Never too early... for College Football Rankings

Here's my EARLY College Football 2011 Top 5.  More to come later...

1. Oklahoma
OU could return the overwhelming majority of starters on both sides of the ball, plus plenty of backups with starting experience.  Landry Jones should be one of the best QB in the nation and a Heisman candidate.  It also doesn't hurt that WR Ryan Broyles has decided to come back.  RB DeMarco Murray is one of the few defections.

2. Alabama
Bama should return the majority of their starters as well.  They do lose QB Greg McElroy, DE Marcel Dareus, WR Julio Jones and RB Mark Ingram, but Trent Richardson is just as good.  4 OL starters, LB Dont'a Hightower and Mark Barron are good places to start.  QB seems to be one of the few question marks.

3. LSU
Les Miles decided to stay.  That should bode well for the Tigers, who have been the most consistent SEC team in the past decade.  18 starters are back.  There will plenty of QB competition to push Jordan Jefferson who played better down the stretch.

4. Oregon
The Ducks lose key starters on both sides of the ball.  Questions abound all over.  The defense will take a big it loses Casey Matthews, Brandon Bair and Talmadge Jackson III.  The offense is good enough to keep them in the top 5. QB Darron Thomas and RB LaMichael James return to lead another potent offense.

5. Oklahoma State
As of right now there won't be many great teams next season which should help the Cowboy.  The offense brings back 9 starters, including QB Brandon Weeden.  WR Justin Blackmon still could forgo the draft.  The defense loses the majority of it's players, but when has OSU ever had a defense?

2010 College Football Preview: Big Ten

College Football is less than a week away, I'll do a quick preview of each conference.  Nothing to in-depth, but it's time to get back into the college football spirit.  Let's go!



1. Ohio St.
Terrelle Pryor is back and looking to continue his late season success.  Pryor will be in New York for the Heisman presentation and has a great chance to even win it.  The Buckeyes return 17 starters coming off a big Rose Bowl win over Oregon.  Brandon Saine and DeVier Posey are also back to help Pryor win a national title.

2. Iowa
Iowa surprised many last season.  They had a very stingy defense and return the majority of it.  The secondary will be arguably the best in the country.  Ricky Stanzi returns at QB, along with Adrian Clayborn at DE.  Look for the Hawkeyes to get back to a BCS Bowl.

3. Wisconsin
Will UW finally live up to it's preseason hype?  I think so.  18 starters return in all.  RB John Clay is one of the best in the conference.  If the defense can hold it's own and fill some holes, they have a shot to win the Big Ten.

4. Penn St.
Penn St. returns a majority of it's players but they do lose QB Daryl Clark.  Evan Royster will be one of the best backs in the nation.  The defense should be decent again, but I don't think Joe Pa will get his 11 wins for the 4th time in the past 6 seasons.

5. Northwestern
A team that was a sleeper last season and should be again in 2010.  They return a good nucleus of players that should make them very competitive again.  They do lose some key players including QB Mike Kafka and DE Corey Wootton, but look for the Cats to get a big surprise win again and play in another bowl game.

6. Michigan
I really see Michigan improving quite a bit this year.  They're older and more experienced and it took a bit to adjust to Rich Rodriguez's system.  Michigan is a about a year away from competing for the Big Ten title again, but they have a favorable conference schedule to finish in the top half.

7.  Michigan St.
MSU once again returns the majority of it's team but they never seem to live up to the preseason hype.  They will let Spartan nation down once again.  Their Big Ten schedule is fairly tough despite Ohio St. being left off.  Greg Jones leads a tough defense but I just don't see Sparty living up to the hype.

8. Purdue
Look for the Boilermakers to climb up the Big Ten latter again this season lead by WR Keith Smith and Miami QB transfer Robert Marve.

9. Illinois
Illinois has some talent and Ron Zook always recruits well but he never seems to convert that into wins.

10. Minnesota
Gopher fans are starting to get frustrated with Tim Brewster.  He's recruited well the past few seasons, but look for Mini to have another miserable year.

11. Indiana
The Hoosiers have a very talented WR core but that's it.

Offensive Player of the Year: Terrelle Pryor, QB- OSU

Defensive Player of the Year: Greg Jones, LB- MSU

Coach of the Year: Rich Rodriguez- Michigan

2009 College Football Preseason Rankings

Time to break out the early 2009 College Football Preseason Rankings!

1. Florida- The defending national champs return QB Tim Tebow, the Pouncey Twins on the line, and Jeff Demps, Emmanuel Moody, and Chris Rainey on the offensive end. The defense will be the best in the nation. The top 22 defensive players are ALL back, including LB Brandon Spikes and FS Major Wright.

2. Texas- The offense is virtually all back lead by QB Colt McCoy and WR Jordan Shipley. The defense has some holes, but that's what D-Coordinator Will Muschamp is for.

3. Oklahoma- Heisman winner Sam Bradford is back along with RB stud DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Look for the defense to be even better with 9 starters back.

4. Alabama- The defense returns 9 starters and the offense returns RB Mark Ingram and one of the best WRs in the nation in Julio Jones.

5. USC- USC returns a lot of talent. They will have 10 starters back on offense, but will need a QB to step up. The defense will need to reload, but they have backups that can step up.

6. Mississippi- They return loads of talent and depth. QB Jevan Snead has the potential to be one of the best in the country.

7. Virginia Tech- The Hokies looked impressive in their Orange Bowl win. They're ready to make another national title run with QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Darren Evans and 7 returning starters on defense.

8. Ohio St.- The Buckeyes should be the favorite in the Big Ten. QB Terrelle Pryor is really going to be something. He could have a huge break out year.

9. LSU- You really think Les Miles will have another down year? Think again... QB Jordan Jefferson is coming along well and veteran RB Charles Scott is a bruiser in the backfield.

10. Oklahoma State- The Pokes had one of the most potent offenses in the country last season and QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and WR Dez Bryant remain intact. The defense will be more experienced.

Just missed the cut:
Utah, Oregon, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Boise St., Penn St., TCU, and Oregon St.

Gators Chomp Sooners

Oklahoma flapped their mouths. CB Dominique Franks said Tim Tebow was the 4th best QB they've faced all season and it didn't take as much preparation for him as the others.

Well, looks like you awoken a sleeping giant Sooners!

I think Tim Tebow resolidified himself as the best college football player last night. He was even better than Heisman winner Sam Bradford. Tebow took his team on his back and dominated the second half. He made the plays, completed 6 of 6 passes in the final drive. He threw two touchdown passes and carried the ball the final six plays to lead Florida to its 2nd national title in three years.

Tebow outplayed Bradford and showed why he's the best player in college football and why the Gators are the national champions.

The game was not out of Oklahoma's hands though. They had their chances, they were stopped twice inside the 5 yard line, including an interception after a dropped pass by the WR. True champions take advantage of these opportunities, which the Sooners did not.

The Florida defense stepped up when it needed to. They pressured Bradford at times, but although their run defense wasn't the best, they still made enough plays in the end to get it done. The plays on the goal line and the two costly interceptions by Major Wright and Ahmad Black I think clinched it in the end, along with Tebow's play.

Looking Ahead to 2009
It's never too early to look ahead to the 2009 College Football season, so here's my early top 5 teams for now:

1. Florida Gators
Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, and Brandon Spikes could all leave, but it is likely Tebow will return. 19 starters could still be back in all and at least 10 will be back on defense. If Harvin is to leave, sophomore speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey will help fill the void. The defense will be strong as ever with Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham up-front, Ryan Stamper and AJ Jones anchoring the middle, and the next big ball hawk safety in Major Wright and Joe Haden leading the way in the secondary.

2. Texas Longhorns
Colt McCoy is coming back and should lead another potent offensive attack. WR Jordan Shipley is back as well. It will be interesting to see how the defense responds after losing some key starters, but that's why they have d-coordinator Will Muschamp.

