College Football Way Too Early Top 10: LSU, Indiana, and North Carolina make an appearance

We explore a way too early top 10 for 2021. Daniel's got LSU in, but not North Carolina. Josh goes in-depth on Texas A&M, and neither have Alabama #1.

[travisrichards]

1. Oklahoma
2. UGA
3. Bama
4. Clemson
5. Ohio St
6. Iowa St.
7. Texas AM
8. Indiana
9. Oregon
10. North Carolina

[jeffskinner]

1. Bama
2. Oklahoma
3. UGA
4. Ohio St
5. Clemson
6. Texas A&M
7. Iowa St
8. Notre Dame
9. Cincinnati
10. Oregon

[Thomas-rgbj]

1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Clemson
4. Ohio state
5. Georgia
6. Unc
7. Iowa state
8. Texas a&m
9. Cincinnati
10. Notre dame

[Zachhwilliamssssss]

Bryce young is gonna have a spencer rattler type year

[jamay]

You guys say the Irish are playing a lot of teams that aren’t peaking this year, but then you put up two teams on our schedule in your top 10! Definitely not a grueling schedule, but who would have thought Cincy and UNC would be this good this year when the schedule was made. If Wisconsin and USC were at their best this would be a brutal schedule.

[careywilson]

Full discloser I am a Buckeye fan through and through. That said, here is my top ten with some thoughts on each team.

10. Texas - They play absolutely nobody out of conference, and I do not think Herman left the cupboard bare. He just had a really hard time getting Texas to play as a team. I could see a two loss regular season, and top 10 finish, to kick off the Sarkisian era.
9. Wisconsin - Somebody has to win the B1G west and they miss Ohio State. They have a returning starter at QB and finished the year with a couple good wins. They have a very interesting match up against Notre Dame at soldier field. I can't wait to watch that one.
8. Cincinnati - I think Luke Fickell is proving himself to be a very solid coach. He has that program humming for a mid major, and plays a very solid defense. They lose the one against Indiana but run the rest of their schedule including Notre Dame.
7. Indiana/Maryland - I have the winner of Indiana/Maryland as the second best team in the B1G East as long as Penix can come back healthy (if he does not then Indiana will drop off). I have a feeling that Maryland might surprise here. Tagovailoa flashed in some games and Locksley has been improving the talent level. PSU and tTUN certainly are not as intimidating as they once were. I am talking myself into Maryland. Regardless of the winner, this team will lose the head to head against tOSU for the B1G east crown.
6. tOSU - Obviously the team that I knew the most about. The offensive line is going to be elite. The WRs are going to be elite. The QBs have talent but 0 experience. Teague is dependable but not explosive at RB. The defensive line is solid, but we have yet to see the next Young/Bosa as a great pass rusher. Maybe Smith gets there. The LBs will be young but athletic. The secondary needs to make great strides this year to be more than a blowout in the playoffs. Unfortunately, I do not trust the defense, and fear Oregon may surprise the Bucks in a shootout. I do see another B1G title though it might come as a two loss team. Watch out for 2022 though. I will probably change this prediction as the season gets closer Haha! Go Bucks!
5. Oregon - They have the best talent in the PAC and will likely be the PAC champs. I think it is very possible that they beat the Buckeyes but then lose a stunner in the PAC that keeps them out of the playoffs. This may finally lead to expansion.
4. Alabama - The talent is obviously there. I think they lose the SEC championship game to a great Georgia team, and thus slide into the 4th slot in the playoffs as a non conference champion. It will be a huge debate if a one loss PAC12 champ, with a win over Ohio State, deserves to be in over a 1 loss 'Bama team whose only loss is to the SEC champs.
3. Oklahoma - This is the most complete Oklahoma team that I have seen coming into a season, but how much of it is due to their competition? Has their defense truly made strides? The B1G 12 is not that scary as Texas and Iowa State are probably the biggest challengers. I don't see who is going to beat them in the regular season. Strange things can happen in the BIG 12 though. Of my top 4, Oklahoma is the one that I am the least sure about.
2. Georgia - The winners of the SEC even though they lose a close one against Clemson early in the season.
1. Clemson - They squeak by Georgia and then easily run the table. I do not see anybody else even close to them on their schedule.

