College football spring Top 25
Clemson passes Alabama after practices
The second national signing day and spring practices have passed since the previous USA TODAY early Top 25, which had Alabama and Clemson atop the list of college football’s best teams heading into the 2019 season. When it comes to the Tigers and Crimson Tide, the post-spring update isn’t much of an update at all — the two national powers still lead the way.
For the rest of the Bowl Subdivision, spring practices provided a glimpse into what to expect come August.
The end of drills also provided a shake-up to our projected Top 25, with a handful of Power Five additions and several changes to the list that debuted in the wake of Clemson’s national championship in January.
The initial postseason ranking for each school from January is in parentheses.
1. Clemson (2): It’s all sunshine and rainbows in the wake of the program’s latest national championship. Not that everything is peachy: Clemson lost wide receiver Amari Rodgers to an ACL tear in March, potentially robbing the offense of an all-conference weapon. Rodgers is a good one, but I think quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Tigers will be OK.
2. Alabama (1): The spring provided a look at the Crimson Tide’s revamped and overhauled coaching staff, even if a few key faces — such as offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian — aren’t new to the program. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Alabama and Clemson are the nation’s best teams entering the summer.
3. Georgia (3): Georgia might have something to say about that. The Bulldogs’ series of practices revealed a team loaded with underclassman talent set to contribute at many important spots — such as the secondary, for example, which coach Kirby Smart singled out for praise multiple times in April.
4. Oklahoma (4): If the spring game is any indication, Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts is going to be a good fit for coach Lincoln Riley and the Sooners. As if there were any questions about the Sooners’ quarterback play. Hurts was strong through the air and unsurprisingly effective as a runner to cap the spring and head into the summer on a high note.
5. Ohio State (6): Meanwhile, the Buckeyes’ quarterback transfer didn’t do the same: Justin Fields was spotty in the spring game. But his work throughout the spring was strong, helping the Georgia transfer to lay a foundation for securing the job come fall camp. Ohio State’s going to be a major contender in coach Ryan Day’s first season.
6. Michigan (7): Not to overrate an individual spring game — no one ever does that — but the Wolverines’ scrimmage saw an offense under new coordinator Josh Gattis that allowed skill players to make plays in space, a painfully missing piece for much of coach Jim Harbaugh’s tenure. If this holds, the Wolverines are going to be a national factor.
7. LSU (8): The same can be said of LSU. The Tigers spent most of the spring in a spread-based, no-huddle system
that conceivably would bring the offense out of its malaise and take advantage of a strong cast of skill players. Another takeaway? True freshman defensive back Derek Stingley is going to be the program’s next great one in the secondary.
8. Texas A&M (10): The Aggies have a ceiling as high as the College Football Playoff, though the program might not be ready to take that leap in Jimbo Fisher’s second season. Texas A&M needs to improve its pass defense after a lackluster 2018, addressing those concerns by signing one of the nation’s top secondary classes in December and February.
9. Oregon (11): Ten returning starters on offense, led by a potential top draft pick in Justin Herbert. Seven starters are back on defense. The early returns on new defensive coordinator Andy Avalos have been positive. The Ducks made a great hire in bringing Avalos over from Boise State.
10. Texas (5): There’s plenty to like about Texas but enough reason for concern exiting the spring to knock the Longhorns down a few pegs from their debut ranking. At heart is line play on both sides of the ball, with the offensive front still a work in progress as the staff looks to rebuild depth. The defense began the process of replacing eight senior starters.
11. Notre Dame (13): The Fighting Irish have to feel good about the spring performance of running back Jafar Armstrong, who put a strong hold on the starting job after serving as the backup to Dexter Williams a year ago. Better yet, quarterback Ian Book showed during drills that he’s ready to build on a very solid first season as the starter.
12. Washington (9): Presumed backup quarterback Jake Haener has made
things interesting this spring, though it would be a huge surprise to see anyone other than Jacob Eason at the controls of the Huskies’ offense come August. Washington will enter the summer with holes on defense but a number of talented youngsters ready to fill the void; based on the spring, look for the staff to lean on a heavy rotation of players.
13. Florida (14): Coach Dan Mullen’s second team will be just as good as his first, but whether the Gators can put a serious dent into Georgia’s ownership of the Southeastern Conference’s East Division depends in large part on three factors: the performance by the offensive line, the health of the running game and the play on the back end of the secondary. The line in particular needs to improve after a spotty spring.
14. Central Florida (12): The Knights will take another run at the New Year’s Six with a new quarterback, whether holdover Darriel Mack Jr. or Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush. As of now, there’s little separating the two main contenders. UCF is still the class of the Group of Five even without McKenzie Milton.
15. Iowa State (17): Coach Matt Campbell left the spring praising newcomer Breece Hall at running back and incumbent quarterback Matt Purdy, the two keys to the Cyclones’ offensive success. Another reason to be optimistic: Iowa State’s defense looks built to last in the Big 12. The defensive front in particular showed this spring why it’s a major asset.
16. Auburn (not ranked): There’s no short-term conclusion in sight for Auburn’s quarterback competition. True freshman Bo Nix and redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood fared the best during the spring game, for what that’s worth. That coach Gus Malzahn will call plays on offense is an intriguing twist heading into what is again a brutal schedule.
17. Northwestern (not ranked): The Wildcats look like the most complete team in the Big Ten West Division. Whether they can repeat atop the division depends on how well former Clemson quarterback Hunter Johnson takes to the offensive scheme. While coach Pat Fitzgerald hasn’t declared a starter, the signs from Johnson this spring have been positive.
18. Stanford (18): Those questions about the health of Stanford’s running game weren’t answered during the spring and likely won’t be addressed completely until a brutal stretch to start the season — against Northwestern, Southern California, Central Florida and Oregon.
19. Nebraska (21): The defense is going to be better, maybe even significantly so. The Cornhuskers have a Heisman Trophy contender in quarterback Adrian Martinez but need to add depth at the skill positions and are again not entirely trustworthy along the line. Overall, however, this is a team set to take the next step under coach Scott Frost.
20. Army (20): Army is rolling with confidence after the finest season in the program’s modern era. A smooth schedule has the Black Knights destined for a spot in the Top 25. The only concern might be the change at defensive coordinator, as Jay Bateman did superb work under coach Jeff Monken before leaving to join coach Mack Brown at North Carolina.
21. Penn State (19): A flurry of offseason departures was followed by this spring’s surprising move: Tommy Stevens opted to transfer rather than continue in Penn State’s quarterback battle. That changes the equation under center. However, it’s important to remember that redshirt sophomore Sean Clifford has been viewed as the future at the position — only his time was supposed to come in 2020, not this fall.
22. Boise State (24): Unsettled competitions at quarterback and running back dominated the conversation this spring, and perhaps rightfully so. But the Broncos are loaded at wide receiver, experienced on the offensive line and poised to excel on defense with depth on every level.
23. Syracuse (22): Coach Dino Babers aims to lead the Orange to doubledigit wins for the second year in a row after last season’s breakthrough. There will be a change at quarterback, with Tommy DeVito set to take over full time after playing in eight games as a freshman, but there are few questions about the health of the offense.
24. Baylor (25): The Bears are trending upward heading into coach Matt Rhule’s third season. An easy non-conference schedule is followed by a smooth entry into Big 12 play, meaning the Bears could be at 6-2 heading into a crucial November.
25. Wisconsin (23): Wisconsin has earned a high degree of national respect as a program but enters 2019 with a major question: What can coach Paul Chryst and the Badgers expect from true freshman quarterback Graham Mertz?
Dropped out: Iowa, Southern California