3. USC Trojans
USC returns a lot of talent. If QB Mark Sanchez returns they will have 11 starters back on offense. The defense will need to reload though, but they have backups that can step up.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide
It's scary to think what Nick Saban will do with this team. He will have them contending with the Gators for another SEC Championship and yet another national title. The defense returns 9 starters and the offense returns both RBs and one of the best WRs in the nation in Julio Jones.

5. Mississippi Rebels
Ole Miss looked incredible down the stretch. They manhandled a potent team in Texas Tech. They return load of talent and depth. QB Jevan Snead has the potential to be one of the best in the country.

College Football 2008 Conference Preview: Big East

We finally begin our College Football Conference Preview, starting with the Big East.


Predicted Order of Finish
1. West Virginia
The Mountaineers return an electrifying and fast offense. They may have lost starting RB Steve Slaton but they return one of the most explosive players in the nation in Noel Devine. Heisman Candidate Pat White is back for one last time. They lose their top WR but they return some capable ones in Alric Arnett, Wes Lyons, and Tito Gonzales. The offensive line should be solid as 4 starters return there and plenty of depth as well. The defense is the big question mark for this team and they need them to step up if they want to return to a BCS Bowl. Only 4 starters return overall. Only one starter is back on the line and they need to find some guys to step up, that could be a problem. The LB unit looks to be the strongest on the defensive side as 2 starters return there. There's plenty of problems in the secondary as Charles Pugh was kicked off the team and the rest have limited experience.

2. South Florida
The Bulls started off strong last season but drastically struggled near the end. You would have to think it was because of lack of experience and depth; but the Bulls return plenty of talent and players. QB Matt Grothe is back along with 2 very good RBs in sophomore Mike Ford and senior Ben Williams. Plenty of WRs return but none are specifically outstanding, but they do have some depth there. Taurus Jackson should emerge as Grothe's go-to receiver. 4 lineman return which should help bolster the already solid running game. The defense was pretty inconsistent last year but they have more experience and depth than ever. George Selvie leads a fast defensive line as he was a first-team All-American. They only have 1 starter back at LB but they're fast and deep there. They will need to find 2 CBs to step up as they lost arguably the best DB tandem in Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams.

3. Pittsburgh
Pitt returns 15 starters from a team that blossomed late in the 2007 season. There's a lot of potential and they could give West Virginia a run for their money. Billy Stull will be the QB under center. He is a very capable QB but was injured last season. Their RB tandem is one of the best in the Big East, which includes LeSean McCoy and Conredge Collins. McCoy rushed for 1,328 yards last season. The WR unit has Derek Kinder back after missing all of last season. He should be one of the top WRs out there. The offensive line loses 3 starters so it's tough to tell how they will pan out there. The defensive line ranked 5th nationally last season which returns nearly everybody, plus plenty of depth. All 3 LBs return and if they can play like they did vs. WVA last season, they should be stellar. The secondary ranked 5th in the nation in pass defense. With continued pressure from the defensive front look for the secondary to be very efficient again.

4. Cincinnati
Cincy surprised me last season after making a bowl game. They need to break-in another QB which could be a problem. They must improve the running game as they have minimal depth there. They do return a few linemen but they need to find some depth because of the lack of experience. The top 3 pass catchers return which should only help the new QB. Look for the defense to make some plays again and help put up some points. 2nd team All-American DT Terrill Byrd returns along with DT Adam Hoppel. The LB unit return 2 starters but they must find some depth. Look for the secondary to be one of the best in the country as All-Big East selections Mike Mickens and DeAngelo Smith are back at CB.

5. Rutgers
QB Mike Teel returns as he looks to become Rutgers' career passing leader. They do lose one of the most productive RBs in Ray Rice but they do have a few capable backs to step up. With 4 good pass catchers back look for the Knights to have one of the most prolific pass offenses in the nation. They only have a handle full of experienced OL back but they have plenty of size and the last 2 recruiting classes have accumulated some depth. The defensive front is very experienced and deep. The LB unit needs some guys to step up but they do have Ryan D'Imperio. The secondary will be strong with Courtney Greene, Jason and Devin McCourty.

6. UConn
QB Tyler Lorenzen is back and should be one of the best in the conference. Donald Brown and Andre Dixon are 2 emerging RBs. WR is an area for concern as they lose their top wideout and 2 returners are injured. The offensive line is deep as they have all 5 starters back, but 2 of them will be back-ups this year. The defensive front returns 3 starters, and the LB unit and secondary return 2 apiece. The defense looks to be a little improved but also a little untested in some areas.

7. Louisville
The Cards have dropped to nearly the cellar after high expectations last season. Hunter Cantwell takes over for Brian Brohm. Cantwell is a veteran and his big arm could help a struggling offense. Their looking for someone to step up at RB. They have some speed back at WR but not much experience or superior talent. Two solid linemen return but they do not have much after that; The stable is pretty thin there. They do have 3 experienced d-linemen back but they struggled to stop the run last season as they gave up 4.4 ypc. The LB unit will be one of the worst units in the nation. They do not return anybody of significance there. This unit struggled drastically last year. Play makers are bare in the secondary.

8. Syracuse
The offense couldn't get anything going last season and the defense was one of the worst. They've been working on the running game all off-season as they try to improve there. But don't expect the Cuse to any better after a dreadful 2007 season.

2008 College Football Pre-Season Rankings

The other day I did the College BBall Pre-Season Rankings, so it seems fitting that I do some college football now.

1. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia has to be the top team, they have plenty back, they return their QB in Matthew Stafford and one of the up and coming RBs in Knowshon Moreno, who should be one of the top backs in the nation. The offensive line is decent with 3 starters back and one decent WR in Mohamed Massaquoi. The have plenty of talent on the defensive side, they all have tremendous depth on the defensive line which includes Gino Atkins. The LB and secondary corps will need to step up with only a few starters back there. Overall, the Dogs have depth and tremendous talent. They have a tough schedule playing at Arizona St., South Carolina, LSU, Auburn, and Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech at home plus the Florida showdown. So we'll see if they can get through their schedule.

2. Florida Gators
Florida returns plenty of talent and experience. Not only are they talented but they're deep and I mean very deep. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is looking for another national title. The offense should be explosive again with 8 starters back. Percy Harvin will lead the WR corps along with one of the best TEs in the country in Cornelius Ingram. USC transfer Emmanuel Moody is looking to boost the RB unit. And 4 starters return on the offensive line. The defense should be better, they will be young but talented. The LB crew will be one of the best in the land lead by junior Brandon Spikes.

3. USC Trojans
The reason I have the Trojans 3rd is because they don't have their starting QB back. But Mark Sanchez is more than capable to lead this team to the promised land. The Trojans only return 4 starters on offense but they are loaded all over the place. The WRs will be exceptional with Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner back. They will have the deepest backfield in the nation with Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable, and Allen Bradford. The defense will be the best in the nation, the defensive front will be stellar and the LB unit will be the best in the nation lead by Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing and the secondary returns starters which includes Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays.

4. Ohio St. Buckeyes
The Buckeyes will be the most experienced of all the top teams next season. They return 17 total starters and this could be the year they finally put it together and win it all. QB Todd Boeckman returns along with WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. RB Chris (Beanie) Wells should be one of the top backs in the nation. The defense should be solid with James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins deciding to return.

5. Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners should be the favorite to win the Big 12 once again. 18 total starters are back in all. QB Sam Bradford returns along with DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown at tailback. Oklahoma should have two of the top front lines in the nation, which will only help their cause for a BCS Title berth.

6. West Virginia Mountaineers
WVA should be one of the fastest teams in the country again. Speedster QB Pat White is back, RB Steve Slaton may be gone but sophomore Noel Devine showed he can replace him. Devine could be a darkhorse for the Heisman this season. The defense should also be solid with several starters back and some experienced LBs.

7. Missouri Tigers
Mizzou returns 15 starters from a team that should have made a BCS Bowl. Heisman candidate Chase Daniel is back along with a slough of talented WRs. There's questions at RB with Tony Temple gone. The defense should be very tough again as 3 linemen return. The LB corps returns all 3 starters along with the secondary as well. Missouri should challenge Oklahoma and Texas for the Big XII Title.

