2021 college football rankings – Page 3

SEC Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 SEC preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 SEC preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the SEC teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN SEC Preseason Rankings: East

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Quick Take: Georgia has recruited as well as anyone, it has the quarterback in JT Daniels, and the defense is as strong as any in America. There aren’t any real excuses – it’s all there to win the SEC Championship and potentially the national title.
Georgia Preview | Schedule

2. Florida Gators

Quick Take: The pressure will be off a bit after a phenomenal 2020 0 it should all be on Georgia in the East. It’s a stretch to call this a rebuilding year, but it’s asking a whole lot to get the passing game going like that again. The Gators are still more than good enough to shoot for at least another East title.
Florida Preview | Schedule

3. Kentucky Wildcats

Quick Take: It’s a rock-solid team that’s going to try to be a bit more explosive. The defense is sound, the running game will be good, and the coaching is top-drawer. Around a fantastic linebacking corps and great O line, the Cats will make some noise.
Kentucky Preview | Schedule

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4. Tennessee Volunteers

Quick Take: Josh Heupel has to get the offense going. As long as the Vols start to show more explosion and bring hope to the fan base, it’ll be a good year. There are enough good skill parts around a strong line to expect a quick improvement.
Tennessee Preview | Schedule

5. Missouri Tigers

Quick Take: After getting up to speed under Eliah Drinkwitz, now the Tigers are supposed to be far more consistent and efficient. The linebackers and D line will be the biggest plus, but the O needs to be more dangerous.
Missouri Preview | Schedule

6. South Carolina Gamecocks

Quick Take: Give it time. New head coach Shane Beamer should have a decent starting 22, and the team will be competitive, but it’s going to take a year to start building this all up. The defensive line and running game are good enough to beat the mediocre teams.
South Carolina Preview | Schedule

7. Vanderbilt Commodores

Quick Take: It’s going to be a long climb for new head coach Clark Lea. The receiving corps is good, and the secondary should grow into a plus. It’ll take something big to get an SEC win, but the Commodores miss most of the big boys from the West.
Vanderbilt Preview | Schedule

NEXT: 2021 CFN SEC Preseason Rankings: West

Pages: 12

Mountain West Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 Mountain West preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 Mountain West preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Independent teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN Mountain West Preseason Rankings: Mountain

1. Boise State Broncos

Quick Take: New head coach Andy Avalos doesn’t have a heater of a Boise State team – the program didn’t win the Mountain West title last year – but it’s good enough to be the best in the Mountain Division by far. As long as QB Hank Bachmeier is in one piece, the offense will be great, and the defensive front seven is outstanding.
Boise State Preview | Schedule

2. Colorado State Rams

Quick Take: Second-year head coach Steve Addazio got through a rough first year, and he’s got a very, very interesting team that could be a bit of an X factor. The defensive front will be a problem for the rest of the Mountain West, and the offense should have a little bit of pop.
CSU Preview | Schedule

3. Wyoming Cowboys

Quick Take: You know what Wyoming is going to be. Great coaching, outstanding defense, strong ground attack, questionable passing game. The schedule isn’t bad, and if there’s something happening through the air, this could be a huge year.
Wyoming Preview | Schedule

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4. Air Force Falcons

Quick Take: Air Force needs some rebuilding, but that’s nothing new – it’s how the program rolls every season. The defense has the playmakers – especially in the secondary – but like always, the season will come down to how effective the running game is. (Hint: It’ll be fine.)
Air Force Preview | Schedule

5. New Mexico Lobos

Quick Take: Second-year head coach Danny Gonzales will try to capitalize on the two-game winning run at the end of 2020 to finally turn this thing around. The Lobos haven’t won more than three games in a season since 2016, and this year’s version should do it. There are some nice parts with Kentucky transfer QB Terry Wilson leading a strong backfield.
New Mexico Preview | Schedule

6. Utah State Aggies

Quick Take: New head coach Blake Anderson might be able to turn this around fast – admittedly, this ranking might look ridiculous in a hurry. The linebacking corps is great to build around, and bringing over QB Logan Bonner from Arkansas State was a huge help.
Utah State Preview | Schedule

