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Blooblod Ballot for 2018 Preseason

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Aug. 17, 2018, 8:11 p.m.

Overall Rationale: My preseason poll is based solely on team rosters/depth charts, returning experience, and coaching. Schedules aren't factored in for my rankings but they are for my predicted records if you care to read my reasoning for each team's placement. A few teams that were in my top 25 at various points throughout the offseason but didn't end up making the final cut: FAU, LSU, Maryland (one year picking them as my dark horse will finally pan out), and Northwestern. As you can see, I wrote pretty long-ass reasons for my preseason poll but as the season goes on will only be doing so for rankings that I see being controversial.

Rank Team Reason
1 Alabama Crimson Tide We've all come to accept the fact that Tua Tagovailoa is the greatest football player to ever walk the Earth and that this will be the SEC's most explosive offense ever. With both of those being true, my only real concern for this team is the secondary--the five projected starters return a combined two games started. This group will almost definitely be playing at a high level towards the end of the year, but it will be interesting to see if they experience growing pains early on. My Crimson Tide record prediction: 11-1. I think they slip up somewhere along the way, and if I were forced to pick where . . . congratulations, Missouri Tigers, you're upsetting the Crimson Tide in their own stadium on October 13th.
2 Clemson Tigers You're probably tired of hearing about whether or not Trevor Lawrence will take Kelly Bryant's job, so let's talk about the d-line instead. Oh, you're tired of hearing about them too? Okay, well the rest of the defense will still be good. Kendall Joseph is a stud LB moving to the Mike role. In the secondary, I'm looking for a big jump this year from corners Trayvon Mullen and Mark Fields (the latter of whom still hasn't locked down a starting spot however). My Tigers record prediction: 11-1. Like Alabama, I think Clemson slips up and loses a game that they shouldn't. My personal prediction is that they lose at Wake Forest to the Clawffense--but a loss to Boston College in Chestnut Hill wouldn't shock me either.
3 Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State replaces talent as well as anyone in the country, and this year they don't even have a whole lot to replace. 17th year senior J.T. Barrett is finally gone, but as a fan of the team that got dismantled by Dwayne Haskins' arm, I'm all aboard the Dwayne Train (although I wouldn't mind seeing it run off the tracks). The d-line, headlined by Nick "I Can't Believe There's Another One" Bosa, is going to be an elite group. The secondary is home to one of my biggest picks for a potential breakout star: Jeffrey Okudah. The song remains the same for the Buckeyes and even in the most difficult division in football this team will almost assuredly win double digit games. My Buckeyes record prediction: 11-1. The B1G East is just too good to make it through unscathed. Penn State gets revenge on the Buckeyes in a potential Whiteout game at Beaver Stadium.
4 Georgia Bulldogs Jake Fromm was always going to be the week one starter, but even if Justin Fields takes meaningful snaps both QBs will have a shiny new weapon to throw to in Cal transfer Demetris Robertson. If he proves to be the same player that he was before injury, Robertson is one of the most dangerous receivers in the country and UGA's offense could have a dynamic that it lacked last season. Make no mistake, the run game is still going to be what this offense is all about and the line blocking for runners could somehow be better than last year's despite losing first round draft pick Isaiah Wynn. Concerns about the defense might be warranted . . . to some extent. Losing Roquan Smith is huge and probably isn't something that can just be patched over, but this defense is still stacked. Look for D'Andre Walker to have a monster year; he had 13.5 TFLs last year despite being behind Lorenzo Carter. The secondary is home to two potential All-Americans in DeAndre Baker and J.R. Reed. My Bulldogs record prediction: 12-0. Congratulations UGA, you're the only team that I have going undefeated in the regular season.