8. Clemson Tigers
Clemson should be the ACC favorite. QB Cullen Harper returns after having a surprising 2007 campaign. They also have the best RB tandem in the nation in James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Both starting WRs return but they'll need to find some people to step up on the offensive line. The defense will good again, the defensive front will be nasty which includes Dorell Scott. The LBs return only one starter but the secondary will be one of the best in the nation with Chris Clemons and Crezdon Butler.

9. Texas Longhorns
QB Colt McCoy returns and is looking for a BCS Title berth. One question is at RB where Jamal Charles left early for the NFL. The WRs should be solid along with the offensive line. OG Cedric Dockery is one of the top linemen in the country. The defense has quite a few wholes to fill as they only return 4 starters and not much experience.

10. Auburn Tigers
Auburn is switching to the spread which seems fitting in the SEC. They do lose QB Brandon Cox but they have some talented back-ups to help fill that void. The WRs will be talented and help out the new QB. The line will be stellar with 4 starters back there. Watch out for the defense as they have plenty of starters and depth back led by LB Tray Blackmon.

Outside Looking In:
Wisconsin, Texas Tech, Arizona St., Illinois, Virginia Tech, Kansas, & BYU

2008 College Football Teams to look out for

Just thought I would do a brief post on some College Football and thoughts on the favorites for next season.

Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia was very young and inexperienced last season. They return a boatload of talent. After a very impressive season winning the Sugar Bowl, they are just that much more experienced. QB Matthew Stafford returns and is looking to be not only one of the top QBs in the SEC, but one of the best in the nation. RB Knowshon Moreno also returns after a big year rushing for 1334 yards and 14 TDs.

USC Trojans
USC loses some key players, but returns some important impact players; more specifically on the defensive side. Many were expecting LBs Keith Rivers and Rey Mauluga to enter the draft but now they're back. They return 3 starters in the secondary and the QB position is deep with Mitch Mustain transferring in. They will also be very deep at tailback once again. Watch out for RB Joe McKnight.

Florida Gators
The Gators were also inexperienced and young, especially on the defensive side. 8 starters return on both sides of the ball and Florida should once again have one of the best offensive attacks in the nation, lead by Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. The defense should be better with several starters returning including two upcoming stars in LB Brandon Spikes and FS Major Wright.

Ohio St. Buckeyes
The Buckeyes will be the most experienced of all the top teams next season. They return 17 total starters and this could be the year they finally put it together and win it all. QB Todd Boeckman returns along with WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. RB Chris (Beanie) Wells should be one of the top backs in the nation. The defense should be solid with James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins deciding to return.

Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners should be the favorite to win the Big 12 once again. 18 total starters are back in all. Oklahoma should have two of the top front lines in the nation, which will only help their cause for a BCS Title berth.

West Virginia Mountaineers
WVA should be one of the fastest teams in the country again. Speedster QB Pat White is back, RB Steve Slaton may be gone but sophomore Noel Devine showed he can replace him. Devine could be a darkhorse for the Heisman this season. The defense should also be solid with several starters back and some experienced LBs.

Other top teams to keep an eye on:
Missouri, Clemson, Texas, Auburn, Arizona St., LSU, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech

Not the "BS" Standings this week

As I look at the current BCS Standings this week, I can't really disagree. It seems pretty accurate to me.

Here's the current standings Top Ten for this past week:
1. LSU
2. Oregon
3. Kansas
4. Oklahoma
5. Missouri
6. West Virginia
7. Ohio St.
8. Arizona St.
9. Georgia
10. Virginia Tech

In my eyes, LSU is the best team in the country, they are the most talented and have gone through their tough schedule nearly unblemished, with just one loss coming at a good Kentucky team.

As for Oregon they've played great as well and to me, are the 2nd best team in the land. The Ducks have had some pretty good wins as well in the 2nd best conference in the country (Pac 10) over USC, at Washington, and Arizona St. Their lone loss came against Cal and lost by about a foot.

As for Kansas, they are where they belong. I am not ready to put them in the top two, first of all when you play Central Michigan, SE Louisiana, Toledo, Florida International, and Baylor you're not going to get much props from me. Go out and schedule some formidable opponents. If Kansas beats Missouri and OU in the Big XII Title game, then I will give them the respect they deserve.

To me the rest of the standings seem pretty fair, except one minor change I would fix is switch around Missouri and West Virginia. Other then that it seems pretty fair and accurate. But with the way the season has gone, we may finish the year with a split national champion again and nobody wants that. There's going to be disaster again at the end of this season with the BCS and everybody knows it; which is another reason College Football needs a minor playoff and another reason why the BCS is still B.S.

(Want to talk some NCAA Football or the BCS? Well join us at the new Sports Flow Site and sign up for the Forum!)

TSF College Football Power Poll

1. Ohio St.- PR- 3
OSU is no doubt the best team in the country right now. Their offense has been putting up plenty of points and their defense may just be the best in the land. Tough test this week where they travel to Happy Valley.

2. LSU- PR- 1
Yes, they did lose, but it was to a good Kentucky team away from home. They keep getting it done in the end and making the plays. The defense is still one of the best in the nation but they've given up some big plays and a fair amount of points lately. Another tough game for LSU as they play at Alabama in two weeks.

3. Oregon- PR- 9
I wish they would stop with the ugly uniforms. Their latest one looked even worse then any ever on black and white T.V. even. The Ducks are riding the arm of Dennis Dixon and the legs of Jonathan Stewart and it's paying off. I can't wait for their match up this weekend with USC.

4. Boston College- PR- 5
BC hasn't played anyone of significant importance and we shall find out how good this team really is when they face Virginia Tech on Thursday.

5. West Virginia- PR- 8
WVA's Offense and Defense has really picked it up since the loss to USF. This team can still make a run at a national title; must win this week at Rutgers.

6. Oklahoma- PR- 6
OU did struggle last week vs. Iowa St., but their win vs. Missouri was very impressive.

7. Arizona St.- PR- 16
Arizona St. has been sneaking up on everyone and they are a legit threat to win the Pac 10. Their offense can no doubt put up points.

8. Virginia Tech- PR- 12
V-Tech is finally looking like we once all imagined. An impressive win vs. BC this week would jump them up even more.

9. South Florida- PR- 4
Tough loss to Rutgers last Thursday. Rutgers usually plays well at home so I won't punish them Bulls too much.

10. Florida- PR- 13
Definitely the best two loss team. Tim Tebow has been just amazing so far putting up some great numbers. They have a few injury problems with Tebow and true freshman safety Major Wright, but they should be able to go vs. Georgia this week.

11. USC- PR- 10
12. Missouri- PR- 11
13. Kansas- PR- 20
14. Kentucky- PR- 17
15. Virginia- PR- NR
16. Hawaii- PR- 15
17. South Carolina- PR- 7
18. Georgia- PR- NR
19. Texas- PR- NR
20. Michigan- PR- NR

More Rankings: Stiles Points

TSF College Football Power Poll

1. LSU- PR- 2
LSU had an impressive comeback win over Florida Saturday night. They are the clear number one right now, but looks like the Tigers will have another down to the wire match up at Kentucky this week.

2. California- PR- 3
Cal had a week off but they move up to the 2 spot with USC losing. Cal looks like the favorite right now in the Pac 10. If they can continue to put up points like they've been doing they should win out. I can't wait for their match up with USC on Nov. 10.

3. Ohio St.- PR- 5

With the way OSU has been playing they're definitely one of the top teams in the country. An impressive win over Purdue boosts them even more. Easy game vs. Kent St. before they play Michigan St.

4. South Florida- PR- 6
The Bulls keep creeping up with upset after upset. Although, they didn't play their best vs. Florida Atlantic, they should be ranked at 4 with their win over Auburn and WVA. They should take down UCF this week, then it's time for another big game at Rutgers in two weeks.