NEXT: 2021 CFN Mountain West Preseason Rankings: West

Pages: 12

MAC Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 MAC preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 MAC preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Independent teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN MAC Preseason Rankings: East

1. Buffalo Bulls

Quick Take: It’s a new era of UB football under Maurice Linguist, and there’s still enough in place to at least be in the mix for the MAC Championship. The running game will still be good, the defensive back seven is among the best in the league, and overall the machine shouldn’t stop.
Buffalo Preview | Schedule

2. Kent State Golden Flashes

Quick Take: The FlashFast offense is about to be deadlier than ever. The Golden Flashes have the best quarterback in the league in Dustin Crum, the coaching staff is in a groove now, and the defense should be just a wee bit better.
Kent St Preview | Schedule

3. Miami University RedHawks

Quick Take: Defense, offensive consistency, repeat. There might not be a big-time running game, but the passing attack will be fine, the linebacking corps will be great, and the RedHawks will make a big push for the East.
MU Preview | Schedule

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4. Ohio Bobcats

Quick Take: Feel more than free to put Ohio at the top of the East list – or at least shuffle it among the four best teams – with a great offensive backfield, what should be a dominant running game, and with a D that should be just good enough to hold serve.
Ohio Preview | Schedule

5. Akron Zips

Quick Take: It’s still a work in progress. Akron needs the lines to be a whole lot better, the offense has to be far more consistent, and there have to be a few things the team can rely on week after week. On the plus side, the experience is there.
Akron Preview | Schedule

6. Bowling Green Falcons

Quick Take: The offense has GOT to start working. Head coach Scot Loeffler knows how to get an O going, but it has to happen already to help overcome a defensive front that’s still going to have major issues.
BGSU Preview | Schedule

NEXT: 2021 CFN MAC Preseason Rankings: West

Pages: 12

Independent Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 Independent preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 Independent preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Independent teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN Independent Preseason Rankings

1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Quick Take: There’s a consistency to the Irish now under Brian Kelly with four straight double-digit win seasons and five in the last six, and this year’s team should get there again with a schedule that’s a wee bit easier than it looks. The defensive ends are good, S Kyle Hamilton is great, and the success will be there on offense even if it’s more steady than sensational.
Notre Dame Preview | Schedule

2. Liberty Flames

Quick Take: Just about everyone is back, the skill guys around star QB Malik Willis are outstanding, and there’s a buzz after a breakthrough 2020. Talent-wise it’s a good team, but there’s a little national roll-slowing needing to be done when comparing it to the top 25ish Power Five programs. However, with the veterans in place – and with a manageable schedule – another one-loss season is a doable goal.
Liberty Preview | Schedule

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3. BYU Cougars

Quick Take: If was the common refrain last year – “But they didn’t play a Power Five program.” Well, now they do – it wasn’t the Cougars’ fault that no one wanted to play them, by the way – and without Zach Wilson under center. This is still a terrific team with plenty of great parts, but the schedule is tougher – seven Power Five teams on the slate – and there’s some reloading to do.
BYU Preview | Schedule

4. Army Black Knights

Quick Take: Expect a fantastic record thanks to a manageable schedule, but, as always, the O will control the clock and tempo against just about everyone. Also, as always, they’re going to be a very, very tough out for the better teams on the schedule.
Army Preview | Schedule

5. New Mexico State Aggies

Quick Take: The Aggies had the benefit of a spring preseason with a few games to see what they have in place to work with. The answers weren’t all that great, but they have a few explosive parts and should have just enough of an offense to pull off a few wins.
New Mexico Preview | Schedule

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6. UConn Huskies

Quick Take: After not playing last year, this is almost a new team in several spots around a few terrific parts. There are just enough good players to build around, but it’s going to be a rough, rough run saved by two FCS games and a few more winnable dates.
UConn Preview | Schedule

