The 2019 college football season may seem like light years away, but what could the AP Top 25 look like when it all returns in late August?
Another college football season has come and passed and that means it’s time to look ahead to the 2019 campaign following yet another rematch in the national title game between Alabama and Clemson.
It’s only right that we consider those two heavyweights the early favorites for the 2019 national title, but who will be following them in the preseason AP Top 25?
Some teams stood out during bowl season such as the Florida Gators who stomped Michigan, 41-15. No one gave the Gators much of a shot to score on the stingy Michigan defense, but Dan Mullen showed just how much difference a year can make. Also in the SEC, LSU looked to be a legitimate national title contender, beating undefeated UCF, while Georgia struggled against Texas.
Speaking of Texas, are the Longhorns back? It sure looked that way in their victory over the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl, but Tom Herman needs a solid follow-up season. Sam Ehlinger sure things the Longhorns are back.
Ohio State, too, looked great in a bowl win over Washington, but the Buckeyes will have to move forward without Urban Meyer who has stepped down. Will anyone be able to step up and beat the Ryan Day-led Buckeyes in 2019?
The 2019 season is shaping up to be an exciting one. What could the AP Top 25 look like when the 2019 season begins?
- Notable returners: Brian Lewerke, Cody White, Raequan Williams, Josiah Scott, David Dowell, Kenny Willekes, Joe Bachie
- Notable departures: LJ Scott, Felton Davis III, Justin Layne, Khari Willis, Andrew Dowell
- Coaching change: None
Call me crazy, but Michigan State is a competent offense away from competing for a Big Ten title. Don’t believe me? All you have to do is look at the numbers. Heading into each fourth quarter of the Spartans’ six losses in 2017, the game was within a score or tied. Heck, the Spartans even held a lead heading into the fourth against Oregon, Arizona State and Nebraska.
Michigan State’s offense ranked 126th in the country in terms of scoring and that’s not something that’s going to win many games. It’s actually a miracle the Spartans won seven, but that’s just how good the defense was.
In fact, Michigan State’s defense was arguably the best in the Big Ten all season long, holding high-scoring offenses such as Ohio State, Oregon and Michigan in check.
Let’s say the Spartans return to 2017 form on offense and Brian Lewerke returns to his healthy self and Mark Dantonio makes the necessary changes, you will see one of the most complete teams in the country and an under-the-radar contender to start the year.
- Notable returners: Jamal Custis, Moe Neal, Sean Riley, Nykeim Johnson, Taj Harris, Evan Foster, Alton Robinson, Kendall Coleman, Andre Cisco
- Notable departures: Eric Dungey, Dontae Strickland, Ryan Guthrie, Kielan Whitner
- Coaching change: None
Dino Babers has worked wonders with Syracuse in just a short time with the program and he’s bringing back some solid talent on both sides of the ball as well as some transfers.
Jamal Custis and Moe Neal return, but the loss of Eric Dungey will be a tough one. If he was returning in 2019, we could be talking about a Syracuse team in the top 15 and approaching the top 10 range. Unfortunately, Dungey is gone, leaving soon-to-be sophomore Tommy Devito to run the show in 2019.
The Orange are bringing in the No. 59 recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports, and just the 13th-best in the ACC.
A couple of guys who could have an immediate impact for the Orange who weren’t major contributors, because of the transfer rule, in 2018 are former Michigan State receiver Trishton Jackson and former Oklahoma running back Abdul Adams.
This team could make some noise yet again in the ACC.
- Key returners: Alex Hornibrook, Jonathan Taylor, A.J. Taylor, Danny Davis, Zack Baun, Scott Nelson
- Key departures: T.J. Edwards, David Edwards, Andrew Van Ginkel, Ryan Connelly
- Coaching change: None
For Wisconsin, an 8-5 season is nothing more than a disappointment. It was one of those seasons that a Big Ten West title would have been considered a lock. Iowa was slightly above average, Northwestern was in that same boat and Wisconsin still couldn’t win the division.
