It looks like one bowl game had Kirk Herbstreit thoroughly convinced on the future for both squads involved.
After Monday's thriller of a Rose Bowl between Penn State and USC, Herbstreit made a bold proclamation that both teams would be in the 2017 preseason Top 5.
Herbstreit has a lot of reasons to be confident in those two squads. Both are young teams and their best playmakers will be returning for the 2017 season. Of course, there will be a lot of motivation for Penn State, too, as the Nittany Lions will be looking for some revenge following their snub from the College Football Playoff. While Penn State did win the Big Ten, they were passed over in favor of Ohio State, who then lost in the Playoff semifinal to Clemson.
As for filling out the rest of the preseason Top 5, one would have to figure that Alabama and Clemson are good candidates, as well as Michigan and Florida State. Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Washington are certainly in contention, too.
[H/T The Spun]
