackles last season while Jeffery Simmons headlines a defensive line that returns each player from last year’s two-deep.

Weaknesses:

In addition to the usual expected bumps that come with a coaching change, Fitzgerald’s health is the most obvious concern. State must also replace its top offensive lineman, the versatile Martinas Rankin, who started at left tackle and backed up at center.