Alex Hornibrook had a tough year which concluded with concussion issues which held him out of the bowl game and there’s a chance he could find himself in a serious quarterback battle with incoming freshman Graham Mertz in 2019. The talented incoming quarterback is ranked the No. 102 overall recruit and fourth-best pro-style quarterback in the class, per 247Sports.
Paul Chryst’s team will be right up there with Northwestern, Iowa and even Nebraska next season as Big Ten West a serious Big Ten West contender.
The Badgers are also returning one of the best running backs in college football in Jonathan Taylor who just rushed for 2,194 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore. He could be a serious Heisman contender as long as the Badgers return to 10-plus win form.
- Key returners: Isaiah Bowser, Ben Skowronek, Cameron Green, Blake Gallagher, Paddy Fisher, Joe Gaziano, J.R. Pace
- Key departures: Clayton Thorson, Flynn Nagel, Nate Hall, Jordan Thompson
- Coaching change: None
Garnering NFL interest isn’t the worst thing Pat Fitzgerald has done, but who’s really surprised after a 9-5 season and yet another expectation-exceeding season. The Wildcats won their first-ever Big Ten West title but came three touchdowns short of upsetting Ohio State for the conference crown.
It was a trying year for the Wildcats, especially with Clayton Thorson coming off a major knee injury and rehab and Jeremy Larkin retiring, but they still finished with nine wins.
Fitzgerald will likely be staying with his alma mater, so fans won’t have to worry, but he’ll have a big position to fill as Thorson is graduating. Luckily, he landed former five-star and Clemson quarterback transfer Hunter Johnson right before the season started and the hype surrounding him will be immense. He’ll fit that system in Evanston perfectly.
On top of that, the Northwestern defense is improving and bringing back about six starters from a squad that allowed 23 points per game.
If the Wildcats can find a consistent run game to add to Johnson’s aerial attack, they can repeat as Big Ten West champs.
- Key starters: Dezmon Patmon, Davontavean Martin, Easop Winston, James Williams, Jahad Woods, Skyler Thomas, Dominick Silvels
- Key departures: Gardner Minshew, Peyton Pelluer, Darrien Molton
- Coaching change: None
Let’s face it, losing Gardner Minshew is one of the toughest pills to swallow for any team around the country in 2019, but Washington State always seems to find a way to make it work under Mike Leach’s control. He will have the Cougars back to contending for the conference title next season, especially after gaining serious steam with an 11-2 record in 2018.
Who will be the next quarterback to start for Leach’s pass-heavy attack? It could be Trey Tinsley or Anthony Gordon, but don’t sleep on former four-star recruit Cammon Cooper or incoming freshman Gunner Cruz. No matter who starts, they’re sure to succeed under Leach’s tutelage.
Washington State will return its top three wideouts as well as its fourth-leading receiver James Williams who also happened to lead the team in rushing.
The defense, too, should be strong even two years removed from the Alex Grinch era, but don’t be surprised if this group is even better than it was in 2018.
With only a few key departures and plenty of returning talent, the Cougars could be approaching top-15 or top-20 range to start the 2019 campaign.
- Key returners: JaTarvious Whitlow, Kam Martin, Darius Slayton, Seth Williams, Marlon Davidson, Nick Coe, Derrick Brown, Jeremiah Dinson, Javaris Davis, Daniel Thomas
- Key departures: Jarrett Stidham, Ryan Davis, Jamel Dean, Deshaun Davis, Darrell Williams, Dontavius Russell
- Coaching change: Kenny Dillingham hired to replace Chip Lindsey as offensive coordinator
The Jarrett Stidham era in Auburn is officially over, and it ended on a high note as the Tigers dismantled Purdue to reach eight wins in the Music City Bowl.
Losing Stidham definitely hurts, but the Tigers have a few talented athletes to replace the junior quarterback who declared a year early for the NFL draft. First, there’s Malik Willis who will be a junior, then there’s the former four-star athlete and top-50 recruit Joey Gatewood who’ll be in his second year and then there’s incoming freshman, and another top-50 recruit, Bo Nix.
