College Football: Buy or sell top 25 teams as National Title contenders
The fact that the National Champions were not ranked inside the top four is incredulous at best. Even with the loss of superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Clemson Tigers should still have been put ahead of a team like the USC Trojans or the Florida State Seminoles.
However, there are some position battles that need figuring out. The most important of those position battles are for the starting quarterback spot. Junior Kelly Bryant is the favorite to start the season but it’s likely that freshman and former 5-star recruit Hunter Johnson will get a chance at some point early in the year.
Running back Wayne Gallman (who was one of the most important supporters to Watson last year) is gone as well. Redshirt junior C.J. Fuller and sophomore Tavien Feaster could form the one-two punch that Clemson is accustomed to having in the backfield. Yet, there’s a lack of depth at running back behind Fuller and Feaster.
Clemson’s defense has a trio of superstars to lead them on the defensive line including Austin Bryant, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins. However, the uncertainty at quarterback presents a problem for this entire team. Back-to-back National Championships are not likely for Clemson.