5 Wisconsin Badgers Thiccsconsin returns the girthiest o-line in the country--and we all know girth is what really matters. With 27 potential All-Americans starting on the o-line, Jonathan Taylor will have plenty of holes to run through as he aims to take home the Doak Walker Award. The defense will be headlined by the LB corps--T.J. Edwards in particular being a Butkus candidate, but don't sleep on Ryan Connelly or Andrew Van Ginkel having huge seasons either. The LBs wouldn't be able to do their job without massive, backflipping NT Olive Sagapolu in the middle. Elsewhere on the line, look for Isaiahh Loudermilk to have a breakout year if and when he's healthy. The secondary has some questions, but D'Cota Dixon is one of the best returning safeties in the country and CB Dontye Carriere-Williams showed promise last year. My Badgers record prediction: 11-1. The cross-division schedule isn't as forgiving this year, and with road trips to both Michigan and Penn State the Badgers probably won't go undefeated in the regular season.
6 Washington Huskies DBU is probably down in Baton Rouge (I know I probably just pissed off like two of the three people who will read this) but Washington looks to be gunning for that title as well. The 2016 UW secondary was one of the best in recent memory but this year's might be even better--and it's certainly deeper. This secondary might have seven EVENTUAL All-americans. Byron Murphy is a legitimate Thorpe candidate . . . oh, and so are Taylor Rapp and Jordan Miller. On offense, Jake "Noodle Arm" Browning gets as much criticism as he does love--both probably being fair. The receiving corps is a concern, but if Chico McClatcher is the same guy he was before injury he should be a reliable target. Myles Gaskin should continue his trend of steady improvement and could even be an All-American. My Huskies record prediction: 11-1. I gave the Huskies the W in their season opener against Auburn, but that game is definitely a coin flip that could go either way. I have their one loss coming from archrival Oregon Ducks. I think the Ducks get revenge for being embarrassed by the Huskies the last two times they met and Eugene goes crazy for a night. Quack.
7 Penn State Nittany Lions I feel like Penn State lost someone pretty good this offseason, but for the life of me I can't remember who. Oh well, they're probably replaceable. Look for Trace "50-50 Ball" McSorley to break the 50-50 ball stereotype this season as he propels the Nittany Lions to another great season. Miles Sanders, who for some reason didn't play a big role last season, is also a huge breakout candidate--but don't sleep on Mark Allen either. James Franklin has hinted at this possibly being the year of the o-line in Happy Valley, which probably left a lot of the Nittany Lion faithful confused being that most of them probably don't know what an o-line is. The LB corps just got a huge boost with the return of the previously-dismissed Manny Bowen. The d-line replaces both DTs but should still be great at all four spots. A trio of talented corners will hope to take some pressure off a safety tandem that could be a weak spot. Also, I still have no idea what position Lamont Wade plays. My Nittany Lions record prediction: 10-2. I think Akron takes a step back this year, but Terry Bowden has been around too long to not have some tricks up his sleeve. Look for Bowden and the Zips to win two of their 12 meetings with the Nittany Lions this season.
8 Oklahoma Sooners I'm being told by my sources that former Oklahoma QB, Maker Bayfield, did in fact really do this shit. But even without Bayfield, the Sooners will trot out one of the best offenses in the country. Kyler "Literally Willie Mays" Murray has gotten a lot of attention this offseason for being drafted to play an irrelevant sport. He's projected to be the starting QB for the Sooners, but I wouldn't forget about Austin Kendall either. Expecting either one of them to be Bayfield is wildly unfair, but regardless of who the QB is in Norman, Lincoln Riley will have this offense humming. The defense is where the questions lie. As an outsider, I'll admit that everyone on OU's defense kind of blends together into one amorphous being--even former recruiting gem Caleb Kelly. Unfortunately, Caleb Kelly no longer exists as his molecular structure has been fully absorbed by the amorphous being at this point. Look for true freshman Brendan Radley-Hiles to make an impact in the secondary and hopefully not be absorbed by the amorphous being. My Sooners record prediction: 11-1. I have the Sooners cruising to an 11-0 start, only to fall to West Virginia in Morgantown in a shootout for the ages. Some guys just want to watch couches burn.
