2020 College Football Power Rankings
ByJOAL RYAN Jun 22, 10:00 AM
The No. 1 college football team in the nation? Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide? Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers? Ed Orgeron's LSU Tigers? Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs? Read on to find out. We've compiled power rankings for the 2020 college-football season.
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The rankings are based on a blend of the preseason picks issued by 247Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN. Each of the three polls has a different team at No. 1. Who'll be No. 1 here?
There are plenty of other questions. Can LSU defend the school's national championship -- even with their 2019 hero, Joe Burrow, having gone from the ACC’s Tigers to the NFL’s Bengals? Can the Ohio State Buckeyes upend the Clemson Tigers and presumed 2021 NFL Draft star Trevor Lawrence? And where are the Alabama Crimson Tide, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Oregon Ducks and Texas Longhorns going to land?
As these stories play out, these rankings will be updated -- weekly when the season begins. And with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic still challenging the sports world -- a reported 23 Clemson players alone tested positive for the virus in one week in June -- we should that note that these rankings presumes the 2020 college football season will be played, across the nation, across conferences and with the key players noted.
Speaking of conferences: Currently, this rundown, which ranks teams from No. 40 to No. 1, includes eight SEC teams, eight Big Ten teams, seven Big 12 teams, six ACC teams and, bringing up the rear among the Power 5 conferences, the Pac-12, with five teams.
So, which teams are in the game? Read on.
SLIDE1 of 4240 (TIE). KENTUCKY WILDCATS
(Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)
With an upset Belk Bowl victory over Virginia Tech, the Wildcats outdid modest expectations last year, and head into 2020 with one of the easiest schedules in the SEC. Thanks to the likes of Kavosiey Smoke (pictured), they also head into the new season with a solid run game.
SLIDE2 of 4240 (TIE). FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
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Mike Norvell's tenure at Florida State got off to a bad start when the head coach was called out by projected first-round 2021 NFL Draft pick Marvin Wilson (pictured) for comments made in the wake of the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd. But after meetings between Norvell and players, Wilson says the team "got closer." ESPN's College Football Power Index (FPI) ranking is the most bullish on Florida State: It has the team at No. 26.
SLIDE3 of 4240 (TIE).VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
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Virginia is -- and isn't -- winning the presason. On one hand, the CBS Sports 130 (as of June 12, 2020) has the Cavaliers ranked as the nation's No. 28 team. On the other hand, Virginia, which lost a lot of playmakers, and arguably has the ACC's second-toughest schedule, is pegged by 247Sports national reporter Brandon Marcello to finish dead last in the ACC Coastal division.
SLIDE4 of 4238 (TIE). NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
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Per 247Sports national reporter Brandon Marcello, the offensively challenged Wildcats are going to be a middling team in the Big Ten East division. But ESPN's FPI is the hot on the Wildcats: It's got the team, featuring standout tackle Rashawn Slate (pictured), as one of the top 25 teams in the nation.
SLIDE5 of 4238 (TIE). IOWA STATE CYCLONES
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Led by QB Brock Purdy, one of the prospective first-rounders in our 2021 NFL Mock Draft, Iowa State could vie for its first-ever Big 12 title.
SLIDE6 of 4237. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
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Kansas State has eight returning starters by 247Sports' count, plus a number of key, emerging players, including receiver Wykeen Gill (pictured), who had 16 receptions in 2019. 247Sports national reporter Brandon Marcello projects the Wildcats to finish a lowly seventh in the Big 12, but the CBS Sports 130 and ESPN FPI both have Kansas State as a Top 35 team nationwide.
SLIDE7 of 4236. WASHINGTON HUSKIES
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The retired Chris Petersen's out, and Jimmy Lake's in as Washington head coach. Look for the Huskies to reflect Lake's resume, and be a team that leads with its defense. Corner Elijah Molden (pictured) is a possible first-round 2021 NFL Draft pick.
SLIDE8 of 4235. AIR FORCE FALCONS
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The CBS Sports 130 has the Falcons ranked 23rd heading into the season. Potential standouts include linebacker Demonte Meeks, one of 42 players on the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation's preseason watch list for the 2020 Lott IMPACT Trophy, honoring the nation's top defensive player.
SLIDE9 of 4234. INDIANA HOOSIERS
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The Big Ten's third-best offense in 2019 returns eight starters in 2020, including receiver Whop Philyor, called "Indiana's best player during the Hoosiers' breakthrough season" by Sports Illustrated.
SLIDE10 of 4233. BOISE STATE BRONCOS
(Photo: Shotgun Spratling | USCfootball.com, 247Sports)
Jack Sears (pictured) is a transfer from USC who will vie for the Broncos QB job. Hank Bachmeier is the returning sophomore, who had a breakout performance in the position last year. Either way, Boise State looks powerful enough to warrant a Top 25 preseason ranking from the CBS Sports 130.