Gus Malzahn has a talented group of athletes to fill in at quarterback but guys like JaTarvious Whitlow, Kam Martin and Darius Slayton returning should help ease the new guy into the position.
Defensively, the Tigers should be back to normal, especially with Nick Coe, Marlon Davidson and Daniel Thomas back, to name a few. This side of the ball should be a strength for the Tigers in 2019. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to see this team in the top-20 to begin the 2019 campaign.
- Key returners: Brock Purdy, Hakeem Butler (awaiting decision), Greg Eisworth, JaQuan Bailey, Braxton Lewis, Mike Rose
- Key departures: David Montgomery, Kyle Kempt, Willie Harvey, Brian Peavy
- Coaching change: None
David Campbell has to be one of the hottest names in coaching searches and it’s because he’s turned Iowa State into a contender after the Cyclones were lying in dormancy for years. They were the laughing stock of the Big 12 and now they’re competing with the rest of the conference, aiming to take down Oklahoma.
David Montgomery is headed off to the NFL as well as likely Hakeem Butler, but on the off chance that the latter returns, the Cyclones could have one of the scariest offenses in the country.
Brock Purdy emerged at quarterback for Iowa State, replacing an injured Kyle Kempt who had earned a sixth year of eligibility and the freshman passed for 2,250 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for another 308 yards and five scores. Oh yeah, and he completed 66 percent of his throws. This offense will be in good hands moving forward.
Most of the defense is returning and it could be one of the best in the Big 12.
Eight wins were slightly below expectations in 2018, but expect a team that could contend for a Big 12 title and approaches the 10-win mark in 2019.
- Key returners: Larry Rountree III, Damarea Crockett, Johnathon Johnson, Cale Garrett, DeMarkus Acy
- Key departures: Drew Lock, Emanuel Hall, Terry Beckner Jr., Terez Hall, Brandon Lee, Cam Hilton
- Coaching change: None
Barry Odom has done an incredible job with Missouri. Three years ago, this program was in disarray and no one looked to be willing to touch it with a 10-foot pole. Odom took over, went 4-8 in his first year, won seven games in 2017 and then went 8-5 in 2018. Things are looking up in Columbia.
Say goodbye to Drew Lock who passed for over 12,000 career yards and 99 touchdowns — which is definitely going to take a toll on this offense — and say hello to Taylor Powell, a former three-star recruit from the 2017 class. He, along with 2019 signee Connor Bazelak, will duke it out for the starting job this fall.
Fortunately, the Tigers will also be returning Larry Rountree III and Damarea Crockett in the backfield as a deadly one-two punch and Johnathon Johnson at receiver. This offense will have plenty of weapons even with the departure of Emanuel Hall.
The defense wasn’t great, allowing 388 total yards per game, but it was serviceable enough to lead the Tigers to eight wins, but fell just short against Oklahoma State in the Liberty Bowl.
Assuming Lock’s replacement is competent, the Tigers should be contenders in 2019.
- Key returners: Nate Stanley, Mekhi Sargent, Toren Young, T.J. Hockenson, Anthony Nelson, Michael Ojemudia, A.J. Epenesa
- Key departures: Noah Fant, Jake Gervase, Parker Hesse, Amani Hooker
- Coaching change: None
No one expected Iowa to contend for a Big Ten title or even be relevant in the West division in 2017, but Kirk Ferentz did what he does best and led the Hawkeyes out of the dark and into the spotlight, winning nine games which included an Outback Bowl victory over Mississippi State.
Returning will be Nathan Stanley at quarterback, entering his final year and he’s coming off his best season yet, passing for 2,852 yards and 26 touchdowns with a 59 percent completion rate. If he can take that next step in 2019 and cut his interceptions while throwing 25-30 touchdowns for the third straight season, the Hawkeyes will be dangerous.
The run game wasn’t as dangerous as it usually is, but returning both Mekhi Sargent and Toren Young is huge for the development of the backfield.
Unfortunately, Stanley is losing one of his favorite targets in tight end Noah Fant, but T.J. Hockerson will be back.
