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College football rankings 2019: Every FBS team from 1-130, ranked

By Nicholas Ian Allen

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and cornerback Trayvon Mullen (1) celebrate with the championship trophy after the Clemson Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 7, 2019, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and cornerback Trayvon Mullen (1) celebrate with the championship trophy after the Clemson Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 7, 2019, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SYRACUSE, NY – NOVEMBER 09: Syracuse Orange Defensive Lineman Alton Robinson (94) celebrates recovering a fumble during the second quarter of the Louisville Cardinals versus the Syracuse Orange game on November 9, 2018, at Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY – NOVEMBER 09: Syracuse Orange Defensive Lineman Alton Robinson (94) celebrates recovering a fumble during the second quarter of the Louisville Cardinals versus the Syracuse Orange game on November 9, 2018, at Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Kansas State finds itself in a much different situation than Miami in terms of CFB Winning Edge Team Strength Ratings. Though the Wildcats also welcome a first-year head coach with zero FBS head-coaching experience, K-State’s Chris Klieman is potentially overrated. Despite an adjustment for FCS competition and the standard 10-percent ratings penalty for moving to a new school, because of his incredible run at North Dakota State, Klieman ranks No. 4 in the Big 12 and No. 21 in the country with an 87.80 Head Coach Rating.

David Cutcliffe has been a model of consistency at Duke and has an 85.09 Head Coach Rating (which ranks No. 42 in the country and third in the ACC) to prove it. As a result, some might be underestimating the Blue Devils in 2019. Though Cutcliffe must replace No. 6 overall draft pick Daniel Jones, new quarterback Quentin Harris is capable. Furthermore, Deon Jackson and Brittain Brown are one of the best running back duos in the conference and Duke also has the No. 4 offensive line in the league.

Similar to Nebraska, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have picked up momentum and expect to contend in the Big Ten West in 2019. With 16 returning starters and an FBS-leading 94.7 percent of its total offensive yardage returning, Minnesota added 3.54 points in Roster Strength, which is the second-most in the conference and No. 6 nationally. The Gophers have incredible depth at running back and rank No. 17 in Roster Strength at the position. Linebacker is even better: No. 9 overall thanks to a pair of 100-rated starters in edge rusher Carter Coughlin and fellow senior Thomas Barber.

Baylor made an even bigger jump in Roster Strength, adding 4.42 points since the end of 2018, which was the third-most in the country and tops in the Big 12. The Bears have Top 20 talent overall thanks to a consistent set of Position & Unit Ratings, which top out at No. 16 (offensive line) and fall only to No. 48 (defensive back). With top-three positions at every offensive position, quarterback Charlie Brewer and the Baylor offense should be one of the most dangerous in the league.

Northwestern overcame an 0-3 record in non-conference play (including an embarrassing loss to Akron) to shock the world and win the Big Ten West in 2018. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald lost two would-be starters to medical retirement but welcomes back an experienced squad led by a pair of top 100 defenders in defensive end Joe Gaziano and linebacker Paddy Fisher. The offense should be dangerous, too, with Isaiah Bowser set to start for an entire season at running back and former five-star Clemson recruit Hunter Johnson at quarterback after sitting out 2018.

Oklahoma State is always a threat win under head coach Mike Gundy, who led the Cowboys to three outright upset victories over ranked teams in 2018. However, the Pokes were just as prone to being upset and lost five times as a favorite last year. Gundy is widely considered one of the best coaches in the country, and he has had great success over the last 15 years at his alma mater, but because recent inconsistency, his 85.27 Head Coach Rating ranks just 37th nationally.

Perhaps Oklahoma State will be more reliable in 2019? All-American receiver Tylan Wallace is a proven commodity, and there’s huge upside for projected starting quarterback Spencer Sanders and running back Chuba Hubbard. But Gundy will need to elevate the play of a Cowboys roster that ranks No. 50 in overall Roster Strength (83.97) and No. 46 in average 247Sports Composite rating (.8407) – both of which fall in the bottom half of the Big 12.

Unlike their Big 12 rivals at Oklahoma State, the Iowa State Cyclones followed the script under Matt Campbell in 2019. Though Iowa State started the season 1-3 overall, the Clones were underdogs in all three losses. Campbell led Iowa State to a pair of outright upsets (including a 48-42 win in Stillwater) to spark a streak of seven wins in eight games, including all five contests in which the Cyclones were favored to win.

It was during that stretch quarterback Brock Purdy emerged as the starter, and though he’ll have to break in a new favorite target and top ball carrier, the Cyclones should be capable again on offense. But the Iowa State defense – which finished No. 1 or No. 2 in the league in every major statistical category – should be even better.

Just when it looked like Khalil Tate had shaken off an early-season ankle injury to lead Arizona to victory over rival Arizona State in the Territorial Cup (and secure a bowl bid), a late fumble, interception and missed field goal combined to doom the Wildcats in a 41-40 loss. Tate and All-Pac-12 caliber running back J.J. Taylor are two of the best players in the conference, and linebacker Colin Schooler joined Tate in our Top 100, but the U of A ranks No. 10 in the league and No. 60 overall in defensive Roster Strength.

The 2018 season was ugly for Virginia Tech, which survived an unfathomable loss to Old Dominion and a defense that ranked last in the ACC against the run to qualify for a 26th consecutive bowl game. Though transfer news dominated the offseason headlines (more than a dozen Hokies left the team for the transfer portal), things are looking up now.

Virginia Tech improved 3.93 points in Roster Strength (most in the ACC and fifth-most nationally) and could be favored in as many as 10 regular season games thanks to a favorable schedule. Things would get even better if the Hokies land a high profile transfer of their own, and former Clemson running back Tavien Feaster listed Tech and South Carolina as the two finalists for his services as a grad transfer.

Things clicked for Syracuse in the third season of Dino Babers’ tenure, and the Orange improved from four wins to 10 in 2018. The offense jumped nearly two touchdowns to an average of 40.2 points per game, which ranked second in the ACC and No. 11 in the country. However, longtime starter Eric Dungey and top receiver Jamal Custis graduated.

No worry. Babers is bullish on his defense, which includes a pair of 100-rated defensive linemen in Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman, and Freshman All-American safety Andre Cisco. Plus, Tommy DeVito is poised to step into the starting quarterback role, and he’ll lean on the talented running back duo of Moe Neal and Abdul Adams while waiting for a favorite receiver to emerge.