SLIDE11 of 4232. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
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Tennessee owes its spot in this power ranking to 247Sports' preseason poll, which has the Vols in a tie for No. 22. The CBS Sports 130 and ESPN FPI are less sold, and even the 247Sports ranking says "[t]here’s a decent chance Tennessee is the team we overhype greatly thanks to a late-season push [in 2019]."
SLIDE12 of 4230 (TIE). TCU HORNED FROGS
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TCU, featuring the Big 12's most valuable safety in Trevon Moehrg (pictured), a potential 2021 NFL Draft first-rounder, is getting a lot of preseason love from the ESPN FPI, which has the Horned Frogs as the nation's 21st-best team. 247Sports national reporter Brandon Marcello notes the TCU offense should be on the upswing -- especially since it "can't get much worse."
SLIDE13 of 4230 (TIE). ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
(Photo: Dwayne Ong SunDevilSource, 247Sports)
Heading into his third year in Tempe, head coach Herm Edwards has the Sun Devils poised to potentially rule the Pac-12 South division. A lot will ride on sophomore QB Jayden Daniels (pictured), who last year passed for more than 2,700 yards and 17 touchdowns, with only two interceptions.
SLIDE14 of 4227 (TIE). LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
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Second-year head coach Scott Satterfield looks to keep the buzz -- and wins -- going in 2020. The ESPN FPI sees the Cardinals, featuring 5-foot-9 running back Javian Hawkins (pictured), as a Top 25 team.
SLIDE15 of 4227 (TIE). NAVY MIDSHIPMEN
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The Midshipmen lose QB Malcolm Perry (pictured) to the NFL and the Miami Dolphins, and may struggle to duplicate its 11-2 campaign from 2019. But the CBS Sports 130 believes in the school's potential of finishing in the Top 25.
SLIDE16 of 4227 (TIE). CINCINNATI BEARCATS
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As the 247Sports preseason Top 25 rundown notes, the Bearcats are returning 14 starters from their 11-win 2019 season, including quarterback Desmond Ridder (pictured).
SLIDE17 of 4226. APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS
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Appalachian State makes this power ranking on the strength of its showing in the CBS Sports 130. The Mountaineers are distinguished by Zac Thomas (pictured), a Group of Five program quarterback to watch, per 247Sports' look at the 2021 NFL Draft class.
SLIDE18 of 4225. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
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Sam Howell (pictured) turned heads in his 2019 freshman year with more than 3,600 passing yards and 39 touchdowns (all but one via the air). His rising stock has North Carolina looking good in the preseason rankings from 247Sports and ESPN.
SLIDE19 of 4223 (TIE). VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
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Potential first-round 2021 NFL Draft pick Caleb Farley (pictured) will star at corner for the Hokies, and the school will challenge North Carolina for the top spot in the ACC Coastal division.
SLIDE20 of 4223 (TIE). MEMPHIS TIGERS
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The ESPN FPI likes Memphis; the CBS Sports 130 really likes Memphis -- the latter has the Tigers as its preseason No. 16 team. Expectations are also high for returning running back Kenny Gainwell (pictured), who compiled nearly 1,500 rushing yards in 2019.
SLIDE21 of 4222. IOWA HAWKEYES
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Per 247Sports national reporter Brandon Marcello, Iowa has lost too many key players from 2019 to muscle out either Wisconsin or Minnesota for dominance in the Big Ten West, but a talented wide-receiver group, including Ihmir Smith-Marsette (pictured, left) and Brandon Smith (pictured, right), may help the school make up ground. The CBS Sports 130 and ESPN FPI both see Iowa as a Top 25 team.
SLIDE22 of 4221. BAYLOR BEARS
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There may not be a more divisive entry here: The CBS Sports 130 has Baylor at No. 10, while neither 247Sports nor the ESPN FPI have the school in their respective Top 25 rankings. But there's no disputing that senior QB Charlie Brewer (pictured) is money, especially when it comes to engineering comeback wins.
SLIDE23 of 4220. UTAH UTES
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Quarterback Jake Bentley (pictured) is a graduate transfer from South Carolina to Utah, and is the projected No. 1 starter for a school that's a consensus preseason Top 25 pick among the surveyed rankings.
SLIDE24 of 4219. UCF KNIGHTS
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Coming off a 10-3 season, the Knights are projected to score another Top 25 finish by the ESPN FPI. Dillon Gabriel (pictured), one of the Sporting News' Top 25 quarterbacks, will lead the way for the Knights.
SLIDE25 of 4218. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
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In 2019, the Cowboys' Chuba Hubbard (pictured) ran for more than 2,000 yards. In 2020, he'll be in the Heisman discussion -- and come the 2021 NFL Draft, he may just be a first-round pick. His legs should take Oklahoma State (8-5 in 2019) a long way.
SLIDE26 of 4217. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
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Look for the Gophers to battle Wisconsin for the Big Ten West title. Potential 2021 NFL Draft first-round pick Rashod Bateman (pictured), meanwhile, will look to improve on a 2019 campaign that saw him average more than 20 yards per touch.