7. UMass Minutemen

Quick Take: The bar is set at just scoring. The Minutemen went 0-4 last year against four Group of Five programs, and they were outscored 161-12 with just one touchdown. The defensive side has some decent parts, but it’s going to be a bloodbath offensively over the first half of the season before things ease up.
UMass Preview | Schedule

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Conference USA Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 Conference USA preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 Conference USA preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Conference USA teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN Conference USA Preseason Rankings: East

1. Marshall Thundering Herd

Quick Take: It’s one of the most interesting Group of Five teams coming into the 2021 season – it’s Conference USA title or bust. New head man Charles Huff has to pull the Herd offense out of the nosedive that screwed up 2020, and he’s got the parts in place to do it – especially for the passing game. If the D isn’t the best in the conference, it’s second.
Marshall Preview | Schedule

2. WKU Hilltoppers

Quick Take: The Hilltoppers will be deep in the hunt for the Conference USA title – at the very least, they’ll be among the top three teams. The pass rush will be a killer, but the real fun comes with an upgraded passing game. WKU took the parts from a big-time Houston Baptist air show to revamp the O.
WKU Preview | Schedule

3. Florida Atlantic Owls

Quick Take: Willie Taggart should have his Owls in the mix for the Conference USA title. The lines are among the best in the league, the special teams should be great, and if the quarterback play is fine, everything is there to come up with a big season.
FAU Preview | Schedule

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4. FIU Golden Panthers

Quick Take: After an ugly 2020, Butch Davis should have a whole lot more success in 2021. It starts with one of the league’s most talented secondaries, a good kicking game, and a promising ground game that should take more control of games.
FIU Preview | Schedule

5. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Quick Take: The Blue Raiders will be in for a weird season. The team isn’t all that great, but it should push for a bowl game with a whole lot of winnable games built into the slate. The secondary is good thanks to the best group of safeties in the league, but can the offense keep up the pace?
MTSU Preview | Schedule

6. Charlotte 49ers

Quick Take: The 49ers should have a decent passing game, but can the defense hold up? There’s experience, and the coaching is solid, but the schedule doesn’t have a lot of breaks – the 49ers miss most of the easier teams from the West.
Charlotte Preview | Schedule

7. Old Dominion Monarchs

Quick Take: Welcome back, ODU football. After taking last year off, and with head coach Ricky Rahne having to wait a season to get his era going, this is Conference USA’s biggest wild-card team. What’s going to work right away? The offense should get going early on.
ODU Preview | Schedule

NEXT: 2021 CFN Conference USA Preseason Rankings: West

Pages: 12

Conference USA Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 Conference USA preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 Conference USA preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Conference USA teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN Conference USA Preseason Rankings: East

1. Marshall Thundering Herd

2. WKU Hilltoppers

3. Florida Atlantic Owls

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4. FIU Golden Panthers

5. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

6. Charlotte 49ers

7. Old Dominion Monarchs

NEXT: 2021 CFN Conference USA Preseason Rankings: West

Pages: 12

Big 12 Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 Big 12 preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 Big 12 preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Big 12 teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN Big 12 Preseason Rankings

1. Oklahoma Sooners

Quick Take: It’s time to take that next step forward – it’s a team good enough to at least get to the College Football Playoff National Championship. QB Spencer Rattler should become special, the skill players are fantastic, and the defense will be the best in the Big 12. There’s no excuse to do anything but roll through the first ten games before dealing with Iowa State and Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma Preview | Schedule

2. Iowa State Cyclones

Quick Take: The expectations are off the charts, and why not? Almost everyone is back from the team that came oh-so-close to winning the Big 12 title. It’s a better conference this time around and a few losses are coming – Oklahoma is the star of the league – but yeah, the hype is justified.
Iowa State Preview | Schedule

3. Texas Longhorns

Quick Take: It’s not going to be boring. Don’t expect new head coach Steve Sarkisian to get the offense dominating right out of the gate, but the skill talent is in place, the lines are good enough, and the expectations should be set at Big 12 Championship or bust – even with the Oklahoma and Iowa State games away from from Austin.
Texas Preview | Schedule

