CFF 2017 Rankings -- 10-5

  
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       2017 TOP 60 RANKINGS

 It isn't always easy, determining (read that as guessing) who will have the best teams in college football. Last year we had two of the four playoff teams, but all four CFP teams were in our top six, including Washington at 4 -- the only forecaster (at least that we are aware of) that had the Huskies making the playoffs.

 A number of factors go into these rankings -- talent, experience, strength of schedule. It's up to us to figure out which are the most important, and rank the teams accordingly. One note -- this is how we see the teams finishing up the season, not who has the strongest bunch heading into the year. If we did it that way, Alabama and Ohio State would be 1-2 every single season.

 Today we break into the top 10, looking at every team that isn't in the College Football Playoff.

Derwin James (Orlando Sentinel)

5. Florida State (10-3) -- The Seminoles are right there, and it would not be the least bit shocking if they secure one of the CFP spots. There are two reasons we have them just missing out -- the schedule, which in the first month has Alabama, Miami and NC State, and Clemson and Florida in November -- and the offensive line, which allowed QB Deondre Francois to be sacked 36 times last year, and hit countless others. That line has two new starters and loses All-America Roderick Johnson, so it will need to find a way to better protect Francois, especially against the fronts it will be facing. There also isn't much in the way of established talent at receiver or running back, though the latter could be filled by super-frosh Cam Akers. Francois makes it all go, however, with a big arm, poise in the pocket and a resilience not often seen. But defense is where FSU will really shine, especially since it gets safety Derwin James back from injury. The unquestioned leader of the unit, James went out for the year in game two, and the slip on that side was noticeable. James' return buoys a unit that also has corner Tarvarus McFadden and linemen Derrick Nnadi and Josh Sweat. Expect the D to be closer to the 2015 group (17.5 ppg) than last year's (25 ppg). Jimbo Fisher has led FSU to 10 wins or more in all but one of his six seasons, and this group has the talent to do it again. FAST FACT -- The Seminoles 51 sacks was the second most in the country, and their 3.92 per game average was best in the country.

6. Georgia (8-5) -- Yes, we are all in on the Bulldogs in year two of Kirby Smart. Look at what he has -- 17 starters returning, momentum (wins in four of last five) and an agreeable schedule (Florida at neutral site and South Carolina at home, but Auburn away). Georgia was 16th nationally in defense and has a ton of talent up front, led by tackle Trenton Thompson (five sacks). Yes, we believe THIS is the year the junior lives up to his all-world hype. If not, we'll say it again next year. LBs Roquan Smith (95 stops) and Lorenzo Carter (five sacks) are fast and all over the field, and the secondary is solid. Jacob Eason returns at QB after an interesting freshman campaign, putting up good numbers (over 2,400 yards, 16 TD) but not always making the best reads and throws. Nick Chubb is back -- for like an eighth year -- and he still has trusty backup Sony Michel to spell him. Georgia had a top five recruiting class, and Smart has shown he will play young guys -- one to watch is offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson, who might get the nod at left tackle. Georgia reminds us a lot of last year's Washington squad, which took some lumps a year earlier but played a lot of young, talented guys. Don't be shocked if Georgia is in the CFP discussion. FAST FACT -- Chubb's 19 100-yard rushing games is second in school history to Herschel Walker (28).

Trace McSorley

7. Penn State (11-3) -- Everyone talks about the big win over Ohio State as Penn State's big moment in 2016, but rewind two weeks and you'll find that the Nittany Lions overtime victory against Minnesota really set things in motion. PSU was coming off of a 39-point shellacking at Michigan, and the natives were getting restless toward James Franklin. PSU scored late to force OT against the Gophers, and then really took off, winning all but OSU and Big Ten championship game by at least 14 points. Can PSU handle expectations this year, as it is no longer the underdog darling? That remains to be seen. What is known is that RB Saquon Barkley (1,496 yards, 18 TD) returns, and as long as he's healthy the offense has a chance to be really good. QB Trace McSorley was a magician at times but needs to get better with his accuracy (57.9), and will be operating behind an experienced line. The defense was spotty at times in 2016, especially against the pass, and returns six starters, the best of them being safety Marcus Allen (110 tackles, 6 TFL). The first real test comes in early October, on the road against a good Northwestern team, and then Michigan and Ohio State in a row. FAST FACT -- The Nittany Lions were third in the country in plays of 40-plus yards, with 30. Barkley had seven of those.

