Sleeper teams for the 2017 college football season

Auburn finished last season with the eighth best scoring defense in the country and expects better quarterback play after a merry-go-round last season. Head coach Gus Malzahn finished 5-3 in the SEC last season, only trailing Alabama in the SEC West.

Despite finishing 10-3 last season, Boise State ended on a sour note with consecutive losses. Quarterback Brett Rypien returns for his junior season, though the team has to find a replacement at running back for Jeremy McNichols.

Head coach Mike MacIntyre finally finished his rebuild last season, featuring the top defense in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes lost some key pieces on defense but have reason to be optimistic with Phillip Lindsay's return at running back.

The Gators have had terrible luck at quarterback over the last two seasons but managed to field a top defense in both seasons. They'll have a quarterback competition in camp, with Luke Del Rio the front-runner returning from injury. With more efficient quarterback play, the Gators could challenge Alabama for the SEC title.

The Bulldogs went 8-5 with a true freshman quarterback in Jacob Eason. One more year of Eason and Kirby Smart's coaching should do the program some good, though this year's tough schedule features a visit to Notre Dame, Tennessee and Auburn.

We've learned over the years to never doubt head coach Bill Snyder, whose program went 9-4 last season. Quarterback Jesse Ertz returns, and the hope is that Oklahoma will fall back after losing significant offensive skill position talent.

Defenses figured out Heisman Trophy quarterback Lamar Jackson late in the season, but the Cardinals still went 9-4. Clemson is expected to regress after losing a host of talented players, including quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman and wide receiver Mike Williams to the NFL, so the opportunity to thrive could be there for Bobby Petrino's team.

The loss of Leonard Fournette takes the headlines, but it was Derrius Guice who led the team in rushing by a wide margin last season. He returns, along with a very strong defense, along with a motivated squad that hammered Texas A&M and Louisville at the end of last season.

The Wolverines were a referee spot away from beating Ohio State last season. Who knows what would have happened then? While they've lost significant talent, most notably defensive wiz Jabrill Peppers, the offense should be expected to improve with Wilton Speight having more experience.

Last season couldn't have been a bigger nightmare for the Spartans, who went just 1-8 in the Big Ten after making the College Football Playoff in 2015. Head coach Mark Dantonio had produced one of the most consistent programs up to that point, and the team still has plenty of talent to rebound.

Mizzou finished in the cellar in the SEC East in head coach Barry Odom's first season, though the offense did show major flashes. Quarterback Drew Lock took a giant step forward last season, and running back Damarea Crockett averaged 6.9 yards per carry. If the defense can hold up its end of the bargain, Mizzou could compete in the SEC East again.

Head coach Brian Kelly has his back up against the wall this season, but Vegas is still bullish on the Irish with the 15th best odds to win the National Championship. Their first order of business will be installing a new quarterback following DeShone Kizer's departure. That quarterback will likely be sophomore Brandon Wimbush.

Oregon's fall from grace was swift, but injuries also played a major role last season. Head coach Willie Taggart proved at Western Kentucky and USF that he knows how to produce offense, but fixing the defense will be key to the team's rebound. It won't be difficult to improve after finishing 4-8 last season.

Led by quarterback Mason Rudolph and wide receiver James Washington, the Cowboys have a chance to be major challengers in the Big 12 and even the College Football Playoff. Their odds to win it all are tied for 16th best, according to Vegas.

Penn State challenged USC in a classic Rose Bowl and returns most of its key talent, including quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley. The Big Ten will be fun in 2017.

Can Tom Herman turn the Longhorns around this quickly? Vegas seems to think so, with 15/1 odds to win it all. The optimism is likely due to the talent of quarterback Shane Buechele.

UCLA's season was sidetracked when quarterback Josh Rosen was injured. The Bruins finished just 2-7 in the Pac-12. A healthy Rosen should help UCLA compete with USC in the Pac-12 South.

Sam Darnold. That's the one name that makes Trojans fans optimistic and Pac-12 opponents fearful. The possible first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold helped USC win its final nine games last season.

Head coach Justin Fuente made his mark in his first season with the Hokies, though they'll have a tough time replacing quarterback Jerod Evans. Still, the Hokies had the best defense in the ACC by far, only allowing 147 points in eight games.

The Badgers continue to be consistent with a team that's built on running the ball and defense. They allowed only 123 points in nine Big Ten games last season and should have another top defense despite losing T.J. Watt to the NFL. The Badgers hope quarterback Alex Hornibrook can make a leap forward, as well.