5. Boston College- PR- 8

BC has had some fairly easy games lately and Matt Ryan has shown he is one the best QBs in the nation. Although, they do play Notre Dame this week, who happened to beat UCLA, I am expecting BC to win.

6. Oklahoma- PR- 10
After the horrific lost to Colorado, OU is lucky they're this high. The win over Texas was a good win and they may have another chance at the national title if they win out.

7. South Carolina- PR- 13
South Carolina moves ahead of WVA because of their win over Kentucky. SC is a legit SEC Title contender and if they win out, should play in the BCS National Title Game. Well. that is of course if they beat LSU in the SEC Championship.

8. West Virginia- PR- 11
WVA took out their frustration from their loss on Syracuse last week, dismantling them 55-14.

9. Oregon- PR- 12
I believe Oregon is still one of the best teams in the country. They were about a foot away from sending the Cal game into O.T. Dennis Dixon has been resilient with 1238 yards passing and 12 TD.

10. USC- PR- 1
USC was stunned by Stanford late Saturday night, after Stanford's Coach, Jim Harbaugh, proclaimed back in July that this years USC team may be the best team ever.

11. Missouri- PR- 17
I think it's only appropriate that Mizzou is this high because of their undefeated ranking. I think they are the real deal and should win the Big 12 North. Should be a good game against OU this week, which may as well be a preview of the Big 12 Championship.

12. Virginia Tech- PR- 15
V-Tech finally got their act together with a big win over Clemson last week. Maybe this will be the start of the Hokie team we were expecting from the beginning of the season.

13. Florida- PR- 9
Florida gave away the game to LSU, they could have paved their way back to defending their national title. Now it looks like they won't. This wasn't really suppose to be Florida's year, they're a very young team and should only continue to get better though.

14. Cincinnati- PR- 20
Cinci moves up after a win over Rutgers. I think Cinci is the real deal and their offense is pretty explosive, which means there's no reason they can't win the Big East. A win over Louisville would propel them even more.

15. Hawaii- PR- 16
Hawaii's Offense can score at will but can their defense get them to a BCS Game? I think they deserve the 15 spot and should continue to climb as long as they win.

16. Arizona St.- PR- 18
17. Kentucky- PR- 7
18. Illinois- PR- NR
19. Wisconsin- PR- 4
20. Kansas- PR- NR

More Rankings: Stiles Points

TSF College Football Power Poll

Big changes in this weeks power poll with some major upsets this past weekend.

1. USC- PR- 1
USC fell to 2nd in the A.P. Poll, but TSF still believes they are the number one team. Yes, they didn't look like their normal selves against Washington, but LSU struggled for much of the game against TULANE, they are no WASHINGTON.

2. LSU- PR- 2
LSU's Offense looked horrid at times vs. Tulane on Saturday, good thing they have a stellar defense. SEC game of the year coming up this weekend vs. Florida. Too bad the Gators lost, then we possibly could have had a 1-2 or 1-3 game. Florida needs to pick up where their defense left off vs. Tennessee if they want any piece of LSU.

3. California- PR- 6
California beat a good Oregon team and luckily Oregon fumbled it at the 1 foot line to lose. Their offense has been super and De'Sean Jackson put himself back in the Heisman race with his big-time performance.

4. Wisconsin- PR- 8
I will give Wisconsin the benefit of the doubt even though they have struggled all year. But hey they're still winning and that's all that matters right?

5. Ohio St.- PR- 9
OSU has been the most impressive team in the Big 10 so far and it looks like they are probably the favorite to win it. Big game this weekend at Purdue, I anticipate this one to be like the match up of '02.

6. South Florida- PR- 19
USF jumps up 13 spots because of their biggest win in their programs history over West Virginia. The Bulls are the favorite right now to win the Big East, but then again they still have games against Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Pittsburgh.

7. Kentucky- PR- 14
Kentucky looks like the 2nd best team in the SEC right now. These next 3 weeks will be very interesting as they take on South Carolina, LSU, and Florida in that stretch.

8. Boston College- PR- 11
BC is the ACC favorite right now. Matt Ryan has put up some amazing numbers with 1545 passing yards and 11 TD. They can take it easy for now with games against Bowling Green and Notre Dame before they head to Blacksburg on October 25.

9. Florida- PR- 3
I haven't seen Florida play that bad in a long time. I guess it was just some growing pains with a young team taking on an experienced team. The defense and partially the offense need to pick it up drastically if they want to top LSU. Tim Tebow, Tony Joiner, Derrick Harvey, Andre Caldwell and Percy Harvin didn't show any leadership on Saturday when their team struggled; that's something they'll need to fix when they visit Baton Rouge on Saturday night.

10. Oklahoma- PR- 4
I cannot believe how OU let Colorado back into the game like that. The annual Red River Shootout should be a dandy once again this Saturday.

11. West Virginia- PR- 5
WVA lost to a good USF team so I am not dropping them back too far. They can still rebound and win the Big East if USF was to lose some games. I really thought WVA would have finished undefeated but their defense has been pretty inconsistent.

12. Oregon- PR- 12
I'm not gonna penalize Oregon much either, actually not at all. They were about a foot away from sending the Cal game into O.T. and they're still a very good team.

13. South Carolina- PR- 15
South Carolina struggled against Mississippi St., they have a big game this weekend vs. Kentucky with the winner inching a little closer to the top of the SEC East.

14. Georgia- PR- 16
Georgia rolled Mississippi last week and looks like they are making a statement after losing to South Carolina. What a surprise, another good and big SEC game this weekend as Georgia clashes with rival Tennessee.

15. Virginia Tech- PR- 17
Virginia Tech is still not the team most of us expected. They only beat UNC by 7 and they have to play at Clemson this Saturday, which is one of the toughest places to play at in the ACC.

16. Hawaii- PR- 18
17. Missouri- PR- 20
18. Arizona St.- PR- NR
19. Texas- PR- 7
20. Cincinnati- PR- NR

TSF Top 20 College Football Poll

Here we go our weekly TSF Top 20 Poll:

1. USC-PR- 1
The Trojans did it again, demolishing this time the Washington St. Cougars. John David Booty was solid again with 279 yards passing and 4 TD. The running game is definitely one of the best in the country. The defense continues to show their arguably the best in the country. They have a big test at Washington this week.

2. LSU- PR- 2
LSU had a good win vs. South Carolina. As you've read before I'm going to continue to praise the defense, it's really tough to score on their D, but once they play another team who is more balanced on both sides of the ball (ahem... Florida) we may see the Tigers fall.

3. Florida- PR- 3
Florida struggled this past week, but it was the first road game for their young defense. Tim Tebow has been nearly unstoppable with 1096 yards passing and 10 TD. The defense has made some big strides so far. Big home game vs. Auburn this week, I am expecting a win, it's just one more game to get that young D ready for LSU.

4. Oklahoma- PR-5
OU continues to put up big points game after game. It will be interesting to see how they do now that they start their Big 12 schedule.

5. West Virginia- PR- 4
I have WVA at 4, but Joe picked OU at 3 so it averaged out this way. WVA's prolific offense has been outstanding and they just might have the best offense in the country. Tough road game at South Florida this week, winner has inside track at Big East Title.

6. California- PR- 6
Cali has not put up less than 34 points this season. They have play makers all over the field and could very well give USC a run for their money when they come to town. Huge game this Saturday @ Oregon for the Golden Bears.

7. Texas- Pr- 7
Texas's Offense finally came together putting up 58 vs. Rice. Colt McCoy looked cool in the pocket. It should help now that Billy Pittman is back from his 4 game suspension, which will force KSU to leave Limas Sweed in single coverage.

8. Wisconsin- PR- 8
Ohio St. is creeping up on the Badgers, Wisconsin is very reluctant to beat Iowa. I still cannot believe this team hasn't lost yet with the way they've struggled drastically this season.

