As I have already stated, I hate pre-season rankings. I think in a sport with such high turnover, it is dumb to try and predict who is going to be good the coming year. The worst part about this, is pre-season rankings can have an impact on the National Title game. I personally don’t think any rankings should be produced until at least week 6. Will this happen? No, because pre-season rankings sell magazines and produce hits on websites. So instead of ranking teams, I am going to discuss teams and players who you should keep an eye on for next season as well as pick my conference champions.
ACC
I think the ACC, along with the Pac-10, will be the most competitive Automatic Qualifier (AQ, AKA the improper term BCS) conference this season. I could see any team winning the conference and see any number of teams winning either division. Georgia Tech is the defending champion and my pick to win the conference. Paul Johnson has gotten better each season in Atlanta and has one of the toughest offense to prepare for. UNC is a popular pick to win it as Butch Davis has settled in with some great recruiting classes. Miami, Clemson, Va Tech and FSU (needs a D though) should all be better this year. I could see any of these teams winning it. The one thing I expect from the ACC this year is a lot of close entertaining games, so the real winner (get ready for the lameness) will be the fans.
Champ: Georgia Tech
Big XII
The last year of the Big XII before it loses two members should be a good one. Nebraska, on its way out to join the Big Ten, is predicted to win the Big XII north based on the strength of the blackshirts even with the loss of Suh. Bo Pelini needs to find more ways to score then last season as the offense was the reason they didn’t win more. Phil Steele (One of College Football’s best prognosticators) has Oklahoma as his #1 team in the year. Who am I to disagree with him. The biggest weakness from last year’s team was O-Line is now one year better. Landry Jones.jpg)
(hopefully he will still be rocking his awesome mustache) also has a year of experience under him in a Bob Stoops offense that has never struggled to score points. Texas should be good again, but will suffer a drop off after losing the QB with the most wins in NCAA history in Colt McCoy. The team is stacked with Texas talent (all but 3 of the top 2 lines on the depth chart are from Texas) but will have to win the Red River Rivalry game if they want to win the South. Baylor will not be competing for the Big XII title but will be a team to watch because they have my personal favorite player in NCAA this year Robert Griffin.
Champs: Oklahoma
Big East
The Big East lost their best coach from their best team when Brian Kelly left Cincinnati for Notre Dame. Cincinnati should still be competitive, but I don’t see them winning as many games with a new coach this season. Pittsburgh is my choice to win the conference as Coach Wannstedt has continually improved his alma matter. They were one win away from winning the conference last year and should win it this year. West Virginia and UConn should be competitive again while Rutgers looks to reclaim some of the magic they had with Ray Rice in the mid 2000s. Skip Holtz (yes Dr. Lou’s Son) left East Carolina where he won two C-USA titles to take over the up and down USF Bulls. I think USF under Skip Holtz is primed to become a top tier team in the Big East year in and year out, but not after just one year. Skip’s goal for this year is to try and avoid the traditional mid season swoon that always seems to happen to the Bulls.
Champs: Pittsburgh
Big Ten
Will it be another Ohio State Big Ten Title? I am picking them for one simple reason, to be the man you must beat the man. Until someone knocks Ohio State off their dominance of the Big Ten, I am not picking against them. If Terrelle Pryor can play as good as he did in the Rose Bowl last year, it will be tough for any team to beat them. Iowa has been getting a lot of preseason hype, returning almost all of their defense from an Orange Bowl winning team including DE Adrian Clayborn.
Iowa is also returning starting QB Ricky Stanzi and is poised to have numerous good running backs including Jewel Hampton. My major concern about this team is the O-Line. Only 1 player has any experience playing. If the O-Line doesn’t play well, I could see Iowa losing 2 or 3 games this season. Saying that, coach Kirk Ferentz specializes in making good O-Lineman. Wisconsin should be competitive playing smash mouth ball again with running back John Clay. Penn State will be taking a step backwards this year even though they have the biggest non conference game against Alabama, but I don’t see them winning that game.
Champ: Ohio State
Pac-10
As I already stated this league is going to be competitive. I could see all but 1 school (Wazzu is going to be bad) who could win this thing including Southern Cal who can’t go to the Rose Bowl if they win. Oregon would have been the clear favorite had Masoli not got kicked off the team. I still think they are the team to beat, even though I am picking Oregon State, with the Rodgers brothers, to win the conference. Coach Stoops should have a good defense out in the desert with Arizona while their neighbors ASU always seem to be right on the cusp of being really good. Jim Harbaugh has Stanford going in the right direction, but it will be interesting to see how they do without Hiesman finalist Toby Gerhart. Jake Locker has been getting a lot of hype this offseason as many believed he could have been the number one draft pick last year. I still think he is a good draft prospect, but I don’t see him having as outstanding year as Washington is thinking he will.