Defensively, Jake Gervase, Amani Hooser and Parker Hesse are big-time losses, but A.J. Epenesa might be the best defensive lineman in the conference heading into the 2019 campaign. This side of the ball never seems to struggle for the Hawkeyes.
- Key returners: McKenzie Milton, Adrian Killins Jr., Darriel Mack Jr., Gabriel Davis, Dredrick Nelson, Richie Grant, Nate Evans
- Key departures: Kyle Gibson, Titus Davis, Pat Jasinski, Rashard Causey
- Coaching change: None
Will McKenzie Milton be back? No, this isn’t necessarily a question about whether he’ll be heading off to the NFL, because his leg injury kind of shot down those hopes, but rather will he ever return to the form he was at before the injury?
The gruesome injury is still on the minds of just about every UCF fan, and college football fan in general, and you can bet he wants to get back on that field to start another winning streak for the Knights.
Yes, this means UCF did finally lose after 25 consecutive wins as LSU was able to pull out a victory in a thrilling Fiesta Bowl. The Knights do have a decent backup in Darriel Mack Jr. who passed for 619 yards, three touchdowns and rushed for 337 yards and another six scores behind Milton this season and if the Heisman-caliber dual-threat isn’t able to go, his backup is more than ready.
It would be difficult to leave the Knights out of the AP Top 25 conversation, especially after a 12-1 season, but a star quarterback coming off a major injury, big losses on defense and the No. 53 recruiting class will keep this team out of the top 15.
- Key returners: Tommy Stevens, KJ Hamler, Micah Parsons, Yetur Gross-Matos, John Reid, Garrett Taylor, Robert Windsor, Kevin Givens, Jan Johnson
- Key departures: Trace McSorley, Miles Sanders, Shareef Miller, Connor McGovern, Koa Farmer, DeAndre Thompkins
- Coaching change: None
This was a tough one for me to judge seeing as the Nittany Lions will be losing so much production, but they have yet another top-10 class coming in and there never seems to be a drop in talent under James Franklin who recruits at such a high level.
Replacing all-everything quarterback Trace McSorley won’t be an easy task, though. Tommy Stevens has patiently awaited his turn, but he only had 24 completions in his Penn State career for 304 yards and four touchdowns. The lack of production under center returning is concerning for the Nittany Lions, but don’t sleep on redshirt freshman Sean Clifford.
Moreover, incoming freshman Michael Johnson Jr. could take over as a dual-threat and contend for that starting job — anything could happen in 2019.
Miles Sanders will also be gone as he declared for the NFL draft but Ricky Slade is more than capable of taking over as the lead back. He could be a star in the Big Ten for years to come, so don’t expect a big backfield drop-off.
Lastly, the defensive side of the ball will miss Shareef Miller and Koa Farmer, but getting Micah Parsons, Yetur Gross-Matos and a wealth of others back will be huge. Expect this side of the ball to be much better than it was this year.
- Key returners: Tyler Huntley, Jason Shelley, Zack Moss, Britain Covey, Julian Blackmon, Bradlee Anae
- Key departures: Cody Barton, Chase Hansen, Corrion Ballard, Marquise Blair
- Coaching change: Troy Taylor left the offensive coordinator position vacant
I don’t think enough people are giving Utah enough attention heading into 2019 which is a shame because the Utes have plenty of returning talent to a team that finished 9-5.
Unfortunately, the Utes came up just short in the Holiday Bowl against Northwestern and nearly finished the season with 10 victories. Kyle Whittingham has done an exceptional job with this program and he’s one of the longest-tenured coaches in the Power Five and one who consistently flies under the radar.
After Zack Moss announced he’d be returning for his senior season after rushing for 1,000 yards, the Utes have to be favorites to win the Pac-12 South. He will be back to lead the offense along with a finally healthy Tyler Huntley who is backed up by a surprisingly-effective Jason Shelley.
The offense won’t be an issue and neither should the defense which allowed just 316 total yards per game in 2018 and ranked 17th in points allowed. Do not sleep on the Utes in the Pac-12 as they could finally win their first conference crown since joining.
