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The following Power 4 jobs rankings are based on the following five areas:

Recent/historical on-field performance

Access to CFP

Roster-building/access to talent

University leadership

Financial support

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1. LSU Tigers

LSU hasn't won consistently enough since its last national title, but the ingredients of a top-shelf job are there, especially location and fan support. As a coaching agent said the week before LSU made its move, "If LSU came open, that's by far the best job on the market, easily." Now it has.

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2. Penn State Nittany Lions

Despite a longer-than-expected national championship drought, Penn State has been very close to a breakthrough and has the financial structure to make the next step. The Big Ten is a bit deeper but doesn't have as many CFP-ready programs as the SEC. Penn State is undoubtedly one of them.

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3. Florida Gators

Florida is the only SEC program in a state loaded with talent and now has the financial infrastructure to support its coach as he chases a national championship. But the overall coaching churn and uneven results in Gainesville can't be ignored.

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4. Oklahoma State Cowboys

If Oklahoma State has a strong plan, it should be able to rise fairly quickly in a league without behemoth brands. The team isn't far removed from CFP contention and can get there faster than other programs on this list.

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5. Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech is a football school in a winnable conference that can take a significant step with newfound financial backing and the right coaching hire.

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6. Arkansas Razorbacks

Despite success in other sports, Arkansas' backslide in football and position within an increasingly challenging conference creates a steep climb to CFP relevancy. Arkansas has definite growth potential but must improve at harnessing local financial support.

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7. Stanford Cardinal

Stanford's recent on-field struggles, awkward placement in the ACC and limited recruiting pool creates some unavoidable obstacles, but Luck's leadership and a renewed commitment to the program generates genuine hope.

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8. UCLA Bruins

UCLA hasn't been consistently good for a long time and now plays on the Western flank of a conference with more top-tier programs that have fewer problems acquiring talent and filling their stadiums.

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