OHIO ST LEADS THE WAY FOR MY PRESEASON TOP TEN

#1) OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

LAST SEASON

11-2 RECORD

TOUGHEST GAMES

At USC, at Wisconsin, Penn St.

WHY THEY ARE #1

19 returning starters from National Championship game; Best running back in the country; Best Linebacking group in the country; Great coach; Experienced QB; New X-factor (T. Pryor)

ANALYSIS

Ohio St enters this season with an experience, proven and talented team that should be head and shoulders above everybody they’ll play after USC.  I fully expect Ohio St to defeat USC and do it convincingly if USC QB Mark Sanchez is not physically ready to play. They even added an explosive weapon to there arsenal in QB phenom Terrelle Pryor to combat the incredible athleticism they’ll face in the BCS championship game once they leave the plodding, grind it out style of teams from the big ten  (minus Illinois).

On offense, Beanie Wells should have the best season for a running back at Ohio St since Eddie George.  Wells is a big, fast and bruising back who will punish linebackers and secondaries. QB Todd Boeckman should continue his fine play from last season as both WR’s, Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, return. Robiskie, who had 11 TD catches last season, is the best receiver on the team to stretch the defense, while Hartline emerged as Boeckman’s most trusted target. 

Pryor will be used ala Tim Tebow his freshman year at Florida even though red-shirting the immensely talented but  raw freshman would be a better plan. Nevertheless, look for Pryor to have a handful of highlight reel plays this season.

The defense will at times resemble a semi-pro football team. Even though OSU lost NFL draft pick Vernon Gholston from the defensive line, they have more than enough talent to make up for it. And from a linebacking position, two time All-American James Laurinaitis will be the rock of the defense.

Only one question remains: Given their coaching, schedule, talent and experience, Ohio St should make their way into the title picture for the 3rd consecutive year. How will they fare against a quicker, faster and more athletic team from a warm region on January 8th in the BCS title game?

 #2) CLEMSON TIGERS

LAST SEASON

9-4 RECORD

TOUGHEST GAMES

at Florida State and Wake Forest

WHY THEY ARE #2

Winable schedule; 16 returning starters; Entire backfield returning on offense; Strong defensive line and secondary.

ANALYSIS

Ranking the Tigers this high is a direct challenge to HC Terry Bowen to finally put everything together and maximize the teams many strengths. I realize the ACC is improving and Frank Beamer is still residing in Blackburg, so Clemson will be challenged throughout the season. But anytime you can have the best running back duo in the country (sorry USC, the majority of your talented RB’s can’t stay healthy) coming back in James Davis and C.J Spiller, along with talented QB Cullen Harper and WR Aaron Kelly, expectations should be high. I realize I’m reaching with placing a team that has traditionally underachieved under an underachieving coach this high but I think Clemson will surprise.

The biggest question is along the offensive line where four starters must be replaced. The great news in this department is that Clemson rotated a lot of players last season so last seasons reserves should be ready for the challenge to become this season starters. 

I’m interested in the impact of the country’s top incoming freshman DaQuan Bowers will have. He should make that side of the ball that much better.

 #3) FLORIDA GATORS

LAST SEASON

9-4 RECORD

TOUGHEST GAMES

At Tennessee, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina

WHY THEY ARE #3

Urban Meyer, 16 returning starters; Best offensive weapon in the country; Transfer of a very good running back

ANALYSIS 

Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow…The golden boy of the 2007 season is back for what hopes to be a more successful season team wise. Tebow was the best player in college football last season and accounted for 71% of Florida’s touchdowns. If it’s offense you want to determiine who the best team in the country is, Florida should be ranked at the top of the class.

Along with Tebow, Florida returns stud offensive skill players at every position. Percy Harvin might be the most versatile and exciting player in college football  while USC transfer Emmanuel Moody should take the burden of Tebow running the football as much as he did last season.

The huge question mark for Florida is on the defensive side of the ball, where the young, inexperienced Gators were quite inept in defending anyone. In particular, defending the pass, where the Gators were near the bottom nationally in all things passing.

If DC Charlie Strong can get that defense to play just average, Florida should have a chance to compete for a national championship.

 

#4) OKLAHOMA SOONERS

TOUGHEST GAMES

Texas, Kansas, Texas Tech, @Oklahoma St

WHY THEY ARE #4

Best young QB in the conference; Great offensive and defensive lines; Great schedule (plays Texas Tech and Kansas at home-doesn’t have to play Missouri)

ANALYSIS

Over the last few years, Oklahoma football fans have come to expect two things from their team. #1- From the first game til the last game of the season, the University of Oklahoma football is one of the best teams in college football, and #2-Fans will go into the offseason wondering what the hell happened to that great football team after they suffer a demoralizing and embarrassing defeat to a lesser school?

