Alabama, OSU top 2022 rankings
With Heisman winner Young back at QB, Tide have eyes on the crown
Now that the 2021 college football season is over, let’s look at the Orlando Sentinel’s 2022 preseason top 25 rankings:
Alabama
Nick Saban may turn 71 this upcoming football season, but nothing seems to slow down the legendary coach, who took Alabama to its sixth National Championship game in the last seven years. The Crimson Tide will lose their share of talent to the NFL, but with Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. back, another championship run is in the cards.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes are 34-4 in the three-plus seasons under coach Ryan Day, finishing no worse than third in two of the last three seasons. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is back after a record-setting season and the offense features plenty of young talent. New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is known for being an innovator and is coming off a season in which he coached a top 4 defense at Oklahoma State.
Georgia
The Bulldogs captured their first National Championship since 1980 with a 33-18 win over Alabama on Monday night. While there will be attrition on both sides of the football, Georgia returns a bevy of talent, including the No. 3 class of the 2022 recruiting cycle. If they can address the quarterback issue, an SEC title and a return to the title game could be in order.
Michigan State
Mel Tucker used the transfer portal masterfully, bringing in nearly two dozen players, including running back Kenneth Walker III. But he’ll need to rely on it again, especially with the departures of Walker and several players on the offensive and defensive lines. The Spartans finished deadlast in the Big Ten in defense, so any improvements in that area will be a blessing.
Oklahoma
Brent Venables led some of the most formidable defenses in the country during his time as defensive coordinator at Clemson and that background should pay off for the Sooners, who lack defensive toughness. The addition of Jeff Lebby as offensive coordinator, who guided explosive offenses at UCF and Ole Miss, is a perfect match, particularly with the addition of transfer QB Dillon Gabriel.
Michigan
Things didn’t end the way the Wolverines expected, but they put together a stellar season. That included snapping an eight-game losing streak to rival Ohio State and capturing the Big Ten title for the first time since 2004. A top 10 recruiting class will help fill some of the holes and while the offense returns several crucial starters, the defense will need to replace edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
Utah
Fresh off its first Rose Bowl appearance, he Utes return talent to a team that won 11 games. Barring any unforeseen departures, they will have a 2,000-yard passer in Cameron Rising, a 1,000yard rusher in tailback Tavion Thomas and two receivers with at least 500 yards in Dalton Kincaid and Brant Kuithe while returning the core of a defense that was third-best in the Pac-12.
Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman’s promotion to head coach ensures a smooth transition for a program coming off its fifth consecutive double-digit win season. The current players seem sold on Freeman and recruits as well, with the Irish signing their best recruiting class since 2013. Notre Dame hasn’t started a season ranked higher than No. 9 since 2006.
Texas A&M
COVID-19 ended the Aggies’ season prematurely, denying them a chance at the Gator Bowl, but they have won at least eight games in each of Jimbo Fisher’s four seasons as coach. While the program hasn’t managed to crack double-digit wins since 2012, signing the No. 1 class in the 2022 recruiting cycle should help restock a roster that could see some attrition to the NFL.
BYU
The Cougars wrapped up their second straight double-digit win season, giving them hope that they’re on the right track under coach Kalani Sitake. BYU didn’t have a senior starter on its roster and only two seniors listed on its two-deep depth chart entering 2021. Still, the Cougars should have plenty of returning talent to make another run at a double-digit win season in 2022.
Clemson
It’s incredible to think that a 10-win season is a step back, but that’s the case for the Tigers who saw their streak of six straight ACC Championships and six straight appearances in the College Football Playoff snapped. Clemson has had to replace its coordinators and several assistant coaches but still feature a roster loaded with talent.
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are coming
off their best season since 2011, capping things off with their first New Year’s Six Bowl win. But it will be a transitional season with coach Mike Gundy needing to replace defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and a handful of defensive standouts. The bonus is the offense, which returns QB Spencer Sanders and several skilled playmakers.
