2019 College Football Dark Horses
September has arrived, week 2 is over, and the annual hype of college football has begun. Each year, hundreds of schools compete to prove themselves. Players and coaches alike strive to make a lasting mark in the realm of CFB. Players play to increase their hopes of someday playing in the National Football League, while coaches strive to build a legacy for themselves. Motivations differ, but each player, coach, and staff-member has a similar goal: to win. With that being said, each year there comes several teams that surprise us all — some for good and some for the worse. In this article, we will focus on those teams that have a chance to make a run and establish themselves as one of the most improved teams in the nation.
The University of North Carolina
Wait, is it March already? Nope! The tar heels have already created an impressive resume in themselves by beating South Carolina and the University of Miami. Known as a predominately basketball focused school, North Carolina’s football team is no joke. And while their chance of making the top 10 is slim, they do have a path that could place them in the top 25 with relative ease. An even crazier stat? They are tied for the amount of wins they had total last year. Thats right, last year they won two games in the entire season. Seven of their nine loses last season were within 10 points, yet it appears they are starting to win those close games. What will North Carolina’s biggest adversary be? №1 Clemson. Beating Clemson will be a stretch, and I mean a mile long stretch. But if by some miracle North Carolina is able to defeat arguably the best team in the nation and win 10 of their 12 games, I would argue they deserve a spot in the top 10, if not higher.
The University of Utah
2018 was not a bad season for Utah. Some of their noticeable wins were against Stanford, Oregon, and Colorado. Most of their loses were close and against respectable teams like Washington, Washington State, and Northwestern. It felt like the Utes were starting to create an identity for themselves with their defense, but fell short on their offensive. Utah has a long way to go, but their offense is producing more than last season while their defense has stayed strong. I think placing them at their current rank of 11 may be a slight overkill, but they can prove themselves by beating Washington, Washington State, and USC. A top ten spot is within reach, they just have to prove themselves and avoid any major stumbling blocks.
The University of Maryland
Maryland has taken college football viewers by surprise as they dominated Howard (not impressive) and Syracuse (more impressive) in their first two games. Maryland’s offense looks good. Yet, I am still hesitant. I have never been under the impression that Syracuse would actually produce a solid football team. I think credit is due to Maryland for how bad they beat Syracuse, but until they beat a team like Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, or Ohio State, I hesitate to jump on the Maryland train. Michael Locksley has clearly built up Maryland’s program, but like last season, it could be another strong start followed with a poor finish. And by strong start, I mean they beat Texas and a few other less-impressive teams. Does Maryland have potential? Absolutely. They will be tested in two weeks against Penn State, but we really won’t see how Maryland does against a tough defense until they face Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State in the final month of the season. If Maryland manages to beat two of the four teams mentioned earlier and win nine of their 12 games, I would put them in the top 15.
Louisiana State University
LSU may come across as an interesting “Dark Horse” to some, but after last year I was unsure of what to expect from them, Specifically Joe Burrow. Burrow did not have a bad junior season, but I felt like he was lackluster overall. This can be attributed to LSU’s offensive line, which did not give Burrow much time in the pocket. Last year they had solid wins against Georgia, Auburn, Miami, and Mississippi State, while also having some disappointing loses against Alabama, Florida, and Texas A&M. In March Madness terms, they were on the outside looking in. Except the in was the college football national playoffs. This team had a decent defense last year. This year, their secondary is touted as one of the best. So, with all this in mind, why is LSU a Dark Horse? Well, for one, after watching LSU and Texas play, I was simply not impressed with their defense. An “elite” defense giving up 38 points? That doesn’t sound elite to me. In LSU’s defense (ha, get it?), they did have a plethora of injuries/cramps — some questionable. Guess they don’t drink water in Louisiana. But the amount of passing plays they gave up was nearly as bad as Texas’. Plus most of their injuries came from their defensive-line. I will give LSU credit, that was a tough game to win. I was in attendance at that game and the crowd was LOUD. This felt like a rivalry game. But you know who did stand out? Joe Burrow. I will admit, coming into this game I wanted Burrow to fail. One, because I work at the University of Texas, and two because last year I always thought he was overrated. Boy was I wrong. He was a stud. Not just a stud, he was clutch when they needed him. He has improved tremendously from last year, from his accuracy to overall playmaking. The real reason I consider LSU a Dark Horse is because they have the potential to have a spectacular season. The condition? Beat Alabama and Auburn. LSU should beat Florida and they should beat Texas A&M, but Alabama and Auburn are their obstacles to getting into the college football playoffs and having a shot at a national title.
Honorable Mentions
Some honorable mentions include: Wisconsin, Texas, Iowa, Oregon, and Washington State. Agree, disagree, or have a Dark Horse of your own? Leave a comment and let me know!
