Max
Member
Way-Too-Early Top 25 College Football Rankings for 2021
Its never too early to think about next season, so with college footballs 2020 season complete after Alabamas win in the national championship,...
The 2019 college football season officially begins on Saturday, Aug. 24, but it's never too early to start thinking about what might transpire this fall. Each FBS season brings plenty of surprises, disappointments and unexpected teams emerging in the national title picture. However, two teams - Clemson and Alabama - are a step ahead of the rest of the college football world and are poised for a rematch in the national championship game.
Alabama is Athlon's projected national champion, with Clemson at No. 2, followed by Georgia and Michigan in the top four. Ohio State, Oklahoma and LSU headline the next trio of teams, with Florida, Notre Dame and Texas A&M rounding out the projected top 10. The 2019 season concludes with the national championship on Jan. 13 in New Orleans, La., in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Athlon Sports 2019 preview magazines are on newsstands nationwide and feature in-depth predictions, previews, rankings and insightful stories to prepare for the upcoming year. The SEC regional and an expanded national preview edition can be ordered from Athlon Sports' online store.
An important note on Athlon's top 25 for 2019: This is not a preseason ranking of teams going into the season. Instead, this ranking takes into account where we project teams to finish after the national championship in January. Here are Athlon's projected top 25 teams in college football for 2019.
23. Missouri
20. Auburn
10. Texas A&M
8. Florida
7. LSU
3. Georgia
1. Alabama
The last image of Alabama in the 2018 college football season was a blowout loss at the hands of Clemson in the national championship. Defeats like the one the Crimson Tide suffered in Santa Clara simply don't happen under coach Nick Saban's watch. But after another offseason of coaching changes, Alabama is poised for another run at the national championship – the sixth during Saban's tenure. The offense is led by Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa after he threw for 3,966 yards and 43 touchdowns in his first year as the starter. Keeping Tagovailoa healthy is a priority with Jalen Hurts deciding to transfer to Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide's receiving corps is the best in college football, and Najee Harris is primed for a breakout season replacing Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs as the No. 1 running back. The concerns on offense are minimal for new play-caller Steve Sarkisian, but the line does have three new starters, including at center and left tackle. Alabama's defense annually ranks near the top of the nation in most defensive categories and that shouldn't change in 2019. Similar to the offense, there are concerns up front. Quinnen Williams and Isaiah Buggs departed, leaving Raekwon Davis as the lone returning starter. A standout 2019 class should replenish the talent in the trenches. Dylan Moses takes over as the leader at linebacker in the middle of the Crimson Tide's 3-4 defense after Mack Wilson left for the NFL. A healthy Terrell Lewis would bolster a pass rush that already features Anfernee Jennings (13 TFL and 5.5 sacks) from the outside linebacker spot. The secondary had an uneven performance in 2018, but the return of Trevon Diggs from injury, along with the development of Patrick Surtain will solidify the cornerback position. Deionte Thompson is a big loss at safety, but Xavier McKinney seems ready for a career season. Alabama has to navigate road trips to Texas A&M, Auburn, South Carolina and Mississippi State, but LSU visits Tuscaloosa in early November.
