6/13/2020

CFB TOP 25 PREVIEW & 2020 HEISMAN TROPHY WATCH AT COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY

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CFB TOP 25

CFB top 25 previews can be found below and our our CFB top 25 rankings page at College Football Today.

Leading Heisman Candidate Trevor Lawrence will have Justyn Ross back at receiver, as well as 2018-2019 College Football Player of The Year Travis Etienne back in 2020-2021. The offense will be loaded with talent once again in Death Valley and Lawrence will have a plethora of weapons to light up the scoreboard. Clemson has dominated in CFB recruiting the past few classes and we expect many new tigers to be immediate impact players on both sides of the football. The wide receiving corp will look much different in 2020, as the Tigers will look to top 2019 WR recruits Frank Ladson Jr & Joseph Ngata to step up, while also returning Justyn Ross, Amari Rodgers, Cornell Powell and Brannon Spector. If the Tigers can establish the running game early and often with NFL Draft prospect Travis Etienne, I believe Clemson will once again reign supreme as ACC Champions. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables is beginning to cement himself as one of the greatest college coordinators of All-Time and will have an ample amount of talent to help the Tigers roar back into the 2020-2021 CFB Playoffs. Dabo Swinney enters his thirteenth season at the helm of the Clemson Tigers and boasts a 130-31 record, while only suffering through one losing season in his historic career. For we walk by faith, not by sight is how these Tigers stroll through Death Valley and it appears to be working for the Clemson Family.

We will be talking about yet another quarterback competition in Tuscaloosa this summer, as the Crimson-Tide have three highly touted signal callers, who will be fighting to lead one of the nation's most talented football teams year in and year out. Coach Nick Saban is 152-23 at the University of Alabama and will have them contending for another National Championship in 2020-2021. Top NFL Draft prospect Jaylen Waddle is one of the fastest players in college football today and will be one of the first receiving targets selected in the NFL Draft, as Bama QB's will benefit from finding him early and often. One of the best RB's in the nation will once again be toting the rock for the Crimson Tide and Najee Harris could be in the Heisman Trophy discussion as the season progresses for the Alabama Crimson-Tide. We will find out soon if the younger top football recruits will rise up and become true Alabama football legends, as they will be looking to many new faces to make plays in the 2020 college football season.

OHIO STATE FOOTBALL

The Ohio State Buckeyes football program replaced legendary Coach Urban Meyer last season and came within one win of playing for a National Championship. With Ryan Day at the helm and 2021 Top NFL Draft QB Justin Fields returning to run the high powered Buckeyes offense, they should be making another run at a Big 10 title and contending for the 2020 National Championship. The Buckeyes open the season against in-state opponent Bowling Green and then will travel to "The House of Loud" in Eugene, Oregon to take on the 8th ranked Ducks. This game will also have major College Football Playoff implications as both teams rosters are loaded from top to bottom with NFL Draft talent. They begin Big Ten play at home against their former Defensive Coordinator Coach Schiano and will host the Iowa Hawkeyes on 10/10/2020 at"The Horseshoe". The Buckeyes travel to Michigan State, who should be much improved with the addition of super star Head Coach Mel Tucker and have to travel to Penn State to take on the Nittany Lions. Ohio State will have to be prepared week in and week out, as their schedule does not ease up the entirety of the 2020 CFB season. The Buckeyes do however, get their arch nemesis the Michigan Wolverines at home to end the 2020 season. Ohio State boasted the best recruiting class in the nation and the future is bright in Columbus, Ohio under new Head Coach Ryan Day.

BEST CFB TEAM EVER

LSU had arguably the best CFB team to ever take the field in 2019-2020 and reigned National Champions, as Joe Burrow was able to hoist the Heisman Trophy. With offensive Mastermind Joe Brady moving on to the Carolina Panthers and Joe Burrow heading to the Bengals as the number 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, can the Tigers potent offensive attack pick up where it left off? The Tigers defense will be led by Coach Bo Pelini, who holds a wealth of experience as a head ball coach and the Tigers are loaded with play-makers on the offensive side of the football. Wide Receivers Ja'Marr Chase, Terrance Marshall, Racey McMath, Trey Palmer, Koy Moore & Kayshon Boutte will help new QB Myles Brennan adapt quickly to the high octane defenses in the southeastern conference and we should expect big numbers early & often out of the LSU Tigers in 2020. Year in and year out Coach Ed Orgeron is one of the best recruiters in the nation and the Tigers will look to build upon the Dynasty that is forming in Baton Rouge.

