This is, without a doubt, my favorite time of the year. In just a couple of weeks that crisp feeling will return to the air and the leaves will start to splash their dying colors across the sky. Yet, we’ll have to wait for that, and my excitement has arrived already. The one and only reason for that….tomorrow (well, technically today, if you look at the clock) is the start of the college football season!
There are few things I look forward to more than Saturday football. I won’t have to wait until Saturday, however, as the season kicks off tomorrow evening. I’ll be headed to the wonderful town of Muncie, Indiana (I can only assume it’s wonderful, since I’ve never actually been there) to watch my Miami Redhawks take on the Ball State Cardinals as they look to bounce back from a 2-10 record last year (I’ll go ahead and predict 6-6).
But I’m sure most people don’t care about that. Two MAC teams going head-to-head is hardly front page material in most of the country. There should be plenty of front page material this season, though, as we move forward and try to find a national champion. I’ll go ahead and give you my season preview so you can know what to expect and what to watch for this season as you kick back and enjoy one of the most exciting and passionate sports in the world.
My Top 25
1. USC
2. LSU
3. Wisconsin
4. Rutgers
5. Oklahoma
6. Virginia Tech
7. West Virginia
8. Michigan
9. Tennessee
10. Texas
11. California
12. Florida
13. Louisville
14. Georgia
15. UCLA
16. Georgia Tech
17. Penn State
18. Auburn
19. Nebraska
20. Oregon State
21. Hawaii
22. Ohio State
23. BYU
24. Boston College
25. Oklahoma State
Now here are my picks for the conferences. For each conference I’ll pick a champion and a sleeper who might surprise some people.
ACC
Atlantic Champ- Boston College
Coastal Champ- Virginia Tech
ACC Champ- Virginia Tech
Sleeper- Florida State
The class of the conference is Virginia Tech, with one of the best defenses in the nation. The offense should be improved with returning experience on the line, a great receiving corps, and another year under the belt of quarterback Sean Glennon. Brandon Ore is a very good running back who might fall under the category of underrated. I’m a big Virginia Tech fan, but this is not a homer pick. VT is the real deal, and they’ll be a big story all year after the shooting tragedy. How the team responds to the related distractions will determine whether they slip or if they are a sleeper for the national championship. They should be pressed by a very good Georgia Tech team, who is always strong on defense, and the offense may be a case of addition by subtraction. With the talented yet erratic Reggie Ball gone from the QB spot, junior Taylor Bennett could bring much needed stability to the position. Running Back Tashard Choice is one of the most underrated backs in the nation, and could easily run for 1500 yards behind a good line.
In the Atlantic I like Boston College, although Kirk Herbstreit (who, I might add, is a genius) is one of the few who agrees with me. They return a very balanced team with a lot of good players on both sides of the ball. Matt Ryan is one of my favorite quarterbacks and does not get the respect (at least from the media) he deserves. He could end up being a steal in the NFL draft. He’s not flashy, but he’s got all the tools and is extremely smart and steady. The big question is how losing a great coach in Tom O’Brien will affect this team. I don’t know if it’s right to call a team like Florida State a sleeper but, after the past few down seasons, I will. A lot depends on whether the retooled coaching staff clicks and boosts an offense that has been anemic. They need to answer questions at quarterback, but FSU always has the pure talent to win the division and the conference. NC State won’t be setting the world on fire, but they are another sleeper team to keep an eye on with Tom O’Brien coming over from BC. He is a great coach and will start the turnaround at NC State very quickly.
Big East
Big East Champ- Rutgers
Sleeper- South Florida
I struggled with this conference for a while. Far from the division that was often declared undeserving of an automatic BCS bid a couple of years ago, the Big East has a number of great teams. I decided to go ahead with the slightly less popular pick, but the one my gut says is right. Rutgers has been a great story over the past couple of years, but they are the real deal. They have the best defense in the conference and great special teams play. I really think Mike Teel will come into his own this year at quarterback, and he is throwing to a very good group of receivers. That will allow Ray Rice to run all over the field as he vies for the Heisman Trophy. The schedule is favorable, as Rutgers gets both West Virginia and South Florida at home. Despite the one-two punch of Pat White and Steve Slaton, West Virginia’s defense will keep it from winning the conference. Louisville will also be an offensive powerhouse, but the defense has some questions, and I think this will ultimately come back to bite them.
