Way-too-early 2020 college football rankings: Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama vie for No. 1

20. UCF Knights, 10-3 (6-2)

UCF’s reign of dominance in the Group of Five may have come to an end in 2019, but the Knights are reloaded for 2020. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel made a surprisingly quick ascension to the top of the depth chart, and he threw for 3,653 yards and 29 touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt in 13 games (including 12 starts).

Gabriel will miss leading receiver Gabriel Davis (who declared for the NFL Draft), but his next two favorite targets (Tre Nixon and Marlon Williams) return. Also, Otis Anderson led the team in rushing, and he should be a full-time starter in 2020. There’s depth at running back as well.

On defense, where the Knights were far better than most realized in 2019, only one senior ranked among the top 12 in tackles.

19. Iowa State Cyclones, 7-6 (5-4)

The Big 12 should be wide open – not to mention incredibly fun – in 2020, and Iowa State should be a factor. The offensive line will be young, and leading receiver Deshaunte Jones graduated, but the Cyclones expect to welcome back quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Breece Hall and the dynamic tight end dup of Charlie Kolar and Chase Allen, all of whom received All-Conference recognition in 2019, on offense.

Iowa State must replace a lot of production on defense, including seven seniors who recorded double-digit tackles in 2019. But defensive lineman JaQuan Bailey, who is one of the best players in the league when healthy, will return after missing the majority of the 2019 season.

18. Oklahoma State Cowboys, 8-5 (5-4)

Quite a few Oklahoma State players, as well as head coach Mike Gundy, tweeted Canadian flags last week. The assumption would be those tweets reference All-American running back (and Canada native) Chuba Hubbard, who is eligible to leave for the NFL Draft as a third-year sophomore.

If Hubbard, who led the nation with 2,094 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns on the ground, joins 2018 All-American Tylan Wallace (who officially announced his intention to return to school for his senior season) with the Cowboys in 2019, they could challenge for the Big 12 title.

If he doesn’t, the Pokes will still be good. Spencer Sanders returns as a veteran sophomore starter at quarterback, and the defense should rank among the most experienced in the conference. Based on the experience and production returning on both sides of the football, Oklahoma State projects similarly to the 2019 Utah squad that overachieved its raw recruiting ratings and emerged as a late-season playoff candidate.

17. Wisconsin Badgers, 10-4 (7-2)

Wisconsin won the Big Ten West in 2019 and led Ohio State at halftime of the Big Ten Conference Championship Game. Though the Badgers lost record-setting running back Jonathan Taylor to the NFL Draft, Nakia Watson and Garrett Groshek (one of the best receiving running backs in the country) should fill in just fine. If not, the Badgers signed a four-star freshman in their most recent class.

Losing Quintez Cephus to the NFL Darft and Aron Cruickshank to transfer hurts, but receivers Danny Davis III and Kendric Pryor, and tight end Jake Ferguson, should give quarterback Jack Coan plenty to work with offensively. Wisconsin is always strong along the line of scrimmage and 2020 should be no different. Though the senior linebacker duo if Zack Baun and Chris Orr must be replaced, the secondary should return fully intact.

16. Michigan Wolverines, 9-4 (6-3)

Entering the 2019 season, it appeared Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh would have his best opportunity to beat Ohio State and win the Big Ten. It didn’t go so well, and now the Wolverines must replace a two-year starter at quarterback, rebuild the offensive line, and replace the majority of its starters on defense. Three players have declared early for the NFL Draft so far (linebacker Josh Uche, offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz and receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones), and there are other candidates as well.

The good news is Michigan has a few building blocks. Running backs Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins both flashed great potential as freshmen, Ronnie Bell proved to be more productive than his more highly rated teammates in the receiving corps, and both Dylan McCaffery and Joe Milton –who will compete at quarterback – have elite raw talent.

15. Minnesota Golden Gophers, 11-2 (7-2)

Minnesota benefitted from a very manageable schedule, and dodged a few early season obstacles, to win 11 games for the first time since 1904. But don’t sleep on the Golden Gophers in 2020.

Quarterback Tanner Morgan finished No. 4 nationally with an average of 10.2 yards per pass attempt in 2019. Though his favorite target (Tyler Johnson) graduated, many talent evaluators think Rashod Bateman (who caught 60 passes for 1.219 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore) is a better player all-around. The Gophers also lost 1,000-yard rusher Rodney Smith, but backup Mohamed Ibrahim, who gained 604 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2018.

Far more questions must be answered on defense, where seven seniors and All-America defensive back Antoine Winfield, Jr. depart. But Minnesota should challenge Wisconsin again in the Big Ten West.

14. Texas Longhorns, 8-5 (5-4)

Believe it or not, Texas was projected to be a Top 15 team in our power ratings before the Longhorns blew out Utah 38-10 in the Alamo Bowl. Tom Herman’s program ranked No. 7 in the 247Sports College Football Team Talent Composite in 2019, and it ranked No. 11 in CFB Winning Edge Roster Strength (which takes injuries and career production into account) at the end of the season.

That points to major underachievement, but it also shows how much talent resides in Austin. And most of that talent returns in 2020,  especially on defense. Only three seniors recorded five or more tackles in 2019. On offense, quarterback Sam Ehlinger is one of the most experienced and productive players in the country, and receivers Brennan Eagles and Jake Smith are well-equipped to step into the roles Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay held so well.

13. Auburn Tigers, 9-4 (5-3)

Auburn suffered heavy losses on the defensive line and the secondary to graduation and the decision for cornerback and return man Noah Igbinoghene to leave early for the NFL Draft, and all five starters on the offensive line were seniors in 2019. Nevertheless, there’s a lot to like about the Tigers in 2020.

Quarterback Bo Nix won SEC Freshman of the Year honors and should improve as a passer in 2020, especially with each of his three favorite receivers expected to return. The running back room is set to welcome back a healthy JaTarvious Whitlow and rising star D.J. Williams as well. On defense, linebacker should be a strength, and defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has plenty of talent to work with elsewhere.

12. Texas A&M Aggies, 8-5 (4-4)

Texas A&M has already lost four players, including defensive lineman Justin Madubuike and receiver Quartney Davis, as early NFL Draft entrants, but Jimbo Fisher will still have one of the most experienced teams in the country to work with in 2020. After all, the Aggies featured exactly one senior starter on offense, and one on defense, in 2019.

Quarterback Kellen Mond, running back Isaiah Spiller, tight end Jalen Wydermyer and four returning starters on the offensive line give the Aggies an excellent foundation to build upon in 2020. Buddy Johnson, Tyree Johnson and Demarvin Leal provide the same on the other side.

Also – though it is not reflected in these power ratings – Texas A&M has a much, much more manageable schedule next season.

11. Oregon Ducks, 12-2 (8-1)

It was a very close call in the Pac-12, and the defending champions and Rose Bowl-winning Oregon Ducks have a great case to be the highest-rated team in the conference. But given the departure of quarterback Justin Herbert, four starters from one of the best offensive lines in the country and leading tackler Troy Dye, as well as fellow linebacker Bryson Young, there are a few big questions that must be answered.

Still, the foundation is solid. The one returning offensive lineman, Penei Sewell, is arguably the best player in America. The Ducks should be deep and experienced at both running back and receiver, as well as the defensive line and in the secondary. Kayvon Thibodeaux will be a superstar, and Oregon has the highest-rated class in the Pac-12 for the second straight season.