9. Ohio St.- PR- 9
OSU's Offense looked unstoppable vs. Northwestern and the Defense has been very stout. With the Big Ten sucking it up again so far this season, I doubt they'll be giving up many points for the rest of the year.

10. Rutgers- PR- 11
Rutgers has a very intriguing match up vs. Maryland this weekend. Their offense has been pretty efficient, especially Ray Rice at tailback. Expect this team to go undefeated and possibly move up in the rankings until they meet South Florida on Oct. 18.

11. Boston College- PR- 13
Matt Ryan should be in Heisman Trophy contention with his Peyton Manning like (almost) numbers with 1341 passing yards and 10 TD. BC better not look past # 2 ranked FCS squad - UMass, because so far this season, the top FCS teams have had the FBS' number.

12. Oregon- PR- 14
Oregon is another Pac 10 team with a high-powered offense. The defense has been shaky at times and they need to pick it up this week vs. California.

13. Clemson- PR- 15
Decent win vs. NC St., big game this week at Georgia Tech, I guess we'll see how the Tigers really stack up this weekend.

14. Kentucky- PR- NR
Kentucky jumps into TSFs Top 20 with huge wins vs. Louisville and at Arkansas. Kentucky football is on the rise and Andre Woodson is one of the premier QBs in the nation. Who knows how they will turn out they have a tough conference schedule, next significant match up is in two weeks when they visit South Carolina.

15. South Carolina- PR- 12
SC's Offense looked pretty stagnant vs. LSU. LSU made the Gamecocks look silly on Saturday. The score was only 28-16 but the d-line of LSU made Blake Mitchell look uncomfortable in the pocket forcing him to make bad decisions and throws.

16. Georgia- PR- NR
17. Virginia Tech- PR- 17
18. Hawaii- PR- 18
19. South Florida- PR- NR
20. Missouri- PR- NR

More Rankings: Complete Sports

TSF Top 20 College Football Poll

Here's TSF's Week 3 - Top 20 College Football Poll. We've decided to make it more of a power poll to comment about each team instead of just a regular poll.

1. USC- PR- 1
The Trojans looked impressive with a 49-31 win over Nebraska. The score isn't as close as it indicates. The offense was very balanced. John David Booty was impressive and the rushing game looked great with 4 runners getting 40+ yards. But it was the defense that looked even more impressive.

2. LSU-PR- 2
LSU has the best defense in the country and they stomped all over Middle Tennessee 44-0 without starting QB Matt Flynn and star WR Early Doucet. The Tigers could finally get tested by a very good South Carolina team next week.

3. Florida- PR- 4
Florida moves ahead of WVA because of their impressive win over Tennessee. Florida's Offense can score on anyone and the defense is continuing to improve. In my mind, the young D will only get better as the season progresses. Two more games at Ole Miss and vs. Auburn to get more experience under their belts before their big October 6 match up with LSU.

4. West Virginia- PR- 3
WVA needs their Defense to pick it up before they get upset. The offense is still one of the best in the country though. They looked unstoppable late against Maryland.

5. Oklahoma- PR- 5
OU has been racking up a lot of points lately but a lot of teams would do the same if they played North Texas and Utah St. OU has two road games before they play Texas, so they better not be looking too far ahead.

6. California- PR- 9

Cal jumps up 3 spots after Louisville being upset by Kentucky and both Texas and Wisconsin struggling. The Golden Bears Offense has been very impressive. I am looking forward to their match up at Oregon in two weeks.

7. Texas- PR- 7
Texas did indeed have a big win two Saturdays ago vs. TCU, but barely beat UCF by 3? Come on now, some people had this team ranked as high as 2 in their pre-season polls. Colt McCoy has kind of struggled thus far and as of right now, I am kind of regretting picking them to win the Big XII.

8. Wisconsin- PR- 6
Wisconsin has struggled so far but I still think they're the team to beat in the Big Ten. Look for P.J. Hill to carry a heavy load this week vs. Iowa.

9. Ohio St.- PR- 11
OSU had a big win against upset minded Washington on Saturday. The Buckeyes' Defense is very, very good; which leads me to believe they'll be in every game and be in the Big Ten Title hunt for the rest of the season.

10. Penn St.- PR- 12
Penn St. looked a little iffy at times vs. Buffalo. Derrick Williams is one of the most explosive players in the country. Big in-conference game this week vs. Michigan. I am sure Michigan will want this one real bad.

11. Rutgers- PR- 13
Ray Rice has been doing nothing but producing yard after yard, something that I proclaimed in my Heisman Hopefuls article a month back. Their next two games should be interesting to see where they really stack up, against Maryland and upstart Cincinnati.

12. South Carolina- PR- 17
I think SC is an under the radar team and could sneak up on some SEC teams. Steve Spurrier finally has this team where he wants it; the Defense has been making great plays and some big stops, and QB Blake Mitchell has been getting it done in the air.

13. Boston College- PR- 19
BC jumps all the way up to 13 after a bunch of teams losing on Saturday. They beat a pretty good Georgia Tech team. Matt Ryan continues to show he is one of the best QBs in the nation. They have a very easy schedule playing Army, UMass, Bowling Green, and Notre Dame until their big conference game with Virginia Tech on October 25.

14. Oregon- PR- NR
Oregon moves into the rankings after previously being unranked. Dennis Dixon has been putting up some big numbers, including 276 yards on the ground along with 3 rushing TDs.

15. Clemson- PR- 20
Clemson jumps ahead quite a few spots too with some teams falling. Their rushing game is one of the best in the country with James Davis and C.J. Spiller, and new Jr. QB Cullen Harper has been smooth in the pocket. They haven't really played a quality opponent yet, but I guess we'll see where they stand in two-three weeks with games against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.

16. Louisville- PR- 6
17. Virginia Tech- PR- 18
18. Alabama- PR- NR
19. Texas A&M- PR- NR
20. Hawaii- PR- NR


I just thought that this picture looked funny...
(Courtesy of EDSBS)

TSF Top 20 College Football Poll

Here's TSF's first regular season Top 20 poll. We'll be doing a poll after every week till the end of the season.

1. USC- Idle
Next week: at Nebraska

2. LSU- Beat Virginia Tech 48-7
Next week: vs. Middle Tennessee St.

3. West Virginia- Beat Marshall 48-23
Next week: at Maryland

4. Florida- Beat Troy 59-31
Next week: vs. Tennessee

5. Oklahoma- Beat Miami (Fla.) 51-13
Next week: vs. Utah St.

6. Wisconsin- Beat UNLV 20-13
Next week: vs. The Citadel

7. Texas- Beat TCU 34-13
Next week: at Central Florida

8. Louisville- Beat Middle Tennessee St. 58-42
Next week: at Kentucky

9. California- Beat Colorado St. 34-28
Next week: vs. Louisiana Tech

10. UCLA- Beat BYU 27-17
Next week: at Utah

11. Ohio St.- Beat Akron 20-2
Next week: at Washington

12. Penn St.- Beat Notre Dame 31-10
Next week: vs. Buffalo

13. Rutgers- Beat Navy 41-24
Next week: vs. Norfolk St.

14. Georgia Tech- Beat Samford 69-14
Next week: vs. Boston College

15. Nebraska- Beat Wake Forest
Next week: vs. USC

16. Arkansas- Idle
Next week: at Alabama

17. South Carolina- Beat Georgia 16-12
Next week: vs. South Carolina St.

18. Virginia Tech- Loss to LSU 48-7
Next week: vs. Ohio

19. Boston College- Beat NC St. 37-17
Next week: at Georgia Tech

20. Clemson- Beat Louisiana-Monroe 49-26
Next week: vs. Furman

College Football: What I learned from Opening Night

As you can already tell I'm very excited that College Football is underway. I live and breath College Football and all of Labor Day Weekend I will sit back and relax and watch some games that I've been waiting for ever since March Madness ended. Here's a few things I learned from Thursday nights' games.

