ESPN: Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2017
Teams of note are below:
1. Alabama
2016 record: 14-1, 8-0 SEC
Returning starters: 7 offense, 6 defense, 1 special teams
Key losses: TE O.J. Howard, DE Jonathan Allen, DE Dalvin Tomlinson, LB Tim Williams, LB Ryan Anderson, LB Reuben Foster, S Eddie Jackson
4. Penn State
2016 record: 11-3, 8-1 Big Ten
Returning starters: 9 offense, 7 defense, 2 special teams
Key losses: C Brian Gaia, WR Chris Godwin, DE Evan Schwan, LB Brandon Bell, SS Malik Golden, OT Paris Palmer, DE Garrett Sickels
5. Clemson
2016 record: 14-1, 7-1 ACC
Returning starters: 5 offense, 7 defense, 1 special teams
Key losses: QB Deshaun Watson, WR Mike Williams, WR Artavis Scott, C Jay Guillermo, TE Jordan Leggett, RB Wayne Gallman, DT Carlos Watkins, LB Ben Boulware, SS Jadar Johnson, CB Cordrea Tankersley
6. Ohio State
2016 record: 11-2, 8-1 Big Ten
Returning starters: 9 offense, 8 defense, 0 special teams
Key losses: C Pat Elflein, CB Gareon Conley, RB Curtis Samuel, WR Noah Brown, S Malik Hooker, LB, Raekwon McMillan, P Cameron Johnston, K Tyler Durbin
9. Wisconsin
2016 record: 11-3, 7-2 Big Ten
Returning starters: 9 offense, 7 defense, 1 special teams
Key losses: WR Robert Wheelwright, , QB Bart Houston, RB Corey Clement, LB Vince Biegel, LB T.J. Watt, FS Leo Musso, CB Sojourn Shelton, K Andrew Endicott
12. Michigan
2016 record: 10-3, 7-2 Big Ten
Returning starters: 4 offense, 1 defense, 0 special teams
Key losses: WR Amara Darboh, WR Jehu Chesson, OT Ben Braden, G Kyle Kalis, OT Erik Magnuson, TE Jake Butt, RB De'Veon Smith, LB/RB Jabrill Peppers, DE Chris Wormley, NT Matthew Godin, DT Ryan Glasgow, DE Taco Charlton, LB Ben Gedeon, CB Jourdan Lewis, SS Dymonte Thomas, FS Delano Hill, CB Channing Stribling
21. Florida
2016 record: 9-4, 6-2 SEC
Returning starters: 9 offense, 3 defense, 2 special teams
Key losses: NT Joey Ivie, DT Caleb Brantley, LB Daniel McMillian, LB Jarrad Davis, LB Alex Anzalone, CB Quincy Wilson, CB Teez Tabor, S Marcus Maye, DE Bryan Cox Jr., QB Austin Appleby, OT David Sharpe
January 10th, 2017 at 8:58 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
I also believe they are overrated. However, their schedule is a joke. They play Michiagn at home after a bye week and OSU. They may be favored in every game other than OSU.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:04 AM ^
Akron, Pitt and Georgia State in the non-conference too. That's an extremely soft start to the year.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:15 AM ^
Isn't terrible, but yeah those other 2 are charmin soft.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^
Pitt was Matt Canada and that's about it. They are due for a major step back next year.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:43 AM ^
Uhh...James Conner is a beast.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:47 AM ^
He's also going to the NFL next year.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:49 AM ^
Ah, you said "was" which made me think you were talking about last year's team - as if Canada was the only reason they were a solid team.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:06 AM ^
He was the Joe Moorhead of that team. Just like Saquon Barkley is a monster, PSU's offense was nothing special in 2015 then made a giant leap forward last year. Pitt got the same boost in 2016.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:28 AM ^
Good, we'll get a nice bump in the rankings when we kick their ass.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:06 AM ^
They are loosing Paris Palmer!
In all seriousness, PSU might be that good.I don't know that Trace McSorely is quite good enough for a top-4 team though. Loosing Godwin and Sickles is goign to hurt.
