15 schools that could throw a wrench in the College Football Playoff

App State has carved out a nice little spot as a dangerous Group of 5 program. The Mountaineers' win over Michigan in 2007 will live forever, and they've been a perennial power in a growing Sun Belt since they became an FBS program. This team is experienced on offense with QB Chase Brice, RB Nate Noel, and most of their offensive line returning. The defense has some turnover, but linebackers Trey Cobb, Nick Hampton, and Brendan Harrington are all seniors, and the Mountaineers do a great job producing solid defenses.

Appalachian State can make a run at an undefeated season and get a chance to flex its might right off the bat. They get state flag carrier North Carolina in Boone to start the season and then head to Texas A&M the following week. Two great opportunities to show how good they can be as well as a direct shot at one of the SEC's power teams.   

Arkansas could be a huge wrench in the playoff race in two ways: by finding their way as a title contender or by ending several other schools' postseason dreams. In head coach Sam Pittman's first season, the Razorbacks beat Texas A&M in Arlington, gave Alabama all it wanted in Tuscaloosa, and popped Penn State in the Outback Bowl. Quarterback KJ Jefferson is back and will play behind an experienced offensive line while several receivers will try to replace the production of Treylon Burks.

Pittman likes big, physical players and has made that the focus of his recruiting. That will start to really show in 2022. While that may not put them in the national title picture (or challenging Alabama and Texas A&M in the SEC West), it gives them a chance to beat anyone on any given Saturday. Their schedule has Cincinnati, Texas A&M (in Arlington), and Alabama in the first five games — all teams with title hopes. They also travel to BYU in mid-October to face another team on this list. The Razorbacks have plenty of opportunities to make statement wins and affect the national championship picture. 

No, I don't think Auburn will contend for an SEC title, let alone a national title, but the Tigers certainly can spoil the national title hopes of others. Auburn plays arguably the hardest schedule in the nation. They get Texas A&M, Penn State, Arkansas, and LSU at home while they travel to both Georgia and Alabama. Yikes!

Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M are arguably three of the most talented teams in the nation, and all must face Auburn along the way. Sure, Auburn had a bad offseason where head coach Bryan Harsin was under investigation by his own school. There were mass transfers out of the program, including legacy quarterback Bo Nix and defensive coordinator Derek Mason left to do the same job for less pay at Oklahoma State. Tank Bigsby is back, and Harsin signed Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada (who led the Aggies to an upset of Alabama last year) as their starting quarterback, but this is a program close to hitting rock bottom.

So why in the world would I include them on this list? Harsin isn't a bad coach, as evidenced by leading Boise State to five 10-win seasons before taking the Auburn job, and this Auburn team was oh-so-close to upsetting Alabama in the Iron Bowl last year. They certainly can play spoiler.

The Broncos have been regulars on this list as their program has spent much of the 21st century as one of the best Group of 5 programs and one that has some big wins on its resume. Last year wasn't a good one in Boise as the Broncos' clunky season ended with a 7-5 record, tying their 2013 season as the program's most losses since 1996.

Even though Andy Avalos's first season in Boise didn't go as planned and quarterback Hank Bachmeier hasn't lived up to the lofty expectations thrust upon him, this is a team that will contend in the Mountain West. While the offense hasn't been as explosive as in years past, the defense did its job, especially over the second half of the season. Avalos has added some athleticism in recruiting, and playing Boise's defense will make you sore the next morning. If the offense can find its next gear, there's no reason that the Broncos couldn't run the table and get some buzz as a playoff contender. 

A game at Oregon State will be tougher than it looks, and Boise State gets Fresno State, BYU, San Diego State, and Utah State at home. It is set up for the Broncos. 

BYU's program has a lot of momentum as it plays its final season as an independent before heading to the Big 12. After having quarterback Zach Wilson selected No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cougars didn't miss a beat last year en route to a 10-3 season. Fifth-year junior Jaren Hall was efficient last season and will look to build on his 20-touchdown (to just five picks) campaign. Receivers Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney return, while Cal transfer Christopher Brooks will have to fill Tyler Allgeier's giant shoes at running back.

The defense will be healthier this season after falling apart over the second half of 2021. The linebacker group and defensive backs are very experienced, but the front line must do a better job slowing down opponents' rushing attacks.