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4. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Quick Take: 2020’s preseason darling won’t get quite as much love, but it should. It’s not going to be the high-flying fun show you’d normally expect, but the defense has talent and there’s plenty of firepower to keep up the Big 12 pace.
OSU Preview | Schedule

5. TCU Horned Frogs

Quick Take: TCU quietly rolled to a 6-4 season with a nice finishing kick – winning five of the last six games – and now it returns strong with arguably the Big 12’s best defensive front to control one side and QB Max Duggan as the star on the other.
TCU Preview | Schedule

6. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Quick Take: Yeah, Texas Tech is going to be good. The linebacking corps will be fantastic, the offensive line is a strength, and if Oregon transfer QB Tyler Shough really is the next-level talent he’s supposed to be in this O, the Red Raiders will be a problem.
Texas Tech Preview | Schedule

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7. Kansas State Wildcats

Quick Take: It’s the Big 12’s wild-card team. The offensive backfield is good enough to carry things from time to time, but it’s the under-the-radar secondary that might be the differentiating factor. Watch out, though – the schedule is tougher than it appears.
K-State Preview | Schedule

8. West Virginia Mountaineers

Quick Take: Can the offense match the defense? Head coach Neal Brown needs to fight the offensive punch to come through when needed, but the other side of the ball will keep the team in just about every game.
WVU Preview | Schedule

9. Baylor Bears

Quick Take: Year Two under Dave Aranda will be better. The receiving corps is good, the offense will be stronger, and with this coaching staff, the defense is about to take a giant leap forward.
Baylor Preview | Schedule

10. Kansas Jayhawks

Quick Take: The Jayhawks got a terrific coach in Lance Leipold from Buffalo, but it’s going to take a long, long while before this thing gets moving. It’s going to take a total overhaul, but the team will bring the fight.
Kansas Preview | Schedule

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American Athletic Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 American Athletic Conference preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 American Athletic Conference preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the American Athletic teams are going into the 2021 season.

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2021 CFN American Athletic Preseason Rankings

1. Cincinnati Bearcats

Quick Take: There’s a whole lot to love on a loaded team with an NFL QB in Desmond Ridder and a fantastic defense led by a few special corners. Win on the road at Indiana and Notre Dame – hardly a given, though – and the CFP talk will kick in.
Cincinnati Preview | Schedule

2. UCF Knights

Quick Take: Trust in Gus. The hiring of Gus Malzahn was inspired, and he’s got the parts in place to win big right away. Everyone might be talking about Cincinnati, but don’t be shocked if this grows into the star of the AAC.
UCF Preview | Schedule

3. Houston Cougars

Quick Take: This could be one of the high-risers in the AAC. The program hasn’t had a lick of luck since Dana Holgorsen took over, but Houston could be a factor if the defense can be a whole lot better.
Houston Preview | Schedule

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4. Memphis Tigers

Quick Take: It hasn’t been a problem for years, but … can the offensive backfield be good enough? The numbers and production will be there, but this isn’t going to be an easy run.
Memphis Preview | Schedule

5. SMU Mustangs

Quick Take: If nothing else, the Mustangs are going to be fun. The lines might not be good enough to get by the better teams, but O will be strong enough to pull off an upset or three.
SMU Preview | Schedule

6. Tulane Green Wave

Quick Take: It’s going to be a good team with a rough record. The experience is there, the coaching is great, and there’s a whole lot to like … except for the schedule. It’s going to be a fight just to go bowling.
Tulane Preview | Schedule

7. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Quick Take: One of the biggest shockers of 2020 will still be good, but it’ll be a rough start with a tough slate. Expect solid more than sensational, and that might be just enough to pull off a few stunners.
Tulsa Preview | Schedule

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8. Temple Owls

Quick Take: Don’t sleep on the Owls. No one will give them a whole lot of love after a miserable 2020, but don’t be shocked if they’re a thorn in everyone’s side.
Temple Preview | Schedule