LSU's Defense is absolutely solid and arguably the fiercest defense in the country.
After watching LSU pick off Mississippi St. 6 times last night and their front seven making many tackles behind the line of scrimmage, I have come to the conclusion that LSU has one of the best defenses in the country. They made the Bull Dogs look like they were a D-2 team playing out there. The D-Line, lead by Glenn Dorsey, were clogging the holes and making stops behind the line of scrimmage all night. The LBs were filling the gaps and sacking Michael Henig constantly. The secondary was very impressive taking the WRs out of their routes and staying at home and attacking the ball very aggressively, forcing Henig to throw 6 INT. Overall, the defenses' physicality was stellar and took it to Mississippi St. I am definitely looking forward to their match up next week vs. Virginia Tech.

Louisville's Offense will be one of the most high-powered offenses in the country.
Granted they were playing Murray St., but Brian Brohm looked incredible last night and will produce great numbers under Steve Kragthorpes new offense. He threw for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns, two of them to Harry Douglas. Louisville rolled up 655 yards of total offense, and worked with stunning efficiency. The Cardinals averaged a touchdown once every four plays in the first half, and their longest scoring drive with the starters in took all of 2:58. Brohm will be putting up some impressive numbers this year.

Iowa St. is bad
Good thing I picked them to finish 6th in the Big XII North. Last night they lost to Kent St. 23-14. I thought Brett Meyer would have performed better with his athleticism and experience, but he was horrible last night throwing 2 INT. He was throwing the ball up for grabs and into coverage almost all night. ISU's offensive line needs to improve drastically too and Meyer needs to mature or else it will be a long season for the Cyclones.

Florida is already looking good for '08
Emmanuel Moody, former USC RB, enrolled at Florida Thursday. He will fit well in Urban Meyer's spread-option offense with his elusiveness and shiftiness as a runner. Florida doesn't have much at RB and come next year he will be one of the best RBs in the SEC. But who knows , maybe Kestahn Moore, Brandon James, or Chris Rainey will show me something this season...

National Title Prediction
Okay before the first Saturday begins I need to make a national title prediction. I have USC vs. West Virginia vying for the BCS Title but I have been unsure of who to pick for a long time. My heart says West Virginia but my head says USC. Now since Complete Sports copied my title prediction now it's time for me to return the favor; West Virginia will be your 2007 College Football National Champion. I love their explosiveness offensively lead by QB Pat White, RBs Steve Slaton and Noel Devine, and one of the best WRs in the Big East in Darius Reynaud. They have an easier schedule than most and their defense will be improved.

TSF College Football Pre-season Top 20 Poll

As we continue TSF's comprehensive College Football preview, here is our pre-season Top 20 Poll.

1. USC- opens Sept. 1 vs. Idaho
Toughest game- Nov. 10 at California

2. West Virginia- opens Sept. 1 vs. W. Michigan
Toughest game- Oct. 27 at Rutgers

3. LSU- opens Aug. 30 at Mississippi St.
Toughest game- Sept. 8 vs. V-Tech

4. Virginia Tech- opens Sept. 1 vs. East Carolina
Toughest game- Sept. 8 at LSU

5. Florida- opens Sept. 1 vs. W. Kentucky
Toughest game- Oct. 6 at LSU

6. Wisconsin- opens Sept. 1 vs. Washington St.
Toughest game- Nov. 10 vs. Michigan

7. Michigan- opens Sept. 1 vs. Appalachian St.
Toughest game- Nov. 10 at Wisconsin

8. Louisville- opens Aug. 30 vs. Murray St.
Toughest game- Nov. 8 vs. Louisville

9. Texas- opens Sept. 1 vs. Arkansas St.
Toughest game- Oct. 6 vs. Oklahoma

10. Oklahoma- opens Sept. 1 vs. North Texas
Toughest game- Oct. 6 at Texas

11. California- opens Sept. 1 vs. Tennessee
Toughest game- Nov. 10 vs. USC

12. Arkansas- opens Sept. 1 vs. Troy
Toughest game- Nov. 23 at LSU

13. UCLA- opens Sept. 1 at Stanford
Toughest game- Dec. 1 at USC

14. Ohio St.- opens Sept 1. vs. Youngstown St.
Toughest game- Nov. 17 at Michigan

15. Rutgers- opens Aug. 30 vs. Buffalo
Toughest game- Oct. 27 vs. West Virginia

16. Penn St.- opens Sept. 1 vs. Florida International
Toughest game- Sept. 22 at Michigan

17. Tennessee- opens Sept. 1 at California
Toughest game- Sept. 15 at Florida

18. Nebraska- opens Sept. 1 vs. Nevada
Toughest game- Sept. 15 vs. USC

19. Auburn- opens Sept. 1 vs. Kansas St.
Toughest game- Oct. 20 at LSU

20. TCU- opens Sept. 1 vs. Baylor
Toughest game- Sept. 8 at Texas

College Football 2007 Conference Preview: SEC

The SEC is no doubt the best conference in the nation with some of the fiercest defenses and the defending national champion Florida Gators and another favorite for this year's title in LSU.

Predicted Order of Finish:
East
1. Florida
The Gators lose 9 starters on defense, which could be a problem if they want to defend their national title. But good thing they will have one of the most dynamic and explosive offense's in the country. Chris Leak is gone, but QB Tim Tebow is primed to be the next great Gator QB. The WRs will be very talented with Sr. Andre Caldwell, So. Percy Harvin, Jr. Louis Murphy, So. Jarred Fayson, and WR/TE Cornelius Ingram all back. Tebow will have all sorts of talented receivers to throw to. The RB situation still looks a little cloudy but former backup Kestahn Moore looks very promising, but they still can stick Harvin back there when needed. Now to the defense, this could determine the Gators fate. Only two starters are back (DE Derrick Harvey and SS Tony Joiner) and the rest of the positions are young. Urban Meyer said the young talent on the D looks very promising, but they need to improve quickly before their Sept. 15 meeting with Tennessee.

2. Tennessee
Nobody really knows how Tennessee will end up this season. They are sort of a mystery team. They could win the conference and end up playing in a BCS bowl game or everything could fall apart just like that. The O-Line and D-Line need to improve and find some depth in order for them to compete with Florida for the East Title. QB Erik Ainge is back but he must stay healthy, if he can do that the Vols should be a pretty good team. They still need to find a legitimate back to take over and the WR unit was hit very hard with the losses of Robert Meachem, Jayson Swain, and Bret Smith. The defense has 5 starters back and needs to find players to step up at LB and in the secondary.

3. Georgia
The Bulldogs lose 12 starters but have some great young talent to help make that up. So. QB Matthew Stafford should be improved and has some good WRs in Mohamed Massaquoi and Sean Bailey. RB Kregg Lumpkin is back and should be able to produce some good numbers along the way but watch out for redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno. The D-Line needs to find more depth along with the LB crew. But the secondary will be a very solid unit with CBs Paul Oliver, Bryan Evans, and FS Kelin Johnson back.

4. South Carolina
SC could have a big year, they just need the offense to get things rolling. I mean 10 starters are back on defense, but if QB Blake Mitchell and the young WRs can step up, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia could be in for a waking. The conference schedule is definitely favorable, so they could surprise some people.

5. Kentucky
I think Andre Woodson will be one of the best QBs in the nation and a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman, they just need to fill some holes on defense and hope it can improve along the way until they get to their conference schedule.

6. Vanderbilt
The offense will be experienced and good with the return of QB Chris Nickson and WR Earl Bennett. The running game needs to improve but Jeff Jennings is back after missing '06 with an injury, so that should help. But the defense needs to improve in order for Vanderbilt to move out of the cellar in the SEC East.

West
1. LSU
The offense could be a problem after losing QB JaMarcus Russell and WRs Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis. But Matt Flynn has plenty of experience on his hands and should fill in well for Russell. The WRs will be young but they still have the leadership and ability of Early Doucet. Sophomore RBs Keiland Williams and Charles Scott should put up some plausible numbers behind three returning linemen. The Defense, with 8 starters returning, should be one the best in the country and the defensive front, from my stand point, will be the best in the country, lead by DT Glenn Dorsey and Marlon Favorite and DE Tyson Jackson. The LBs will be dynamite as well with 3 starters back in Ali Highsmith (one of the best in the nation), Darry Beckwith, and Luke Sanders. The secondary should be talented and athletic even after losing 4 year starters LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels, with CBs Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson leading the way.

