ESPN updates Top 25 college football rankings after USC signed Jordan Addison
- Author:
- Publish date:
The transfer portal has forever changed the sport and now it's having an effect on the ESPN Top 25 preseason college football rankings, too.
The network updated its early poll after wide receiver Jordan Addison, the consensus No. 1 player remaining in the portal, announced he would sign with USC.
Well, it appears that decision had a major influence on how ESPN ranked the best college football teams going into the summer preseason.
Where do things stand now?
ESPN updates college football Top 25 preseason rankings
25. Iowa
Rankings change: Down 10
2021 record: 10-4 (7-2 Big Ten)
College Football HQ says: Iowa often has the defense to take it places — like last season when the Hawkeyes were in the top 5 of the AP poll and seemingly destined for the College Football Playoff — but patching together a consistently threatening downfield offense still evades this team.
Spencer Petras returns as the likely starter, but needs to find some answers after he completed just 57.3% of his passes with 1,880 passing yards with 10 touchdowns against nine interceptions a year ago. Petras is 13-6 as Iowa's starting quarterback and helped put this team in the Big Ten title game, but also didn't score in six games.
24. Tennessee
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 7-6 (4-4 SEC)
College Football HQ says: There's a lot to like about the Vols offense, which ranked top 10 nationally last fall and returns Hendon Hooker at quarterback. Cedric Tillman is back at receiver, and UT signed transfer wideout Bru McCoy this offseason, too.
That could bump this team's average up even more, but there's still the question of a secondary unit that was costly against SEC opposition last season. Defensively, this team allowed almost 34 ppg to conference teams. That won't cut it as Tennessee looks to inch its way up the East standings against the likes of Georgia and Florida.
23. Cincinnati
Rankings change: Down 4
2021 record: 13-1 (8-0 AAC)
College Football HQ says: This team made history last season as the first non-Power 5 club to make the playoff, but those dreams were ended abruptly by Alabama in the semifinal. And this team didn't exactly get better after losing nine key pieces to the NFL Draft, including its quarterback, top back, receiver, two corners, and a pair of linebackers. Cincinnati gained LSU transfer back Corey Kiner, a local product, but has its work cut out tangling with Houston in the AAC race this fall.
22. Kentucky
Ranking change: Down 1
2021 record: 10-3 (5-3 SEC)
College Football HQ says: Mark Stoops has been at UK for a decade now and, while he hasn't recruited quite as well as the league's top dogs, he's still fielded consistently competitive teams, last season winning 10 games, beating LSU and Florida, and then against a solid defensive team in Iowa in the bowl.
Kentucky just signed its best-ever recruiting class and returns its skill core with QB Will Levis and back Chris Rodriguez returning this fall. Levis was a 66% passer last fall with almost 2,900 yards and 24 touchdowns — though he could cut down the turnovers with 13 picks last fall — while Rodriguez piled up 1,379 yards rushing with nine TDs and a 6.1 ypc average.
21. Ole Miss
Rankings change: Up 2
2021 record: 10-3 (6-2 SEC)
College Football HQ says: These projections might be low for the Rebels, who did lose most of the talent behind the No. 6 offense in college football a year ago, but scored another pile of blue-chip players in the transfer portal.
Ole Miss added a pair of solid transfers from USC in former quarterback Jaxson Dart and tight end Michael Trigg. Former TCU back Zach Evans is a vital addition, as is SMU rusher Ulysses Bentley. Put those players together and combine it with the Rebs' defensive improvements from last fall, and this team can still be a major player in the SEC West picture.
20. Arkansas
USA Today Images
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 9-4 (4-4 SEC)
College Football HQ says: FPI predicts a step back for the Hogs, who are coming off a nine-win season, but lose top receiver Treylon Burks and have to go up against another tough schedule that includes non-SEC games against future Big 12 members Cincinnati and BYU, the latter a very strong independent squad bringing back a ton of talent that won 10 games last year. This is still a quality roster that returns quarterback KJ Jefferson, but there are more questions than answers this preseason.
