Don’t look at this.
Having better players than the other guy is crucial to success in every sport. Nothing quite drives that fact home like college football, because of the sheer number of players needed to compete in a 60-minute football game. Front-line talent is essential, but quality depth separates.
Which is where recruiting comes in. Either you can consistently fill out a bunch of different positions with good-to-great talent, or you’re pretty much playing for respectability. That’s the unique challenge to college football. You can’t turn things around with one great class or with just a few big-time recruits; you’ve got to replicate recruiting success year over year over year over year.