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Top 5 early dark-horse college football national title contenders for 2022

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 13, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Gerry Bohanon (11) and tight end Ben Sims (86) and wide receiver Drew Estrada (18) and running back Abram Smith (7) celebrate a touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Gerry Bohanon (11) and tight end Ben Sims (86) and wide receiver Drew Estrada (18) and running back Abram Smith (7) celebrate a touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman (10) warms up before the game Friday, Dec. 31, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced each other in the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman (10) warms up before the game Friday, Dec. 31, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced each other in the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] /

You might be surprised to see Wake Forest on a list such as this because the Demon Deacons aren’t historically known as contenders. In fact, they have never won the national title and have an all-time winning percentage well below 50.

But you can’t deny the job that Dave Clawson has done here.

Coming off an 11-3 season, Clawson led one of the most explosive offenses in the country. The Demon Deacons made the ACC title game and nearly ended a 15-year conference championship drought, but Kenny Pickett and Pitt were just too much for that defense.

If the defense improves in 2022, Wake Forest could be one of the best teams in the country. It should start the season as a top-15 team and with Sam Hartman and AT Perry back, the offense could be the best in the ACC. We might see Hartman take a Pickett-like leap in 2022 after passing for 4,228 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2021.

The Demon Deacons’ offense should be even better next season and the run defense can’t get much worse. Expect another 10-plus win season and potential ACC title run for Wake Forest in 2022.

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