1. Georgia- Kirby Smart
There are a lot of things Georgia and their fans can be thankful for. But what Kirby Smart has done for the Bulldogs is astonishing. Back-to-back national championships after years of chasing just one is incredible enough, but Smart now has the Bulldogs in prime position for a third. This has not happened since 1936. 1936! The biggest key for Georgia has been their recruiting, churning out big-time defensive players on a yearly basis. Georgia is the best team in the country right now and have Kirby Smart to thank for that.
2. Ohio State- Connor Stalions
Wait, what? Connor Stalions and the Michigan sign-stealing scandal have been huge for Ohio State for two reasons. 1. Jim Harbaugh cannot coach in The Game on Saturday. This is obviously a huge advantage for the Buckeyes. 2. The Stalions saga has put the spotlight solely on Michigan. As I wrote last week, the Buckeyes are somehow under the radar at this point. They have better wins than Michigan and have a real shot at winning on Saturday, but all the talk lies in Ann Arbor. For this reason, I placed a national championship future on Ohio State.
3. Michigan- Their defense
The Michigan defense is the best in the country this season and has been especially big with Jim Harbaugh out. With the offense struggling, maybe due to a J.J McCarthy ankle injury or maybe he just stinks, the defense has carried the load the last couple weeks. They held Penn State to 15 points and forced key turnovers to win a tight game over Maryland last week. I don’t see an offensive explosion winning The Game on Saturday. It’s going to be which elite defense plays better.
4. Washington- Their home field advantage
Husky Stadium is one of the best game day environments in the country. The boat-gating sets the tone and the beautiful views and sunsets, paired with the gorgeous purple and gold uniforms, really set a great scene. It also has helped the Huskies get out to an 11-0 start. When looking early in the year at schedules, Washington had a very favorable one because of the location of some of their big games. They hosted Boise State, Oregon, and Utah, three notoriously tough places to play that were beneficial to avoid. They get to host Washington State this weekend in the Apple Cup. This is not to take away from what the Huskies have done, but merely give a nod to some of the best fans in college football who deserve the love.
5. Florida State- Their upcoming schedule
Florida State fans probably are not feeling very thankful this holiday season. Star QB Jordan Travis is now out for the season after suffering a gruesome leg injury against North Alabama. That is bad news. The good news is, the Seminoles can still find a way into the playoffs. Upcoming opponent Florida is without their starting QB Graham Mertz, and Louisville is a bit of a fraudulent team at 10-1. QB Tate Rodemaker was Mike Norvell’s first recruit at FSU and he now has the chance to complete a full circle moment.
6. Oregon- Troy Franklin
There has been a lot of Bo Nix Heisman talk but what if I told you there might be a more deserving candidate on his team? WR Troy Franklin has been outstanding this season. He is 4th in the nation with 1,221 yards and 2nd in touchdowns at 13. A lot of Bo Nix’s yards come after the catch and Franklin is a huge part of that. I am a Bo Nix guy, and have a +2000 ticket on him to win the Heisman, but this Oregon team goes beyond Nix.
7. Texas- Alabama’s Turnaround
If Alabama fell off the rails after the September 9th meeting in Tuscaloosa, this would be a very different spot for Texas to be in. The Longhorns have narrowly escaped against Houston, TCU, and Kansas State after losing to Oklahoma. There are going to be a lot of debates around one loss teams when it is time to decide who’s in the playoffs. Texas’ win over the Crimson Tide certainly stands out, especially coming on the road. With the Big 12 being somewhat weak, that win could determine if they are in or out. So far, the committee has valued this win. Texas is ranked ahead of Alabama to this point, although Alabama beating Georgia may change things. For now, when the turkey is cut, or whatever they eat in Texas, the Longhorns should be thankful Alabama did not fall off a cliff.
8. Alabama- Tommy Rees
I bet Andrew Diaz is punching the air right now. What Tommy Rees has done in the development of Jalen Milroe is incredible. Milroe was benched after losing to Texas and since then has completely turned his game around. A lot of this credit has to go to Rees. Early on, Rees was trying to get Milroe to fit perfectly into his system. Lately, the system revolves more around Milroe. He is able to use his legs, complete short throws, and then take the deep shots where he excels. Milroe struggles a bit in the intermediate game, which hurt the Crimson Tide early. Now, he looks a lot more comfortable. Nick Saban may be doing his best coaching job, but Rees deserves a large chunk of credit as well. A win over Georgia could see the Tide right on the doorstep for another national title.
