5 Most Dangerous 2017 College Football Playoff Contenders

When you have the reigning Heisman Trophy winner coming back to school for another season, your program is bound to receive plenty of consideration as a College Football Playoff contender the following season. Louisville is no exception after sophomore Lamar Jackson won the award. And while there is going to be a drain of talent around Jackson next year, the Cardinals will also benefit from some key losses at division rivals such as Deshaun Watson at Clemson and Dalvin Cook at Florida State.

While Louisville lost three games this year, only one defeat was of the blowout variety. Nobody in the country had a better offense this season than the explosive unit led by Jackson. That unit will lose receiver James Quick, running back Brandon Radcliff, and center Tobijah Hughley. They boasted a defense that was especially strong against the run, holding teams to just 110 rushing yards per game. Thanks to a recruiting class that could be in the top 25 come February, Bobby Petrino’s team could retool for another run.

The one thing that could theoretically work against the Cardinals in 2017 is their strength of schedule. Louisville is slated to play Purdue, Kent State, FCS Murray State, and Kentucky in non-conference play. There is no guarantee that the Wildcats will be as good next year as they were this year, and the other three teams could drag down Louisville’s strength of schedule. But if they manage to win the ACC, the Cardinals should be in the College Football Playoff mix.