Ranked teams in college football

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 4:52 PM EST Dec 11, 2018 Oklahoma's Kyler Murray and Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa lead the way for the USA TODAY Sports All-America teams for 2018, which include heavy representation from the four teams set to compete in this month's College Football Playoff national semifinals. Nine players from Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Oklahoma earned first-team honors, led by Murray at quarterback and two teammates from the Sooners' record-setting offense. Among this group were two Clemson defensive linemen, Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins, and two stars from the Alabama defense. Another four members of the Crimson Tide earned second-team accolades. The Southeastern Conference led all leagues with 17 selections. Five picks came from Group of Five leagues, with three earning first-team honors. The teams included two freshmen in Syracuse kicker Andre Szmyt and Purdue all-purpose weapon Rondale Moore. FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma … [Read more...] about USA TODAY Sports postseason All-America college football teams

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 10:05 PM EDT Oct 27, 2018 Just as expected and predicated back in the preseason, the calendar turns to November with Michigan and Northwestern slated to meet to decide the Big Ten Conference championship. Wait, what? That’s true, but only if you substitute Ohio State in for the Wolverines and drop the Wildcats in favor of Wisconsin. Well, here we are: Northwestern just beat the Badgers, 31-10, and the Buckeyes are still licking their wounds after last Saturday’s 49-20 loss at Purdue. So Wisconsin is done, eliminated entirely from the College Football Playoff race and now staring at an uphill climb to win the West Division. Iowa’s in similar trouble after Saturday’s loss to Penn State. Purdue eliminated all of its goodwill by losing to Michigan State. Northwestern is the team that doesn’t make sense. The Wildcats lost to Duke (understandable) and Akron (my goodness) in September but topped the Spartans and Badgers in … [Read more...] about College football winners and losers for Week 9 topped by Northwestern

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 1:11 p.m. UTC Aug 7, 2018 College football is almost here. USA TODAY Sports is getting you ready for the 2018 season by breaking down the best players at each position in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Next up: the linebackers. There are more than a few names battling for the top spot on this list from across multiple Power Five conferences. While an LSU star gets the nod, don’t overlook the contenders from Southern California, Michigan, Alabama and elsewhere. With representatives from four of the Power Five leagues in the top 10, here are the best linebackers in college football for 2018. 1. Devin White, LSU White’s vision and awareness matched up with his athleticism during a breakout 2017 season, which saw the junior earn first-team all-conference and second-team All-America honors. Despite those accolades, you can make the case that White was underrecognized — possibly due to former Georgia star Roquan Smith’s … [Read more...] about SEC and Big Ten lead list of college football’s best linebackers

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 1:44 p.m. UTC Aug 3, 2018 The strongest league in the Football Bowl Subdivision doesn’t house the nation’s best team, since Alabama plays in the Southeastern Conference. That league, once rulers of the sport with an iron fist, is an imitation of its prior self. The idea that LSU made the cut in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll is, in a word, laughable. Ignore the fact that LSU coach Ed Orgeron inspires little confidence. Focus instead on how the Tigers are again pinning their hopes on a graduate-transfer quarterback as they face four teams in the preseason top 10: Alabama, Georgia, Miami (Fla.) and Auburn. So why did LSU make the cut? Helmets. Jerseys. Reputation, both of the program itself and, more importantly, its conference. LSU is here because of the benefit of the doubt extended to the SEC, which goes something like this: The fifth-best team in this conference must be one of the 25 best teams in all of college football. Which … [Read more...] about Amway Coaches Poll shows the Big Ten is new conference king in college football

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 5:54 p.m. UTC Jun 26, 2018 College football is almost here. USA TODAY Sports is getting you ready for the 2018 season by breaking down the best players at each position in the Football Bowl Subdivision. First up: the quarterbacks. There’s a power vacuum atop the list after five of college football’s biggest stars went in the first round of the recent NFL draft. But there’s talent waiting in the wings, including several starters who will enter this season at or near the top of most Heisman Trophy lists. From the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Pac-12 Conference and all points in between, here are the best quarterbacks in college football for 2018. 1. Trace McSorley, Penn State McSorley will get his chance to shine as a solo artist without Saquon Barkley owning the spotlight in Penn State’s quarterback-friendly scheme. He’ll respond well to the challenge. Much like Baker Mayfield, McSorley combines top-level … [Read more...] about The 10 best quarterbacks in college football