1. Kansas
David Beaty
(Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)
Danny Sheridan: "Ever since Mark Mangino was forced out as head coach in 2009, hard times have befallen Kansas football. Since Mangino’s departure with a 50-47 record and the school’s only BCS bowl win, the Jayhawks have an incredible 15-81 record. In fact, they’ve yet to win more than three games in a season since they replaced Mangino. Though It’s hard to imagine a team being worse than Kansas was in a 2-10 season in 2016, the 2017 version of the Jayhawks continued to defy even the worst expectations. After extending head coach David Beaty’s contract in 2016, he rewarded the university by giving them, you guessed it, a 1-11 season! This brings his record to a truly amazing 3-33 overall."
2018 outlook (via 247Sports): It's bad in Lawrence. The writing is on the wall for Beaty, who has three wins in three years.
2. Oregon State
(Photo: James Snook, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "How bad did it get for Oregon State last year? If it wasn’t for a three-point squeaker of a victory against tiny punching bag Portland State, the Beavers wouldn’t have sniffed a win last year. More shocking than Jimmy Garoppolo’s dating choices, head coach Gary Andersen left $12 million of guaranteed money on the table to quit right in the middle of the season, leaving the team completely rudderless. Enter new head coach and OSU legend Jonathan Smith, who was once a walk-on quarterback that led Oregon State to a Fiesta Bowl victory in 2001, when Ocho Cinco was simply known as Chad Johnson.
"Senior quarterback Jake Luton can only carry the team so far, as a broken back nearly forced him to retire from football last year. OSU might keep swiping left until they find a soul mate at running back. They’ve already had to convert defensive back Christian Wallace to running back this spring for some minimal depth in the backfield."
2018 outlook: The Beavers' schedule is unforgiving, opening with a road game at preseason Top 5 Ohio State. If Oregon State's offense has a pulse throughout, three wins could be possible. — a marked improvement from 1-11.
3. Illinois
(Photo: Jeremy Werner, 247Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "The halcyon days of Illinois football, when coach Ron Zook was leading the team to victory over the likes of Ohio State, appear to be about as distant as a millennial at the dinner table. Illinois hasn’t had a winning record since 2011, exacerbated by the Lovie Smith error/era. The former Chicago Bears head coach has a combined 5-19 record over his first two seasons, with last season being even worse than 2016. After winning two non-conference games to start last season, the pacifist Illini surrendered their final 10 straight games, including zero wins in conference play."
2018 outlook: Will the Illini hold out and give Smith another season when 2018 goes in the tank? For his sake, Illinois needs to find a Big Ten victory somewhere on the schedule.
4. Rutgers
(Photo: Matthew O'Haren, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "After a few years of hard luck, it was beginning to look like Rutgers was beginning to make a comeback, as the defense started to show signs of life again under head coach Chris Ash, raising their win total from two to four games last year. But don’t get your hopes too high Scarlet Knights fans. Like Jimmy Hoffa, the offense is still missing. True freshman Artur Sitkowski looks like a made man at quarterback after senior Giovanni Rescigno completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw for 517 yards total last season. That’s enough to get any quarterback whacked. And Sitkowski’s going to need some button-hook men to get the job done. The most experienced receivers, sophomores Mohamed Jabbie and Hunter Hayek, only caught ten passes combined last year."
2018 outlook: Over the final four games of the regular season, Rutgers hosts Michigan State and Michigan and travels to Wisconsin and Penn State. How's that for November hell?
5. Vanderbilt
(Photo: Danny Parker, 247Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "Playing in the SEC is like being first in line at Walmart on Black Friday. Once those doors open, one misstep and people will be running all over you. Last season, it looked like the Commodores finally had their sea legs with a 3-0 start. But after a 59-0 trouncing by the NFL’s 33rd franchise, Alabama, Vanderbilt would give up a record 346 points in conference play. Kyle Shurmur, son of New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur, has finally given Vandy a steady arm at quarterback.
"Last year, Shurmur ended the team’s four-year streak of throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. But like a dad putting together an Ikea baby crib, will he have enough tools to get the job done? Vanderbilt’s all-time leading rusher Ralph Webb has relocated to the New England Patriots. Leading receivers C.J. Duncan and Trent Sherfield have also matriculated their way out of Vanderbilt. The good news is that Illinois transfer Ke’Shawn Vaughn gets to run behind a completely intact returning offensive line that only yielded 19 sacks last season."
2018 outlook: Depending on which odds sources you prefer, Derek Mason or LSU's Ed Orgeron leads the SEC in the 'most likely to be fired in 2018' category. Fans love Mason in Nashville, but the program is in decline with no momentum left from the James Franklin era.
6. Colorado
(Photo: © Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "In 2016, it looked like head coach Mike MacIntrye had the Buffaloes roaming again in the Pac 12. But last season, wins became an endangered species as the team slid back to a 5-7 record. With a 61 percent completion rating and 18 touchdowns to 9 interceptions, Steven Montez is the J.K. Simmons of quarterbacks in the conference—really competent and above average in every performance, but not the marquee superstar you need to sell tickets. Who will Montez even throw to? All three starting receivers are gone, leaving Jay MacIntyre (the coach’s son) and Juwann Winfree coming off the bench to start. Four-year starting running back Phillip Lindsay has graduated, leaving the backfield emptier than a Russian oligarch’s money-laundered New York apartment. On the other side of the ball, the defense’s 28 points per game average doesn’t even tell the gruesome story."