2. Arkansas
Arkansas will have the best RB duo in the country and QB Casey Dick as well as one of the best WRs in the SEC in Marcus Monk are back. Darren McFadden is one of those RBs and is the best back in the nation. He finished 2nd in the Heisman voting and rushed for 1, 647 yards last season. Felix Jones, the other RB, isn't far behind as he rushed for 1,168 yards. In order for Arkansas to win the West again they need QB Casey Dick to be more consistent and the defense to step up after losing 7 starters from last years team.

3. Auburn
The Tigers have a tough road conference schedule at Florida, Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia, which won't be enough to finish above third place in the west. The offensive line and RB positions could poise some problems early and often as Kenny Irons bolted for the NFL. QB Brandon Cox is back, which will help. DE Quentin Groves is back and one of the best pass rushers in the conference. The secondary still has some issues to sort out where they lost DB David Irons.

4. Alabama
The Tide has turned after Alabama signed new head coach Nick Saban. The Bama faithful are hoping for some progress and believe Saban could lead them to the promised land. But sorry Bama fans, this won't be your year. The passing game will be stellar with QB John Parker Wilson and WRs D.J. Hall and Keith Brown all back. The secondary will be decent with CB Simeon Castille back, but the front seven must improve.

5. Mississippi
The offense looked horrid in the spring and QB Brent Schaefer didn't look very good either. But I feel Schaefer has a ton of potential and could get some good wins for the Rebels. 6 defensive starters return but they need to replace LBs Patrick Willis and Rory Johnson.

6. Mississippi St.
Sylvester Croom is on the hot seat and must get some wins for the Bulldogs. The O-Line has good experience back and QB Michael Henig, RB Anthony Dixon, and WR Tony Burks are back. The defense needs to pick up the slack and fill in the voids for the losses of 4 of it's 5 best linemen and LB Quinton Culberson. DE Titus Brown will be one of the best in the country.

SEC Championship:
LSU over Florida

Offensive Player of the Year:
Darren McFadden, RB- Arkansas

Defensive Player of the Year:
Glenn Dorsey, DT- LSU

Freshman of the Year:
Eric Berry, CB- Tennessee

Coach of the Year:
Urban Meyer- Florida

Games to Watch:
Tennessee at Florida- Sept. 15

Florida at LSU- Oct. 6

Florida vs. Georgia- Oct. 27

Arkansas at Tennessee- Nov. 10

LSU at Alabama- Nov. 3

Arkansas at LSU- Nov. 24

Arkansas at Alabama- Sept. 15

College Football 2007 Preview: Big East

The Big East went through some growing pains losing some key teams to the ACC but has transitioned well and is now one of the top conferences once again.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. West Virginia
The Mountaineers return a solid offense with 8 starters that includes one of the top and most elusive QB's in the nation in Pat White. Also, RB Steve Slaton, who rushed for 1,744 yards and 16 touchdowns, one of the top WRs in the conference in Darius Reynaud, and 3 solid offensive linemen return. The offense will be one of the best in the country. The defense returns some key experience as well with 7 starters back. The secondary should be solid with plenty of experience there. If the LB and D-line can find some play makers to help fill in for some of the losses look for WVA to compete for a spot in that BCS National Title Game.

2. Louisville
L'Ville returns 21 starters and will be lead by the Heisman caliber arm of Brian Brohm, who passed for 3,049 yards and 16 touchdowns. They also return a top WR corps in Harry Douglas and Mario Urruita. The RB who filled in for Michael Bush, Kolby Smith, is back as well. They also have three starting linemen back but must replace the right side. The defense should be pretty good but wont have as much hype as the offense. The defensive line needs to find some more depth after losing Amobi Okye. They also need some more players to step up at LB and in the secondary after losing some key losses there as well.

3. Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights surprised everyone in the College Football world last season. This year they have some holes to fill but do return some solid players. QB Mike Teel is back and should be one of the best in conference and one of the best RBs returns in Ray Rice, who rushed for a school-record 1,794 yards. They need to find some WRs to step up but do return some good talent there. The defense should be good again with two key D-Linemen and reserves returning along with a solid LB in Brandon Renkart and three athletic DBs.

4. South Florida
The Bulls are a legitimate Big East Title contender. With 16 starters back and some great talent don't be surprised if they stun one of the Big 3. QB Mike Grothe is back along with 3 solid WRs in Amarri Jackson, Taurus Johnson, and Marcus Edwards. They didn't have a true TB last year, but freshman Mike Ford could turn some heads. The defense should be fine 8 starters returning.

5. Pittsburgh
Pitt loses some valuable players in QB Tyler Palko and LB H.B. Blades and they need to find some replacements quickly. The QB situation is still up in the air between Jr. Bill Stuhl and redshirt freshman Kevan Smith. The RB position should be solid with 3 very capable runners back but they need to find some depth at WR. The O-Line will be experienced with 4 starters back so that should help. But the defense needs to pick it up, where they have plenty of holes at LB and in the secondary.

6. Cincinnati
Cincy's offense returns plenty of experience but they still need to find a QB. The RB position is filled with experience and depth. They have plenty of work to do at WR with not much returning. The defense needs to be fixed up a bit with holes all over. The secondary will be the most experienced of all the defensive units.

7. Connecticut
They return 14 starters along with QB Tyler Lorenzen who has proved himself. RB Donald Brown is back too but UConn needs to find some WRs for Lorenzen to throw to. The defense won't be too bad with a pretty solid front along with some speedy DBs to go with it.

8. Syracuse
The Cuse has one of the toughest schedules in the country and they don't have much experience back. They return 10 starters but QB Andrew Robinson returns. They lost there top rusher and some key WRs too. But WR Tah Smith was granted a 6th year of eligibility still giving them some hope there. The D-Line will need to carry the defense with not much talent or experience behind them.

Offensive Player of the Year:
Brian Brohm, QB- Louisville

Defensive Player of the Year:
Eric Foster, DT- Rutgers

Freshman of the Year:
Mike Ford, RB- South Florida

Coach of the Year:
Rich Rodriguez- West Virginia

Games to Watch:
West Virginia at South Florida- Sept. 29

West Virginia at Rutgers- Oct. 27

Louisville at West Virginia- Nov. 8

Louisville at South Florida- Nov. 17

Rutgers at Louisville- Nov. 29

College Football 2007 Conference Preview: ACC

The ACC has been nothing special within the last few season. With so many average and mediocre teams, this conference will be one of the toughest to pick.

Predicted Order of Finish
Atlantic
1. Boston College
BC returns 16 starters including one of the best QBs in the conference in Matt Ryan. Two RBs return as well with plenty of experience, L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender will be sharing the ball-carrying duties. They did lose some key players at WR but they do return some good steady talent there. The defense will be loaded with all 4 d-linemen back along with 4 other letter winners. LB will be it's strongest unit of the defense returning all 3 starters there as well, which includes Sr's Jolonn Dunbar, Tyrone Pruitt, and Brian Toal. The secondary should be good too with one of the top DB's in DeJuan Tribble and hard-hitting FS Jamie Silva back.

2. Florida St.
FSU struggled last year finishing 7-6. Bobby Bowden completely transformed his offensive coaching staff hiring 4 new assistants. They still need to figure out the QB situation between Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee. From my stand point, it looks like it will be Weatherford. The offense has plenty of talent to improve from '06. They return RB Antone Smith, who was injured last season, but should make a big impact. Stud WR Greg Carr returns as well.

3. Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons came out of nowhere last year to win the conference title. The offense will be pretty good again which is led by QB Riley Skinner along with a deep and very experienced o-line. The defense is where the Deacons have a lot of question marks and holes to fill. Only 5 starters are back on that side of the ball.