9. Navy Midshipmen

Quick Take: The offensive line has to step it up in a hurry. The team wasn’t nearly strong enough on either side of the ball last year, and it’s still going to be a battle to get back to the 2019 form.
Navy Preview | Schedule

10. East Carolina Pirates

Quick Take: Can the Pirates make up for their defense with more from the offense? The lines are a problem, but there’s enough pop to pull off a few shockers in shootouts.
ECU Preview | Schedule

11. USF Bulls

Quick Take: The offense had enough moments in Jeff Scott’s first year to be excited – the 1-8 record aside – and the linebacking corps should be a plus. Good luck, though, finding more than a few wins on the harsh slate.
USF Preview | Schedule

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ACC Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2021

The College Football News 2021 ACC preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

The College Football News 2021 ACC preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the ACC teams are going into the 2021 season.

2021 CFN ACC Preseason Rankings: Atlantic

1. Clemson Tigers

Quick Take: If your concern is the inexperience of QB DJ Uiagalelei and a rotation of top-shelf running back talent to overcome the loss of Travis Etienne, you’re going to be okay. The defense is going to be a killer to make up for any and all concerns on the other side.
Clemson Preview | Schedule

2. NC State Wolfpack

Quick Take: This should be among the ACC’s most interesting X factors. The defensive back seven is as strong as any outside of Clemson’s, but the lines on both sides have to terrific. If they are, this is a dangerous team that should do a whole lot of damage.
NC State Preview | Schedule

3. Boston College Eagles

Quick Take: The BC offense was transformed last season and now it should dominate – at least through the air. The ground game is iffy – to be kind – but QB Phil Jurkovec and WR Zay Flowers will put on a show.
BC Preview | Schedule

4. Louisville Cardinals

Quick Take: The defense has talent and experience to be a whole lot better, and Malik Cunningham should be a difference-making veteran quarterback. It’ll be a bounce-back year, but it’ll still be a grind with a tough slate.
Louisville Preview | Schedule

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5. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Quick Take: You know exactly what you’re getting. The Demon Deacons will never be outcoached, the offense will be fast and fun, and every game will be a shootout. To sound cliché, it’s the type of team that can beat anyone on the right day, but without the high-end talent to take anyone lightly.
Wake Forest Preview | Schedule

6. Florida State Seminoles

Quick Take: Where are the guys? Where are all the superstar FSU NFL prospects? The linebacking corps will be terrific and the ground game should start to work like it’s supposed to under Mike Norvell, but the O is all about the pop and explosion – that might take a bit.
FSU Preview | Schedule

7. Syracuse Orange

Quick Take: It’s just this simple – can the Orange O line block anyone? It hasn’t been able to do that for a few years, but the skill parts are good enough to make some noise if they get a little time to work.
Syracuse Preview | Schedule

– 2021 ACC predictions for every team and game

NEXT: ACC Preseason Rankings: Coastal

Pages: 12

Where is Ohio State in Pro Football Focus’ ranking of all 130 FBS college football teams for 2021?

Pro Football Focus has taken a stab at ranking all 130 FBS college football teams for 2021. Where does it have Ohio State in all the fun?

Pro Football Focus has joined the fray when it comes to publishing a preseason ranking piece. But it didn’t stop at a top 25. No, it decided to go ahead and rank all 130 FBS squads for the upcoming 2021 season.

You’ll be happy to know that PFF thinks very highly of Ohio State (we’ll get there in a moment), and the SEC (which you’ll also see).

As with any of these lists, it must be noted that college football is a different animal because of the high turnover and unknown roster shakeups annually, so take this all with a grain of salt. Also remember though that the top of college football has been more or less the same since the College Football Playoff era.

But look, we like a good ranking piece like the next guy, so we’re treading into the open waters here. If you’d like, you can even compare what PFF put together with our own top 25 ranking (yeah, we don’t have time for all 130 teams). As an added bonus, we add the probabilities PFF has for some special things for teams.

So off we go. Here is what PFF has for its top 25 of the 130 teams that play good ‘ole American football at higher institutions of learning near you. If you want to see the entire list, feel free to visit the site and have a looksee.