Champ: Oregon State
SEC
Alabama is replacing a lot of talent on their defense, but their offense should be clicking. All last year I heard about how the back running back is actually better then reigning Heisman trophy winner Ingram. The QB has never lost a game in college or varsity high school football. Saying all that, I see Alabama losing 1 or 2 games this year because of how much turnover is on their D. Saban is known for his defense, so the unit could surprise and play good right away. If that’s the case, lookout cause, they will be tough to beat. Florida will most likely take a step back without Tim Tebow, but don’t expect much of a drop off as they should still win the East fairly easily. Arkansas is my sleeper in this conference with one of the best QBs in the country in Ryan Mallet. LSU should be good again, even if the folk in Baton Rouge are getting tired of the Mad Hatter’s clock management.
Champ: Alabama
Non-Automatic Qualifier Teams
Boise State
Boise State was one of two teams to finish last year undefeated. Boise is returning more starters than any other D-1 school, 21 of 22 with the only non returner being Kyle Wilson who went #29 overall in this year’s draft. Kellen Morre will lead a powerful Broncos attack and is actually my choice to win the Heisman trophy. Just like last year, Boise’s biggest game of the year is early in the season. If they can beat Virginia Tech in FedEx Field, they might become the first non AQ to go to the National Championship game.
TCU
Gary Patterson should have another good team this year. In the past two years TCU has finished #6 (2009) and #7 (2008) in both AP and Coach’s pole. TCU’s defense should be just as good as last year which will lead them to a lot of victories. They have two tough non conference opponents in Oregon State week 1 (Cowboys Stadium) and Baylor week 3. They do get BYU at home this year, but have go to Utah in a game that could decide Mountain West Championship.
Houston
Case Keenum is going to throw and throw and throw and throw some more. He is going to put up big numbers again this year (5800+ yards and 48 touchdowns) as he leads a high powered offense. The team’s defense needs play better than last year if Houston wants to crash the BCS. Houston should win C-USA pretty easily and watch out for Keenum as a sleeper Heisman choice.
Summary
ACC: Georgia Tech
Big XII: Oklahoma
Big East: Pittsburgh
Big Ten: Ohio State
Pac 10: Oregon State
SEC: Alabama
BCS buster: Boise State
Heisman Trophy Winner: Kellen Moore
National Title Game: Boise State vs Ohio State
National Champion: Ohio State
ACC
I think the ACC, along with the Pac-10, will be the most competitive Automatic Qualifier (AQ, AKA the improper term BCS) conference this season. I could see any team winning the conference and see any number of teams winning either division. Georgia Tech is the defending champion and my pick to win the conference. Paul Johnson has gotten better each season in Atlanta and has one of the toughest offense to prepare for. UNC is a popular pick to win it as Butch Davis has settled in with some great recruiting classes. Miami, Clemson, Va Tech and FSU (needs a D though) should all be better this year. I could see any of these teams winning it. The one thing I expect from the ACC this year is a lot of close entertaining games, so the real winner (get ready for the lameness) will be the fans.
Champ: Georgia Tech
Big XII
The last year of the Big XII before it loses two members should be a good one. Nebraska, on its way out to join the Big Ten, is predicted to win the Big XII north based on the strength of the blackshirts even with the loss of Suh. Bo Pelini needs to find more ways to score then last season as the offense was the reason they didn’t win more. Phil Steele (One of College Football’s best prognosticators) has Oklahoma as his #1 team in the year. Who am I to disagree with him. The biggest weakness from last year’s team was O-Line is now one year better. Landry Jones
.jpg)
(hopefully he will still be rocking his awesome mustache) also has a year of experience under him in a Bob Stoops offense that has never struggled to score points. Texas should be good again, but will suffer a drop off after losing the QB with the most wins in NCAA history in Colt McCoy. The team is stacked with Texas talent (all but 3 of the top 2 lines on the depth chart are from Texas) but will have to win the Red River Rivalry game if they want to win the South. Baylor will not be competing for the Big XII title but will be a team to watch because they have my personal favorite player in NCAA this year Robert Griffin.Champs: Oklahoma
Big East
The Big East lost their best coach from their best team when Brian Kelly left Cincinnati for Notre Dame. Cincinnati should still be competitive, but I don’t see them winning as many games with a new coach this season. Pittsburgh is my choice to win the conference as Coach Wannstedt has continually improved his alma matter. They were one win away from winning the conference last year and should win it this year. West Virginia and UConn should be competitive again while Rutgers looks to reclaim some of the magic they had with Ray Rice in the mid 2000s. Skip Holtz (yes Dr. Lou’s Son) left East Carolina where he won two C-USA titles to take over the up and down USF Bulls. I think USF under Skip Holtz is primed to become a top tier team in the Big East year in and year out, but not after just one year. Skip’s goal for this year is to try and avoid the traditional mid season swoon that always seems to happen to the Bulls.