9 Miami Hurricanes The U had some huge losses on the d-line this offseason, but don't let that distract you from the fact that Kansas beat Texas in football. Miami will still have a scary-good d-line though; DEs Joe Jackson and Demetrius Jackson missed a combined nine games last season but still racked up 18 TFLs and 10 sacks together . . . oh, and they both played less snaps than now-departed Chad Thomas and Trent Harris. Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney leads one of the best LB corps in the country while Jaquan Johnson and Michael Jackson lead what could also be one of the best secondaries. The offense's preview is pretty simple. RBs: stacked. Receivers: stacked. O-line: tackles and center should be good, guards could be a problem. QB: . . . yikes. My Hurricanes record prediction: 11-1. It seems like a lot of people are skeptical of the Canes repeating a double digit win regular season but I think this team is absolutely stacked outside of QB and OG. I have Boston College knocking off the Canes in a crazy night game in Chestnut Hill, but that's the only L.
10 Michigan State Spartans After a 3-9 season in 2016 it was easy to write off the Spartans and say that their incredible run was coming to an end. But then Mike Dantonio engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent memory to get the Spartans back to double digit wins; and they return most of last year's team too. Brian Lewerke will look to build on a promising first year as a starter and a spectacular WR trio should help him do that. The o-line loses Brian Allen, but the other four starters all return. What's crazy is that MSU will have ANOTHER Allen starting at center this year in Matt Allen. That makes SEVEN STRAIGHT YEARS of having an Allen brother start at center. The defense should be one of the best in the country. Kenny Willekes was quietly dominant last year and the Spartans have a quartet of dangerous DTs on the interior of the line. At LB, Joe Bachie is a Dude and Andrew Dowell is a guy. The third LB spot could be a concern, but one of the guys in the mix is Bullough Clone #457. In the secondary, David Dowell could have a breakout year (seriously, what the hell is with all the brothers in EL) and the CB duo of Josiah Scott (who unfortunately will miss time with injury) and Justin Layne should remind fans of another recent MSU CB duo. My Spartans record prediction: 10-2. I think the Spartans get the ever-important home win against the Wolverines, but had to roll with the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions in their other two tough East match-ups. 
11 Auburn Tigers The Tigers will showcase a d-line with a freakish amount of potential. Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson, and Dontavius Russell are all proven studs. T.D. Moultry looks to be the new starter at the Buck LB/DE position, but Auburn has two more edge rushers behind him in Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant that could probably start at most schools across the country. Jamel Dean and Javaris Davis should combine to be a dangerous CB duo, and while the safeties probably won't be as good as the corners they look to at least be reliable. The offense will be interesting this year. The o-line has a lot of new faces, but Marquel Harrell and Mike Horton are solid at both guard spots. If the line gives Jarrett Stidham at least decent protection he could have a huge year. Gus Malzahn always seems to find a good RB--look for Kam Martin to have a big season. My Tigers record prediction: 9-3. The Tigers have a brutal schedule for the second year in a row. If you look at it, you can probably figure out exactly who I had them losing to. Auburn could definitely win any of those three games, but it will be a tough task.
12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish The Irish return a ton on defense this year. Look for senior DT Crooked Jerry Tillery to lead the d-line garner some attention from draft scouts. At LB, Drue Tranquill is now fully transitioned from safety/rover and will start alongside Te'Von Coney. The secondary is led by Julian Love, but all of the other starters and even a few of the backups are reliable. The defense might not pop on screen like Clemson or Alabama, but it doesn't have an apparent weak spot. The offense, on the other hand, does have a weakness. The passing game, or rather the lack of one, could dictate how ND's season goes. Even with the losses of Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson this o-line should still steamroll most opponents and clear room for runners, but if Wimbush hasn't learned to throw a football to another human it could be a rough season for this offense. My Fighting Irish record prediction: 9-3. I think Michigan gets revenge for being shutout the last time this rivalry was played. Despite how good this defense might be, look for Bryce Love and Malcolm Perry to run wild and give Notre Dame their other two losses. The good news is that the Irish get the win against archrival USC to close the season. 