SLIDE27 of 4216. USC TROJANS
(Photo: Shotgun Spratling | USCfootball.com, 247Sports)
In 2019, Kedon Slovis (pictured) had a freshman campaign that showed just enough promise to save head-coach Clay Helton's job, and prompt fellow QB JT Daniels to transfer to Georgia. But Slovis will have to do better than a .634 winning percentage (his record in 11 starts in 2019) to get the Trojans back into the season-ending Top 25.
SLIDE28 of 4215. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
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The Big Ten East is loaded, so the depleted Wolverines will be fortunate to take third (again) in the division, behind Ohio State and Penn State. On the plus side, Michigan will come to the fight with "impact machine" defensive-end Aidan Hutchinson (pictured) and potential 2021 NFL Draft first-round OT Jaylen Mayfield.
SLIDE29 of 4214. TEXAS A&M AGGIES
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The 247Sports preseason Top 25 and the ESPN FPI are big on Texas A&M; the CBS Sports 130 is less so. What seems sure is that quarterback Kellen Mond (pictured) will rate Heisman buzz.
SLIDE30 of 4213. TEXAS LONGHORNS
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Texas' offense will lead its charge in the Big 12. Elite returning starters include QB Sam Ehlinger (pictured), a Top 10 contender for the Heisman, and offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi, a prospective 2021 NFL Draft first-round pick.
SLIDE31 of 4212. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
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The offense looks to be the strength again of Notre Dame, which is returning several key players from its 11-2 2019 campaign. Standout OT Liam Eichenberg (pictured) and quarterback Ian Book, considered a potential Heisman candidate, are among those back for the Fighting Irish.
SLIDE32 of 4211. AUBURN TIGERS
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After just one year, albeit a great one, sophomore Auburn quarterback Bo Nix is considered to have an outside shot at the Heisman. The 247Sports preseason Top 25 says Nix's team will go as far as his maturing talent allows. It'll also help if the program's remade lines, both on offense and defense, work.
SLIDE33 of 4210. WISCONSIN BADGERS
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Wisconsin is ranked as high as No. 3 in the ESPN FPI. One reason: Its defense, with sophomore linebacker Jack Sanborn, "your next All-American candidate" from the Badgers, per 247Sports' preseason Top 25.
SLIDE34 of 429. OKLAHOMA SOONERS
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Jalen Hurts is gone, but Creed Humphrey (pictured), the 6-foot-4, 310-pound center, will return to help Spencer Rattler settle in as the next Oklahoma quarterback to watch.
SLIDE35 of 428. FLORIDA GATORS
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Florida's veteran offense, including returning QB Kyle Trask, looks to lead the Gators to the top of the SEC East.
SLIDE36 of 427. OREGON DUCKS
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Offensive tackle Penei Sewell may go as high as No. 1 in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Ducks, per the CBS Sports 130, may fly as high as the nation's No. 5 team.
SLIDE37 of 426. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Micah Parsons (Photo: Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports)
Penn State and Micah Parsons (pictured), likely the best linebacker of the 2021 NFL Draft class, will dominate just about everything but the Big Ten East. ('Cause Ohio State.)
SLIDE38 of 425. LSU TIGERS
(Photo: Andy Altenburger, 247Sports)
Joe Burrow's gone, but it's too soon to say the magic is gone, too: The CBS Sports 130 has LSU as the preseason No. 1 team. Elite wide-receiver Ja'Marr Chase (pictured), a should-be first-round lock in the 2021 NFL Draft, will soar, and make redshirt junior QB Myles Brennan look very good in the process.
SLIDE39 of 424. GEORGIA BULLDOGS
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With Jake Fromm a rookie now for the Buffalo Bills, Kirby Smart's Georgia just haven't reloaded at QB; it's landed two elite transfers in Wake Forest grad Jamie Newman and USC's JT Daniels. Pro Football Focus thinks Newman has the potential to be 2o20's third-best quarterback, behind only Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields.
SLIDE40 of 423. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
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In the 2020 NFL Draft, Alabama lost four players, including QB Tua Tagovailoa, in the first round alone, but Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide are expected to roll on, with the help of prospective 2021 NFL Draft first-rounders Jaylen Waddle, Alex Leatherwood, Patrick Surtain II, Dylan Moses and Devonta Smith.
SLIDE41 of 422. CLEMSON TIGERS
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Clemson is the ESPN FPI's current No. 1 team, and it's hard to argue against the ranking. With Trevor Lawrence, Heisman favorite and presumed No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, leading the way, Clemson is expected to qualify for its sixth-straight College Football Playoff.
SLIDE42 of 421. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
(Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty)11COMMENTS
Right now, the No. 1 slot is a pick-'em choice between Ohio State and Clemson; the 247Sports preseason Top 25 gives the edge to Ohio State because of the Buckeyes' own top-drawer Heisman contender, QB Justin Fields, and his squadron of elite receivers, including Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.
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