The Bulldogs will benefit tremendously from the arrival of Wake Forest graduate transfer QB Jamie Newman and have plenty of weapons on the outside, with Pickens and Blaylock emerging as star receivers in the SEC. The Bulldogs will once again have one of the best defenses in the nation and will have a more potent offense in 2020-2021. The stable of QB's got deeper in Georgia, as J.T Daniels elected to transfer from USC. The Dawgs now have a possible Heisman Trophy Candidate in Newman, along with top QB recruits Daniels, Mathis and Beck all competing for playing time in Athens,GA. The Bulldogs have an immense amount of talent of the defensive side of the football and we expect a big season out of Top 2019 LB recruit Nakobe Dean, as well as Top 2019 SDE recruit Bill Norton. The Dawgs will open up against a very good and well coached opponent against the Virginia Cavaliers. Georgia will travel to Tuscaloosa on 9/19/2020, which could shape out to be slug-fest with major CFB Playoff implications.

Top 2019 QB recruit Spencer Rattler will be taking the helm for the Sooners and leading Lincoln Riley's high powered Sooners offense to possibly another Big 12 championship. Remington Award finalists Creed Humphrey elected to return for another year, which will enhance the protection up front for Rattler and WR Jadon Haselwood will be his go to weapon downfield in 2020. The Sooners elected to play a very tough schedule in 2020 and will take on top 25 Tennessee on 9/12/2020, which will be a true test to see if Lincoln Riley & his crew can make their fourth consecutive CFB Playoff. They follow this up with a very tough opponent in Army and will play Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma St, Kansas St and Kansas all in Norman in 2020. They have a few historically tough away games against the likes of Iowa St, TCU, WVU and Texas Tech, as the Big 12 is loaded looking ahead to the 2020 college football season.

Bo Nix was magical at times in the 2019-2020 season and pulled off a miracle in last years season opener against Oregon. He was the 1st true freshmen QB to start for Auburn since 1946 and won the SEC Freshmen of The Year after throwing for 2,542 yards & 16 TD's, which are Auburn football freshmen records. While also adding 313 yards rushing & 7 touchdowns. Auburn's defense lost Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe to the NFL Draft, but 1st Team All-SEC LB K.J. Britt & DL Markaviest “Big Kat” Bryant elected to return to the Auburn Tigers in 2020. Which bodes well for a ferocious Auburn Tigers defensive front and the War Eagles chances of climbing into the College Football Playoff discussion.

The Oregon Ducks have a very tough schedule, but get to play the likes of Ohio St, Washington, Arizona St & USC in "The House of Loud" in Eugene,Oregon. The Ducks will have one of the best offensive lines in the PAC-12 that will be anchored by Outland Trophy winner and Top 2021 NFL Draft OT prospect Penei Sewell at left tackle. Will the Ducks be able to replace Top 2020 NFL Draft QB Justin Herbert, as 6'5,220 LB Tyler Shough looks to lead what looks to be another potent Ducks offense in 2020-2021. The Ducks had 3 RB's carry the rock last year and (RS) JR CJ Verdell returns, after accounting for 2,678 yards from scrimmage & 20 touchdowns the past two seasons as the leading skedaddling duck.

After a 4-8 season in 2016, Coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting-Irish have reeled off 3 consecutive 10+ win seasons, while Coach Kelly boasts a 33-6 record in those 3 years with a 92-37 record all time. Notre Dame was embarrassed in 2018 in the College Football Playoff by the Clemson Tigers and will have a chance to avenge their CFB Playoff heartbreak on November 11th, 2020 in South Bend, IN at "The House That Rock Built" at 6:30 PM on NBC. Notre Dame will also face off against the Wisconsin Badgers on 10/3/2020 in Wisconsin and face off against an extremely talented Navy football team to open the 2020 season.

