Not long ago, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X spent a record 19 weeks atop the Billboard music charts. Alabama and Clemson know a thing or two about sitting atop the charts for long periods of time.
The tour buses are gassed up, and the Crimson Tide and Tigers have the makings for special seasons. The tour finishes with the College Football Playoff championship in Indianapolis. Will Alabama and Clemson be there?
1. Alabama
Previous ranking: 1
Weeks on the charts: 825 (All-time AP poll appearances)
Hit song: “King of the Road”
Good tunes: The defense is loaded (again), and despite losing Heisman winner Devonta Smith, QB Mac Jones and RB Najee Harris, the offense should be in good hands with Bryce Young.
Stop the music! Nick Saban will be the first to tell you, it’s not easy to repeat, and the SEC has some potent offenses that will challenge the new pieces on defense.
2. Clemson
Previous ranking: 3
Weeks on the charts: 469
Hit song: “Train Kept A Rollin'”
Good tunes: QB D.J. Uiagalelei showed us last year that he’s primed for a big season, and – stop us if you’ve heard this before – the Tigers have arguably the nation’s top defensive line led by James Skalski.
Stop the music! The Tigers must replace Travis Etienne at running back and WR Justyn Ross is working his way back from injury. But let’s be real here: We’re struggling to find weaknesses.
3. Georgia
Previous ranking: 7
Weeks on the charts: 613
Hit song: “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking?”
Good tunes: This ranking hinges on the strides made by JT Daniels, the quarterback who transferred from USC and was able to get a full and normal offseason in Athens under his belt.
Stop the music! The defense has some questions to address in the secondary, and if the Dawgs want to reach the SEC title game, they’ll need to mute rival Florida.
4. Oklahoma
Previous ranking: 6
Weeks on the charts: 861
Hit song: “You’re So Vain”
Good tunes: According to the experts, the Sooners have the top lead man in quarterback Spencer Rattler. Add newcomers Eric Gray at RB and Mike Woods at WR, and the Sooners should win the Big 12 again.
Stop the music! The defense improved last year under Alex Grinch, but this unit is still capable of missing the charts. That said, Nik Bonitto is one of the top linebackers in the country.
5. Ohio State
Previous ranking: 2
Weeks on the charts: 934
Hit song: “Iron Man”
Good tunes: The Buckeyes are going to push around just about everybody up front. Thayer Munford and Nick Petit-Frere lead a stout O-line, and Chris Olave highlights a deep group of receivers.
Stop the music! The defense gave up nearly 26 points per game and many, many big plays last year. The front four will be very good, but OSU must address some holes in the back seven.
6. Iowa State
Previous ranking: 9
Weeks on the charts: 65
Hit song: “All Right Now”
Good tunes: QB Brock Purdy is back. So are RB Breece Hall and TE Charlie Kolar. Preseason optimism has never been this high in Ames. Matt Campbell is certainly working some rock star vibes.
Stop the music! Iowa State always gets tripped up in September (see Louisiana-Lafayette last year). Can the Cyclones, who host Iowa this year, avoid an early letdown?
7. Oregon
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 319
Hit song: “You Spin Me Round”
Good tunes: The Ducks welcome Joe Moorhead as offensive coordinator. Travis Dye and CJ Verdell form one of the nation’s top running back duos and the O-line has experience.
Stop the music! There are questions at quarterback, and the defense must show that 2020 (allowing 28 points per game) was just a small blip in the road.
8. North Carolina
Previous ranking: 18
Weeks on the charts: 258
Hit song: “Don’t Let Me Down”
Good tunes: Sam Howell is like the band Rush. He deserves more respect. Howell is one of the top QBs in the country and he’ll lead an offense that averaged nearly 42 points per game last year.
Stop the music! The Tar Heels return eight starters on defense, but this is a unit that gave up 29 points per game last year, including 45 points to Virginia Tech, 44 to Virginia and 53 to Wake Forest.
9. Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 8
Weeks on the charts: 74
Hit song: “Good Vibrations”
Good tunes: Luke Fickell’s on-stage profile continues to rise, and he has one of the country’s top quarterbacks in Desmond Ridder, who pilots an offense that averaged 37.5 points per game last year.
Stop the music! The Bearcats will have a tough tour schedule, which includes games against Notre Dame and Indiana. Still, this is probably the best Group of Five team.
10. Texas A&M
Previous ranking: 4
Weeks on the charts: 469
Hit song: “Break On Through”
Good tunes: This may be Jimbo Fisher’s best team. Defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal will likely be a high NFL Draft pick and he’ll lead one of the nation’s top defenses. That’s good because …
Stop the music! The Aggies need a new QB. Haynes King and Zach Calzada are expected to battle for the No. 1 spot, and whoever is starting under center will work behind an O-line needing to replace four starters.
11. Notre Dame
Previous ranking: 5
Weeks on the charts: 833
Hit song: “Under Pressure”
Good tunes: Kyren Williams, C’Bo Flemister and Chris Tyree form one of the nation’s top running back trios. Williams rushed for 1,125 yards and 13 touchdowns last year.
Stop the music! The Irish must replace Ian Book from last year’s College Football Playoff team, and there’s no certainty that Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan is the answer.
12. Wisconsin
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 405
Hit song: “Born to Run”
Good tunes: Surprise! The offensive line will be a strength again. That’s music to the ears of Graham Mertz, who progressed nicely last year and will have a couple of nice targets in Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor.
Stop the music! Wisconsin wasn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut in 2020 (17-7, 14-6 and 28-7 losses), so the Badgers must find a way to generate big plays and longer drives.
13. LSU
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 639
Hit song: “Back in the Saddle”
Good tunes: The Tigers should be vastly improved on offense and defense. The offensive line returns all five starters, Kayshone Boutte leads a talented group of WRs, and the defense can’t be any worse.