19. BYU
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 10-3
College Football HQ says: The Cougars got the most out of this roster the last two years, winning at least 10 games against another tough schedule. Now, they bring back nearly all their returning production in what will be their final season as an independent before heading to the Big 12.
And there's another brutal slate in store, with games against Arkansas and Baylor, at Oregon, and against Notre Dame. One major development to watch: how BYU replaces lead back Tyler Allgeier, who led this team with 23 TDs last fall.
18. Baylor
Rankings change: Down 2
2021 record: 12-2 (7-2 Big 12)
College Football HQ says: Blake Shapen took and held the starting quarterback gig this spring after a stellar showing in the Big 12 title game last year. He completed his first 17 passes against OSU's third-ranked defense and finished with three TDs in the win.
Baylor has to find new inputs at receiver and running back, although the return of Craig Williams from injury bodes well for the position. Gavin Holmes has promise at receiver, but has played limited snaps due to injury and a redshirt last season. This defense was one of two in the Big 12 to surrender fewer than 20 points per game, and brings back most of that production.
17. Wake Forest
Rankings change: Down 3
2021 record: 11-3, (7-1 ACC)
College Football HQ says: Wake started out 8-0 last fall behind the No. 11 ranked offense nationally and the fourth-best scoring unit before finishing 2-3, including a loss to Pitt in the ACC title game.
Nine of those offensive starters are back, including quarterback Sam Hartman, a 4,200-yard passer with 39 touchdowns in 2021. But can first-year DC Brad Lambert repair a defense that ranked 91st in the nation last season? The Deacs allowed 58 to North Carolina, 42 from NC State, 48 to Clemson, and 45 to Pitt. They went 1-3 in that stretch.
16. Oregon
Rankings change: Down 4
2021 record: 10-4 (7-2 Pac-12)
College Football HQ says: There's no time to work out the wrinkles for first-year coach Dan Lanning, who opens the season against defending national champion Georgia, whose defense Lanning coordinated during that title run.
Especially with the Ducks dealing with some injuries on defense during the spring, and while the unit does bring back star linebacker Noah Sewell, Lanning needs to plug in some holes in the secondary. Bo Nix steps in at quarterback with a mixed record, but with some solid speed at receiver. Pac-12 honor is on the line in Week 1, and while a loss doesn't ruin Oregon's season, it doesn't help it, either.
15. Pittsburgh Panthers
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 11-3 (7-1 ACC)
College Football HQ says: A lot of what propelled this team to an ACC title last season is gone: quarterback Kenny Pickett is in the NFL, and wide receiver Jordan Addison transferred to USC. What's left?
For one, USC transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis, a 65 percent passer a year ago with 11 touchdowns and eight picks in an injury-shortened campaign. Pitt has Jared Wayne coming back, signed Akron transfer Konata Mumpfield (751 yds, 8 TDs at Akron), and can push the ball on the ground behind Israel Abanikanda, but there's no looking over the loss of a phenom like Addison.
14. Oklahoma
Rankings change: Up 3
2021 record: 11-2 (7-2 Big 12)
College Football HQ says: Brent Venables has been arguably the single most respected defensive mind of this century, and now he steps in as head coach with an eye to repairing a D that ranked 76th overall and 109th against the pass, while trying to steady the ship after the departure of Lincoln Riley and a pile of transfers.
Jeff Lebby will handle the offense after orchestrating a top 10 unit at Ole Miss last fall, and he brings on transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, an 8,000-yard career passer who was with the coach in a top 10 offense at UCF a few years ago. And there is still plenty of speed to throw out on the perimeter despite some high-profile departures, including sophomore Marvin Mims, who scored five times off 32 catches last season.
13. Houston
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 12-2 (8-0 AAC)
College Football HQ says: This should be the Cougars' final season in the AAC before heading to the Big 12, and they just might have an edge over everyone in this conference. Houston signed two key O-line pieces in Tyler Johnson and Lance Robinson in addition to Ta'Zhawn Henry, a USC transfer back who scored five times last season. That pickup matters considering UH likely lost starting rusher Alton McCaskill, who scored 16 times in 2021, to an offseason ACL injury.