Coach James Franklin has led the Nittany Lions to three 10+ win seasons in the past 5 years and has accumulated a 56-23 overall record, while at the helm of Penn State. They capped off the 2019-2020 season with a big win over a very talented Memphis team in the 2020 Cotton Bowl and return an extremely talented backfield. Penn St will look to (RS) Jr Journey Brown, (SO) Noah Cain & (SO) Devyn Ford to establish the run game for 2nd year starting QB Sean Clifford. The Nittany Lions do have a lack of play-makers at the WR position, but have one of the best TE's in the nation in Pat Freiermuth. Iowa and Ohio St will have to travel to Happy Valley this year and they do not have Wisconsin or Minnesota on their schedule in 2020.

The Gators are losing many top seniors that helped pave the way to the Gators second consecutive New Years Six Bowl game victory and an 11-2 season. It will be very hard to replace Lamical Perine, Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, David Reese II and many other Gators that will be selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Gators only lost C.J Henderson out of their underclassmen who were eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft and Kyle Trask will have arguably the best Tight End in the nation in Kyle Pitts back in the Gators passing attack.

The Pokes could be the best team in the BIG 12 this year with Chuba Hubbard deciding to return for his junior season, after being named College Football Offensive Player of The Year in 2019-2020. Hubbard is my leading candidate right now for the 2020 Heisman Trophy and will be a 1st round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Big 12 Offensive Freshmen of The Year QB Spencer Sanders looks to build upon a year where he led the Pokes to 32.5 points per game and an 8-5 record. Oklahoma State also returns 10 starters on Coach Knowles defense including 1st Team All Big 12 Kolby Harvell-Peel & 2nd Team All Big 12 linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Amen Ogbongbemiga. The electric 2nd Team All Big 12 wide receiver Tylan Wallace returns, after many believed he would declare for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Minnesota Golden-Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck was named Big Ten Coach of The Year after leading the Golden-Gophers to an 11-2 record in 2019-2020 and the Gophers were able to beat Auburn 31-24 in the Outback Bowl. Most of their potent offense is back in 2020, as All-Big Ten QB Tanner Morgan will be back under center and will have Big Ten Receiver of The Year Rashod Bateman back as a dynamic offensive weapon. Morgan will see all five offensive linemen returning as starters in 2020, but will not have 2020 NFL Draft WR Tyler Johnson or last years starting 2020 NFL Draft RB Rodney Smith. The big question for Minnesota will be rebuilding the defensive unit that loses key starters Antoine Winfield Jr, Carter Coughlin, Thomas Barber, Kamal Martin, and Winston DeLattiboudere. The Golden-Gophers defense will have 7 new faces in the 8 man box and one of them will be Top 2019 DT recruit Rashad Cheney Jr, who was originally committed to Alabama.

Texas A&M is a team that chooses to play one of the toughest schedules every year under Coach Jimbo Fisher and has had some of the best recruiting classes in recent years. The Aggies finished 8-5 last season and were in close games with Clemson (24-10), Auburn (28-20) & Georgia (19-13), as Alabama & LSU were the only two teams to beat them by more than two scores. The Aggies only lose 3 players on defense with biggest being DT Justin Madubuike & will look to Kellen Mond to have a 3,000+ yard passing season, as his numbers slightly declined in 2019. In Fisher's third season as the Aggies Head Coach with a 17-9 record, 2020 is the year Aggies fans believe they can compete for an SEC West Title & SEC Championship.

2020 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL

The 2020 Michigan football team will have some big questions to answer up front, as they lost starting OC Cesar Ruiz to the 2020 NFL Draft and graduated three starting offensive linemen. Their will also be a QB competition in Ann Arbor, with (RS-JR) Dylan McCaffery & (RS-SO) Joe Milton vying for the starting QB role and Michigan has a stable of backs returning in Zach Charbonnet, Hassan Haskins & Chris Evans. The Wolverines also return Tight End Nick Eubanks and see the likes leading receivers Ronnie Bell, Giles Jackson, Mike Sainristil & Cornelius Johnson all return to contribute to Michigan's aerial assualt. They even have Top 2019 WR recruit at College Football Today A.J. Henning and solid recruiting classes many years out.

Iowa St QB Brock Purdy led the Big 12 in passing yardage last season with 3,982 yards and 29 TD's, while only throwing 7 interceptions on the season. He has nearly a 66% completion rate and helped lead the Cyclones to a 7-6 record, as well as finishing the season ranked 21st in the AP Top 25. Iowa State's losses in 2019 were to Top 25 programs Baylor, Iowa, Oklahoma St, Oklahoma (42-41), Kansas St & Notre Dame. They were all very close match-ups, as you can see on the Cyclones 2019 football schedule by clicking HERE! With the amount of talent the Cyclones return, the fans expect nothing less than a 8 win season in 2020-2021.