Can I really call South Florida a sleeper when everyone else and their mother already has done so? I’m not sure how many people South Florida will be sneaking up on, but they are a team on the rise with Matt Grothe at QB and a strong defense led by linebacker Ben Moffit and one of the most talented cornerback pairs in the country.
Big Ten
Big Ten Champ- Wisconsin
Sleeper- Penn State
I know Michigan looks a lot like last year’s Ohio State. Great talent returning on offense while replacing the majority of their defense. I just don’t think Michigan’s season ends up like OSU’s did (Well, maybe they will get their heads beaten in at the end of the season…Lloyd Carr doesn’t like winning bowl games). Wisconsin is the most balanced team in the Big Ten this season, even while having to replace their quarterback. Tyler Donovan will do fine. He’s a senior who knows the system well, and Bret Bielema won’t ask him to do too much. P.J. Hill is a very good running back who has come back as a sophomore in better shape, which could mean bad things for the rest of the Big Ten, who already had trouble stopping him. The offensive line should be very strong, even while having to replace Joe Thomas. The defense should be both strong and balanced.
There are a number of potential sleepers in the Big Ten this year. My pick is Penn State. Honestly, I think they underachieved last year. This year Anthony Morelli will be a seasoned starter at quarterback, so he should be steadier and throw fewer interceptions. Wide receiver Derrick Williams blew open the doors of college football two seasons ago as a freshman, but he suffered the sophomore slump last year. Look for him to bounce back and show his incredible talents aren’t for naught. The defense is, well, Penn State defense. They don’t call ‘em Linebacker U for nothin’. Led by LB Dan Connor (who should become the schools all-time leading tackler) and cornerback Justin King, it will be hard to put up points on the Nittany Lions. One thing to watch will be whether some off-the-field issues from this past offseason will negatively affect the team. Some other potential sleepers to watch are Purdue, Iowa, and Illinois. Purdue’s main question is defense, because their offense will put up numbers. Under-the-radar QB Curtis Painter has a big arm and led the conference in passing last year. He throws to Dorien Bryant and Selwyn Lymon, two wide receivers that most teams would love to have. Iowa should bounce back from a mediocre season, and their schedule will certainly help them. The world waits for Ron Zook to stop text messaging and put down the cell phone (Hey! The NCAA is watching!) and actually coach the incredible talent he recruits. With QB Juice Williams and uber-recruit Arrelious “Regis” Benn, the Illini look to put more points on the board. Their defense is led by linebacker J Leman. They won’t compete for a Big Ten title this year, but they should take a step back towards respectability and contend for a title in the next couple of years.
Big 12
Big 12 North - Nebraska
Big 12 South - Oklahoma
Big 12 Champ- Oklahoma
Sleeper- Oklahoma State
It should be a good year for the state of Oklahoma. Look for Oklahoma to repeat as Big 12 champions, despite a number of losses to graduation and the NFL. Adrian Peterson may be gone, but don’t look for Bob Stoops and the Sooners to miss him one bit. Allen Patrick got plenty of chances last year to prove he could carry the load with Peterson out to injury, and he didn’t let anyone down. Add to the backfield freshman DeMarco Murray, and you’ve got an explosive combination. Murray is being compared by many to Reggie Bush, and while those are high expectations, he has torched the field during spring and fall practice and looks to be every bit as real as his reputation states. After a long quarterback battle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford will take over the reigns. Don’t let anyone fool you, this team will be fine with Bradford as the signal caller. He has plenty of talent around him to be solid, even without experience. The defense lost some key players but should be very strong at defensive tackle and in the defensive backfield. Texas has a lot of talent to challenge Oklahoma in the South, but their defense still needs to prove they can stop people. The d-line looks good, but the linebackers haven’t proven anything and the backfield was scorched by the pass last season. On offense there is also question as to how effective the running game can be.