13 Michigan Wolverines Since I'm no longer sporting a Michigan flair I feel like, for transparency, I should mention that I'm a U-M fan. Hopefully we'll see better QB play from Shea "Literally Tom Brady" Peppers than we did from a less-than-ideal QB situation last season, but how the o-line plays will dictate whether this offense sinks or swims. Cesar Ruiz looks to be a stud at center and Ben Bredeson is a reliable guard, but outside of that not much is settled. The good news is that Ed Warriner is now coaching the line and, maybe more importantly, the whole line is being coached by the same guy Hopefully a simpler scheme will make a difference for this line, but only time will tell. The skill positions look to be a good with a formidable RB duo and a quartet of ridiculously talented second-year WRs--any of whom could have a breakout season. The defense is the same old story for Don Brown. The front seven and corners shouldn't concern Michigan fans at all, but both safety spots could be worrisome. My Wolverines record prediction: 9-3. The schedule for the Wolverines is absolutely brutal this year, and even though this is a team with the potential to beat anyone in the country they might not even reach double digit wins. If the Wolverines beat the Irish in the season opener, I think their struggles against rivals still continue with losses at MSU and OSU. Their third loss is a nice surprise from Northwestern.
14 Stanford Cardinal For the first time in seemingly forever, the Stanford defense is actually a pretty big concern of mine. Bobby Okereke leads a LB corps that should be decent and Alijah Holder could have a big year at CB, but outside of that I think it's fair to question this defense. An unproven d-line could cause problems. The line on the other side of the ball could be Stanford's best in at least a few years however. Look for the line to take another step forward with five potential all-conference picks. Having the best RB in the country run behind a line like this is a recipe for a stellar ground game. My Cardinal record prediction: 10-2. I think Stanford gets some good breaks here, especially getting USC early, and I'm not sure they'll be as good as a 10-2 record might indicate. Their road game against Washington is a tough one that I have the Cardinal losing, but before that happens I think Arizona State pulls of a shocking upset in the desert.
15 USC Trojans USC has one of the most talented rosters in the country once again, but the playoff aspirations of the Trojans rest on the shoulders of a true freshman. The offense around J.T. Daniels should give him plenty of help, but tough road games at Stanford and Texas early in the season will be a trial by fire for the young QB. A snakebitten o-line hopes to be much improved this season and could make a world of difference. On defense, look for Christian Rector and Cameron Smith to have huge years and for a pair of redshirt freshman DTs to make a name for themselves in Marlon Tuipulotu and Jay Tufele. The pressure's on for Iman Marshall as it's his last chance to prove that he can be a lockdown corner for the Trojans. My Trojans record prediction: 9-3. J.T. Daniels will show his youth in week two against Stanford. After a close win against Texas, Khalil Tate runs wild against a defense that is otherwise stout for the rest of the year. By the time Notre Dame rolls around in week 13, J.T. Daniels is fully settled in and the Trojans are looking like one of the best teams in the country--but ND squeaks out a win in a close and possibly controversial game between these rival superpowers.
16 TCU Horned Frogs The season-ending injury to Ross Blacklock can't be understated. Even if he wasn't going to be the best player on their defensive front he was the most irreplaceable. TCU's front six will still be a huge strength. DEs Ben Banogu and L.J. Collier will make life unpleasant for opposing QBs while Ty Summers and NIU transfer Jawuan Johnson will form a dominant LB duo. I think Johnson is a particularly interesting case--he might have been the best G5 LB in the country last year and now he transfers to a defensive system that is conducive to LBs putting up huge numbers under a coach known for developing defensive talent. I have Johnson as a sleeper Butkus candidate. The offense has a few more questions, particularly at QB and o-line. Hopes are high for QB Shawn Robinson, but he's far from a sure thing. WR Jalen Reagor broke out for 170 yards against Stanford in the Something Bowl at the end of last season; look for him to step into the national spotlight this season. My Horned Frogs record prediction: 9-3. I was already tentative on my original 10-2 prediction for the Horned Frogs, so the Blacklock injury knocks them down a whole game. I think Ohio State and Oklahoma both best TCU, but so will Texas thanks to a stout performance from Todd Orlando's defense.