Stop the music! Who starts at quarterback? Veteran Myles Brennan (who is injured) and sophomore Max Johnson each got reps last year. Johnson quarterbacked the Tigers to top-25 wins against Florida and Ole Miss.
14. Florida
Previous ranking: 13
Weeks on the charts: 634
Hit song: “Swamp Music”
Good tunes: The Gators were somewhat shaky on defense last year, but defensive lineman Zachary Carter, edge rusher Brenton Cox and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate should help tighten the screws.
Stop the music! Dan Mullen is darn good at fine-tuning an offense, but even he will have trouble – at least early on – filling the shoes of tight end Kyle Pitts, quarterback Kyle Trask and six other starters.
15. USC
Previous ranking: 21
Weeks on the charts: 785
Hit song: “Flirtin’ With Disaster”
Good tunes: Kedon Slovis threw for nearly 2,000 yards in six games last year and he’ll be backed up by a talented group of skill players, including 6-foot-5 Drake London and 6-3 Bru McCoy.
Stop the music! The offensive line must show a vast improvement if the Trojans are to challenge the Ducks out West. Last year, that unit gave up 15 sacks and USC averaged only 3.2 yards per carry.
16. Penn State
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 653
Hit song: “Turn the Page”
Good tunes: Wideouts Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington are going to give opposing defenses fits, and Sean Clifford is one of the top QBs in the Big Ten, though he needs to clean up the turnovers.
Stop the music! Will the real Penn State team – the one that lost its first five games or the one that won its final four – stand up? James Franklin will seek a better start in 2021.
17. Texas
Previous ranking: 19
Weeks on the charts: 744
Hit song: “Stop Dragging My Heart Around”
Good tunes: New coach Steve Sarkisian has a good track record of success, and he’ll have a strong stable of running backs to work with, led by Bijan Robinson. He showed big-play ability last year.
Stop the music! The Horns must replace Sam Ehlinger at quarterback and they’re not exactly stacked at wide receiver. Casey Thompson is expected to get the nod at QB.
18. Indiana
Previous ranking: 12
Weeks on the charts: 66
Hit song: “Start Me Up”
Good tunes: Assuming Michael Penix recovers well from an ACL tear, the Hoosiers will have a proven quarterback and a big-play wideout in Ty Fryfogle. The defense returns nine starters.
Stop the music! Indiana must keep Penix healthy. Each of his three seasons with the Hoosiers has ended in injury. Indiana also must replace a productive RB in Stevie Scott.
19. Iowa
Previous ranking: 16
Weeks on the charts: 341
Hit song: “Hot Blooded”
Good tunes: If previous momentum is a thing, then the Hawkeyes will be a team to watch after finishing 2020 on a six-game winning streak. Tyler Goodson is one of the Big Ten’s top running backs.
Stop the music! The defensive front must replace three starters, including Daviyon Nixon, and quarterback Spencer Petras must show more consistency after throwing nine TDs and five INTs last year.
20. Miami
Previous ranking: 22
Weeks on the charts: 506
Hit song: “As Good As I Once Was”
Good tunes: Manny Diaz appears to be a good frontman, and he has one the nation’s more dynamic QBs in D’Eriq King. Mike Harley is a talented receiver and Oklahoma transfer Charleston Rambo provides a boost.
Stop the music! King continues to recover from a torn ACL, so how long will it take for him to return to form? The Canes must also shore up their running defense (174.5 yards per game last year).
21. Washington
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 455
Hit song: “Singin’ in the Rain”
Good tunes: Led by linebackers Ryan Bowman and Edefuan Ulofoshio, the Huskies should have one of the nation’s top defenses. The return of DT Tuli Letuligasenoa after injury will provide an extra boost.
Stop the music! Sophomore quarterback Dylan Morris showed promise last year, but touted freshman Sam Huard, the program’s best QB recruit ever, is hot on his heels.
22. Coastal Carolina
Previous ranking: 14
Weeks on the charts: 11
Hit song: “It’s a Long Way to the Top”
Good tunes: This is no longer an opening act. The Chanticleers return 19 starters from a team that won its first 11 games last year. QB Grayson McCall (2,488 passing yards in ’20) should have Coastal humming again.
Stop the music! The Chanticleers won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. And though the defense returns 10 starters, it must replace Sun Belt defensive player of the year Tarron Jackson.
23. Utah
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 139
Hit song: “Rock Steady”
Good tunes: Kyle Whittingham continues to pump out nice football teams, and 2021 should be no different, especially after receiving a shot in the arm with the arrival of Baylor transfer QB Charlie Brewer.
Stop the music! The Utes’ skill position guys are not going to exactly scare anyone, and the defense was dealt a blow in the spring when safety RJ Hubert suffered a knee injury.
24. TCU
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 243
Hit song: “Misty Mountain Hop”
Good tunes: The offense, led by quarterback Max Duggan, will be able to keep up with the other high-flyers of the Big 12. The backfield is stacked and Quentin Johnston gives Duggan a go-to target.
Stop the music! TCU allowed a lot of big plays on defense last year, and that was with talented safeties Trevon Moehrig and Ar’Darius Washington, who have each moved on.
25. Auburn
Previous ranking: NR
Weeks on the charts: 593
Hit song: “Hot N Cold”
Good tunes: Having one of the SEC’s top gunslingers (Bo Nix) gives the Tigers the edge for the final spot. First-year coach Bryan Harsin should also like what he has in sophomore tailback Tank Bigsby.
Stop the music! The offensive line was the Tigers’ Achilles’ heel in 2020, and it could be a weak spot again. The tour (games at Penn State, LSU and Texas A&M) will make for a tough road to the top of the SEC West.