- Key returners: Salvon Ahmed, Aaron Fuller, Myles Bryant
- Key departures: Jake Browning, Myles Gaskin, Ben Burr-Kirven, Tevis Bartlett, Drew Sample, Taylor Rapp, JoJo McIntosh, Greg Gaines, Byron Murphy
- Coaching change: None
Not many teams can say that a 10-win season is disappointing, but for Washington, it fell short of expectations. The Huskies fell short of an impressive comeback against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and Jake Browning’s career came to a screeching halt. His career trending down in his final couple of seasons, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be missed by Washington.
However, Georgia-transfer Jacob Eason decided to come back home to finish his college career after losing his job to Jake Fromm last season. He will be eligible to start in 2019.
Myles Gaskin, too, will be missed, but Salvon Ahmed averaged more yards per carry in 2018 than the starting back. He will be back to be the workhorse in the backfield for the Huskies, and that’s not exactly a bad thing. The offense will be every bit as talented, especially with Aaron Fuller back, even if the experience has departed.
The defense will be losing some major pieces everywhere which could mean the unit will take a step back under Chris Petersen’s control. Byron Murphy is the latest to declare for the NFL draft and most of the secondary will be brand new.
Washington should be one of a few favorites to win the Pac-12 in 2019.
- Key returners: CeeDee Lamb, Trey Sermon, Kennedy Brooks, Kenneth Murray, Parnell Motley, Caleb Kelly, Kenneth Mann, Brendan Radley-Hiles, Grant Calcaterra
- Key departures: Kyler Murray, Rodney Anderson, Marquise Brown, Cody Ford, Curtis Bolton
- Coaching change: Ruffin McNeill took over for Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator
When Oklahoma lost Baker Mayfield, the Sooners felt at ease, knowing the talented Kyler Murray would be taking over. Not often you see a Heisman winner succeeded by his backup who also goes on to win the coveted award and become one of the most exciting players in recent college football history.
Now Lincoln Riley will really be tested. He doesn’t quite have a Heisman-caliber quarterback (at least not a developed one) on his roster, but he has a talented incoming freshman in Spencer Rattler as well as 2018 backup Austin Kendall to fight it out for the starting job. Former four-star recruit, and freshman, Tanner Mordecai could also be in the mix.
The backfield will be strong despite the departure from Rodney Anderson — though he played minimally this season because of an injury. Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon will be a scary duo along with CeeDee Lamb at wideout.
The defense can only get better after an embarrassing 2018 season and that’s why Riley decided to move on from Mike Stoops. If the Sooners can have even an average defense, they’ll run away with the Big 12 and be back in the playoff conversation.
- Key returners: Justin Herbert, CJ Verdell, Travis Dye, Dillon Mitchell (awaiting decision), Troy Dye, Thomas Graham Jr., Jevon Holland, Deommodore Lenoir, Jacob Breeland
- Key departures: Justin Hollins, Jalen Jelks
- Coaching change: None
Though Oregon was held to just seven points in its bowl game, it still found a way to win, 7-6. The Redbox Bowl isn’t exactly where every Pac-12 team aspires to play in the postseason, but Oregon found itself in a tough matchup with Michigan State and it prevailed.
Mario Cristobal’s first season as head coach wasn’t too shabby, finishing 9-4 but you know he’d tell you that he expects conference titles and he fell short of his goal.
Oregon will have a serious chance to win the conference next season as I believe the Ducks will be the most talented in the Pac-12. Justin Herbert announced he will be returning for his senior year at quarterback despite being the No. 1 NFL prospect and he has CJ Verdell and Travis Dye behind him to lead the backfield. Dillon Mitchell could return at receiver after a record-breaking season.
Big losses will plague only the defense, though. Justin Hollins and Jalen Jelks are gone, but Troy Dye will be back as one of the best linebackers in the country.
Jim Leavitt will have even more talent to work with on an improving defense as Cristobal is bringing in the highest-rated recruiting class in school history.
Watch out for Oregon as a playoff contender, folks.
