Which College Football Teams Could Be On the Rise In 2020?

May 21, 2020 by Staff

College football is a central part of sporting life in America. Not only does it provide a steady stream of fresh talent to the pro game, it also plays a massive role in campus life. When students are not studying or playing online games via NJ casino apps, being able to watch their college football team in action is a great way to relax. While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is still causing some concern for the start of the new football season in the NCAA, it is thought that the planned season start date of early September 2020 will be hit.

Of course, this means that both fans and players are beginning to look ahead to how the new season could pan out. All fans of college ball know the big names that usually dominate, such as LSU, Clemson, Ohio State, and Alabama. But what about other teams in the coming 2020 campaign? Are there any who look to rise up and challenge those schools with a season to remember?

Oregon Ducks

Head Coach Mario Cristobal has worked wonders since taking over a few years back. That saw them go 12-2 last time out, which bodes very well for the next campaign. If they continue on this upward trend, they look set for a playoff spot, at least. While it will be tough to see them win the whole thing over someone like Clemson, they have enough talent to give it a good try.Several five-star defensive recruits have come in during the off-season to make them even meaner,even though they’ll have to adapt without star quarterback Justin Herbert.

Wisconsin Badgers

One dark horse for a play-off run and National Championship win is the Badgers from Wisconsin. They are not a massive team in modern college ball but could do very well in 2020. But why could this happen? Firstly, they have top quarterback Jack Coan coming back to power them along. They also have excellent continuity in terms of coaching to call on, which usually helps teams perform better.

They finished last season in the top 31 for defensive and offensive experience, which should also see them on the rise in the new campaign. One significant advantage they will have this year is their schedule. Lady luck has smiled on them and has seen fit to ensure they will not play Ohio State in the regular season. If they ace the regular season, they could still make the play-offs even with a loss to Ohio in a Big Ten Championship match-up.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

While they may not be among the biggest teams in college ball right now, many think that the Cowboys could shake off a poor 2019 to come back firing on all cylinders in 2020. Many point to the continuity offered by Head Coach Mike Gundy being in charge as proof of that. His comments earlier in the year were full of confidence that the players he has to call on have what it takes to make it happen. Gundy has managed to keep the core of his team together from previous years while also adding fresh talent to the ranks. If they all work well together and start quickly come September, they could have a big chance of making some real noise.

Iowa State Cyclones

Matt Campbell is the man in the hot seat for the Iowa State Cyclones, and he has done a decent job since taking over in 2016. While they still lack the resources of bigger teams, they could be a real dark horse in 2020. Under Campbell, they are now respected within the Big 12 and have built up a robust roster of talent to help them progress further. A lot rests on quarterback Brock Purdy, though. To have an outstanding 2020 season, Iowa needs him fit and firing for the majority of games. If this happens and Campbell can continue to run creative plays that suit his team, a stellar season is feasible.

Team for the smaller sides to breakout

The last few years in college football have belonged to the same big names, such as Clemson, LSU, and Alabama. While this is great for casual fans or followers of those individual teams, it can be enjoyable if smaller teams come along to shake things up a little. The teams above certainly have a chance of doing so in 2020,perhaps even upsetting the odds to pull off a National Championship win. Provided the plans for the 2020 college football season stay as they are, we should all soon find out how everything goes.