Oregon
New coach Dan Lanning built a reputation for being one of the country’s premier defensive minds, which is good news for a program that hasn’t finished ranked in the top 50 in defense the past two seasons. How far the Ducks advance depends on the offense and the development of the quarterback position with the addition of Auburn transfer Bo Nix.
Cincinnati
The Bearcats are coming off a groundbreaking season, one in which they became the first team from a Group of Five conference to qualify for the College Football Playoff. Luke Fickell has led UC to 44 wins over the past four seasons and developed NFL-level talent. A top 40 recruiting class helps restock a roster that must replace QB Desmond Ridder, RB Jerome Ford and CB Ahmad Gardner.
Penn State
After a 5-0 start, the Nittany Lions dropped six out of its final eight games, including a disappointing loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. They return experience, including sixth-year quarterback Sean Clifford and tailback Keyvone Lee, but they must replace several defensive players and defensive coordinator Brent Pry.
Baylor
The Bears are coming off a school-record 12-win season, including the program’s third Big 12 title and a win over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. The challenge for third-year coach Dave Aranda is replacing 14 senior starters, including tailback Abram Smith and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jalen Pitre.
Ole Miss
The Rebels haven’t had backto-back double-digit win seasons since 1959-60. A run at another 10-win season will be tough with the departures of offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, quarterback Matt Corral and a handful of skilled players playmakers. A top 25 recruiting class should help restock the roster, but don’t be surprised if Lane Kiffin also leans on the transfer portal to fill some of those gaps.
Pittsburgh
The Panthers are coming off a stellar season, winning 11 games for the first time since 1981 while claiming their first ACC Championship. USC transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis steps in for the departing Kenny Pickett. While Pitt has some challenging road contests against Miami and North Carolina and a showdown against Tennessee, things look good for another strong run in the conference.
Kentucky
The Wildcats had their second 10-win season in the past four years with a victory over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. They managed to parlay that success into signing their best recruiting class (No. 11). While Kentucky loses standout receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and several other players in the NFL, it’ll benefit from the return of QB Will Levis.
Iowa
The Hawkeyes had won 10 games in two of the past three seasons, including 2021, when they soared as high as No. 2 in Associated Press top 25 rankings. Kirk Ferentz’s team benefits from returning several starters on both sides of the football, particularly on defense. In total defense and takeaways, Iowa finished ranked in the top 20.
USC
The addition of coach Lincoln Riley, who guided Oklahoma to four Big 12 titles and three College Football Playoff appearances, has the Trojans energized. Riley’s impact has been immediate, drawing
some of the top talents on the West Coast, which coupled with the experience on the roster should couple for a surprising season.
Houston
The Cougars put together a breakout season in Year 3 under coach Dana Holgorsen, winning 12 games and finishing runner-up to Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference. They should return a 3,000-yard passer in Clayton Tune, a 1,000-yard receiver in Nathaniel Dell and a 900-yard rusher in Alton McCaskill, making them one of the favorites in the AAC for 2022.
Wake Forest
Fresh off their first ACC Coastal crown since 2006, the Deacons hope to make it back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time in school history. Quarterback Sam Hartman returns after a career season when he passed for 4,228 yards with 39 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. They face a weak non-conference schedule and ACC foes Clemson and UNC at home in 2022.
Arkansas
Sam Pittman didn’t take long to put the Razorbacks back on the college football map. A nine-win season capped with an impressive win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl gives them some muchneeded momentum. The return of QB KJ Jefferson (3,340 yards of total offense) and RB Raheim Sanders (578 yards) could help Arkansas avoid being a one-year wonder.
Wisconsin
After a 1-3 start, the Badgers bounced back by winning seven straight games before a loss to Minnesota knocked them out of the Big Ten West picture. Wisconsin needs to replace several starters from a defense that ranked No. 1 in the conference but returns up-and-coming tailback Braelon Allen.