CBS Sports ranks college football's preseason top 25 teams
The start of college football season is rapidly approaching, now sitting less than a month away. CBS Sports and 247Sports were polled on their preseason top 130 teams across college football. Their rankings maintain some familiar teams at the top.
Counting down the Top 25
25. Louisiana: The Ragin’ Cajuns finished the 2020 season at 10-1 and ranked 15th in CBS Sports’ end of season poll. Louisiana is a solid all-around team on both sides of the ball.
24. Arizona State: The Sun Devils were the 21st-ranked offense in 2020 after playing just four games. Head coach Herm Edwards has done a tremendous job at turning Arizona State around. This is an underrated team and a contender in the Pac-12.
23. Ole Miss: Junior quarterback Matt Corrall was one of the top signal callers in the nation last year. He comes into the season as a preseason candidate in the Heisman race. Head coach Lane Kiffin has a lot of talent on his team. After a 5-5 season in 2020, the Rebels appear destined for more in 2021.
22. Utah: The Utes went 3-2 last season and finished just outside of CBS Sports’ top 25, coming in at 27th. Utah returns 10 starters on offense, but quarterback is a question mark. They added Charlie Brewer as a graduate transfer out of Baylor. Utah’s biggest question mark coming at the most important position will be an interesting situation to follow.
21. Indiana: Michael Penix returns after suffering a torn ACL. His health will play a big role in Indiana’s success. The offense as a whole should improve with the return of Penix, but his overall health is a big question mark. Indiana’s defense led the Big Ten with 25 sacks last season and they return a dangerous defensive front.
20. Washington: The Huskies went 3-1 last year, finishing as the 32nd-ranked team in the CBS Sports poll. Washington returns seven starters on offense and owns one of the top offensive lines in the nation. Eight starters return on defense as new defensive coordinator Bob Gregory takes over. The Huskies have a lot of talent and could make a run in the Pac-12.
19. Texas: The Longhorns have been a hot topic over recent weeks with their eventual move to the SEC. Steve Sarkisian takes over as the Longhorns’ new head coach after helping Alabama’s offense win a national title last season. The Longhorns have a ton of talent despite losing quarterback Sam Ehlinger and tackle Samuel Cosmi. There are some holes to fill defensively, but the roster is talented enough to compete in the Big 12.
18. Iowa: CBS ranked Iowa 14th in their final poll of the 2020 season after a 6-2 year despite an 0-2 start. The Hawkeyes lose some talent on offense, but Spencer Petras returns at quarterback and should improve in his third season. The defensive front loses some talent as well, giving Iowa a lot of holes to fill on this roster.
17. Penn State: The Nittany Lions finished below .500 in an uncharacteristically down season. Last year’s team competed in games despite opt-outs and injures. Quarterback Sean Clifford needs to improve and show that he can play as well as he is expected to. Penn State should be better than they were last year. They were better than their 4-5 record indicated. The Nittany Lions now look to return to being one of college football’s top teams.
16. USC: Kedon Slovis returns as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. USC finished 5-1 and ranked 19th in the CBS poll to end the 2020 season. The Trojans return a lot of talent and have tremendous depth on their roster. USC should be up there at the top of the Pac-12 in 2021.
15. Miami: D’Eriq King is aiming to return from his torn ACL, and his progress will be an important part of Miami’s success. If he is at full strength, Miami’s offense should be good and King could be a Heisman contender. Miami loses talent on the defensive line, but there are enough contributors there to hopefully offset that.
14. LSU: After winning the national championship in 2019, LSU was underwhelming last season. The Tigers have already been given a tough blow, as Myles Brennan underwent surgery on a broken forearm and will miss the start of the season. The Tigers had a poor defense in 2020, but there is enough talent to expect natural improvement. LSU is a question mark all around, but if everything clicks, they could have a successful season.
13. Wisconsin: Graham Mertz returns at quarterback and improvement is needed from him if the Badgers want to make a run. The strength of this team is undoubtedly its defense. Wisconsin allowed just under 300 yards per game last year, which led the Big Ten. They also allowed just 17.4 points per game, which was the ninth-best total in the nation. Their defense could propel them to be one of the best teams in college football.
