The Sneakiest Dark Horse Contender in Every Power 5 Conference

The college football season kicks off this weekend, which means football in general will be occurring every weekend until February. Of course, many analysts are ready to unleash their favorites in every conference right about now, especially for those in the Power Five.

But what about the dark horses? Here are the sneakiest contenders in each Power Five conference.

5. ACC: Virginia

Of course, the Clemson Tigers are the overwhelming favorites to walk away with the ACC crown. Essentially, it's Clemson and everyone else. If there is one team that hold the No. 2 spot in the conference, however, it's the Virginia Cavaliers. Expect them to emerge out of the West division to face Clemson in the ACC title game, providing one of very few tough, physical challenges for the Tigers.

4. Big Ten: Nebraska

Head coach Scott Frost entered Nebraska with plenty of hype, based off his work at UCF. His first season didn't pan out like many expected, but with a year under his belt, the sky's the limit. Nebraska's success hinges on the play of quarterback Adrian Martinez, who's ironically a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate. If Martinez gets rolling, Nebraska can easily take the West division.

3. Big 12: Iowa State

The Big 12 is viewed by many as Oklahoma's and Texas' for the taking. While that could very well be the eventual Big 12 title matchup, you can't sleep on Iowa State. The conference is often criticized for their lack of elite defense. If any team holds the advantage in that category, it's the Cyclones, which could help them play spoiler against the Sooners and Longhorns. Oh, and they have a star in the making at the quarterback position in Brock Purdy.

2. Pac-12: Utah

The darling of the Pac-12 are the Oregon Ducks, led by potential first overall pick Justin Herbert. Don't forget about the Utah Utes, who have a ton of returning talent that puts their roster at the top of the entire conference. Vaunted quarterback Tyler Huntley returns from a broken collarbone. The Utes are the favorites in an easier South division, and which gives them the advantage over the North winner in the conference championship game. Hell, some prognosticators have even sent Utah...to the CFP. We won't go that far, but there's plenty to like here.

1. SEC: Texas A&M

Alabama and Georgia have been the favorites in the SEC every year in recent memory, not to mention LSU and Florida also maintain residence in the conference. But you can't forget about Jimbo Fisher's Texas A&M Aggies. Fisher's squad performed admirably in his first season, with dual-threat quarterback Kellen Monds providing glimpses of promise in his first year. Add that to ha strong recruiting class, and the Aggies can play the perennial spoiler in the SEC this year.