This season, once again Oklahoma should have one of the best teams in college football. QB Sam Bradford came into his first season under center and played out of his mind.  Setting freshman passing records like they were going out of style, Bradford should continue his elevation as one of the best QB’s in the game.

Oklahoma also possess one of the best offensive lines in the game led by LT Phil Loadholt and LG Duke Robinson. These two giants along with the rest of the offense line, will provide Bradford all the time he needs as well as opening holes for RB DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown.

The defense will be stout along the line with DE John Williams and Auston English coming strong off the edges. The linebacking crew won’t challenge USC or Ohio St for title of BEST LINEBACKING CREW IN THE NATION, but the overall defense is still OU tested and proven.

Now let’s see what happens the first week of the new year when Oklahoma will be playing in a BCS game.

 #5) MISSOURI TIGERS

TOUGHEST GAMES

@ Texas, Kansas

WHY THEY ARE #5

Great schedule (No Oklahoma or Texas Tech), returning QB and WR Jeremy Maclin, motivation of being left out of playing in a BCS game.

ANALYSIS

Very few people outside of Columbia, Mo. (and I suspect that not to many inside the Columbia believed it either) thought Missouri football would achieve what they did last season. Missouri had its best football season since 1960 coming from nowhere when the season began, to holding the nations #1 spot for a short time.

This season there will no catching teams by surprise or trying to figure out if the Tigers are for real. The evidence is overwhelming…THESE TIGERS FROM MISSOURI ARE ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

The offense, which averaged almost 40 points per game and 500 yards per game should remain strong with QB Chase Daniel at the helm, Jeremy Macklin at wideout, WR Danario Alexander back from injury and ready to contribute, and three returning offensive lineman led by RT Collin Brown.

The schedule plays out great for Missouri, as their toughest game before Kansas and then presumably Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game, is at Texas. Motivation should not be a problem for Missouri since they should feel cheated that they were not invited to a BCS game despite the fact they played in a POWER SIX CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AND HAD ONLY ONE LOSS!!

 

#6) USC TROJANS

TOUGHEST GAMES

Ohio State, Arizona St, Oregon

WHY THEY ARE #6

Pete Carroll, there USC (they don’t rebuild, they reload), best linebacking group and secondary in the country, plethora of great running backs

ANALYSIS

The best college football program over the last five years remains strong with another great opportunity of winning a national championship as well as another Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth. There are legitimate concerns along the offensive line where four starters must be replaced as well as the wide receiver, but overall this Trojans team has what it takes to compete for top five status. 

The Mark Sanchez era at QB might be delayed just a bit because of an injured knee but he represents a different look at QB than the recent run of good/great QB’s like Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and John David Booty. Sanchez is the most physically gifted player HC Pete Carroll has had at QB in his tenure at USC, so it will interesting if Carroll and OC Steve Sarkisianin incorperate more bootlegs and rollouts for him.

Whether it’s Sanchez or highly publicized transfer Mitch Mustain throwing the pigskin, the wide receivers must improve. WR Patrick Turner and Vidal Hazelton have the talent and credentials to perform better than they did last season, but those two might not have the same number of opportunities as last season.  Talented players such as David Ausberry and Arkansas transfer Damian Williams will be given the chance to shine if Turner and Hazelton continue to plateau.

The defense will be the strength of the team, in particular from the linebacker position, where 2007 All-Pac 10 and Rose Bowl MVP Ray Maualuga returns along with 2007 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP Brian Cushing to wreck havoc on the opposition.

 

#7) GEORGIA BULLDOGS

TOUGHEST GAMES

@Arizona St, Alabama, @South Carolina, @Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, @LSU

WHY THEY ARE #7

Great returning talent (16 returning starters), Great head coach, ever improving QB, fantastic running back

ANALYSIS

One could argue that Georgia was playing the best football in the country when the season ended last year (along with USC). How much of that opinion was falsely inflated with the rout of an overmatched Hawaii team (that no business lining up against a strong team from a power six conference) is up for debate, but you can’t argue that the Bulldogs were a legitimate top five team at the end of bowl season.

This season 45 players return, attempting  to take the football program to the next level. The major obstacle standing in the way of Georgia and the BCS title game, is a schedule that is brutal!!! Navigating through the SEC is the most difficult thing you can do if you want to go undefeated and it doesn’t help your cause when you have to travel over 2000 miles to face a tough Arizona St team before playing South Carolina on the road the next week.