12. Florida: Kyle Trask is now in the NFL and Emory Jones will get his opportunity at quarterback. Jones is talented and can contribute on the ground in addition to his abilities as a passer. Losing Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney as receiving options hurts, but there are solid options remaining. There are holes on defense, but the front seven is very talented. Jones is good enough to keep Florida among the top teams in college football.
11. Cincinnati: Desmond Ridder opted to return to Cincinnati for another season, which is big news for the Bearcats. He was the AAC’s offensive player of the year. Cincinnati has lots of talent at the offensive skill positions, but some holes must be filled up front. The Bearcats’ defense finished eighth in scoring defense and 13th in total defense while tying for third with 16 interceptions. Most of that talent returns.
The Top 10 …
10. Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish had a strong season while playing as a member of the ACC in 2020. They went 10-2 and finished the year ranked fourth in the CBS final poll. Now, Notre Dame is back to being an independent. They must offset the losses of nine starters on offense including quarterback Ian Book. Running back Kyren Williams will be the focal point of the offense.
9. Oregon: Anthony Brown is set to take over at quarterback and he has plenty of weapons around him. Kayvon Thibodeaux is one of the top returning defensive players in the nation. He is part of a star-studded and talented defensive core. This might be the year that Oregon breaks through.
8. North Carolina: The Tar Heels lose running backs Javonte Williams and Michael Carter and wide receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome. Sam Howell returns as one of the top quarterbacks in the country and Tennessee graduate transfer running back Ty Chandler should play a big role. Chazz Surratt is gone, but despite losing its leading tackler, North Carolina should one of the best ACC defenses.
7. Texas A&M: Isaiah Spiller returns as one of the most productive running backs in college football. The Aggies return all of their receiving group, but quarterback Kellen Mond is now in the NFL. Texas A&M has a very strong defense. The progress at quarterback and rebuilding an offensive line will be the keys to the Aggies’ 2021 season.
6. Iowa State: The Cyclones return 19 of 22 starters after winning the 2020 Fiesta Bowl. Quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Breece Hall could each contend for the Heisman. They are joined by a lot of talent at tight end and receiver. There are not any major holes on defense, or really on the entire roster. Iowa State could be in line for a special season. Their talent has the poised to be a top team in college football this year.
5. Georgia: JT Daniels returned from injury and starred in Georgia’s final four games to end last year. Zamir White returns as a dangerous running back and LSU transfer tight end Arik Gilbert will help the receivers tremendously. The defensive front is loaded but there are questions in the secondary. If everything comes together, Georgia could find themselves in the playoff conversation.
4. Ohio State: Justin Fields posted elite numbers, and he will be tough to replace at quarterback. CJ Stroud is likely to take over and is greatly talented, but he has not yet thrown a pass. Ohio State’s offense line remains powerful, and Master Teague should have a great year as the feature running back. The Buckeyes have arguably the top receiving corps in the nation. The defense remains solid, especially at stopping the run.
3. Oklahoma: Last season marked the end of Oklahoma’s run to three consecutive appearances in the College Football Playoff. Quarterback Spencer Rattler enjoyed a great end to the season and threw for 3,031 yards and 28 touchdowns. He led Oklahoma to eight consecutive wins to end the year. Defensively, the Sooners return seven starters and great depth. Oklahoma is looking to continue their red-hot play, and if they do, they’ll be among the nation’s elite teams.
2. Clemson: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne are gone, but talented quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has shown that he is ready. Some believe that he could be just as good as Lawrence, giving hope to the Tigers that they will see minimal drop off. Uiagalelei is an instant Heisman contender, and he has a lot of weapons to work with. The defense returns most of its production. Clemson looks like the frontrunner in the ACC and should once again compete for a playoff berth as one of college football’s top teams.
1. Alabama: The defending undefeated national champions remain atop the college football leaderboards yet again. Talented quarterback Bryce Young gets his shot to lead the offense. Alabama loses its quarterback, running back, two top receivers and three offensive linemen. They also lose four offensive assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. The offense still returns a lot of talent and plenty of highly rated recruits. Overall, Alabama lost a lot, but they are still arguably the most talented team in the nation.
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