CFF 2017 Rankings -- College Football Playoff

    

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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 feature the teams we believe will be selected for the 2017 College Football Playoffs.

                                                                  

                                                               

        1. Ohio State Buckeyes

J.T. Barrett

 While we do not necessarily believe the Buckeyes are a better team than Alabama, we do believe they have an easier path to being unbeaten and securing the top seed. Only Michigan is away, and Penn State and Oklahoma must come to Columbus, so it's entirely conceivable that OSU will be favored in every game this year. The hire of Kevin Wilson as offensive coordinator should be money, as his Indiana teams were always difficult to defend. He and new QB coach Ryan Day (NFL pedigree) will make QB J.T. Barrett more accountable, but will also play to his strengths instead of making him think too much. Barrett can throw the football, even if it seemed at times last year that he could not. He has an untested receiving corps, but the ground game, led by sophomore Mike Weber (freshman year over 1,000 yards) is punishing as usual. The Buckeyes will take shots downfield, and don't be surprised if they are successful. The defense is beastly, especially up front, where anyone in the eight man rotation could be a starter. DE Tyquan Lewis paced the team in sacks last year (8), and there isn't much dropoff with Jalyn Holmes -- or Sam Hubbard or Nick Bosa on the other side. LB Jerome Baker is the leading returning tackler (83) and a budding All-America candidate, but the secondary lost three first round draft picks and must retool. Denzel Ward has the look of the next great cover man, and JUCO transfer Kendall Sheffield (formerly Alabama signee) could have a leg up on the other side. Urban Meyer was embarrassed by his team's showing in the Fiesta Bowl (a 31-0 drubbing), and will not let that happen again. He will use every trick he knows to motivate this team, and with a lot of veteran leadership it would be surprising if OSU didn't respond. FAST FACT -- Meyer has lost three bowl games in his coaching career, and after the previous two his team won the national championship the following season.

                                                             

       2. Alabama Crimson Tide

Jalen Hurts

It may not be an automatic that Bama goes unbeaten or gets the top spot, but making the playoff is about the surest thing this side of Nick Saban scowling after another 21-point win. The Tide thought it had a fifth national title in eight years wrapped up, but Deshaun Watson had something to say about that, eventually guiding Clemson to a 35-31 national championship game victory. It was a long offseason for the faithful in Tuscaloosa, but it gave Saban motivation to ride his team harder, to work on the little things that resulted in the defeat -- especially leadership. Saban believes it was lacking at times last season, and has asked for a bigger buy-in from his players. If it happens, watch out, because Alabama already has the physical part figured out. QB Jalen Hurts had an excellent freshman campaign (2,780 yards, 23 TD) but wasn't great throwing the ball from the pocket. That was worked on in the spring, with impressive results. The ground game is intimidating, led by Bo Scarbrough (812, 11 TD) and Damien Harris (1,037), with a sprinkling of true freshman Najee Harris. Calvin Ridley (72 catches) is a premier receiver, but the line must retool as it loses its right side. The defense could take a step back from last year's nation-leading unit (13.0 ppg), but will still be intimidating, especially in the secondary. Safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick (6 INT) and Ronnie Harrison (86 tackles) lead the way, and LB Rashaan Evans (4 sacks) is the next great Bama great. The D-line is stocked with talent, and added #1 JUCO talent Isaiah Buggs. So the rich get richer. Alabama opens with Florida State but gets LSU at home, and ends the season on the road against Auburn. Falling short is not something Saban takes lightly, so you can bet he will have his charges ready when the curtain rises on 2017. FAST FACT -- Alabama has four national titles under Saban, but zero in years it has opened as preseason AP No. 1.