- Key returners: Kellen Mond, Jhamon Ausbon, Quartney Davis, Camron Buckley, Justin Madubuike
- Key departures: Trayveon Williams, Otaro Alaka, Tyrel Dodson, Landis Durham, Kingsley Keke, Daylon Mack, Jace Sternberger
- Coaching change: None
Jimbo Fisher shocked the nation a year ago when he left Florida State to take the job at Texas A&M and people were confused with the move because it seemed like a lateral one, at best.
However, the talent he is pooling up in College Station is impressive and he is already molding the Aggies into serious SEC contenders despite a four-loss first season with the program. His Aggies hung tough with Clemson at the beginning of the year and didn’t get dismantled by Alabama — more than most teams can say — and blew the doors off NC State in the Gator Bowl, 52-13.
Two of the Aggies’ four losses came against teams that played for the national title and they weren’t completely out-matched in both games.
Texas A&M may not be as far away from title contention as people think, though replacing Trayveon Williams and Jace Sternberger won’t be easy. Add that to major defensive departures from Otaro Alaka, Tyrel Dodson, Landis Durham, Kingsley Keke and Daylon Mack and you have a team that will need to reload.
Luckily, the third-ranked recruiting class, per 247Sports, can do just that.
- Key returners: Shea Patterson, Nico Collins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Khaleke Hudson, Lavert Hill, Kwity Paye, Josh Metellus, Josh Uche
- Key departures: Karan Higdon, Zach Gentry, Devin Bush, Chase Winovich, David Long, Tyree Kinnel
- Coaching change: None
Has Jim Harbaugh worn out his welcome in Ann Arbor? There are probably dueling opinions on this, but the mass exodus of assistant coaches — even some to Ohio State –, as well as transfers and early departures, could raise red flags. Still, he has a wealth of talent at his disposal and should be back contending for the Big Ten title next year.
The Wolverines are bringing back Shea Patterson who could be in early contention for the Heisman Trophy as well as Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones to a talented receiving corps. Losing Karan Higdon and Zach Gentry will take its toll on this offense, but the defense will be back to being elite.
In fact, the Wolverines are returning some major weapons such as Khaleke Hudson at linebacker and Lavert Hill in the defensive backfield.
Unfortunately, defensive line coach Greg Mattison left for the defensive coordinator job at Ohio State and Don Brown has been rumored to be a head coaching candidate at Temple. This team has talent incoming and returning, but is Harbaugh’s reign coming to an end? If he doesn’t win the Big Ten in 2019, it’s possible.
- Key returners: Feleipe Franks, Lamical Perine, Van Jefferson, David Reese, Jabari Zuniga, C.J. Henderson
- Key departures: Jordan Scarlett, Jachai Polite, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Vosean Joseph
- Coaching change: None
Going into the Peach Bowl, it was almost an expectations from fans around the country that Michigan would have its way with the Gators in yet another rematch. However, with Dan Mullen in charge, things were much different and worked in Florida’s favor.
The Gators won 41-15 in a dominating performance essentially from start to finish and he still has a big decision to make before next season which could make Florida national title contenders next season. It’s the same type of decision that has benefitted both Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney and it’s all about the quarterback position.
If Mullen feels like Emory Jones gives this team the best chance to win — he does have the highest ceiling of the quarterbacks — then he will replace Feleipe Franks. The latter needs to make some offseason adjustments and improve on his accuracy and decision-making.
Jordan Scarlett will be gone, but Lamical Perine and a host of backs will be enough to ease that blow while the defense will be solid once again.
The Mullen era in Gainesville may bring the Gators back to elite status for the first time since the Urban Meyer days.
- Key returners: Ian Book, Chase Claypool, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara, Jalen Elliott, Troy Pride Jr., Brandon Wimbush
- Key departures: Dexter Williams, Miles Boykin, Alize Mack, Jerry Tillery, Drue Tranquill, Te’Von Coney, Julian Love
- Coaching change: None
Notre Dame was defeated. Losing 30-3 to Clemson was embarrassing, but seeing what the Tigers did to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the national title game had to make Fighting Irish fans feel just a little better about what took place in the playoff semifinal.
