So besides us, who are the contenders next year?

Loam

All-SEC
Oct 20, 2014
1,165
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Ohio State? Michigan? Florida State? Oklahoma? USC? Louisville? Anyone else?

Thoughts?
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,258
30,841
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Beautiful Cullman, AL
The usual suspects. I think Clemson loses too much but who knows? They've recruited well.

But I'm sure FSU, USC, and Ohio State will be in the discussion. Oklahoma is a pretender until Stoops retires, IMO. Penn State has a lot coming back. Michigan is losing a ton.

I am not sure what Washington loses but they could be a contender again.
 

81usaf92

TideFans Legend
Apr 26, 2008
35,295
31,347
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South Alabama
PAC 12- USC and Washington
Big 12- OU
Big 10-tosu
ACC- FSU
SEC-UGA and Bama....* auburn

Bama will probably get a second match with FSU in Nola, but I suspect UGA will be the favorite in the SEC
 

theBIGyowski

All-American
Aug 4, 2005
3,645
35
67
42
Cumming, GA
SEC: Bama and UGA
PAC 12: USC
Big 12: Oklahoma
Big 10: OSU and Michigan
ACC: FSU

We are losing some key playmakers on defense...but that happens every year and we always seem to reload.
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,258
30,841
187
Beautiful Cullman, AL
PAC 12- USC and Washington
Big 12- OU
Big 10-tosu
ACC- FSU
SEC-UGA and Bama....* auburn

Bama will probably get a second match with FSU in Nola, but I suspect UGA will be the favorite in the SEC
I'm holding on Georgia and Kirby Smart as well.

The opener in Atlanta against the Noles is going to be a tough one.
 

UntouchableCrew

All-SEC
Nov 30, 2015
1,530
338
102
USC feels like they should be a contender coming out of the Pac-12, but since Carroll left they've finished strong and had lofty expectations only to fall on their face the next year. But Sam Darnold looked really good.

In the B1G I think Michigan is losing too much on defense. I think it's Penn State or Ohio State, both should be good enough to be in the mix.

In the ACC Florida State feels like the team -- our season opener with them is huge.

My way too early playoff teams: Alabama, USC, Penn State, Florida State
 

NationalTitles18

TideFans Legend
May 25, 2003
29,547
34,574
362
Mountainous Northern California
Getting there will be tough but if any coach can do it, Saban can so....

Alabama
LSU (talent is there - is the coaching?)
OU (Good talent, good coach, bad conference)
OSU (another team that needs to develop a power run game)
PSU (puke)
USC (lots of talent)
UW (talent and very good coach)
FSU (going to be a tough out that first game)
Colorado (assuming they continue improving)
Clemson (sure, they could regress but if they split the couple of big games they have without blowing a game they should win...)
 

huskylawyer

Scout Team
Dec 4, 2016
138
0
0
Seattle
Fairly certain we'll be top 5 going into the Pac-12 championship game and it will probably be a play-in game for the playoff.

Our non-conference schedule is embarrasingly easy. We play Rutgers in Jersey, and Montana and Fresno at home.

And oh yea, we don't play USC in the regular season.

Our supposed tough games (Oregon, Utah and WSU) will be at home.

We lost a fair amount of players on defense, including Baker, Qualls and Jones who declared early. But arguably our best d-lineman is coming back (Vea), we have the Pac-12 Defensive Frosh of the YEar coming back at safety (Rapp), Byron Murphy, a RS frosh will step in (4 star who was AZ player of the year). On offense, we still have Browning, Gaskin (back to back 1000 yard rusher), and two NFL players on our o-line. It would be crazy if we lost two games before the bowl, and my guess we face a 1 loss USC team in the Pac-12 championship.

So see ya'll in the playoffs and have an injury free offseason.
 

Marshawn24

New Member
Dec 7, 2016
19
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0
UW brings back our entire offense minus #1 WR and LG. Defense will be the best in the Pac12 for the 4th consecutive season.

I expect it to be UW - Bama - Penn St - Louisville
 

cjhadley

1st Team
Jan 1, 2007
604
599
112
41
Brewton, Alabama, United States
SEC- Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee

ACC- Florida St, possibly Virginia Tech

Big 10- Ohio St, Penn St, Wisconsin

Big 12 - Oklahoma

PAC 12 - USC, Washington

I Think the Playoff teams are going to be Alabama, FSU, USC, and Ohio St.
 

BamaInBham

All-American
Feb 14, 2007
4,464
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Bama in the SEC, with LSU being the only realistic hurdle. To say the least the jury is still out on Smart and the UGA talent. It's conceivable that the talent is there, but not enough experience. Coaching ?. LSU could be scary, Aranda is great - he and Pruitt are far above everyone else in the SEC. But of course they have Coach O, but such obstacles are occasionally overcome in the short term.

OSU returns a lot including Barrett. Great coach, though they've not recovered from Herman's departure - just like Mullen at UF. '09 and '10 were not good offensive years, as '15 and '16 have not been.

Hard to say about PSU - maybe.

OU loses much on O and never had much on D.

USC loses a lot, but they have Darnold and good prospects. They also have Helton who we don't know about.

UW returns a lot, with a very good coach, but the PAC12 will likely be better.

FSU returns a lot, but they still have Jimbo.

Clemson loses Watson and more, but they have evaluated and recruited very well. Have to acknowledge Dabo, but still not sure.

Best guess: Bama, OSU, Wash, ?.
 

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