The wacky, thrilling, beautifully chaotic world known as college football finally is back.
Well, the 2016 season technically kicked off last week with California’s win over Hawaii in Australia, but everyone else kicks off the new campaign over Labor Day Weekend in what should be one of the most exciting first weeks in recent memory. Just in Week 1 we’ll see No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Houston, No. 16 UCLA vs. Texas A&M, No. 5 LSU vs. Wisconsin, No. 18 Georgia vs. No. 22 North Carolina, No. 20 USC vs. No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson vs. Auburn, No. 10 Notre Dame vs. Texas and No. 11 Ole Miss vs. No. 4 Florida State.
So there are plenty of opportunities for the Power Five conferences to flex their muscles early, but let’s take a look at where they stand heading into the 2016 season first.
1. SEC
The SEC still reigns supreme after Alabama’s thrilling 45-40 win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The SEC enters the 2016 season with six teams in the AP Top 25, and four of those teams — Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss — are in the top 11. While the SEC always is in the national title picture, the conference’s depth also is a big reason why it tops this list.
2. Big Ten
The Big Ten should be thrilling this season, as the best rivalry in college football should have national championship implications riding on it when Ohio State and Michigan face off in November. Both teams are in the preseason top seven, and the Big Ten as a whole has four teams in the top 25 after finishing with six ranked teams after the 2015 bowl season.
3. Pac-12
The Pac-12 was the odd man out of the 2015 College Football Playoff, and there’s a strong chance that could happen again. There’s no question the conference has plenty of depth, as evidenced by the five teams in the preseason top 25, all of which could win the conference this season. But it also doesn’t have a clear-cut title contender, which hurts it when it goes against the Big Ten and SEC.
4. ACC
The ACC should be back in the CFP for a third straight season. The conference has two clear title contenders in Clemson and Florida State, and the winner of that game should at least make the ACC title game and finish in the top four with a win against what you know will be a disappointing Coastal team. The one thing holding the conference back, though, is the significant drop after Clemson and FSU.
5. Big 12
The only thing as obvious as putting the SEC first is having the Big 12 last in these rankings. Until this conference expands and/or gets a title game, its eventual champion (or champions) always will be at a disadvantage come the final CFP rankings. Oklahoma should be a legit title contender, and the conference does have four of its 10 teams ranked in the preseason top 25.
And then the best of the rest…
6. AAC
The best Group of Five team entering the 2016 season is Houston, which automatically shoots the AAC up to the top of the list. But that’s where it should be after its thrilling 2015 season in which Navy, Temple and Memphis also all had tremendous campaigns. And if you’re looking for a Group of Five sleeper, look no further than South Florida.
7. Mountain West
The Mountain West has two teams close to the top 25 in Boise State and San Diego State, and both of those teams are capable of getting the Group of Five bid, especially if Houston loses to Oklahoma in Week 1. It also has plenty of depth and quality teams beyond Boise and SDSU.
8. MAC
The MACtion goes on, even without UMass in the fold. You know there will be a few MAC over Big Ten upsets, and the conference did have seven bowl eligible teams in 2015. Toledo and Western Michigan could be fringe candidates for the Group of Five nod.
9. Conference USA
Western Kentucky should win Conference USA again, but barring a miracle against Alabama, it won’t be the Group of Five representative. And only five of Conference USA’s teams made it to six wins in 2015.
10. Sun Belt
Sorry, Sun Belt. Someone has to be last, and it’s obviously you.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