The Fighting Irish bring back Ian Book and Chase Claypool to an explosive offense and will need a replacement for Dexter Williams in the backfield. Also, losing Miles Boykin won’t be easy to swallow nor will the departure of athletic tight end Alize Mack. Still, this offense returns plenty of talent and should be even better.
Brian Kelly’s defense was also impressive despite losing Mike Elko to Texas A&M in the offseason. Clark Lea did a solid job and will be back with some key pieces though losing Jerry Tillery, Drue Tranquill, Te’Von Coney and Julian Love won’t be ideal.
The Irish are also bringing in 15 four-star recruits in the 2019 class, per 247Sports, ranking in the top-15 nationally. This team will be just fine and another undefeated season isn’t out of the question.
Will the committee think twice about putting Notre Dame in the playoff if they go undefeated after watching what happened in 2018, though?
- Key returners: Joe Burrow, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Justin Jefferson, Devin White (awaiting decision), Jacob Phillips, Grant Delpit, Michael Divinity Jr., JaCoby Stevens, Rashard Lawrence
- Key departures: Nick Brossette, Terrance Alexander, Foster Moreau
- Coaching change: None
I’ll admit, I wasn’t the biggest believer in the LSU Tigers at the beginning of the year, but they just kept getting better as the season went on and finished with a 10-3 record, beating undefeated UCF in the Fiesta Bowl.
Ed Orgeron gets a lot of disrespect from opposing fans because of his gritty coaching style and seemingly hoarse personality but he just gets the job done. He’s not a flashy coach, but he consistently gets his guys to buy into his system and it led to a near-SEC title season and Joe Burrow molded into one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Burrow will be back for his senior season after transferring from Ohio State and he’ll be on the radar for Heisman to start the season.
Nick Brossette is gone after becoming just the latest 1,000-yard rusher for the Tigers but Clyde Edwards-Helaire is on pace to be the next to reach that mark in 2019.
There won’t be too many losses on either side of the ball and the Tigers will have one of the best defenses in the country yet again. Not to mention Orgeron could be bringing in a top-five recruiting class. This team isn’t going anywhere in 2019.
- Key returners: JK Dobbins, Mike Weber, KJ Hill, Chase Young, Jordan Fuller, Malik Harrison, Tuf Borland, Kendall Sheffield
- Key departures: Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Michael Jordan, Nick Bosa, Dre’Mont Jones, Dwayne Haskins
- Coaching change: Ryan Day took over for Urban Meyer as head coach
No Urban Meyer? No problem. Most programs would take a major step back with a coach like Meyer retiring, but Ryan Day has done a heck of a job in the offseason thus far to piece the Buckeyes back together and they may be in just as good of shape, if not better, than where his predecessor left the program.
Day has poached some of the nation’s top assistant coaches, even from his biggest rival, and landed the top transfer on the market in Justin Fields from Georgia. He is doing one heck of a job, even holding on to a top-15 recruiting class.
The Buckeyes will always get their recruits but Day must get his guys to produce on the field. Right now, it’s all hype and he needs to find a quarterback first as Dwayne Haskins announced he would be leaving early for the NFL draft after starting just one season in Columbus.
As long as the defense can improve and the Buckeyes get some added production from the backfield and receivers, the next quarterback should have no problem leading this team to another Big Ten title.
- Key returners: Sam Ehlinger, Keaontay Ingram, Lil’Jordan Humphrey (awaiting decision), Collin Johnson, Cade Sterns, BJ Foster, Brandon Jones
- Key departures: Tre Watson, Gary Johnson, Anthony Wheeler, Charles Omenihu, PJ Locke III, Kris Boyd
- Coaching change: None
Texas is back, said Sam Ehlinger after beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Longhorn quarterback didn’t pass for a single touchdown in the big win, but he rushed for three scores which was the difference in a 28-21 triumph over the Bulldogs.
Tom Herman’s Longhorns will be returning just about everyone on the offensive side of the ball who had any type of major production outside of Tre Watson, but watch out for Keaontay Ingram who had a heck of a freshman season, rushing for 708 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 5.0 yards per touch.
