Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10: No. 2
By Jason Parker
Here’s a look at the next team in Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10 Rankings.
As we are in the final month without college football (thank God that nightmare is almost over), teams from across the country will be hitting the practice fields getting ready for the 2016 season. For 25 of those teams, the season will start being ranked in the first polls for the 2016 campaign.
From Tallahassee to Tuscaloosa and Norman to South Bend, everyone from the traditional powers to the upstart programs will look to find their name with a number beside it for (at least) the opening weekend of the 2016 season.
Here at Chop Chat, we aren’t different from anyone else…we have the teams we think will start off the year ranked way too high and those who aren’t getting enough respect. So, here is our list of the top ten teams entering the 2016 season.
Before we get hate mail from fans of schools who are mad we didn’t rank their team high enough (or didn’t rank them at all), know that this is just a preseason list entering week one. In no way are we saying that this list is the way things will end up on January 10, 2017 after the national championship team. After all, with (spoiler alert) a lot of our top 10 teams playing each other this season, there will be plenty of changes before the month of September is even done.
No. 2 – Florida State Seminoles
The 2015 season was a “down year” for the Seminoles…and they still finished with a 10 win season, berth in a New Years Six bowl game and came within one quarter of winning the ACC Atlantic Division. All last year the disappointment about losses to Clemson and Georgia Tech were calmed with the idea of what 2016 has in store for Jimbo Fisher’s team.
On offense, the Seminoles return at least 10 starters from last year’s team (a number that could be moved up to 11 if Sean Maguire wins the starting quarterback job over Deondre Francois for the opener). Of course, the attention is mostly put on running back and Heisman candidate Dalvin Cook. After breaking the school’s single season rushing record last year, fans can’t wait to see what 2016 will be like. The wide receiver group is flying under the radar, with the trio of Travis Rudolph, Kermit Whitfield and Bobo Wilson being one of the best.
On defense, the Seminoles “only” return seven starters from last year’s team, but two of them may be the best in their country at their position in defensive end DeMarcus Walker and safety Derwin James. With youngsters like defensive end Josh Sweat, cornerback Tarvarus McFadden and the incoming 2016 recruiting class with five star defensive end Brian Burns and all everything five star Levonta Taylor, a defense that went from 77th in 2014 to 16th in 2015 could be even better in 2016.
Game of the Year
October 29th vs. Clemson – For the last five seasons, the winner of this game has gone on to win the ACC and twice play for a national title. 2016 likely won’t be much different and the winner of this game can pretty much pencil their name into the College Football Playoff.
Biggest Chance for an Upset
September 17th at Louisville – The Seminoles travel outside of the state just three times during the regular season, with the first time being for this ACC matchup. While all eyes are on games against Ole Miss, UNC, Miami, Clemson and Florida, the Cardinals are fully capable of handing FSU their first loss.