17 Oregon Ducks This isn't your father's Oregon Ducks teams. While there's still plenty of talent at the offensive skill positions, gone is the abundance of undersize guys who run 4.30s. Beefy lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball is what will power the Ducks under Mario Cristobal. Yeah, beef isn't a word you normally associate with Oregon football. Somehow I've made it this far without mentioning Justin Herbert. Now I've mentioned him. On defense, Jim Leavitt has put together a surprisingly tough group with a potential superstar at each level. Jalen Jelks, one of the most underrated players in the country, headlines the d-line while Troy Dye leads the LB group. Look for OLB Justin Hollins to take a big step forward and help both the LBs and the DL cause havoc. In the secondary, "safety" Ugo Amadi will lead the way with CB Thomas Graham Jr. as a potential breakout candidate. My Ducks record prediction: 10-2. The schedule definitely helps the Ducks here, plus I have them getting the W in their hardest game of the season against Washington. I do foresee slip ups against Stanford and Utah though.
18 Florida State Seminoles You know a program is doing something right when their worst season in 40 years still results in going to a bowl*. This roster is still loaded, but it's not without holes. The o-line always seems to be a concern in Tallahassee despite always having a wealth of talent; we'll have to see if this year's line lives up to its potential. Cam Akers is a potential star at RB and the rest of the skill positions are solid. The defense is what really makes FSU dangerous though. DEs Brian Burns and Joshua Kaindoh will find themselves in opposing offense's backfields quite often, and Demarcus Christmas is a potential breakout candidate on the inside. The LB corps will have three guys with little to no experience but, being that this is FSU we're talking about, they're obviously all talented. The secondary has more starter-quality guys than you can count, but the one who really stands out is All-American hopeful Levonta Taylor. My final Seminoles record prediction: 9-3. I have FSU winning the games they should and losing the ones that, at this point, they look to be underdogs in.
19 Mississippi State Bulldogs The underdogs for the title of best defensive line in the country (not including Clemson) are down in Starkville. Jeffery Simmons might just be the best DT in the country (not including Ed Oliver) while Montez Sweat quietly led the SEC in TFLs for last season. The rest of the defense isn't quite as potent, but should still be good. CB Jamal Peters hasn't lived up to his potential yet, but this could be the year he puts it all together. On offense, new head coach Joe Moorhead has some nice pieces to work with. Elgton Jenkins leads a reliable offensive line that should keep Nick Fitzgerald upright most of the time. And, while the WR corps is a huge question mark, RB Aeris Williams crossed the 1,000 rushing yard threshold last season. My Bulldogs record prediction: 9-3. I think Mississippi State will be fall to both Alabama and Auburn, and for the second year in a row LSU will get a much-needed win from an opponent that has a nuclear meltdown in the 4th quarter.
20 Boston College Eagles Don't look now, but Boston College might be becoming the Wisconsin of the East Coast. They've still got a long way to go if that is indeed the destination, but A.J. Dillon is as good of a runner as you'll find in college football and he'll be running behind a veteran offensive line. The passing game is still a concern, but as long as it isn't completely nonexistent the offense should be able to find a way to move the chains. BC always seems to be good on defense. They lost mega-star DE Harold Landry but return Zach Allen on the other side of the line as well as ballhawking safety Lukas Denis. Connor Strachan returns from injury to lead the LB corps while John Lamont and Kevin Bletzer are both breakout candidates. My Golden Eagles record prediction: 9-3. I think BC will make some noise when they beat Miami and start the season 9-0 with A.J. Dillon Heisman hype in full swing a playoff talk creeping up. A disappointing 0-3 finish will leave a bad taste in fans' mouths, but this would still be a successful season for the Golden Eagles and a huge building block for the future of this program.
