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There are few basic phrases in spitting out words and crap on a computer about sports that get people riled up such as things like, “trap game” or “dark horse.” Most folks take them as insults when really, they’re compliments.
Dark horse is a (darn good) brewery up in Michigan, but it also came to popular phrasing back in 1831 across the pond, and basically it’s intention is to mean that someone or something off the radar exceeds expectations. So in the great spirit of saying something and having it taken two completely opposite ways, we go with this column.
Last year, the CFB Playoff provided plenty of drama, but no actual dark horse team made it. (Read in Shaggy from Scooby Doo voice here), but, like, Mississippi State … that would have been a dark horse team. Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, and Florida State last year were the exact opposite of surprising.
Might that change this year? Heck if I know, but we may as well take a shot and place it in the circular file cabinet when it doesn’t come true.
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7. Nebraska
No pressure, Mike Riley (actually, none really, since I guarantee neither Mike Riley nor anyone associated with Nebraska will read this). Bottom line though, is that Nebraska has talent, probably more than Riley usually had in Corvallis. The cupboard hasn’t been left bare. Word out of practice is that Brandon Reilly is looking good at wide receiver. One way or another, though, they’ll need some consistent quarterback play that’s been elusive over the past several years it feels like.
Key Game: vs. Wisconsin
6. Boise State
The only reason they’re seven is because it feels mildly disingenuous to consider them a dark horse seeing as they’re a perennial top 25 team every season, but the fact of the matter is, no one has let them into the pearly gates yet to play for the darn thing. BSU returns a ton of offensive skill position players and has one of the better front sevens in the country. A lot will depend on how quarterback Ryan Finley comes along, but Bryan Harsin is one of the top offensive minds in college football.
Key Game: @ Utah State
5. Missouri
Since joining the SEC, Mizzou has had more seasons winning a division title than not, and has equaled their conference title game appearances in the SEC with what they did in 15 in the Big 12. It’s probably time to start taking them serious on a national level. Maty Mauk is easily a top 3 quarterback in the conference, but their leading returning wide receiver had all of five catches last year. Mauk will need to be hot late. The D-Line is young, but the linebackers are some of the best in the conference. The schedule sets up nicely, with their toughest road trips coming to Georgia and Arkansas. At this point, dismiss them at your own peril.
Key Game: @ Georgia
4. Oklahoma State
Truth is, if you forgot about the Pokes last season when they were scuffling around trying to replace 28 departed seniors, you can be forgiven. Between injuries, youth, inconsistency in quarterback play, and a top-heavy Big 12, it was just an overall, “let’s get through the year” season for them. They found a gem in Mason Rudolph, who burned a redshirt late because he had to. Now, that pays dividends. They have two elite wide receivers in Brandon Sheperd and James Washington, and a schedule where basically Kansas State, TCU, Baylor, and Oklahome come through Stillwater. Mike Gundy is the new Santa Claus, riding a Rudolph to impressive things deep into the winter. Sorry. That was just horrible.
Key Game: vs. TCU
3. Arkansas
The bad news for Arkansas is that they have a wicked nasty schedule. The good news is that they have arguably the best running game in the country, and if quarterback Brandon Allen can just stay healthy, they have an offensive line that can go in and shorten games in tough environments and come away with big wins before getting the heck out of dodge. They’re still searching for a game breaking receiver, but they showed incredible strides last season, winning a heavy amount of close games and should be set for sky heights if they can just win a few outside of Fayetteville.
Key Game: @ Alabama
2. Arizona State
We’ll know a bit about their chances right out of the gate against Texas A&M in Houston, which will either be a death knell to this prediction or a major springboard win. Mike Bercovici replaces erstwhile star Taylor Kelly at quarterback, but Kelly’s injury last year gave Bercovici the break in period he probably needed to hit the ground running. D.J. Foster won’t make up totally for Jaelen Strong’s pass catching production, but he’s pretty darn good. Their biggest issue will be losses along the offensive line, but there’s enough talent from a 10-win team to suggest maybe, just maybe they can sneak in considering the strong profile of the Pac-12.
Key Game: vs. Southern California
1. Arizona
The Wildcats didn’t really come out of nowhere last year, but still, it’s hard to imagine many people picked them to defeat Oregon and play in the Pac-12 title game. The end of the year was a bit of a downer … getting smoked by those ornery Ducks and then losing their bowl game. But they return a great deal of skill position players as well as quarterback Anu Solomon and all-world Swiss Army Knife linebacker in Scooby Wright. They reasonably could do this thing and it wouldn’t be shocking at all, Wildcats, dark horses, whatever.
Key Game: vs. Arizona State