2018 outlook: From outstanding to disappointing, a tale of two seasons for MacIntyre and Colorado. The defense must improve after a statistically-horrific season plagued by missed tackles and blown assignments.
7. Maryland
Ty Johnson
(Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)
Danny Sheridan: "After Maryland opened the 2017 season by putting 51 point on a good Texas team, things were looking bright for coach D.J. Durkin’s new-look Terrapins. But like M. Night Shyamalan’s films, the Terrapins got progressively worse throughout the season until they were completely unwatchable at the end. Maryland closed out the season by scoring 10 points or less in each of their final three games, including a 66-3 loss to Penn State that even made Jerry Sandusky wince. Durkin hopes the team has better luck with injuries this year as their top two quarterbacks, Tyrrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill, both return from ACL injuries. With only one receiver that has caught more than 13 passes in a season, the Terps are looking for steady hands in the receiving corps, and some freshman help is on the way."
2018 outlook: The Terps have more important objectives to attend to right now rather than continue the rebuild under D.J. Durkin. How will Maryland's football program look when the dust settles following the suspicious death of Jordan McNair? Reports of harsh workout and practice routines could be damaging and has already led to several staffers being placed on administrative leave.
8. Indiana
Tom Allen (Photo: Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "Head coach Tom Allen did a tremendous job with Indiana’s undermanned defense last year, but once the team hit the tough part of the conference schedule, they got sunburned from being on the field for too long. That solid defense is also losing eight starters this year, which means a very young group is going to have to battle the Big Ten behemoths.
"Allen hopes a steady quarterback will emerge from options that include redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey, graduate transfer Brandon Dawkins, freshman Nick Tronti, and Michael Penix, who chose IU over Florida State. Wide receivers Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale are back after having their seasons cut short by injury. After having no 1,000-yard rusher for first time in four seasons, the Hoosiers should run the ball better with all five returning starters on the offensive line."
2018 outlook: There's reason for optimism this season with a number of key contributors back on the offensive side of the football for the Hoosiers.
9. UCLA
Danny Sheridan: "In a town full of stars, we could understand why UCLA was having an identity crisis after last season. After all, the Rams are building a brand new stadium and have a superstar quarterback in Jared Goff. The Lakers have become must-watch TV with LeBron James. And with star quarterback Josh Rosen leaving after his junior season for NFL fame and fortune, UCLA football seemed more like a short film than a feature. Maybe that’s why they broke the bank to bring in head coach Chip Kelly. The Bruins are hoping Kelly still has some magic dust left from his Oregon days after mediocre NFL stints in Philadelphia and San Francisco. He’s going to need it as the program, like many of the fading stars in Hollywood, is in need of a facelift to remain relevant."
2018 outlook: The joke won't be on the Bruins very long with Kelly in charge. As soon as he decides on a quarterback and that offense gets rolling with a few of his players that fit the system, UCLA will be a force out West.
10. Virginia
Olamide Zaccheaus
(Photo: Ryan M. Kelly, Getty)
Danny Sheridan: "Things were looking a bit bright for Virginia last season, as the team perked up from two to six wins in year two of head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s reign. They even managed to sneak into a bowl game. But like an impressionist painting, the closer you look, the fuzzier it gets. The Cavaliers were quite cavalier at the end of last season, losing four straight games, including a 49-7 rout by Navy. The team only had 93.5 yards per game rushing—dead last in the ACC. Former Arizona State quarterback Bryce Perkins will take over the offense, but the offensive line is a huge question mark, as Mendenhall continues to shuffle players in different positions hoping for a winning combination. Slot receiver Olamide Zaccheaus will be challenging the opposing secondary and tongue-tied broadcasters as he steps up to become the team’s top pass catcher."
2018 outlook: The Cavaliers must find a way to move the football on the ground this season. Being one dimensional in the ACC takes you out of division title contention and makes you a punching bag against upper-tier teams with better talent.
11. Pitt
Pat Narduzzi
(Photo: Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "The Panthers left the 2017 season like a drunk leaving a liquor store with a Powerball ticket—they may have regretted some of their most-recent choices, but suddenly, there was hope. After erratic play at quarterback for most of the year, true freshman quarterback Kenny Pickett stepped in and led the team to an upset over undefeated No. 2 Miami. After having scored less than 24 points per game, their worse total since 2007, the Panthers are hoping Pickett can help them get back on the prowl. With three starting offensive linemen gone, Pickett will get plenty of opportunities to show off his speed."
2018 outlook: Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers have their work cut out for them this season during non-conference play. Nationally-ranked Penn State, UCF and Notre Dame are three of the four opponents. Goodness.
