College Football Teams To Look Out For in 2016
You might think it’s a little early to be weighing up the hot-contenders for College Football’s next season but the truth is, it’s never too early to weigh up the competition and decide which team you want to be backing next season. Of course, the obvious choice is any team coached by Urban Meyer or Nick Saban since these coaches have won National Championships in eight out the last thirteen years, but that doesn’t mean this year won’t hold some surprises or, indeed a few dark horses.
You just need to look at NFL betting patterns to see that the most obvious team isn’t always the one that’s likely to win. Indeed, since the 2011/12 season the most hotly backed team haven’t won that year. Sport loves an underdog, and this might be the year for an unexpected College Football team to take the crown.
Now there’s a long time between now and August, when the season will be ready to kick-off, but here are some teams that you should keep your eye on in 2016:
Alabama
Hot off the heels of winning their fourth national championship in seven years, and with Nick Saban as their head coach, it would be silly not to consider the Alabama Crimson Tide football team a top contender for next season. However, the team are expected to suffer a big loss in their current roster especially since their star running back, Derrick Henry, is set to leave for the NFL. Then there’s the fact that quarterback Jake Coker and center Ryan are now no longer eligible to play. This means Alabama will have some big football boots to fill, which will leave them vulnerable for next season.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners vastly improved their record from a 2014 8-5 to a 2015 11-5 overall after a big change-up in the coaching team. Perhaps next season will see their record improve even more. With their offense looking good, the biggest challenge Oklahoma will face is replacing the key players they have lost on their defense. Both linebacker Dominique Alexander and cornerback Zack Sanchez have declared early for NFL draft, plus end Charles Tapper and linebacker Eric Striker are now ineligible.
Michigan
This will be Jim Harbaugh’s second season as coach for the Wolverines and considering he took the team to their first set of double-digit wins since 2011, Michigan are certainly a team to keep an eye on. True, they will need to find a quarterback to replace Jake Rudock but the team still have their leading rusher De’Veon Smith and a brand new defensive coordinator, Don Brown, to get the team to their top potential.
Clemson
The Clemson Tigers are sure to be fired-up to get another chance at the championship after just missing out this year. That motivation and a not-too-disturbed overall team roster should make Clemson a force to be reckoned with next season. Mike Williams, who was sidelined last year with a neck injury, is set to return and quarterback Deshaun Watson is looking as strong as ever. The team will need to replace some key defense spots, but otherwise should be considered a secure playoff team.