Champs: Pittsburgh
Big Ten
Will it be another Ohio State Big Ten Title? I am picking them for one simple reason, to be the man you must beat the man. Until someone knocks Ohio State off their dominance of the Big Ten, I am not picking against them. If Terrelle Pryor can play as good as he did in the Rose Bowl last year, it will be tough for any team to beat them. Iowa has been getting a lot of preseason hype, returning almost all of their defense from an Orange Bowl winning team including DE Adrian Clayborn.
Iowa is also returning starting QB Ricky Stanzi and is poised to have numerous good running backs including Jewel Hampton. My major concern about this team is the O-Line. Only 1 player has any experience playing. If the O-Line doesn’t play well, I could see Iowa losing 2 or 3 games this season. Saying that, coach Kirk Ferentz specializes in making good O-Lineman. Wisconsin should be competitive playing smash mouth ball again with running back John Clay. Penn State will be taking a step backwards this year even though they have the biggest non conference game against Alabama, but I don’t see them winning that game.Champ: Ohio State
Pac-10
As I already stated this league is going to be competitive. I could see all but 1 school (Wazzu is going to be bad) who could win this thing including Southern Cal who can’t go to the Rose Bowl if they win. Oregon would have been the clear favorite had Masoli not got kicked off the team. I still think they are the team to beat, even though I am picking Oregon State, with the Rodgers brothers, to win the conference. Coach Stoops should have a good defense out in the desert with Arizona while their neighbors ASU always seem to be right on the cusp of being really good. Jim Harbaugh has Stanford going in the right direction, but it will be interesting to see how they do without Hiesman finalist Toby Gerhart. Jake Locker has been getting a lot of hype this offseason as many believed he could have been the number one draft pick last year. I still think he is a good draft prospect, but I don’t see him having as outstanding year as Washington is thinking he will.
Champ: Oregon State
SEC
Alabama is replacing a lot of talent on their defense, but their offense should be clicking. All last year I heard about how the back running back is actually better then reigning Heisman trophy winner Ingram. The QB has never lost a game in college or varsity high school football. Saying all that, I see Alabama losing 1 or 2 games this year because of how much turnover is on their D. Saban is known for his defense, so the unit could surprise and play good right away. If that’s the case, lookout cause, they will be tough to beat. Florida will most likely take a step back without Tim Tebow, but don’t expect much of a drop off as they should still win the East fairly easily. Arkansas is my sleeper in this conference with one of the best QBs in the country in Ryan Mallet. LSU should be good again, even if the folk in Baton Rouge are getting tired of the Mad Hatter’s clock management.
Champ: Alabama
Non-Automatic Qualifier Teams
Boise State
Boise State was one of two teams to finish last year undefeated. Boise is returning more starters than any other D-1 school, 21 of 22 with the only non returner being Kyle Wilson who went #29 overall in this year’s draft. Kellen Morre will lead a powerful Broncos attack and is actually my choice to win the Heisman trophy. Just like last year, Boise’s biggest game of the year is early in the season. If they can beat Virginia Tech in FedEx Field, they might become the first non AQ to go to the National Championship game.
TCU
Gary Patterson should have another good team this year. In the past two years TCU has finished #6 (2009) and #7 (2008) in both AP and Coach’s pole. TCU’s defense should be just as good as last year which will lead them to a lot of victories. They have two tough non conference opponents in Oregon State week 1 (Cowboys Stadium) and Baylor week 3. They do get BYU at home this year, but have go to Utah in a game that could decide Mountain West Championship.
Houston
Case Keenum is going to throw and throw and throw and throw some more. He is going to put up big numbers again this year (5800+ yards and 48 touchdowns) as he leads a high powered offense. The team’s defense needs play better than last year if Houston wants to crash the BCS. Houston should win C-USA pretty easily and watch out for Keenum as a sleeper Heisman choice.
Summary
ACC: Georgia Tech
Big XII: Oklahoma
Big East: Pittsburgh
Big Ten: Ohio State
Pac 10: Oregon State
SEC: Alabama
BCS buster: Boise State
Heisman Trophy Winner: Kellen Moore
National Title Game: Boise State vs Ohio State
National Champion: Ohio State
Posts
I wouldn't put it past Moore to win the Unitas, but you know the Heisman is going to the best QB or RB from a top 8 SEC/B12/B10/P10(12?) team. Terrelle Pryor? If he can stay healthy, he's my pick.
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