On offense, this team is balanced, strong and talented. Starting at the running back position, Georgia might have the best RB in the nation not named Beanie Wells in Knowshon Moreno. He’ll be running behind an offensive line that has up to 9 players who are nasty and effective.

The defense will once again be ready to take care of business and with All-SEC selection DT Geno Atkins clogging the middle of the line for all-conference LB Dannell Ellerbe and Freshman All American Rennie Curran to clean up the mess.

 

#8) WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

TOUGHEST GAMES

@Colorado, Auburn, @Pittsburgh, South Florida

WHY THEY ARE #8

Heisman trophy candidate at QB, seamless transition from former coach to current coach, class of the Big East (i.e they play in the easiest power conference of the six)

ANALYSIS

West Virginia pulled off the stunner of the BCS season when they destroyed Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, only weeks after losing their head coach and a chance to play for the national championship. Bill Stewart went from holding down the fort for a game, to becoming the next head coach despite an 8-25 career coaching record elsewhere. His every move in terms of football will be scrutinized by the Mountaineers faithful as they look to build on the momentum from that Fiesta Bowl victory.

In Pat White, the two time Big East Player Of The Year along with one of the favorites to have a serious chance of winning the Heisman Trophy, Stewart couldn’t ask for a better college QB and leader to help him start his WVU coaching career on the right path. White, along with RB Noel Devine, will be asked to assume a large amount of what RB Steve Slaton and WR Darius Reynaud brought to the table. Stewart even had White line up at the WR position during summer practice to see what else he can bring to the table.

 

#9) BYU COUGARS

TOUGHEST GAMES

@Washington, @Utah

WHY THEY ARE #9

Best mid major team in the country (i.e this seasons Hawaii), best chance in the country to go undefeated this season, great schedule, one of the best QB’s in the nation, 10 returning starters on offense that averaged 30 ppg in conference play.

ANALYSIS

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to this years Hawaii Rainbows. Or should I say a much better version of the Hawaii Rainbows.  The BYU Cougars are establishing themselves as the University of Gongaza of college football. They are much better than any mid major program (which is what they are) in the country, but not at the level to consistently challenge the big boys of college football.

This season should be the best team at BYU since the mid to late 80’s with 6 returning first or second team all conference players on offense. The defense will replace eight starters that led the MWC in total defense, but when you have an offense that has the potential to average more than 30 points a game and playing a mediocre schedule (at best), the defense doesn’t have to resemble the 2001 Baltimore Ravens for the Cougars to go through the regular season undefeated.

Offensively, QB Max Hall has a chance to be the best QB at BYU since Ty Detmer, as well as the best BYU candidate to compete for the Heisman Trophy since Detmer stole it, I mean, won it in1991. His targets at the WR spot include 2nd team All-MWC Austin Collie and Michael Reed, as well as All-MWC TE Dennis Pitta who led the team in receptions.

On defense DE Jan Jorgensen is the best defensive player returning for the Cougars. Last season he led the conference in tackles as well as ranking 12th in the nation in the same category.

 

#10) TEXAS TECH RAIDERS

TOUGHEST GAMES

@Oklahoma, @Kansas St

WHY THEY ARE #10

Most prolific country in the country; most potent QB-WR in the nation, 10 returners on offense, improving defense, schedule (only OU and Kansas should give them great headaches)

ANALYSIS

Everybody reading this might think I’m putting Texas Tech this high in the rankings is because of their offense. If that’s the case, you’d be half right. Yes, I realize Texas Tech has an offense that puts more points on a scoreboard than the TTU basketball team. Yes, I realize that QB Graham Harrell will throw for 100,000 yards and 200 TD’s this season, and WR Michael Crabtree will catch 1,000 balls…But one of the big reasons why I have Texas Tech this high in my preseason poll is their improving defense.

Like many other top ten teams in my rankings the Red Raiders defense doesn’t have to be superior. The offense will take care of putting plenty of points on the board. The defense just can’t allow the other team to match them score for score. To make sure that doesn’t happen, TTU has to do better on defensive this season than last when they were one of the below average teams in terms of stopping the run.

To help retifcy that situation, TTU will look to JUCO transfer Daniel Howard along with Rajon Henley, Jake Raliff and McKinner Dixon along the defensive line. While none has the credentials or talent to reach All-American status, as a unit they can provide TTU with the defense they need.