8. Alabama
Well I honestly was not expecting Satan retiring. DeBoer is a good coach, and he will have most, well many that was a huge portal list, of Satan s recruited players returning. But there are serious concerns, including massive losses in the defense, particularly the secondary and the inconsistency of Milroe, exacerbated by the loss of Sayin as a potential replacement. Yes, DeBoer brought a lot with him. Yes, they have options. They are Alabama, they always have options. But that schedule is tough, with a trip to Wisky, LSU and Oklahoma, plus an early season match with Georgia. Their talent and DeBoer coaching should keep them viable as a contender, but two or three losses is not out of the question.
7. Oklahoma State
With Texas and Oklahoma moving out, Okie State is now the best legacy program left, and they were sort of the Michigan State of the conference, good enough to occasionally challenge but not good enough to be a consistent threat to the elite teams. But now they look almost like the top remaining dog. They return their entire offensive line and key skill position players on offense. In a league that is going to struggle to identify itself, with fully half its teams joining in the last two years, that should be enough.
6. Our Lady of the Perpetual Tie
I did not have them this far up at first, but I kept moving teams down past them. Anyway, the did a decent job in replacing Sam Hartman, Sam Hartman with Elmore Leonard. Note, may not be actual first name. A couple of promising receivers and O Linemen in from the portal as well, which is probably their biggest need outside of QB. Defensively, they did get some starters to forego the pros for another year. Their schedule looks tough on paper, but a lot of those teams, like TAMU and USC and Louisville, enter into the season with a ton of questions. Their toughest game is likely to be FSU, at home. They are primed for a maybe one loss season.
5. Old Mississippi
Three of their portal adds were Yam Banks, Diego Pounds and Princely Unanmielen, so they win the portal on names alone. PU and Walter Nolen fill a big need defensively. They need help in the secondary but their asshole coach brought in a lot of God apostrophe s Conference ready talent to fill in those gaps as well. Offensively, Dart will be darting, and two of their top receivers are returning, joined by portaller Juice Wells. Really, does Kiffin recruit based on name? If so, that is a Hairy approved path. I am always skeptical of the hype of Missississippippi teams, but they do look real.
4. Oregon
They are losing Nix. Past Hairy would consider that a positive, but there is no doubt Nix played surprisingly to me well these last two years. Still, I think there is an element of system success for Oregon these days, and Gabriel is a proven QB, with Moore waiting for his chance. They are losing a lot in the secondary, but otherwise they should have a decent defense. Oregon, the and Meatchicken play a round robin which is likely to be the equivalent of a playoff play in.
3. the Ohio State University
I toyed with them out of the Top 11 for a while, but no team has had a more surprising off season for me, except perhaps Alabama. When I started drafting this, I fully expected Egbuka, Henderson, Burke Tuimoloau and Sawyer to all go to the pros, along with several other players. Instead, the only significant loss was Harrison. Granted, Harrison is a huge loss, but the is lousy with wide receiver prospects including consensus Number 1 recruit Jeremiah Smith. The managed to retain more of their pro eligible talent than many of the other top level teams. I guess that is what comes from not meeting your goals. And then the portal hits started coming. Just Sayin they did well on that score, poaching a solid if unspectacular starting QB, one of God apostrophe s Conferences top running back and three Alabaman refugees. Also worth noting that their schedule takes a decidedly Meatchicken approach to the OOC. Still, that horrible offensive egg laid in the Cotton Bowl was not just on the QB, and the weaknesses it revealed, like the O Line, did not go away.
2. Georgia
They were the best team in the country last year, and I expect them to be the best team in the country this year. Unlike the last couple of years, they are not replacing massive amounts of 1st round defensive talent. They do lose their two best pass catchers, but return Beck and picked up Baby Etienne to bolster the run game. And while the defense is not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven, that which they are they are, and that is really good.
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