In the North, Nebraska should continue their return to the ranks of the elite. Bo Rudd and Corey McKeon will lead one of the best linebacking units in the country. There are some questions at running back with the early loss of Brandon Jackson to the NFL, but the backfield is deep and has experience. It’s just a question of whether they will get the job done. The big story for Nebraska is the debut of Sam Keller at quarterback. After a dramatic split from Arizona State after 20 very successful starts there, Keller has come to Nebraska to take one more shot at a title and to showcase his talent for the NFL. Keller is a smart QB who should fit Nebraska’s offense perfectly. Missouri should challenge Nebraska in the North, and will outscore a lot of opponents on the way to a lot of wins, but their defense may be too much of a liability and will prevent them from getting to the title game. However, quarterback Chase Daniel and tight ends Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman are a force to be reckoned with. The health (or lack thereof) of tailback Tony Temple could spell the fate of this team.
My sleeper for the Big 12 is Oklahoma State. Watch out for an upset at Georgia early in the season. Oklahoma State boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the country, and this alone should make them very dangerous. Bobby Reid is a dual threat QB and wide receiver Adarius Bowman is one of the best, and one of the most overlooked (until this season), receivers in the country. He should be a top NFL draft pick. The loss of receiver Artrell Woods to injury will hurt (no pun intended), but the position is deep. The defense has some returners, and if they can stop anyone, look out.
Pac-10
Pac-10 Champ- USC
Sleeper- Oregon State
The Pac-10 is oft-maligned, but they may shed that reputation this year. This is easily the second-best conference, after the SEC. Is there any question about USC? You’d be hard-pressed to say they won’t win the Pac-10 title. With a ridiculous amount of talent returning on defense, scoring points against the Trojans should be a massive undertaking. Sedrick Ellis (DT), Lawrence Jackson (DE), Brian Cushing (LB), Keith Rivers (LB), Rey Maualuga (LB), Terrell Thomas (CB), and Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays (S) lead this defense. Good luck Pac-10 offenses. On the other side of the ball, John David Booty is back at quarterback. Many are touting Booty as a strong Heisman candidate (but doesn’t that come with the territory of USC quarterback these days?). The backfield has about 2,000 five-star athletes, and it would take the plague to thin them out. Chauncey Washington could emerge as one of the stars, with Emmanual Moody transferring to Florida this past week. Joe McKnight is the newcomer, and he seems to be the real deal. Go to YouTube, search “Joe McKnight,” and you’ll see what I mean. He left his home when he shunned LSU to travel to California, and he will play right away. At wide receiver Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton, and David Ausberry may be green, but they are talented. Look for one of them to emerge as a go-to guy. If not…this trojan horse could fall apart.
While USC is the class of the field, the conference is very deep this year. California, UCLA, Oregon, Arizona State, and Arizona should be good and/or improved teams. However, my sleeper pick is Oregon State. Don’t forget they beat USC last year. With one of the best offensive lines in the country, a strong (and underrated) running back in Yvenson Bernard, and a dynamite wide receiver and special teamer in Sammie Stroughter, the fact that the Beavers are replacing their quarterback should be of little consequence. Whether Sean Canfield or Lyle Moevao ends up with the starting job long-term (they should both play early in the season), they’ll have all the weapons they need to succeed. My pick to win the job is Canfield. The defense should be good, led by a strong linebacking unit. The schedule will be tough- going to Cal, Arizona State, USC, and Oregon, and out of conference slates against Utah and Cincinnati- but look for Oregon State to prevail.
SEC
SEC East Champ- Tennessee
SEC West Champ- LSU
SEC Champ- LSU
Sleeper- Kentucky
There’s little question who the favorites in the SEC are this year. The LSU Tigers are again one of the most talented teams in the country, and are the pick by many to play for a national championship. Even with JaMarcus Russell leaving to play in the NFL (maybe, if the pitiful Raiders can ever get him signed), quarterback is not really a position of concern. Fifth year senior Matt Flynn will step in, and shouldn’t miss a beat. He started in the 2006 Peach Bowl against Miami and put up a great performance in a crushing win. The backfield will be deep and wide receiver Early Doucet should put up big numbers. The LSU defense is balanced and very strong, with Tyson Jackson coming off the end and Glenn Dorsey, maybe the best tackle in the nation, stuffing the run. Linebackers Darry Beckwith and Ali Highsmith patrol the field, and even with the loss of Laron Landry, the DB’s will be fast, strong, and talented.