21 West Virginia Mountaineers It was tempting to put the Mountaineers a lot higher than this due to their sexy, sexy passing offense powered by Will Grier and what is arguably the best receiving corps in the country. Look for left tackle Yodny Cajuste to become a household name this season. When it comes to defense I'm probably not as low on WVU are you are, dear reader, but it could still be a major source of headaches for the Mountaineers. The defense does have one verified Mega-Dude in Butkus candidate David Long. My Mountaineers record prediction: 8-4. The highlight here is WVU's season finale win over 11-0 Oklahoma in Morgantown.
22 UCF Knights There seems to be a lot of skepticism regarding the Citronauts and their ability to replicate a season similar to last year. I happen to be in the camp that believes they have the potential to be almost as good. The defense loses a lot, and mama came callin' for Scott Frost, but this is still a team with hopes of making the G5 NY6 bid. New HC Josh Heupel produced a prolific passing offense at Missouri last season, and UCF returns McKenzie Milton to help him replicate that success in Orlando. Defensive attrition could be a real concern though. Pat Jasinski and Trysten Hill will lead a front seven that strives to thrive in the middle of a youth movement. My Citronauts record prediction: 11-1. P6 jokes aside, the AAC is a tough conference and chances are UCF won't go undefeated in it again. I have them losing a road game to Memphis, but that could set up the AAC Championship as the perfect revenge game for UCF.
23 Boise State Broncos Boise State seems to be the consensus favorite to fill in the G5 NY6 spot, and looking at their roster it's pretty easy to see why. Brett Rypien is an efficient QB, Alexander Mattison is a returning 1,000 yard rusher, and the o-line looks to be strong again. The defense is absolutely stacked, and not just by G5 standards. David Moa, Curtis Weaver, and Jabril Frazier are all-conference candidates on the line while the secondary is just loaded at every single spot. My Broncos record prediction: 11-1. Boise State has a tough non-conference schedule with road trips to Troy and Oklahoma State, but I think they pass both tests. The Broncos got lucky with the conference slate; getting both Fresno State and SDSU at home--but I think Juwan Washington still carries SDSU to the upset win.
24 South Carolina Gamecocks Did you know Cocks QB Jake Bentley should only be a freshman in high school? The young guy will have help on offense with Cocks teammate Deebo Samuel returning from injury. Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner will form the Cocks' RB duo. Both Dowdle and Turner are guys, but I'm hesitant to call either a Dude quite yet. Donnell Stanley will lead a Cocks offensive line that will play anywhere from poorly to quite well. On the other side of the ball, Muschamp has the Cocks playing (insert any of the following adjectives: aggressive, gritty, gutsy, passionate, staunch, tough) defense that will give even the best teams on the Cocks' schedule trouble. Cocks DE D.J. Wonnum is quietly returning from a 13 TFL season while Cocks CB Rashad Fenton hopes to prove that he really is one of the best corners in the SEC. My Cocks record prediction: 9-3. I don't think they upset either Georgia or Clemson, and I have Jimbo leading A&M to a hard-fought victory, but don't count the Cocks out in any of those games.
25 Iowa State Cyclones Iowa State was one of the best stories of 2017. After a seemingly infinite existence of being locked in the cellar of the Big 12 and being condemned to an eternity of ineptitude despite surprisingly loyal and hardcore fans, Matt Campbell finally brought the Cyclones out into the light. On October 7th, Iowa State shocked the college football world when they upset #3 Oklahoma IN Norman. Then, three weeks later, they did it again when they upset #4 TCU. Matt Campbell has brought an optimism back to Ames that hasn't been there in, well, maybe forever. QB Kyle Kempt is back with a  sixth  year of eligibility, and while Allen Lazard is gone look for Hakeem Butler to fill in his footsteps. The defense is solid but unspectacular at every level. The Cyclones return productive LB duo  Marcel Spears Jr. and Willie Harvey, and on the back end Bryan Peavy (who has been one of my personal favorites since he was a freshman) will have his eyes on the Thorpe Award. My Cyclones record prediction: 8-4. I don't have Iowa State pulling off any Earth-shattering upsets this year, but look for the Cyclones to give the top teams in the Big 12 a run for their money.

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