And man: they pollsters are giving Harbaugh tons of credit. We are loosing so much next year, I figured 18 would be our ceiling.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:18 AM ^
from "scruffy the janitor"??
January 10th, 2017 at 1:29 PM ^
Is he a janitor at Staee?
January 10th, 2017 at 10:42 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
"loosing" = unleashing. That makes since perfectly.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
You gotta loose the dragun
January 10th, 2017 at 9:19 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
Especially, with a defense that just gave up 52 points in a bowl game.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:23 AM ^
I love that they are getting all of this false praise for when they get curb-stomped next year. 49-10
January 10th, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^
A face only a mother could love. A blind, angry, Polish mother...
January 10th, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^
I don't know, their offense was pretty legit by the end of the year. Sadly, as long as Barkley is around they are always going to be dangerous.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
Agreed. I think most around here are writing PSU off because of how badly UM beat them, but they looked like a legit team by the end of the season. And I was surprised to see that Barkley will be returning; I didn't realize he was only a sophomore this year.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^
And to have them ahead of Ohio State too...no freaking way.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
Their offense is "Barkley and Bombs." The Big Ten Championship game was a first half of failed bombs and Wisco corralling Barkley. The second half was Wisco misplaying arm-punts so badley they tripped over eachother and Barkley making some plays. Michigan matched up perfectly with them this year because Lewis and Stribling could be left alone to knock down the arm punts while Peppers and Co. could wrangle Barkely. Their biggest play was that wheel route that had Gedeon chasing Barkley. Outside of that, they literally threw 40 yard jump balls and hoped a Michigan DB screwed up and was called for PI. If a defense has decent corners and athletic linebackers, PSU can't beat them.
January 10th, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^
They aren't losing much though. Their entire offense with a year of seasoning is going to be great. I don't know about their defense.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
we are lined up well with replacements
I am only concerned about maybe 1 OL spot, DL depth/rotayion, and inexperience in the secondary
January 10th, 2017 at 9:47 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 10:11 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
Clark coming back is fantastic, but there's a big drop off from Lewis to him. A #1 CB is needed, but I like the chances of Long or Hill getting there at some point (before Thomas). Slot CB is also a huge issue because Lewis would slide inside and let Watson/Hill play the boundary. Not sure who will take that spot in 3 wide situations. Also, losing Delano hurts. I was plesantly surprised with how well he did covering TEs all season. After the Colorado game I don't remember him getting beat more than 2 or 3 times. But hopefully Peppers (highly unlikely) or whoever plays SS can fill in as the drop off from Hill to a replacement seems smaller than Lewis to whoever.
January 10th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 8:51 AM ^
No, it's not official. And I'm not all to clear on the rules on that, so there is a chance he doesn't get the 6th year but people seem optimistic.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
Being ever the optimist, I like the level of talent that youth brings and am hopeful for a good year.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^
Jabrill declared? That's news. Even if it's expected, you'd think it would be noted as such and not stated as fact quite yet.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:41 AM ^
He's got 6 days to declare. I hope he sticks around to play safety for us.
Put Gay or another multi-faceted athlete in the viper spot and let Peppers hone his craft at his projected NFL spot.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:48 AM ^
Couldn't agree more.
He may still have to play a little Viper against spread teams. But let him play safety for the most part if that's what it'll take to get him back. It's not like we've got anyone better back there.
I'd put him at Viper in obvious passing situations and bring on a coverage safety and put him at SS for every other down.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^
you loose 10 defensive starters and ranking us 12 might be a little high out of the gate. That ranking is due to the Harbaugh effect and how good of a coaching stafff we have. We will be there at the end again.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:50 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
has 2 meanings.
1. playing for a chance to win the B1G and get into the playoffs, and if not, at least facing a quality team in a NY6 bowl game.
or
2. losing 3 out of our last 4 and finishing 3rd in the B1G east again.
this year, both happened!
January 10th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:14 AM ^
How does OSU have 3 offensive players departing (C, WR, RB) but it says that they have 9 returning offensive starters? Is ESPN using fuzzy math again?
January 10th, 2017 at 9:27 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:35 AM ^
Maybe they are counting one of the referee's as a starter for OSU. That would be how they get to 9 returning starters.