12. Clemson
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 10-3 (6-2 ACC)
College Football HQ says: Offense was a persistent problem a year ago, only getting nine TDs against 10 picks from 5-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. In total, Clemson ranked second-worst in the ACC in total offense and failed to surpass 27 points per game on average, snapping its six-year ACC title and playoff appearance streak.
Getting things right on this side of the ball should get the Tigers back in the Top 10 nationally when looking at this defense, a unit stacked with blue-chip talent, including linemen Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee. But watch for games at Wake, against NC State, at Notre Dame, and at home to Miami.
11. Oklahoma State
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 12-2 (8-1 Big 12)
College Football HQ says: A lot of the defense that ranked No. 3 in college football will have to be replaced, including a slew of vital inputs in the back seven alignment. It's the main job awaiting new coordinator Derek Mason, who replaces Jim Knowles, who took the same job at Ohio State.
Malcolm Rodriguez and Devin Harper are gone at linebacker, as are safeties Kolby Harvell-Peel and Tanner McCallister, and cornerbacks Christian Holmes and Jarrick Bernard-Converse have departed. OSU brings back the bulk of an outstanding defensive line, though, including Collin Oliver, Tyler Lacy, and Brock Martin, a trio of quality tacklers who can create negative plays on the regular.
10. Michigan
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 12-2 (8-1 Big Ten)
College Football HQ says: Jim Harbaugh finally got over the hump last year, beating Ohio State, taking the conference, and making the playoff. But getting kicked around by Georgia showed the gap that still exists between this roster and the teams that are winning national championships.
Cade McNamara returns at quarterback and he has one of college football's best backups in J.J. McCarthy, who is bound to get some reps this fall.
Blake Corum will lead the ground attack after running for almost 1,000 yards last fall with 11 touchdowns. UM might take a step back owing to the changeover, but this team is still well in position to win 10 games and make a run for the Big Ten.
9. Michigan State
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 11-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
College Football HQ says: Kenneth Walker was the engine behind Sparty's offense a year ago, but he's not coming back. Payton Thorne is, fresh off a 3,240-yard passing season to go with 27 TDs and 10 INTs, and he'll have Jayden Reed returning at receiver after going for over 1,000 yards with 10 scores and averaging almost 18 yards per catch last fall.
But the question for second-year coach Mel Tucker, fresh off inking a $95 million contract, remains: what about this back seven rotation? It was far and away the Big Ten's worst, allowing more than 337 passing yards per game. No other B1G team surrendered more than 260, and the unit overall ranked No. 111 in the nation.
8. NC State
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 9-3 (6-2 ACC)
College Football HQ says: Four points kept the Wolfpack from an undefeated mark in ACC play, a run that included a win over No. 9 Clemson and with losses at Miami and at Wake.
Up to 10 starters on defense that ranked No. 3 in the ACC last fall should come back for a reunion in 2022, as does quarterback Devin Leary, a 3,400-yard passer in 2021 with 35 touchdowns against three picks. But the Pack could use some replacements at running back to help balance things out and take some pressure off Leary.
7. Notre Dame
Rankings change: Down 1
2021 record: 11-2
College Football HQ says: Brian Kelly is out and Marcus Freeman is in after one of the major bombshell coaching moves of the offseason. Freeman brings a solid reputation as a defensive play-caller, and in tandem with his staff has already made tremendous headway on the recruiting trail, ranking No. 1 in most 2023 class analyses.
Notre Dame has big decisions to make at quarterback and running back after losing experience there, but brings on arguably the best offensive line in the nation and a sure thing in tight end Michael Mayer. But the season opener is at Ohio State, Freeman's alma mater: a bad showing there and the Irish's playoff hopes might be dashed early.
6. Utah
Rankings change: Down 2
2021 record: 10-4 (8-1 Pac-12)
College Football HQ says: Utah plays a physical brand of football, and returns both its starting quarterback and running back after a 2021 in which it beat three ranked teams (Oregon being two of them) and played Ohio State to a 3-point loss in the Rose Bowl.