Still, this program feels like it is on the cusp of something big. After flirting with a playoff spot in 2020, BYU went 5-0 against Pac-12 teams last season and play some heavy hitters (Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Boise State) in their final independent season. They certainly can play spoiler this year or make their own path to legitimate playoff chatter. 

Is that just a one-year thing, or is Cincinnati a program that can duplicate their 2021 run to a playoff spot? The Bearcats are off to a good start by Luke Fickell spurning Notre Dame and staying with the Bearcats for seemingly the long haul. While Fickell returns, there are some huge holes to fill. Quarterback Desmond Ridder and leading rusher Jerome Ford are in the NFL, and a couple of transfers will be tasked to step right in. Eastern Michigan transfer Ben Bryant will try to hold off sophomore Evan Prater for the QB job, while LSU transfer Corey Kiner will lead a rushing attack that will see more of a committee feel to it.

The defense was the 2021 Bearcats' calling card, shown by six players going to the NFL. Fickell has built a culture where defense is a constant, so expect the growing pains to be minimal.

We'll get to find out if the Bearcats can repeat their success when they travel to Arkansas for a huge Week 1 showdown. They'll get Indiana's return trip to Cincinnati at the end of September before diving into their final season of AAC play. They avoid Houston but get SMU and UCF on the road. 

If a Group of 5 team wants to be a serious contender for a playoff spot, they typically need a transcendent quarterback. Fresno State may have that in Jake Haener. Haener threw for over 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns last season, including a memorable effort in a wild win over UCLA a year ago.

Former head coach Jeff Tedford returns to take over the Bulldogs again, but this time, he inherits a team with one of the best offenses in the Mountain West. The defense improved as the season went along last year and returns over half their starters. A key game to watch will be Fresno's return to Los Angeles a year after stunning UCLA, but they take on Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans this time. They will also travel to Boise State in a major power grab in the Mountain West. 

As mentioned with Fresno State, Houston has a difference-maker at quarterback. Clayton Tune has improved every season (3,546 yards, 30 TDs) at Houston, and his favorite target, Nathaniel Dell (90 receiving, 1,329 yards, 12 TDs), will return for his junior season. Adding transfers Samuel Brown and Joseph Manjack with Dell and KeSean Carter and the Cougars have one of the most explosive offenses in the AAC. The defense has been a calling card at Houston for years now and won't be different in 2022. Houston won't play Cincinnati or UCF in the regular season, which makes their path to the conference championship game a bit easier. The Cougars get UTSA and Texas Tech on the road to start the season. Win those, and their final regular season in the AAC is very winnable. Go through it undefeated and win the title game, and they could sniff a playoff spot. 

Deuce Vaughn is one of the more exciting backs in the country. At just 5-foot-6, he is a problem in the running and passing games, leading the Wildcats in rushing yards and receptions last season. Right off the bat, he's a matchup nightmare. The key to the 'Cats will be how Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez slides in to fill the QB spot after Skylar Thompson's departure. Martinez was always a "this is the year he's going to break out" guy at Nebraska, but it never really happened. He is a dual-threat quarterback with four years of starting experience, and this could be the year where he ... yeah ... breaks out.

A spot in the Big 12 title game is not out of the question for K-State, especially if Martinez gets going. Their "wrench-ability" will come in the fact they travel to Oklahoma and Baylor with hopes to end their playoff hopes. The Wildcats played both tough last season. 

Over the last five seasons of the Mark Stoops era, the Kentucky Wildcats have really become a force in the SEC East. What was once a conference doormat, the Wildcats have put together two 10-win seasons over the last four years and have been to six-straight bowl games. Will the 'Cats contend with Georgia for division supremacy? No, but they aren't a pushover anymore either.

Quarterback Will Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. are among the best to play those positions and will be two of the best in the SEC this year. Yeah, Wan'Dale Robinson is gone, but Kentucky brought in transfers Javon Baker and Tayvion Robinson to try to replace his receiving production. The Wildcats' defense has really been a calling card over the last few seasons, and Kentucky got a boost when several of their starters decided to use their super senior seasons to have one more go in Lexington.

Kentucky's second game will be at Florida for what may be a battle to see who will sit behind Georgia (whom the 'Cats host on Nov. 19) in the East's pecking order. They also travel to a much-improved Tennessee and draw the two Mississippi schools in the inter-division slate. 