Ehlinger will return, which means that Shane Buechele could be looking to transfer, and he could have Lil’Jordan Humphrey — who is still deciding on a return — and Collin Johnson back to be his top weapons on offense.
Cade Sterns and BJ Foster are two talented defensive backs who had great freshman seasons and the Longhorns should be improving on this side of the ball.
Texas may just be back like Ehlinger said, folks and the Longhorns are young and bringing in a top-10 recruiting class.
- Key returners: Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, Richard Lecounte III, Tae Crowder, JR Reed, Demetris Robertson
- Key departures: Elijah Holyfield, Riley Ridley, Isaac Nauta, Justin Fields, D’Andre Walker, Jonathan Ledbetter, Mecole Hardman
- Coaching change: None
Bad news, college football, Jake Fromm is back. The Georgia Bulldog quarterback had another solid season after replacing Jacob Eason just last year and he came just short of a playoff appearance, faltering in the final minutes against Alabama in the SEC title game, allowing the Tide to come back and stun the Bulldogs.
Some argued that Georgia deserved a spot in the playoff despite the loss because it was the only team to give Alabama a true fight during the regular season, but the Bulldogs looked lifeless for a large chunk of the Sugar Bowl against Texas.
Even though the Bulldogs lost to the Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl to drop to 11-3, they bring back a ton of key pieces, led by Fromm and D’Andre Swift, along with an elite defense, while bringing in a top-three recruiting class. This team is looking like the biggest threat outside of Alabama and Clemson to contend for the 2019 national title.
Kirby Smart is building a powerhouse in Athens and he may have the eventual No. 1 quarterback pick in the 2020 NFL Draft in Fromm returning.
- Key returners: Tua Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Joshua Jacobs, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs III, Dylan Moses, Patrick Surtain II, Jalen Hurts
- Key departures: Damien Harris, TBD
- Coaching change: None
Oh, how the mighty have fallen — for now. Alabama was the favorite to win the national title over Clemson, but the Tigers came up and bit the Tide for the second time in the playoff era. This has been a rematch that some have groaned about but has live up to the hype.
Unfortunately for Nick Saban and the Tide, there was no comeback in this year’s title game as Clemson got ahead early and just extended it, even topping out at 44-16. Clemson’s offense and defense were just too much for the Tide and they didn’t expect the kind of attack the Tigers led with.
Alabama will be right back up there in the top-two to start the 2019 season with top NFL draft prospect Tua Tagovailoa returning for his junior year and Najee Harris and Joshua Jacobs in the backfield. The receivers he has returning around him, led by Jerry Jeudy, will be scary, too, and the Tide bring in the No. 1 recruiting class in the land — no surprise there.
Also, if you’ve paid any attention to the Crimson Tide over the years, the defense will always reload, no matter who departs.
As long as Saban is in charge, the Tide will be SEC favorites, national title contenders and near playoff locks.
- Key returners: Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, Isaiah Simmons, Tre Lamar, K’Von Wallace, Trayvon Mullen (awaiting decision), Clelin Ferrell (awaiting decision)
- Key departures: Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant, Christian Wilkins, Kendall Joseph, Hunter Renfrow, Mitch Hyatt
- Coaching change: None
I was close to making Alabama the No. 1 team no matter who won the national title game because, well, the Crimson Tide just reload every season and have looked dominant in every single matchup this year. However, watching Clemson dismantle the Tide changed my opinion.
The Tigers, led by the best freshman in the country in Trevor Lawrence, smacked Alabama and stole the crown away from the Tide after missing out on the title game last year.
Dabo Swinney’s move to make Lawrence the starter over Kelly Bryant who had led the Tigers to the playoff a year ago was shocking, but it made sense. It paid off as the Tigers went 15-0 with the ACC title and blowout wins over Notre Dame and Alabama to win the title.
Clemson will likely bring in a top-five recruiting class to go along with returning another Heisman candidate in Travis Etienne. Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross are two of the most explosive young receivers in the country and that Clemson defense will be every bit as good next season despite losing some talent in the trenches.
Sick of Alabama and Clemson dominating college football? Better get used to it.