8. Auburn (8-5) -- Gus Malzahn may be an offensive-minded boss, but he knew that defense was keeping Auburn from truly contending. So it had to warm his heart to see his Tigers finish seventh nationally in scoring defense (17.1) and 28th in total defense, an improvement of 43 spots from 2015. The back seven is rife with experience, including corner Carlton Davis and LBs Deshaun Davis and Tre'Williams. Look for Auburn to play more freely and aggressively on D, especially as the offense undergoes some tinkering. Auburn looks to have a quarterback, but we've been fooled into believing that before (Jeremy Johnson, anyone?) Jarrett Stidham started out at Baylor then transferred to JUCO last year, and is now ready to rock on The Plains. He can run and has a strong, accurate arm, something that hasn't always been true of recent vintage Auburn quarterbacks. The backfield has a star in Kamryn Pettway (1,224 yards, 7 TD, 5.9 ypc) and big play receiver Darius Slayton (19.1 ypc) could have more of a role this season. The O-line has three returnees and three touted signees, so there is depth. Auburn will get tested quickly, going to Clemson in week two, and faces LSU on the road. But they do get Georgia at home, and if they can navigate a tricky but not super-intimidating schedule, the Iron Bowl, at home, could be for all the marbles once again. FAST FACT: Auburn's 69 pass break ups in was the third best total in the country in 2016.

T.J. Edwards

9. Wisconsin (11-3) -- The Badgers are here more as a byproduct of the weak Big Ten West than anything else, though they definitely have some things in their favor. One is the fact that they miss Ohio State and Penn State, and get Michigan and Northwestern at home. Another is that the defense, which was lights out last season (15.6 ppg, fourth nationally), should be good again with seven starters returning. LBs T.J. Edwards (89 tackles) and Jack Cichy (60 tackles in seven games before injury) form the best inside duo in the Big Ten, and safety D'Cota Dixon is a hitter (60 stops) who can also find the football (4 INT). For once the offense doesn't have an established workhorse in the backfield, though Bradrick Shaw ran for 457 yards in reserve duty last year. Pitt transfer Chris James is a power back with some quickness, just the kind of runner the Badgers love. Four starters return up front, and quarterback Alex Hornibrook has finally established himself as the starter, even if he is more of a game-manager type. Wisconsin faces a tricky road trip to BYU in mid-September, but after that should be favored in every contest until November. Even with an unblemished record, it will probably take a win in the Big Ten title game --which it has lost the last two times -- to get consideration for a CFP berth. FAST FACT -- Wisconsin's 22 interceptions was the second highest total in the country.

10. Clemson (14-1) -- The defending national champs, all the way down here at 10? Dabo's going to be peeved. While it's true that Clemson has truly arrived, it goes from having a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Deshaun Watson to having a ton of questions on offense -- not to mention returning just 22.4 percent of its yards from last year, 128th in the nation. Whoever plays quarterback -- and it's probably five-star freshman Hunter Johnson -- will have to get comfortable really fast, because there isn't much in the way of experience around him. Deon Cain is a nice weapon at receiver, and the offensive line has experience, led by tackle Mitch Hyatt. There aren't the same questions on defense, which returns the best tackle duo in America in Dexter Lawrence (78 tackles, seven sacks) and Christian Wilkins (56 tackles, 9.5 TFL). LB Kendall Joseph is a star in waiting while the secondary needs to be tinkered with just a bit. The last time Clemson failed to win at least 10 games was in 2010, and it is working on a 28-2 mark over the last two seasons. The Tigers must go to Louisville and Virginia Tech early and NC State late, but gets Florida State at home. Week two against Auburn will show just how quickly the pieces are fitting together. FAST FACT -- Clemson was the first team in ACC history with 3,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing in the same season.

Up next -- the quartet that makes up the 2017 College Football Playoff.

15-11

20-16

25-21

30-26

35-31

40-36

45-41

50-46

55-51

60-56