College Football: Contenders, pretenders in 2020 preseason AP Top 25

Which teams will surely be dropping?

There were a few that jumped off the screen at me as “overrated”. Judging by some of the reactions that I saw on social media, it doesn’t appear that I was alone in this belief.

Let’s start with Auburn coming in at No. 11 on the poll (No. 8 on the amended poll). The Tigers are a good team, and always very competitive under head coach Gus Malzahn. That being said, this is a team that is returning just seven starters on both sides of the football, no offensive linemen and one defensive front player (Big Kat Bryant). That’s hard to overcome any year.

The top three receivers return, and quarterback Bo Nix, but this isn’t a team predicated on passing the ball. Malzahn’s philosophy and offensive scheme call for a variety of power run plays, something that will have to be done with a completely new offensive line and running back group. That spells down year.

It’s been a rough offseason for Oklahoma State. From positive COVID cases shutting practice down for a little while to the issue between head coach Mike Gundy and Heisman candidate running back Chuba Hubbard, the Cowboys haven’t exactly had a peaceful offseason.

This team, unlike Auburn, returns a ton of talent, including one of the best running backs in the country, Hubbard, and one of the top receivers in the country, Tylan Wallace. That being said, they will have to be consistent week in and week out, something that they haven’t maintained much throughout Gundy’s career. Texas Tech is primed to make a leap this season, as well as TCU, Kansas State, and West Virginia. Oklahoma State is back in a tier with them and Iowa State, not with Texas.

Last, but not least, you have to mention Tennessee, who landed at the cursed No. 25 spot in the poll. If you don’t believe me, let’s look at the No. 25 spots over the last three years in the preseason poll:

• 2019: Stanford (4-8)
• 2018: LSU (10-3)
• 2017: Tennessee (4-8)

Regardless, the Volunteers are now headed into a harder schedule without a real chance at a break in the action. Their upcoming schedule is brutal, and not getting a real break from the action.

Tennessee hasn’t yet shown that it can separate from the tier of schools like Kentucky, South Carolina, and Missouri. With 12 returning starters and an incredibly difficult offseason, I think a potential Vols resurgence is at least a full season away.