The USC Trojans finished 8-5 last year and second in the PAC-12 South, as they were able to defeat PAC-12 South champs Utah earlier in the 2019 season by a score of 30-23. The Trojans needed that victory with the early loss to BYU, as they did not fare well against Washington, Notre Dame and Oregon. USC got hammered by Iowa in the Holiday Bowl by Iowa 49-24, but bring back plenty of talent to make some noise in the PAC-12 in 2020-2021. USC returns a total of 38 starters from their 2019 roster and with J.T Daniels scurrying away to Athens, the job looks to be Kedon Slovis's moving forward at USC.

The Badgers lose arguably the two most significant players on their offense in 2X Doak Walker Award Winner Jonathan Taylor and Rimington Award Winner Tyler Biadasz to the 2020 NFL Draft, but are still deep at positions like Tight End. The Wisconsin defense will bring back many familiar faces and be one of the best units in the Big 10 this coming fall. Finishing the season with a 10-4 record and a Rose Bowl appearance in 2019, the Badgers have plenty of brute force up front and will run a platoon system backfield featuring (RS-SR) fullback Mason Stokke opening up massive running lanes for Wisconsin ball carriers.

The Boise State Broncos were able to finish the season 12-2, with their most notable win coming early in the season against Florida St by a score of 36-31. We got to learn more about 2019 Top QB recruit at College Football Today Hank Bachmeier, who also was one of our finalist for Freshmen of The Year and looks to build off a very solid true freshmen campaign. The Broncos ran the table in Mountain West conference play and hoisted their 2nd Mountain West Championship Trophy in past three seasons. There have been durability concerns around Bachmeier, which is of some concern with the Broncos replacing 2020 NFL Draft OT Ezra Cleveland and 3 more starting offensive linemen. With Coach Bryan Harsin's winning record of 71-22 the past six seasons, we expect another 11+ win season at the helm of the Boise State Broncos football team.

The Air Force Falcons went on an 8 game winning streak to end the 2019-2020 college football season and were arguably one of the hottest teams in all of College Football Today. They finished the season 11-2 and their two losses came to top 25 opponents Navy & Boise St in 2019. They won the Ram-Falcon trophy against Colorado St 38-21 and finished the season with a win over Wyoming (20-6), as well as being crowned Cheez-It Bowl champions over Washington St (31-21). The fact that Donald Hammond III is back spinning the pigskin for the Air Force Falcons should have Air Force once again in contention for the Mountain West Conference championship. Arizona State finished the season with three straight wins and ended the 2019-2020 season with a record of 8-5. Their entire season was quite a quandary, as they lost to Oregon St, UCLA, Colorado & USC, but were able to end Oregon's CFB Playoff hopes. Jayden Daniels was a true freshmen that broke onto the scene with 2,748 passing yards and 17 TD's, as he will be looking to (JR) Frank Darby often with Brandon Aiyuk departing for the 2020 NFL Draft. Coach Gonzales' 3-3-5 defensive scheme kept Arizona St in games all season long, as ASU beat two AP Top 25 opponents in Cal & Michigan St in closely contested defensive match-ups. In the process of rebuilding the program, Herm Edwards brought in Antonio Pierce and is 15-11 over the past two seasons at Arizona State.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are the most consistent team in the nation year in and year out, as Kirk Ferentz enters his 22nd year as Head Coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Coach Ferentz has produced 16 winning seasons in his tenure and Iowa has only missed a bowl appearance five times throughout his storied coaching career. Iowa is coming off another 10 win season and a dominating performance in the Holiday Bowl with a 49-24 win over USC. Which leaves us wondering, who is going to replace QB Nate Stanley? Stanley started the last 39 games for the Hawkeyes and led Iowa to a 27-12 record in the process, as well as being 1 of 2 QB's to have a 3-0 record in bowl games in Iowa football history. Word around Hawkeye town is that former 247 Sports 3-Star QB Spencer Petras is the next man up. Just expect another highly disciplined unit with plenty of walk-on recruits out of Iowa filling vital roles, as Coach Ferentz is a 1st ballot Hall of Fame coach upon retirement.

NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL

The North Carolina Tar Heels football program hired legendary Head Coach Mack Brown to once again rebuilt the Tar Heels, as he did from 1988-1997. After two 1-10 seasons, Coach Brown made winning an expectation moving the Tar-Heels football program into the 90's, as he reeled off 8 winning seasons in a row before departing to turn Texas into a perennial Big 12 powerhouse. In Coach Brown's first season back with the Tar Heels, they were 7-6 with a completely new coaching staff besides Coach Thigpen. Sam Howell was able to win our College Football Today Freshmen of The Year Award and was rated the #2 overall QB recruit in the 2019 recruiting class with a 9.505 S.T.E.P rating, as he was able to throw for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns, while only tossing 7 interceptions on the 2019 season. He finished the season with a 160.2 QB rating and was the most productive freshmen in FBS college football. Sam is a big reason the Tar Heels start out in our preseason top 25 at College Football Today and will be in Heisman talks in 2020 or 2021. Oh, and there was that game against Clemson (21-20)!

We were laughed at pretty hard on Twitter last year for having Tennessee in our preseason Top 25 and then they really made us look bad starting the season 2-5. After this debacle of a start, Coach Pruitt and his brilliant coaching staff figured it out, as the Vols went on a 6 game winning steaks and beat the likes of South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky, UAB, Vanderbilt & a Gator Bowl victory over Indiana. They bring back 8 starters on both sides of the football, but will certainly miss Senior Bowl standout Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway as play-makers for the Vols on offense/special teams. True freshmen LB Henry To’o To’o started in 12 out of 13 games for the Vols and collected a 2nd team best 72 tackles, as the Vols will look for him to be the anchor of their defense in 2020 SEC play. The Vols also will get former top Juco DT recruit Emmit Gooden back from an ACL tear in 2018, which will help them up front in the extremely physical SEC football conference.

The Miami Hurricanes got the biggest transfer this off-season in former Houston Cougar D'Eriq King, who in 35 starts for the Cougars threw for 4,925 yards and 50 touchdowns, while only throwing 10 interceptions total. King's dual-threat presence alone will blast Miami's offensive into high gear, as King was also able to rush for 1,421 yards & 28 touchdowns in his career at Houston. Manny Diaz finished his 1st season at the Helm of the Hurricanes with a 6-7 record and lost to FIU, as well as Duke to end the Hurricanes 2019 season. They were shutout by Skip Holtz and Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl (14-0), as it was obvious offensive production was needed in Miami. Well, there is a new king in Miami and he is one of the most electrifying players in all of College Football Today, so offensive production shouldn't be an issue in 2020-2021 with D'Eriq King leading the way.

2020 HEISMAN WATCH

2020 Heisman Watch Super 6 at College Football Today (5+ Dark Horse) - Twitter notes @CollegeFBtoday.

2020 HEISMAN TROPHY DARK HORSE! MAX DUGGAN TCU – Texas Christian University. The Iowa QB took Fort Worth by storm in his Freshmen debut and is a gritty competitor, who will be extremely exciting to watch in his Sophomore campaign with the Horned Frogs.

Chuba Hubbard is the most gifted overall runner in the Heisman Super 6 and it will come down to the Cowboys O-line giving him the room to dance in the open field. He is physical, but his speed in the open field is unparalleled at the RB position.

Justin Fields could be a lock if Ohio State runs the table and brings home a Big Ten Championship. The Kennesaw, Georgia native is arguably the most NFL ready prospect in the Heisman Super 6 at College Football Today.

If Sam Howell's Freshmen season didn't impress you, I am not sure what will. He deserves to be on this 2020 Heisman super 5 with a dark horse. Making it the super 6, meaning you should have KICKED IT against CLEMSON!

The Georgia Dawgs have a real gunslinger in town in Wake Forest Graduate transfer Jamie Newman. Newman is the best over the top passer we have seen and drops dimes deep downfield right into the receivers bread basket. Teaming up with George Pickens is going to be scary. #GoDawgs

The 2020 Heisman Watch has begun at College Football Today and we believe the #ClemsonFamily's dynamic offense runs through the Tigers tailback. Travis Etienne sets up the play-action pass with his brutal downhill style of running and isn't afraid to use the "truck stick".

2020 HEISMAN WATCH LIST