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March 21, 2024

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Spring Housing Guide

From Tide to Buckeye – a look into 2017 college football

Whether you are a Buckeye, Wolverine or Falcon fan, college football returning means the same for all of us. Our favorite teams are back, which means we are busy on Saturday. Some of our teams got better in the offseason, but some of them will have rough seasons after losing players to the NFL.

The 2017 College Football Playoff may feature new teams, or it could be the same teams again. Teams like Ohio State and Alabama were able to recruit players to replace the ones lost. Others, like USC, Oklahoma State and Penn State, are looking to capitalize on strong Heisman candidates to play to their potential. Looking at all of the teams that have the potential to make the playoff, Alabama is the most obvious team. They have made the playoffs all three years and will most likely be there in 2017 as well. Sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts returns after a very successful freshman year. Bo Scarbrough, the team’s star running back, will be creating the team’s offence. The defense is a bit of a question mark due to losing many starters, including the national defensive player of the year, Jonathan Allen.

In the Big Ten, Ohio State and Penn State are the teams to look for. Penn State still has star running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley’s performance last season put him on the Heisman radar, so look to see him perform this year as well. Most of Penn State’s offense returns from their Big Ten-winning season last year. The Nittany Lions will definitely be in the mix until the end of the season, but their season will hinge on how they play Oct. 28 at Ohio State.

The Buckeyes look to be the team to beat Alabama this season, with quarterback J.T. Barrett and running back Mike Weber carrying the load on offense. The receiving group is a bit of a mystery, excluding Parris Campbell. The coaches will be looking to many unproven players on that side of the ball.

The defensive side of the ball includes freshman players as well. Linebacker Tyquan Lewis is the player on defense that many young players are going to look to for help. A win against Penn State on Oct. 28 would set the Buckeyes apart from the pack in the Big 10, with the only thing stopping them from the playoff being an upset late in the season.

The Big 12 has two teams this season that have the talent to make the playoff: Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Starting with Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield returns for the Sooners. Mayfield is the star of the team but can only do so much. Mayfield lost his three biggest weapons, Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon and Dede Westbrook, to the NFL, and that will hurt his production. Oklahoma faces an early test in their second game at Ohio State. The way Oklahoma performs in the Ohio State game will be indicative of their season.

The other team to watch in the Big 12 is Oklahoma State, with Quarterback Mason Rudolph being a key player. He has the chance to put up big numbers with receiver James Washington, Rudolph’s favorite target, and slot receiver Jalen McCleskey coming back from big seasons last year. Oklahoma State will likely be the dark horse candidate to make the playoffs this season, just like Washington last season.

Speaking of Washington, nearly their entire team returns from last season’s successful Pac-12-winning season. Jake Browning, the Huskies’ quarterback, will be looking to find a new go-to receiver after John Ross went to the NFL. The offense will continue its success this year, bringing back most of their starters, but the defense is a different story. Four key players went to the draft, including their top two cornerbacks: Washington lost a lot of on the defensive side of the ball.

This will be a problem for the Huskies when going up against USC, the other team likely to win the Pac-12. The Trojans have the potential first pick in next year’s draft, with Sam Darnold. The two top Trojans receivers went to the NFL, but they recruited at that position as well as any team in the country, and it will show this season. USC beat Washington last season, and the Trojans are even better this year.  

Lastly, Florida State will be the team to beat in the ACC. After a couple years of Clemson dominance, Florida State will return to form this season. The Tigers lost their best players in quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Mike Williams. It will take time for a star to show up for the Tigers, while the Seminoles already have a proven leader.

Deondre Francois, quarterback for the Seminoles, will be the leader of the team after Dalvin Cook’s departure to the NFL. The defense will not be a problem, with Derwin James, their All-American safety, returning from a season-ending injury. The defensive line also brings back Josh Sweat and Brian Burns, who combined for 16.5 sacks last season.

College football’s best teams are a mix of perennial contenders and potential dark horses. Ohio State and Alabama will almost certainly perform at a championship level, so teams like USC, Oklahoma State and Penn State need to find a way to perform to a similar level. This season has the potential to have multiple upsets and surprises, keeping college football fans everywhere on their toes.

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