[gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] [SUN]: Five that can surprise in college football

SI has the Gators as one of 5 teams to be a surprise to make the playoff

Woody (via iPhone)

On Aug 7, 2014, at 10:15 AM, Shane Ford <goufgators@bellsouth.net> wrote:

Five that can surprise in college football

 

Texas A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin takes another question after turning down and mocking a previous question about former player Johnny Manziel during the 2014 SEC Media Days at the Hyatt Regency Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala., in this July 15, 2014 file photo.

Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun

By Pat Dooley
GAINESVILLE SUN Staff writer

Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 11:46 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 11:46 a.m.

 

 

If anything, 2013 was the year of the sleeper in the SEC with Auburn and Missouri playing for the conference title.

You know that this year will have its share of teams that surprise everybody. Could there be another Auburn, a team that comes out of nowhere and has a shot at the national title?

With this year's College Football Playoff, the chances have been doubled theoretically.

Here are five teams that could surprise you during the 2014 college football season:

1. Texas A&M.

Is it possible that the Aggies success the last two years wasn't just about Johnny Football?

Kevin Sumlin is a really good coach and he seemed very comfortable with his team at SEC Media Days.

Sure, A&M lost some star players but Sumlin has recruited well, has an easy non-conference schedule and closes the season at home against LSU.

If the Aggies can get past South Carolina in the opener, a team that was picked sixth in the West could surprise a lot of people.

2. Texas Christian

The easy thing to do would be to write of the Horned Frogs as not ready for prime time after an 11-14 record since joining the Big 12.

But Gary Patterson has been playing a lot of young players and has 15 starters back. He also has Oklahoma, Okie State and Kansas State at home.

If Devonte Fields, the Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year, is allowed to return to the team, it could get interesting in Fort Worth.

3. Oregon State.

Any team with a senior quarterback makes you think it is dangerous and the Beavers have that in talented Sean Mannion.

Oregon State also returns seven starters on defense but has to establish a running game if it's going to do better than the predicted fourth in the Pac-12 North.

The Beavers play five of their nine conference games at home and need to find a way to win the fourth game of the year against USC to have a special season.

4. Penn State.

This just in -- James Franklin knows what he's doing.

The former Vanderbilt coach inherited quarterback Christian Hackenburg and the depth is an issue because of sanctions. But the Nittany Lions get Ohio State and Michigan State at home this year.

We'll know a lot more about this team after its opener against UCF in Ireland.

5. Missouri.

The media was so impressed with Missouri's performance last year that the Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the East behind a Florida team that won four games last season.

Gary Pinkel's team lost a lot, but this is a program that likes to redshirt freshmen so there is plenty of talent in Columbia. Maty Mauk showed he can play under the bright lights last year and Markus Golden will step right in for Michael Sam.

The Tigers to have to go to South Carolina and Florida early in the conference season, but drew Arkansas and Texas A&M from the West.

 

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