1. Washington
Washington had its best season since 2000 last year and Chris Petersen, who has the nation’s fifth-best winning percentage at 83%, will lead the Huskies to the National Championship in 2017. The Huskies have Heisman candidate quarterback Jake Browning back as well as plenty of skill position stars and one of college football’s most menacing defenses. Combine that with a weak schedule in which the Huskies will be favored by at least a touchdown in 11 of their 12 games and you can see why Washington is our choice to win it all in 2017.
2. Alabama
The Tide has the most talented and deepest roster as well as the best defense and best coach in college football. QB Jalen Hurts will be better in 2017 and schedule is not only manageable but we have Alabama favored by double digits in all but two games, the opener vs. Florida State and in the final game of the regular season when they face rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Saban will be on a mission after last year’s last-second defeat in the title game.
3. Florida State
The Seminoles return 16 starters, led by QB Deondre Francois and have our No. 2 ranked defense and No. 5 ranked offense. In fact, FSU is the only team in the nation we have ranked in the Top 5 in both offense and defense. After an opening game loss to Alabama, we think the Noles will be playoff bound after running the table and making the Final Four.
4. Oklahoma State
No other publication will have the Cowboys in the Top 10 let alone the Final 4 but this Cowboys team has the best offense in the nation, an improved defense and a schedule in which they face their toughest opponents at home. I didn’t get to the top of this business by being afraid to take a chance and the Cowboys will be worth backing in 2017.
5. Penn State
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6. Oklahoma
The Sooners return 16 starters and will have one of the five best offenses in America, led by QB Baker Mayfield. Defense is outstanding, but the schedule is tough including a Week 2 showdown with Ohio State, the Red River rivalry with improved Texas and Bedlam at Oklahoma State. Two of those three will be loses for first-year Head Coach Lincoln Riley.
7. Southern Cal
After opening last season 1-3, the Trojans won nine straight games to end 2016. They are loaded on both sides of the ball, including the nation’s top QB Sam Darnold. They will be favored in all 12 regular season games, but a loss to Washington in the Pac-12 Title Game will cost the Trogans a shot at the National Championship.
8. Georgia
The Bulldogs are another team I have higher than any other preseason publication, but for good reason. They return eight starters on offense, led by QB Jacob Eason, who will be much improved in his sophomore season. Running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are the best backfield 1-2 punch in the country and they return nine starters on defense. The schedule is tough, Georgia wins the SEC East.
9. Ohio State
Another 
surprise as we are the only preseason publication that does not have the Buckeyes winning the Big 10 and going to the Final Four. Ohio State has one of the nation’s best defenses and offensive lines, but QB JT Barrett really struggled last year and he lost his top three receivers. OSU has to play Oklahoma and Penn State at home and at Michigan. Two of those three games will be losses and cost the Buckeyes a playoff bid.
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10. Auburn
The Tigers return 15 starters, added former Baylor QB Jarrett Stidham and with Head coach Gus Mahlzahn on the hot seat we look for an outstanding season for Auburn. The schedule is tough with trips to Clemson and LSU and home games with Georgia and Alabama ,but this team is too talented to not win 10 games and compete for an SEC title.
11. Clemson
The defending national champion Tigers lose one of the greatest college QBs ever in Deshaun Watson, but have one of the nation’s best true freshman QBs in Hunter Johnson. He’ll throw to one of college football’s best receiving corps and will be backed by a defense that we rank as the fourth-best in the country,. It’s another 10-win season for Clemson, but the Tigers will lose to both Auburn and Florida State for a 10-2 record
12. TCU
We were the only publication to NOT have the Horned Frogs in the Top 20 last year and were right as TCU struggled to a 6-7 season. But with 17 returning starters, including 10 on offense, the Frogs will be back in 2017. Gary Patterson’s crew will be favored in nine games and expect them to pull off at least one upset along the way and post a 10-win season.
13. Florida
Everybody else has the Gators in the Top 10 but they don’t have a QB! Former Notre Dame QB Malik Zaire is eligible and is the frontrunner over red-shirt freshman Feleipe Franks. The offense returns nine starters so there is plenty of experienced skill players and the defense is solid, but the schedule is tough. Could very easily be a four-loss season.
14. Stanford
Rare that Stanford is better on defense than offense but that will be the case this season as the Cardinal has the best linebackers and secondary in the Pac 12. QB Keller Chryst will be much improved and while they lose RB Christian McCaffrey, his back up Bryce Love is going to be a great one. Losses at USC and at home to Washington make it a 10-2 season.
15. Wisconsin
Head Coach Paul Chryst led the Badgers to 11 wins last year and this year they not only return 15 starters but the schedule is much easier as they avoid BOTH Ohio State and Penn State, and play a non-conference slate that includes games against the likes of Utah State, Florida Atlantic and BYU. The Badgers win the Big 10 West before getting buried by Penn state in the Big 10 Title Game.
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16. Miami
Malik Rosier takes over at QB for Brad Kaaya, who left early for the NFL. If he had stayed, the Hurricanes would have been a Top 10 team as they have one of the country’s best defenses and plenty of skill players. But even with an unproven QB, it’s a nine-win season for the Canes, who will win the ACC Coastal and move on to ACC title game.
17. Texas
New Head coach Tom Herman inherits 17 returning starters led by QB Shane Buechele. RB Chris Warren is a stud who will take over for D’onta Foreman while the receivers and offensive line are among the nation’s best. What’s more, they have the best defense in the Big 12. But losses to USC, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State make it a 9-3 season and a return to a bowl game of the first time since 2013 for the Longhorns.
18. LSU
Coach O’s first full season leading the Tigers will be a respectable 9-3 with losses to Auburn at home and road loses at Florida and Alabama. QB Danny Etling is average at best, but RB Derrius Guice is outstanding and will run behind one of the nation’s best offensive lines. The defense is a Top 10 unit. Hopefully Coach O can go out and get a top-notch QB for next season. If so, the Tigers contend for a national championship.
19. Oregon
Mark Helfrich was 24-4 with Marcus Mariotta at QB and 13-12 without him. He got canned and replaced by former South Florida Head Coach Willie Taggert, who inherets a solid group of 17 starters led by QB Justin Herbert, who was outstanding as a freshman. Jim Leavitt has been brought in to shore up a defense that allowed 41 ppg in 2016.
20. South Florida
The Bulls are the best team outside the 5 major conferences and could be 11-1 at seasons end and looking at a big bowl game invitation. Charlie Strong takes over as head coach and has a lot to prove after flaming out at Texas. Luckily, he has one of the nation’s most electric QB in Quinton Flowers as well as 15 other returning starters.