Clemson
Two words: Deshaun Watson. As a sophomore, Watson waltzed into the national championship against Alabama and put up blistering numbers.
He was relentless, throwing for 405 yards and added another 73 yards on the ground. Watson also threw for 4 touchdowns that day and broke Vince Young’s national championship record for most yardage.
An incredible prospect, it’s almost certain he’ll be the Heisman front-runner this year and in all likelihood will go pro after this year is wrapped up. But right now, Clemson has unfinished business.
The Tigers’ roster was incredibly young last year, which should give its fans all the more reason to feel good going into the 2016 season. It returns a whole host of wide receivers and running backs, which should help Watson play at an even higher level, if that’s physically possible.
There will be some questions on the defense, which lost quite a bit to the draft, but head coach Dabo Swinney is an immensely talented recruiter, and the spots should fill themselves. It also helps that there is quite a bit of depth on Clemson’s roster as well.
In taking Alabama to the wire, the Tigers proved something to the college-football world. No longer is “Clemsoning” a usable term; the program proved it could handle the highest level of college football. If nothing else, it isn’t an afterthought and despite Florida State’s continued success, the ACC is not the Seminoles’ for the taking.
It’s hard to imagine Watson not taking Clemson back to the College Football Playoffs. A game — and a season — like what the Tigers had last season needs a sequel.
— Jordan Hansen
Oklahoma
The Sooners ditched a quarterback who utterly embarrassed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl two years ago in favor of a former walk-on named Baker Mayfield. Now-former quarterback Trevor Knight of the Tide-slaying variety wasted no time in being named the starting quarterback at Texas A&M after he transferred for his graduate season.
That’s how good Mayfield was last year. He honestly should have been in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremonies. A nearly 70 percent completion percentage, 3,700 yards, 36 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 173.3 deserves a flight to the Big Apple.
Oklahoma returns 16 starters from a team that reached the College Football Playoff last year— nine on offense and seven on defense.
If the Sooners can find a pair of wideouts to replace Durron Neal and Sterling Shepard, they will have a really good shot at finishing the regular season undefeated.
The linebacking corps will also be a slight question mark to begin the year, but Oklahoma has never had trouble finding athletes to fill out a roster.
The knock against the Big 12 in the past has been scheduling, but if Oklahoma gets past Houston and Ohio State in the nonconference slate, it will have the résumé (and the experience in big games) to make the football playoffs and make a run at a national championship.
— Blake Dowson