12. North Carolina
Larry Fedora
(Photo: Grant Halverson, Getty)
Danny Sheridan: "When it comes to football, Tobacco Road has become a smoke-free zone as of late. Larry Fedora is an excellent coach, so this may be a brief appearance on the Worst 16, but the team will need to get their defense back to 2015 form when the squad was 11-3. Fedora will have to retool a defense that gave up five runs over 50 yards and five touchdown passes over 65 yards last season, and coughed up three fourth-quarter leads. Carolina has been last in the ACC against the run for five years straight. It doesn’t help matters that 13 players, including quarterback Chazz Surratt, will be suspended up to four games this season for trying to “Be Like Mike” by selling their team-issued Nike Jordan sneakers. Sorry, guys, only coaches get to make money off of your shoe deal."
2018 outlook: With three road games in September and home tilts vs. UCF and Pitt, the opening month of the season will be a serious challenge for the Tar Heels. Beating East Carolina (another bad team) in Week 2 is essential for Fedora and this squad's momentum.
13. Arizona State
Herm Edwards (Photo: Dwayne Ong, SunDevilSource, 247Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "Arizona State may have snuck into a bowl game last year, but Sun Devils fans know that for the last few years, the program has been sliding downhill faster than Lindsey Vonn. After watching ASU spend $12 million to buy out former head coach Todd Graham’s contract, only to bring in ESPN screamer Herm Edwards, Sun Devils fans hoped they were hallucinating from the desert heat. Edwards, who was an NFL head coach during the George W. Bush administration and a college football coach during the George H.W. Bush administration, brings high volume, but can he bring victories? Edwards famously told the press “You play to win the game,” when he was New York Jets head coach. But who is going to play to win games for these demons of mediocrity?"
2018 outlook: Congrats, Sun Devils. You made the strangest hire of the offseason. Meanwhile, your rival Arizona summoned momentum by bringing in Kevin Sumlin.
14. Kentucky
(Photo: Mark Zerof, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "With back to back 1,000-yard seasons, Benny Snell Jr. provides a lone bright spot for an offense that could use more efficiency. Leading receiver Garrett Johnson is gone, which leaves a receiving corps that is about as reliable as a loan repayment from Lenny Dykstra. Losing sure-footed kicker Austin MacGinnis, who had a knack for long-distance game winners, will also hurt a Wildcat squad that dropped from 58th to 87th in the nation in scoring with 23.3 points per game.
"Defensively the team returns nine starters, but will have to replace the hole left by middle linebacker Courtney Love. (That’s not a joke, but his actual name). The schedule is historically unkind to Kentucky when you consider they are currently on a 31-game losing streak to Florida, and have not won in Tennessee since 1984. But fear not, Kentucky fans, the 2018-2019 AAU victory tour will begin performances at Rupp Arena in just a few more weeks."
2018 outlook: This one's a bit surprising. The Wildcats could challenge for seven or eight wins in a top-heavy SEC East with a break or two. Who will replace Stephen Johnson at quarterback is the biggest question coach Mark Stoops is hoping to solve this month during fall camp.
15. Tennessee
Title/Alt Text
(Photo: Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Sheridan: "Remember when Peyton Manning was leading Tennessee to the SEC Championship? Neither do we. That was before the Xbox was invented. The Volunteers have some serious questions to answer in 2018, such as who is going to volunteer to be a decent quarterback? Stanford grad transfer Keller Chryst may not have made the smartest decision by spending his last year of eligibility at Tennessee. Sure, Chryst was an 11-2 starter at Stanford, but he had a 53 percent completion rate, and Christian McCaffrey is not walking through that door to take handoffs. J.T. Shrout will compete with sophomores Jarrett Guarantano and Will McBride for the lead role in offensive coordinator Tyson Helton’s pass-happy offense that was last in the SEC in scoring."
2081 outlook: With talent questions at key positions and a brutal schedule, Year 1 won't be kind to Pruitt and the Vols. But Tennessee won't be the easiest out in, let's face it, a one-team division. Don't be surprised if the Vols win one of the matchups they're not supposed to win.
16. California
Justin Wilcox (Photo: Pac 12)
Danny Sheridan: "Before Aaron Rodgers dated Danica Patrick and Olivia Munn and won a Super Bowl, he was leading the California football team to glory. Clearly, a lot has happened since then, including Cal’s decade of gridiron futility. Head coach Justin Wilcox got off to a great 3-0 start last season, but then injuries and a tougher schedule caught up with them as the team limped to a 5-7 finish. The Golden Bears have never quite found an heir to the Rodgers legacy. This season, Wilcox has a choice to make at quarterback. Junior starter Ross Bowers threw the ball well, but was as mobile as a hungover fraternity brother on your couch at 6 a.m. Athletic/erratic South Carolina transfer Brandon McIlwain may give Cal the elusiveness they are looking for behind an undependable offensive line."
2018 outlook: Losing former five-star wideout Demetris Robertson to Georgia and new Texas tailback Tre Watson in recent transfers isn't going to help an offense void of playmakers. Cal will finish near the bottom of the Pac-12, a league we're expecting to get a team in the College Football Playoff.