Like some others on this list, it isn't that there is a hope that Maryland will be a playoff team as much as the fact that they will be a dangerous team to face for schools with big dreams. What makes them dangerous? They have a quarterback who can make things happen. Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 3,860 yards and 26 touchdowns last year, both school records. His 11 picks look bad, but five of them were in an ugly midseason loss to Iowa. He's throwing to a great stable of receivers (led by Rakim Jarrett), and his young backs benefit from playing behind an experienced line. The secondary leads the defense, but the front seven will undergo a rebuild.

Maryland travels to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Penn State and gets Ohio State and Michigan State at home. The Terps were spanked in those kinds of opportunities last year (they lost to Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan by a combined score of 207-63). The Terrapins have a shot at ruining someone's Big Ten and national title hopes this year. 

This is as big of a boom-or-bust team on this list. The Gophers went 9-4 last year despite having one of the worst passing attacks in the Big Ten. It's puzzling because quarterback Tanner Morgan (who will be back for his sixth year) has fallen far from his outstanding 2019 season (3,253 yds, 30 TDs) to just 10 touchdowns and nine picks in '21. Mohamed Ibrahim will be back after missing nearly all of the season after rupturing his Achilles in the season opener against Ohio State (he rushed for 163 yards in that game). That, plus new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrcca (who was the OC on that 2019 team), should help the passing game open up.

The Big Ten West is a bit wide open with the usual suspects of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Purdue as the favorites and Nebraska and Illinois rebuilding. Minnesota finished second in that competitive division last season and has gotten much better ... just off health alone. The schedule is daunting (at Michigan State, Penn State, Nebraska, Wisconsin; home against Purdue and Iowa), but the Gophers have a shot at winning the West and being a dangerous opponent for Ohio State ... or whoever comes out of the East. 

Clemson's hold on the ACC's Atlantic Division ended when Wake Forest took the crown in 2021. One of the reasons Wake was able to win the division was NC State's win over Clemson in their ACC opener. The Wolfpack are back with one of the best teams in the league and look to win their first division title in program history. Quarterback Devin Leary is one of the conference's top signal callers, and key targets Thayer Thomas and Devin Carter return. The defense is loaded with talent and experience and could rival Clemson for the top defensive unit in the league.

The key will be finding a running back to break out, as the Pack's two top rushers from a year ago moved on. They also need to replace LT Ikem Ekwonu, who went sixth in April's NFL Draft. If they can shore those things up, this team can win the ACC and claim a playoff spot. NC State at Clemson on Oct. 1 may be the biggest game on the league's calendar. 

Utah won its first Pac-12 title last year and lost a heartbreaking thriller to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, and they enter 2022 as possibly the top team in the conference. Tavion Thomas (1,108 yards, 21 TDs) is back, as is quarterback Cameron Rising (20 TDs, 5 INTs) and a nice stable of receivers. The offense is set, but the normally stout defense isn't. The front seven has questions, with the secondary (led by corner Clark Phillips III) being the strength on that side of the ball.

Utah lost four games last season, but two of them were by three points or less, including the Rose Bowl. After their curious loss to Oregon State midseason, the Utes were as good as anyone in the country. That momentum should carry over into this season, where they open at Florida in a major test out of the gate. They get USC and Oregon State in Salt Lake City but travel to Oregon late in the year. 

We referenced Wake Forest earlier, and for good reason. For one, the Demon Deacons are the defending Atlantic Division champs and boast arguably the best quarterback in the league. Sam Hartman had a huge 2021, throwing for over 4,200 yards and 39 touchdowns. His top receiver, A.T. Perry, is back. Perry caught 71 passes for 15 touchdowns (second in the ACC) and now will have Donavon Greene (who missed 2021 with an injury) on the other side to make for a more explosive offense. The defense will be replacing a lot of guys from a unit that allowed 30 points seven times, 40 points five times, and 50 points twice.

Hartman will miss some time with an undisclosed non-football injury, but head coach Dave Clawson says his will be back this season.

Despite the bad defense, Wake Forest was in the mix for a playoff spot until the dam broke in losses to North Carolina, Clemson, and Pitt. Wake does get Clemson in Winston-Salem but travels to NC State and Florida State. With an offense that can be so explosive, the Deacs won't be out of too many games.