Cameron Rising and Tavion Thomas are a very solid 1-2 punch on offense, but the Utes have some surgery to perform on a defense that needs inputs in the secondary and behind the line after losing backer Devin Lloyd. Watch for a Week 1 trip to Florida with Pac-12 honor on the line, and a midseason home tilt with USC.
5. Texas A&M
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 8-4 (4-4 SEC)
College Football HQ says: You get the feeling that Jimbo Fisher finally has this Aggies program in a place to make a run at the SEC title and the College Football Playoff.
He just signed arguably the best recruiting class ever and brings on enough talent to push through this schedule. A&M has quality inputs on the front seven, at receiver, at running back, and a few decent options at quarterback.
But last year showed this team can lose as well as win on any given Saturday. A&M beat No. 1 Alabama, but then lost four games and was an afterthought in the national rankings. Now comes a schedule that includes home dates against Miami, Florida, Ole Miss, LSU, and App State and a trip to Alabama and Auburn.
4. USC
Rankings change: Up 8
2021 record: 4-8 (3-6 Pac-12)
College Football HQ says: The biggest mover in the new rankings by far, USC added to its already major transfer haul by signing wide receiver Jordan Addison. The former Pitt star led the nation with 17 touchdown catches last season and now steps into what might be the most improved offensive unit in the country.
Caleb Williams steps in at quarterback, in addition to wideout Mario Williams, and running backs Travis Dye and Austin Jones, pieces that could put the Trojans in the running for the Pac-12 title. But the question mark keeping this team from true playoff contention remains its porous defensive unit.
Southern Cal ranked 89th nationally a year ago in that category and lacks physicality at the line of scrimmage. Riley added a pair of solid linebackers in Romello Height and Shane Lee, and signed cornerback Latrell McCutchin. That's a good start, but this group is very much a work in progress.
3. Georgia
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 14-1 (8-0 SEC)
College Football HQ says: Georgia is national champion for the first time in 40 years and even if it just lost a ton of the historically dominant defense that got it there, Kirby Smart has recruited well enough to replace the lost pieces and make another run.
Georgia brings back quarterback Stetson Bennett, and he'll have Brock Bowers and Arik Gilbert, among others, on the receiving end. Georgia has a slightly easier road to the SEC title coming out of the East, but opens up in Atlanta against former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, now the head coach at Oregon.
2. Ohio State
USA Today Images
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 11-2 (8-1 Big Ten)
College Football HQ says: The common denominator in OSU's two losses last fall was subpar defense, which Ryan Day thinks he fixed by bringing on former Oklahoma State DC Jim Knowles. Under his watch last fall, the Cowboys posted the No. 3 overall D and led the nation in TFLs and sacks.
If he can repeat that success with these players, expect Ohio State's reigning No. 1 ranked offense to do the rest. Heisman finalist quarterback CJ Stroud returns after posting a 4,435 yard outing with 44 TDs and six turnovers.
TreVeyon Henderson is back after rumbling for 1,248 yards with a nearly 7 ypc average and 15 scores as OSU's lead back, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off a 1,600 yard receiving campaign as the presumptive No. 1 in a room full of blue-chip receivers.
1. Alabama
Rankings change: N/A
2021 record: 13-2 (7-1 SEC)
College Football HQ says: Eight starters coming back on defense, including college football's leader in sacks and TFLs in linebacker Will Anderson, and Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young round out a customarily stacked Crimson Tide roster.
And the defending SEC champions scored some choice transfer players, too: former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, Georgia's leading 2021 receiver in Jermaine Burton to open some lanes downfield, and Jahmyr Gibbs, the former Georgia Tech back who comes in as the nation's current active leader in total yards.
Alabama remains the consensus choice to win the national championship once again, and will stay that way until proven otherwise. Watch for two games on this schedule: Sept. 10 at Texas, and Oct. 8 at home to Texas A&M in what should be a pretty intense atmosphere thanks to some very bad offseason blood between these coaches.
(h/t ESPN)