College football teams that can surprise you this season

Who's ready to make a statement?

It's not often you see the underdog push anybody around in college football. Usually, it's the big schools that get their way and clean up in the biggest games.

Just six of 130 FBS programs have made up almost 80 percent of College Football Playoff spots since 2014, so there's definitely a concentration of power at the very top.

But that's not always the absolute case. Especially after watching two first-timers make the playoff last fall, including the first-ever Group of Five school in Cincinnati.

If you have talent, momentum, and a winnable schedule, anything is possible. And for most schools, making the playoff isn't the goal — winning nine or 10 games, making a run at the conference, and showing off in bowl games are good enough.

Which schools are in position to change some minds this season?

College football teams that can surprise you this season

NC State Wolfpack

Where NC State was: 9-3 (6-2 ACC), AP No. 20, second in Atlantic Division, upsetting No. 9 Clemson at home in September

Where NC State is: Dave Doeren has kept this program in the thick of it recently, winning nine games in three of the last five seasons and the second-most games of any ACC team in the College Football Playoff era. 

Last season's win over Clemson proved this offense is in the right place, and only four combined points kept NC State from going undefeated in conference. This team also brings back upwards of 80 percent of its 2021 production, per ESPN, including quarterback Devin Leary, a 3,400-yard passer with 35 TDs and five picks a year ago.

Utah Utes

Where Utah was: 10-4 (8-1 Pac-12), AP No. 12, Pac-12 champion, narrowly losing to Ohio State and its CFB-leading offense in the Rose Bowl

Where Utah is: No doubt about it, the Pac-12 needs some help. It hasn't made the College Football Playoff since 2016, and hasn't won a national title since USC in 2004. Right now, the Utes are in position to change that. They bring back key production in quarterback Cameron Rising and running back Tavion Thomas, who scored 47 touchdowns combined last fall.

There are moves to make on defense after losing linebackers Devin Lloyd and Nephi Sewell, but the Utes have recruited well in recent years. And playing the Pac-12 South schedule is a huge help, even with what could be a resurgent USC. Speaking of the Trojans...

Tennessee Volunteers

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Where Tennessee was: 7-6 (4-4 SEC), unranked, No. 2 in the SEC scoring, and with a win over No. 18 Kentucky

Where Tennessee is: First off, not beating Georgia or Alabama, which should rule out any designs the Vols have on winning the SEC. But there's still a lot of potential here, starting with quarterback Hendon Hooker, who nearly eclipsed 3,000 yards passing last fall with 31 TDs and just three picks as arguably the SEC's most efficient passer.

The Vols placed third in the East Division a year ago, but this season has to contend with a potentially improved Florida and South Carolina. Two crucial road games come early, at Pittsburgh and LSU, while Florida and Alabama come to Neyland. Georgia and South Carolina are both road trips late in the season. Big Orange will have to earn it, but first it has to stitch up a defense that allowed 34 ppg in SEC games last fall.

USC Trojans

Where USC was: 4-8 (3-6 Pac-12), unranked, with its worst record since 1991, losing the final four games

Where USC is: That's the big question, isn't it? Talk about a facelift — USC scored Lincoln Riley and a pile of blue-chip transfers that followed him in an offseason for the ages. But college football history is littered with teams that came in with high expectations. Expect a much better, faster offense in Year 1, especially against what looks like a very winnable schedule in the first half of the season.

But how well Alex Grinch fine-tunes this defense will tell the whole story. It was the second-worst unit in the Pac-12 last fall, worse only than Stanford (which routed USC in the Coliseum). But it brings back some physicality at the line and some promising speed in the secondary, including 5-star defensive back Domani Jackson.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Where Minnesota was: 9-4 (6-3 Big Ten), unranked, losing to Bowling Green and Illinois, but upsetting No. 14 Wisconsin

Where Minnesota is: In the middle of what looks like a three-way race in the Big Ten West, alongside Iowa and Wisconsin. All three leave much to be desired offensively, but the Gophers have the luxury of returning quarterback Tanner Morgan. 

One of the FBS' more promising passers, his numbers have fallen the last two seasons, but offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca is back, as is stud running back Mo Ibrahim, whose 2021 effort was shortened by injury. Get enough on the perimeter and block well enough, and Minnesota can turn some heads in the West Division.

BYU Cougars

Where BYU was: 10-3, AP No. 19, losing the Independence Bowl to UAB, going 5-0 against Pac-12 teams (two ranked), and beating a good Utah State team

Where BYU is: This team only looked better in 2021 despite losing players like Zach Wilson and playing its usual schedule, but it won 10 games. Now the Cougars bring back quarterback Jaren Hall, their top two receivers, most of its offensive line, and almost all its defense.

And BYU's schedule presents another group of potential statement victories. It opens at USF, hosts Baylor, and goes to Oregon in the first three weeks. Then to Las Vegas against Notre Dame, hosts SEC riser Arkansas, goes to Liberty and Boise State, and then closes at Stanford. This is definitely a team to keep on your college football schedule this fall.

Houston Cougars

Where Houston was: 12-2 (8-0 AAC), AP No. 17, winning 11 straight games after an 0-1 start, losing to Cincy in the AAC title game, beating Auburn in the bowl

Where Houston is: Clayton Tune returns at quarterback following a 30-10 season, as will running back Alton McCaskill, a near-1,000 yard rusher with 16 TDs last fall. Add in more than three-quarters of this defense coming back, and Houston could be in position to finally overtake Cincinnati in the American. Not playing Cincy or UCF in the regular season certainly helps. This can easily be another 12-win team in 2022.

Kansas Jayhawks

Where Kansas was: 2-10 (1-8 Big 12), unranked, losing eight straight, but beating Texas on the road in overtime, placing last in conference for seventh straight year

Where Kansas is: Look, the Jayhawks aren't making the College Football Playoff, but this team made some very notable moves under first-year coach Lance Leipold. In addition to piling up 57 points in a crazy OT win in Austin, KU played very close against Oklahoma, West Virginia, and TCU, the last two by a combined nine points.

Don't forget: Kansas led No. 3 OU at the half, shutting out the Sooners before the break.

That late season momentum, combined with some key pieces coming back — quarterback Jalon Daniels, running back Devin Neal, and most of its defense — could find the Jayhawks making a bowl game. Especially if they get off on the right foot in non-conference tilts against Tennessee Tech and Duke in September.

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