Aug. 5—***
Are you ready for the most college football ever? Twelve teams in the playoffs means eight more postseason games than before. What used to be three is now 11 to decide who is best,
The favorites might dominate in the first two rounds. Or the semifinals will be filled with bottom seeds. We can only hope.
Kick back, relax and enjoy every moment of it. As a primer, I I have been using this space over the last month and half to count down my preseason Top 50.
I welcome complaints and disagreements I might even include them in future stories.
And away we go …
With Nick Saban retired and in the broadcast booth, there isn’t a better coach in the college game than Kirby Smart, who might chase some of Saban’s records for success. Smart is 94-16 in eight seasons. Yes, that will do. … Quarterback Carson Beck is considered the top at his position in 2024 and a strong Heisman Trophy favorite. His 24:6 touchdown to interception ratio makes him elite. So does his 74 percent completion rate. … Beck has all sorts of help, with eight other starters back on offense. Four of them are lineman, which Beck appreciates. … The team added running back Trevor Etienne from Florida. … The defense brings back six starters led by end Mykel Williams and safety Malaki Starks. … The schedule doesn’t include Missouri, one of the top teams in the SEC.
Is it possible the team’s failure to win another national title in 2023 shook its confidence just a tiny bit? Seems like a ridiculous notion, but you never know. … With the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, the SEC is better. And harder to win. … The Bulldogs play all the other league toughies: Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. And to make things a bit harder, they also play Clemson in the opener at Atlanta. They will be severely tested.
50. Maryland Big Ten
49. Colorado Big 12
48. Georgia Tech ACC
47. Tulane American
46. UCF Big 12
45. South Florida American
44. Appalachian State Sun Belt
43. Rutgers Big Ten
42. Virginia Tech ACC
41. Texas Tech Big 12
40. Liberty Conference USA
39. South Carolina SEC
38. Washington Big Ten
37. North Carolina ACC
36. Boise State Mountain West
35. Memphis American
34. Kentucky SEC
33. Nebraska Big Ten
32. Florida SEC
31. Auburn SEC
30. SMU ACC
29. Wisconsin Big Ten
28. West Virginia Big 12
27. Iowa State Big 12
26. NC State ACC
25. Iowa Big Ten
24. Arizona Big 12
23. Louisville ACC
22. Southern California Big Ten
21. Kansas State Big 12
20. Texas A&M SEC
19. Kansas Big 12
18. Miami ACC
17. Oklahoma SEC
16. Clemson ACC
15. Oklahoma State Big 12
14. Tennessee SEC
13. Utah Big 12
12. LSU SEC
11. Penn State Big Ten
10. Notre Dame Indy
9. Florida State ACC
8. Missouri SEC
7. Michigan Big Ten
6. Alabama SEC
5. Mississippi SEC
4. Oregon Big Ten
3. Texas SEC
The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