                                                               

                 3. USC Trojans

 

Sam Darnold

Time to come clean -- we did not like the Clay Helton hire, and felt the Trojans needed a big-name to recapture the glory that had eluded them since Pete Carroll skipped town after the 2009 season. Assistant promotions don't usually work, but thus far this one has. The players like Helton and play hard for him, and he weathered a difficult beginning and now has the Trojans poised to make a real run at a national title, which would be their first since 2004. Anything gained this year will be earned as USC faces Stanford, Texas and Washington State before the calendar changes to October. USC misses Washington and gets UCLA at home to end the season, so if it can navigate the early part of the slate then watch out. All eyes will be on QB Sam Darnold, and with good reason. He threw for 453 yards and five TDs in a thrilling Rose Bowl win over Penn State, and should only get better with more experience. His wideouts are young but immensely talented, notably Deontay Burnett (56 catches, 7 TD). Add in freshman Joseph Lewis and sophomore Michael Pittman, who went out at midseason with a knee injury, and there are the makings of the best corps in the land. Ronald Jones II ran for over 1,000 yards and scored 12 times, and will keep defenses honest. Five-star freshman Stephen Carr will see the field, too, but the line must replaces three key pieces. The defense wasn't great early but buckled down, limiting Colorado to 17 points and Washington to just 13. LB Cameron Smith had 83 tackles and hybrid rusher Porter Gustin added 68 and 7.5 TFL. Clancy Pendergast typically runs a 5-2, but has the athletes to morph into a 3-4 or 4-3. Whatever he runs, his troops will need to improve on their 26 sacks from last year. Still, much of USC's success hinges on Darnold. If he has improved, then woe is college football because the Trojans will become nearly unstoppable. FAST FACT -- USC has been ranked preseason top 10 21 times since 1979, and 15 times it finished lower than preseason slotting, and five times finished unranked.

                                                       
                                                           

    4. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Mason Rudolph

Riddle me this, Batman -- why do so many people feel Oklahoma has the inside track to the Big 12 crown -- and a possible CFP berth -- when Oklahoma State was right there numbers-wise in 2016, and returns more of its core pieces? Yes, the Cowboys were better defensively (26.5 to 28.8), had more sacks (32 to 25) and have a QB in Mason Rudolph (4,091 yards, 28 TD, 4 INT)  who was every bit as good as the Sooners Baker Mayfield (3,965, 40-8), and return more in the way of big play pieces. And -- maybe most important -- the Bedlam game is in Stillwater. Okie State coach Mike Gundy has created something special in Stillwater, winning 10 games in three of the last four seasons, and taking the Cowboys to 11 straight bowl games. Rudolph will lead an uptempo offense that will put a ton of pressure on opposing defenses, with a variety of weapons. Double cover WR James Washington (71 catches, 10 TD, 19.4 ypc) and Jalen McClesky (73, 812 yards) will get you. Play extra DBs and RB Justice Hill (1,142 yards, 5.5 ypc) will make you pay with his legs. The offensive line is experienced and should be able to cut down on last year's 32 sacks allowed. If the defense can make even minimal strides -- and it will need to as only five starters are back -- then the Cowboys will be right in the hunt. LB Chad Whitener (71 tackles, 6.5 TFL) is always near the football while safety Ramon Richards (64 tackles, 3 INTs) anchors a secondary that gets a boost from Clemson grad transfer Adrian Baker. TCU, Kansas State and the Sooners all venture to Stillwater, and Gundy is out to show that this team may be his best ever -- even better than the 2011 bunch that won 12 games and finished third in the polls. The Cowboys must win their own state first, but if that happens, then an appearance in the CFP will be right there. FAST FACT -- Gundy is tied with Frank Solich (Ohio) and Kyle Whittingham (Utah) as the third longest-tenured coach in FBS.

 So, with that lineup, this is how we see the playoffs shaking out --

Jan. 1
Rose Bowl --  1 Ohio State vs. 4 Oklahoma State
Sugar Bowl -- 2 Alabama vs. 3 USC 

Jan. 8 
National Championship Game (Atlanta, Ga.)
1 Ohio State vs. 3 USC

National Champion
Ohio State