College Football Rankings: Post-spring Top 25 projections for 2020

P.J. Fleck has Minnesota at a place that even with Tyler Johnson and Antoine Winfield Jr. gone, the Gophers are Big Ten West favorites. Tanner Morgan will be back under center, projected first-round draft pick Rashod Bateman is at receiver and stingy defense returns. It should be another special season in Minneapolis.

Replacing Justin Herbert at quarterback will be a tall task for Mario Cristobal and the Ducks. Luckily, they have many of their skill position players, including running back CJ Verdell returning. Their defense is also pretty good as the Ducks again figure to be the favorite in the Pac-12.

Penn State brings back an experienced offense in 2020 with Sean Clifford under center and Journey Brown in the backfield. Penn State had finished 2019 with the nation’s seventh-best run defense but struggled to slow down the passing game finishing 102nd. If their secondary improves and Clifford can improve from an up and down first year as starting quarterback Penn State will compete for the Big Ten title.

Georgia has recruited better than anyone in the nation the last three years, but the talent lost from last year’s roster may suggest the Bulldogs will take a step back in 2020. Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, Charlie Woerner, Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wynn, Cade Mays and Solomon Kindley are all gone on offense. Defensively, the Bulldogs will return several veterans, but if the offense struggles, it may not be enough to win an SEC crown for a fourth straight year.

Oklahoma will again have plenty of roster turnover and a fourth quarterback in four seasons in Spencer Rattler. Still, Lincoln Riley’s offense has plenty of weapons and the defense will look to take another step forward under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. The Sooners are still heavy favorites to win the Big 12 and return to the College Football Playoff.