The East is a little more up-in-the-air. Florida is the pick by many, but I think Florida is one of the most overrated teams in the country. Congrats on winning the national title, but last year is over. The offensive line should be good, but Tim Tebow still has mountains to climb and huge things to prove as THE guy at quarterback. He’ll be fine, but he may have some growing pains. Andre Caldwell and Percy Harvin make a strong and versatile set of receivers. The running backs still need to figure out a way to rush the ball. The transferring in of Emmanual Moody will help, but not until next season. The defense is replacing almost everyone from last year’s national championship team. Granted, this is Florida and the replacements will be talented, but there is little experience and a lot of youth, and that equals mistakes. This is still a very good team, but they are a year away from being great. That leaves…Tennessee to win the East. At first I wasn’t sold on the Volunteers, but I think this could be their year. They have huge questions at wide receiver, but the rest of the team should be fine. Erik Ainge progressed last year and should be a very good senior quarterback. The backfield is filled with three guys who could be starting for a lot of teams in the country…LaMarcus Coker and Arian Foster should see the most carries. The defense will look to linebacker Jerod Mayo and free safety Jonathan Hefney to lead them. Tennessee’s schedule is tough, but if they can make it through the first three games relatively unscathed (at Cal, Southern Miss (UPSET ALERT!), at Florida), they could find themselves in a very good place.
My sleeper is Kentucky. What are the Wildcats to do? They have their best team in years, and they still can’t seem to get out from underneath the SEC pile. Andre Woodson is a good one, maybe even a great one, at quarterback. He will be the key for Kentucky. If he can repeat last year’s performance, the Wildcats will show that they are a team to be reckoned with in the SEC.
Conference USA
Conference USA East- Southern Miss
Conference USA West- Houston
Conference USA Champ- Southern Miss
Sleeper- SMU
Southern Miss looks like the class of the conference. They are a non-BCS team who could pull some upsets of a BCS team (or of Boise State, who hasn’t lost on their blue home turf in a ridiculously long time). Jeremy Young is a talented quarterback who can be dangerous through the air or on the ground, as long as he can stay healthy (something he didn’t do last year). The backfield is loaded, led by Damion Fletcher, who’s not flashy but gets the job done. Tight end Shawn Nelson is dangerous target. The defense will be strong as usual for the Golden Eagles, making this a balanced team.
Houston lost quarterback Kevin Kolb, but returns a lot of talent. The receiving corps is good, and running back Anthony Alridge is one of the fastest players in college football. The defensive line will be the strong unit of the defense.
My sleeper in Conference USA is SMU. After suffering through two decades of post-death-penalty play as barren as the Sahara desert, SMU looks like it may finally be returning to prominence. Quarterback Justin Willis was the conference Freshman of the Year last season, and he should only be better this time around. He’ll be throwing to a group of young, but talented wideouts, and handing off to a deep backfield led by DeMyron Martin, who could have a big season. The defense returns five starters and should be solid, at the least. The Mustangs just missed a bowl game last year; don’t look for them to let it happen again.
I’m not quite done yet, but it’s 3:45 in the morning and I need to sleep. I hoped to get the whole preview up tonight, but that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. I’ll be back tomorrow with my previews and predictions for the MAC, Mountain West, WAC, and Sun Belt conferences (all the conferences I really know you’ve been waiting for!) I’ll also throw out some names to watch in the Heisman race, some freshman you should know, and some potential breakout players to keep an eye on.
If you’ve read this far, I thank you and appreciate the knowledge that there are others out there with as little do as me! Seriously, thanks for reading, leave comments and let me know what you think- what you agree and disagree with. I’ll get the rest of the preview up tomorrow before I head off to catch the opening of the season live and in person.
Good night to you all.