[jacobsilasramsey]

How about an updated one now that we are actually coming up on the season? And things have changed for several of these top teams.

[aeson]

I think it's time to start putting OSU in the top 3 until further notice. You give Clemson and Alabama the benefit of the doubt every year but not OSU? They have possibly the most talented team in the country, haven't lost much if anything on the coaching staff but they're 5/4? You have questions at quarterback? Let me assure you whomever it is is going to be a stud. I think this season will play out to show you undervalued OSU. I think they've earned higher than this.

[mattbreda]

Both lists make a ton of sense and I am pumped to see non-conference games.
Sidebar: You guys could collab with RJ Young I think you guys were create some amazing stuff with passionate and frank conversations about college football (idk if his fox deal changes that).

[FanaticPerspective]

The disrespect from Daniel on my beloved Big 12 is unreal. I'll share my list here and on Twitter as well for further discussion, but I think I'm higher on Georgia than you both are considering the potential of that offense with the reps JT Daniels got last season. That was a great Cincy team they came back to beat in the Peach Bowl & I think that helps them launch 2021 early vs Clemson. I'm with y'all on Oregon this year. Great video & discussion as always.

My top 25

1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. Clemson
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa State
7. Oregon
8. A&M
9. Notre Dame
10. USC

[billhop]

I love Oklahoma in the top 3 on all lists, but I'm afraid of all the hype. Starting to get flashbacks when OU beat Bama then going 8-5 the next season with Trevor Knight. 😨😨😨

[justinknoll]

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
6. Texas A&M
7. Cincinnati
8. Oregon
9. Iowa
10. USC

[spacejesus_]

I’m not worried about losing Mond. I’m worried about losing most of the OL

[happynotredamefan]

ap must have listened to you we are #9 in the rankings. (think we are better though)

[bodhisfattva]

i hate them but i just have a feeling that LSU will be pretty damn good this year as they were so young last year...the big thing to me is can they shake off the ruinous season that had last year or not...but I think they can challenge for the West and if they do they could be highly ranked.

[nba_strictly_]

1.Alabama
2.Oklahoma
3.Georgia bulldogs
4.Clemson
5.North Carolina
6.Ohio State
7.Texas A&M
8.Iowa state
9.Oregon
10.Cincinnati.

just my prediction, also miami could slip in there but im not sold yet with charleston rambo Being Kings only true recieving threat.

[derekbrady]

I agree with OSU lower in the top 5, but not because of offense. I don’t think Ruckert and especially Olave come back unless the next QB is special. I think we will easily have the best WR room in the nation. But our Defense needs to step up big time, because I think the best defense in the playoffs this year will win the natty. Everyone will be able to score, I think it’ll come down to one or two key stops in those games

[joshnaddor]

UGA alum and current NCSU grad student. Acknowledging any biases if they exist.

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. UGA
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. North Carolina
7. Texas A&M
8. Northwestern
9. Oregon
10. Cincinnati

[gobucks]

The thing you didn’t mention about Ohio St is both offensive tackles are back. That is huge! My list goes 1. Bama, 2.Ohio St, 3.Oklahoma, 4.Clemson, 5.LSU 6. ND 7.Georgia 8. Cincinnati 9. North Carolina 10. Oregon

[MyTeamsKeepLettingMeDown]

Feels like OU and UGA should be there at the end. Bringing back a ton of talent, schedules are beneficial, each could handle an early loss, win the conference and get in. Alabama is “down” from last year, Texas isn’t “back” yet.

Which means....it probably won’t happen.

It “should” happen. But UGA “should have” won it all at least once by now and OU “should be” consistent and dominant this year. Just hard to say UGA will beat Bama when they haven’t done it yet. All the 5 star QBs in the world doesn’t matter if you’ve got bad play calling and coaching decisions. But, I’ll call it now. OU vs UGA for it all this season.