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It is easy to find teams you think are overrated in the college football rankings. I found plenty I disagreed with. But this column is positive. So, we are going to talk about three teams that should be ranked higher than the AP preseason pollsters have them.
Of course, all of these ranks are mute when the season starts. The on-field play will be the main factor in who was right and who was wrong. But it is fun to speculate recklessly.
With the release of the AP poll, we will use their ranks for the rankings listed rather than the USA Today coaches poll, which arrived last week. Funny enough, neither of the polls had any Group of Five teams in its top 25. Curious.
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Iowa Hawkeyes, Big Ten
No. 25
Kirk Ferentz was finally convinced, and forced, to get rid of his son as offensive coordinator. This is a wonderful thing for an Iowa Hawkeyes team that brings back one of the top defenses in the country. A defense that has helped keep the team on the winning path despite the offensive struggles.
25 ➡️ AP Preseason Poll#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/szuYe4ozyU
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) August 12, 2024
Defensive coordinator Phil Parker is the savior of the program. While Ferentz gets all the publicity, it is Parker who deserves the credit.
QB Cade McNamara comes back after injury forced him to miss much of his 2023 season after transferring from Michigan. If he can remain healthy, Iowa, with new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, has a chance to make the conference title game and even the 12-team playoff.
Even with the Big Ten going away from divisions before 2024, Iowa got a Big Ten West type of schedule. While it does play Ohio State, it avoids Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon. The Hawkeyes have one of the easiest draws available for a team in the Big Ten. The rivalry game against Nebraska in the final week of the season could be for a chance at the title game. Even if they lose, it could lead them to 10-2. This could still be enough to get them into the playoff. Starting at No. 25 is just a bit too low for my liking.
Virginia Tech Hokies, ACC
Not Ranked
Virginia Tech and coach Brent Pry bring back a ton of production from a team that overachieved in 2023. The biggest key is the return of QB Kyron Drones, who will come into the 2024 season as one of the top QBs in the ACC and the country. If Drones can continue on the path he started in 2023, he could very well end up in New York on the first Saturday in December as a Heisman finalist.
Drones finished 2023 with 17 TDs to just three interceptions. On top of this, Drones compiled 818 yards and five TDs on 166 carries. He is a true dual-threat out of the backfield, and this will help coach Pry and the Hokies compete in an ACC that is open for the taking. Not only will winning the ACC give them a guaranteed top-4 seed, but it would also be a remarkable improvement for the once proud Hokies after years of futility since the retirement of Frank Beamer.
Boise State Broncos, Mountain West
Not Ranked
Boise State has a new coach in Spencer Danielson and a new starting QB in Malachi Nelson, a five-star recruit who transferred in from USC following a rocky freshman year. If Nelson and returning star running back Ashton Jeanty can bring the offense to the game, the Broncos will be the favorites to win another Mountain West title.
𝗔𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘆 🤝 𝗔𝗹𝗹-𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀
The Sporting News has named Ashton Jeanty to its Preseason All-America second team as an all-purpose player 🔵🏈
📰 https://t.co/mUa52bOdZ7#BleedBlue | #BuiltDifferent pic.twitter.com/KgSAoaHQM1
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) August 14, 2024
There are tough games on the schedule, including a trip to Oregon. If the Broncos can avoid a blowout, they will have other games against Washington State and Oregon State which can propel them not just into the rankings but into the top 15 of the ranks. If this happens, they will certainly be the top Group of Five team and make the playoff. Boise State needs to be ranked. Not having it in there is a crime and it will be rectified by season’s end.
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