Sports Illustrated's way-too-early top 25 features 6 SEC teams
Though we have months until the start of the 2017 college football season, it isn’t stopping Sports Illustrated from releasing a ‘way-too-early’ top 25 list.
As per usual, there are multiple SEC teams featured within the piece.
Alabama registers yet again as the nation’s No. 1 team. Jalen Hurts will enter his sophomore season, and the Crimson Tide likely possess the deepest backfield in the country. Oh yeah…and that Nick Saban guy will be back roaming the sideline.
LSU comes in as the No. 5 team in this poll. It marks the first full season with Ed Orgeron running the show in Baton Rouge. While Malachi Dupre and Leonard Fournette depart, the Tigers may possess the best individual defensive (Arden Key) and offensive (Derrius Guice) players in the conference.
Auburn is listed at No. 14. It will be very interesting to see how Jarrett Stidham impacts things on The Plains. Possessing a ton of talent, the Baylor transfer will likely get the keys to the offense from the get-go.
Georgia follows right behind at No. 15. The two-headed monster of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel will be back yet again for another year. A key to the season will be the play of quarterback Jacob Eason. If he can take his game to another level as a sophomore, the ‘Dawgs may be the favorite to win the SEC East.
Tennessee sits at No. 16 in this poll. The Vols possess arguably the most talent of anyone in the division, but have yet to put it all together. Head coach Butch Jones might be on the hot seat should UT not win the SEC East. Tennessee will also have to account for the loss of quarterback Joshua Dobbs, and running backs Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd.
At No. 19, Florida is the last of the six SEC teams within the publication. The quarterback position will be one to watch in Gainesville. While Luke Del Rio does return, he’ll be coming back from shoulder surgery. Feleipe Franks could be the dark horse in this equation. He’s huge a 6-foot-6, and has great arm strength.
Here’s SI’s way-too-early top 25:
- Alabama
- USC
- Penn State
- Florida State
- LSU
- Clemson
- Ohio State
- Oklahoma
- Washington
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Oklahoma State
- Louisville
- Auburn
- Georgia
- Tennessee
- Stanford
- Texas
- Florida
- West Virginia
- Kansas State
- Oregon
- Miami
- UCLA
- South Florida
Explain the TN at 16 please lol.
Sports Illustrated owes you no explanation !!
#38Unanswered
#TeezIs aTease
He was being rhetorical, you outstanding yokel. And the fact that you’re so high and mighty on a way-too-early poll prediction on SDS is the cherry on top.
#TennesseeWon’tLast
#TennesseeNeverLasts
#TennesseeMightEvenBeLast
Have fun getting bent over a barrel by the NCAA.
#BackToBeingABottomFeeder
Our situation getting worse doesn’t mean Tennessee’s will get better. At least Ole Miss won’t be lonely at the bottom!
Considering the division that each team plays in and the fact the OM is about to face massive sanctions and UT isn’t, I’d say that say that your decent to the bottom will be taken by yourselves. Tennessee may not be winning the division every year, but they will be far better off than the situation that OM is about to be put in.
I’m not arguing with that. I’m saying that TN has been overrated in the last several years. This is the most talked about issue regarding TN, right? So while Ole Miss is getting bent over a barrel (which despite what you think I take no offense to), TN will be getting bent over by the East!
They won’t stay in the top 25. Tenn will lose at least 5 games.
Amen.
Just like everyone was POSITIVE UT would win the East last year? I’m actually glad a lot of people are predicting a down year for the Vols. There is a reason the media has picked the East winner correctly only 3 or so times since 1992. Tennessee enters the season with lowered expectations, but there is more talent left on the roster than most people think.
Yes, there is a lot of talent on the field. But there’s a fly in the ointment. That fly’s name is Butch Jones.
#1outof12
#stillookingupatUF
#Woodsonwinsheisman (I love that one!!)
#Brickbybrick
#Championsoflife
#Beatvandylately?
I could go on and on. UT is the laughing stock of college football year in and year out.
Here….have another brick.
Enjoy Shreveport
hey now, nothing wrong with a little IBowl action! lol
I’m kind of skeptical about LSU at #5
LSU should probably start between 11 and 13, though I think they could very well be a top 4 tm by yrs end. Better QB play is the key.
No way Clemson should be in top 10 given they replace alot of starters beginning with the QB. I don’t think they sb top 20.
UT at 16 is also a bit high given all of their losses. Probably should start at about 25.
It is way too early so no big deal but if we’re going to have a list, may as well nick pick.
The 2013 Clemson team lost Tajh Boyd, Martavius Bryant and Sammy Watkins and pumped out a top 20 team the next year.
Swinney has shown he can recruit
I think it’s “nit pick.” lol
The pundits almost always rank LSU high in preseason, and under Miles they generally disappointed. It remains to be seen what Orgeron does with the talent, but the talent is there. It usually is.
Well if you look only at overall roster talent from 2010 thru this yr, LSU’s avg would be 2nd or 3rd. But until we see improved QB play, no reason to start so high.
Hopefully this yr will start a trend where LSU can get reliable qb play and justify lofty rankings. The talent is always there that’s for sure.
I agree with both of y’all. The talent at LSU garners my attention every year.
No love. Still stuck on the vols for some reason though…..
Texas at 18? You have got to be f’ing kidding me.
I think the east is Georgia’s to lose. Alabama is going to be great as usual, and very rarely does a team like LSU lose a back like LF and still have security in that position heading in to the season. If they get better qb play they will be a handful, same goes for Auburn. Florida and South Carolina are going to be pretty good as well. I have no faith in Tennessee with Butch still the head coach.
Watch Derrius Guice step up like I know he will.
Can LSU extend their streak of finishing lower in the rankings than they start to six? Seems likely.
Does it bother you that LSU gets a good bit of national respect? Why would that be?
Relax, LSUSMC. Once he’s done gluing a giant spoiler onto his ’92 Cutlass Supreme, he’ll be cool.
I drove a Cutlus Supreme while in college. That was long before 92 though.
Missed an s.
No wonder ther’s a dinosaur named after you.
I would probably rank LSU somewhere around 10, but definitely ahead of Michigan.
I guess the teams from the great state of Mississippi are done after a couple of fluke years. Ditto for the two “newbie” SEC teams: Texax A&M and Mizzou. It was fun while it lasted guys. Would love to see a competitive SEC after a relatively down year last year. Hopefully FL, GA or TN can run the table and challenge the West and at least land two SEC teams in the bigtime bowls. It’s only March. We have 5 months to argue before the season even begins!
If I was a sportswriter and couldn’t get any readers, I would write a top 25 prediction story also. Is there a way to make projections that are valid? Not very many. The top team in every Power 5 conference could lose 3 games. Ohio State did not even belong in the CFP last year, this is how carried away the media and bowl committees are. They believe their predictions more than conferences champions. That is sick. Pac 12 could have 12 top 40 teams next year and zero top 15s. Same for Big 12. Shut up until we get at least one snap in Sept. 2017.
I also hate these too early predictions. They’re a waste of space, making these predictions based off of recruits who haven’t suited up and players who may or may not make as much of an impact than they did previously.
After last year’s Misouri v Georgia game, every fan should be circling the 2017 rematch. Very entertaining football game. Could be even better football this year.