The pressure to perform at a high level from the outset is greater than ever before with the College Football Playoff format putting even more of an emphasis on not just winning but making a statement in every single game. The preseason rankings have the defending national champions Alabama at No. 1 followed by Clemson at No. 2, Oklahoma at No. 3 and Florida State at No. 4. However, they play the actual games for a reason and it won’t be a surprise if at least a couple of those top four teams aren’t in the mix when the college football playoffs roll around in January. Here is a look at our four picks for the 2017 college football playoff.
#1 Clemson
There has been a ton of chatter about Florida State emerging as the top team in the ACC this season. However, for as improved as the Seminoles project to be it seems somewhat unrealistic to expect them to leapfrog Clemson at the top. The Tigers are looking to take care of unfinished business after finishing as the national runner-up to Alabama and they return arguably the deepest and most talented cast of weapons on offense led by star quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson became the first player in FBS history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and run for at least 1,000 yards in the same season and there is an argument to be made he will have an even better cast of weapons on offense in 2016. The defense remains a work in progress but the talent is there and there is certainly room for improvement throughout the year. Clemson will have plenty of time to prepare for its showdown with Florida State in late October and as long as they win that game they should run the table and find their way to the top of the College Football Playoff rankings.
#2 Iowa
Most readers will be surprised to see Iowa ranked No. 2 on our list but it isn’t as unrealistic as some might think. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 12-2 season in which they went 8-0 in conference play and they have a strong cast of returning weapons led by star quarterback C.J. Beathard. Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State have been in the spotlight in the Big Ten this offseason but the fact that each of those three teams has to play one another in the Big Ten East division could easily open the door for all three to stumble at some point. Meanwhile, Iowa will have a much easier road in the Big Ten West where they could easily run the table. The Hawkeyes don’t play the Spartans or Buckeyes and they should benefit from the fact that they play the Wolverines at home. The potential is there for Iowa to run the table and the combination of a perfect record and a Big Ten championship should easily be enough to put them in the college football playoff picture.
#3 Alabama
The Crimson Tide will have to overcome a ton of turnover to get back to the college football playoff but they certainly have the talent after reloading with another talented cast of recruits. Now the coaching staff will do their best to maximize the weapons at its disposal ahead of a difficult schedule that features plenty of obstacles along the way. Alabama will open against USC before visiting Ole Miss just two weeks later, with games at both Tennessee and LSU this season. Still, the Tide has certainly proven it can overcome over the years so we aren’t going to write them off. A loss to either Ole Miss or LSU won’t be enough to keep them out of the playoff picture if they can repeat as SEC champions.
#4 Houston
Florida State, Oklahoma and even Stanford were considered for this final spot but we couldn’t resist the urge to put Houston in the college football playoff picture in a year where they will have an excellent opportunity to make it. The Cougars absolutely have to make a statement with a win over Oklahoma in their opener to even make this a conversation but if they can do that they will have an excellent opportunity to run the table with an undefeated season. A perfect 12-0 record that includes wins over top-25 teams in Oklahoma and Louisville could be enough to give Tom Herman and Houston their shot at a national championship and after coming so close a year ago it would be an absolute treat to see the Cougars get their shot.