4. Clemson
It will be interesting to see how the Tigers perform this year. They lose some key important players but return some as well. The QB position is the main ingredient to where they will finish the season. Cullen Harper and freshman Willie Korn are battling for that QB spot, with Harper most likely getting the first look, but Korn has a lot of talent and could end up with the starting job as the season wears on. The Tigers return one of the nations best RB tandems in Jr. James Davis and So. C.J. Spiller. David accounted for 1,187 yards on the ground and 17 TDs, while Spiller gained 1,415 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs. The main WRs are gone but they have plenty of talent available. They have plenty of issues all over the defensive side which will also make a big impact on Clemson's fate this season.

5. Maryland
Maryland has 13 starters back after finishing 9-4 last season. They still need to find a QB but have three emerging stars battling for the position in Jordan Steffy, Josh Portis, and Chris Turner. One of them will need to get the ball to one of the top WRs in the nation in Darrius Heyward-Bey. The defense will experience some growing pains as the season wears on, but should get better game by game with a lot of young potential talent at just about every position.

6. NC St.
The Wolfpack struggled at the end of the season in '06 losing 7 straight games. They need to find a new QB which it looks like it will be Daniel Evans, who started some games last season. The offense should be alright with 8 returning, but the defense needs to improve drastically. They return 5 starters on that side of the ball and have major holes to fill, especially at LB.

Coastal
1. Virginia Tech
The Hokies are definitely the clear-cut favorite to win the ACC. They return 16 starters, 8 on offense and 8 on defense. QB Sean Glennon returns along with one of the best RBs in the country in Branden Ore. They will also have some of the best WRs in the country with speedster Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan, Justin Harper, and Josh Hyman, all seniors, returning. V-Tech also bolsters one of the top, if not the top defense, in the country. There's tremendous defensive talent and depth all over the field; the d-line is very solid with 3 starters back from that unit which includes DE Chris Ellis. They also have two of the best LBs in the country in Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall. The secondary will be very talented as well with one of the best CBs in the nation as well in Brandon Flowers. Also, Victor Harris returns at CB along with D.J. Parker at FS. If V-Tech didn't have to visit LSU on Sept. 8, they would be one of my picks to play in the BCS National Title Game. But my mind could change very quickly...

2. Georgia Tech
They did lose elusive QB Reggie Ball and big-time play maker WR Calvin Johnson, but the Yellow Jackets still have plenty of experience and depth returning. RB Tashard Choice is back and could be a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman Trophy. The offensive line will be strong with plenty of veterans back and the defense should be pretty decent with 8 returnees back on that side of the ball.

3. Miami
Randy Shannon will be the new head coach for the Hurricanes replacing Larry Coker. The offense needs to improve in order for the Canes to be successful this season. QB Kyle Wright hasn't panned out like we expected but 2007 is a new year. The RB position has some young talent in Javarris James and Graig Cooper. They do return leading pass-catcher Lance Leggett, but a lot of their young talent sat out of the spring with injuries still leaving the rest of the WR positions wide open. The defense should be great returning 8 starters and one of the top DBs in the nation in Kenny Phillips.

4. Virginia
The Cavs were mediocre last year but have a lot of potential with 7 starters back on defense and the whole offensive line back as well. QB Jameel Steele returns, but they need people to step up at RB and WR.

5. North Carolina
Butch Davis is the new coach at UNC and has plenty of positions to fill. He needs to find a new QB, RB depth, and new offensive linemen. The defense must improve in order for the Tar Heels to improve at all. They have talent in the secondary but must find some play makers at LB.

6. Duke
Duke does return 11 starters on offense, but QB Thaddeus Lewis cannot do everything by himself. The defense was one of the worst in the country and they only return 5 starters there. Expect The Blue Devils to continue their 20-game losing streak.

ACC Championship:
Virginia Tech over Boston College

Offensive Player of the Year:
Tashard Choice, RB- Georgia Tech

Defensive Player of the Year:
Xavier Adibi, LB- Virginia Tech

Freshman of the Year:
Graig Cooper, RB- Miami

Coach of the Year:
Frank Beamer- Virginia Tech

Games to Watch:
Boston College at Virginia Tech- Oct. 25

Florida St. at Boston College-Nov. 3

Florida St. at Clemson- Sept. 3

Florida St. at Virginia Tech- Nov. 10

Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech- Nov. 1

NCAA Spring Football Top 10

Some teams have proven themselves quite a bit so far this spring and with some key additions and early enrollments, teams such as West Virginia, LSU, and Louisville have soared close to the top.

Top 10 Rankings for Spring
1. USC- The Trojans won't miss a beat and will have one of the top defenses (if not the top defense) in the country. The return of QB John David Booty, WR Patrick Turner, and T Sam Baker on the offense will help a lot. With freshman sensation Vidal Hazelton filling in at WR, Jarrett and Smith won't be missed as much as people say. Plus, it helps to have a deep backfield, which they can go 6 RB's deep.

2. LSU- The Tigers will also have one of the top defenses in the country. With physical players such as DT Glenn Dorsey and LB Ali Highsmith anchoring the D, it will be tough to run on them. Even with Jamarcus Russell gone, Matt Flynn has the potential to be a great QB. They have a lot of amazing young talent coming up as well. LSU won't miss a beat.

3. West Virginia- WVA will have the best and fastest backfield in the nation. QB Pat White and RB Steve Slaton (inset) return and recruit Noel Devine will make an immediate impact (if he's accepted). If the defense can pick it up, this team will win the Big East and may earn a spot in that BCS National Championship game.

4. Florida- The defending national champions will have one of the top offenses in the country, but will the defense be able get them back to the title game or win the SEC for that matter? Tim Tebow returns to fill in for record breaker Chris Leak. WR's Percy Harvin and Andre Caldwell along with 4 starting linemen return on offense. The Gators lose 9 starters on defense with DE Derrick Harvey and SS Tony Joiner back. Florida has a lot of shoes to replace on defense but with the last 2 recruiting classes it shouldn't be too bad. But still, this Gator team will be young and need the experienced sophomores to step up.

5. Wisconsin- The Badgers, yes, the Badgers will be the top team in the weak Big 10 (for now). 16 starters return overall from a team that defeated a good Arkansas team in the Capital One Bowl. Losing Joe Thomas will be tough to replace. RB P.J. Hill, TE Travis Beckum, DE Matt Shaughnessey, LB Jonathan Casillas, CB Jack Ikegwuonu all return. The Badgers loaded defense can take them to the next level, but the offense needs to improve after a mediocre spring so far.

6. Michigan- I would love to have this team in the top 3, but struggling in the Rose Bowl vs USC drops them back (Damn, they should have been in the BCS Title Game). The Wolverines return a load of amazing talent, but lose some key players as well, more specifically on the defensive side (Alan Branch, Lamar Woodley, and Leon Hall). QB Chad Henne, RB Mike Hart, T Jake Long, WR Mario Manningham, LB Shawn Crable just to name a few returnees. With offensive weapons all over the field, there's no doubt that they will be able to score at will, but the defense is what will be holding them back.

7. Louisville- The Cards will compete again for a berth in the BCS Title Game. QB Brian Brohm, WR's Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia, C Eric Wood, LB Malik Jackson are all key returnees, but they need to find some depth on the defensive front.

8. Texas- Texas will once again have one of the best passing games in the country with sophomore QB Colt McCoy back and healthy, as well as Limas Sweed and every other key receiver. The Horns' challenge will be patching up its secondary under a new defensive coordinator.

9. Virginia Tech- I believe 17 starters return, including the majority of the nation's top-rated defense. QB Sean Glennon, RB Branden Ore, LBs Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi, CB Brandon Flowers all return with just about every WR back as well. Glennon needs to prove himself if this Hokie team wants to win the ACC.

10. Arkansas- The Razorbacks return the majority of the offense and have some key returnees and additions on the defensive side as well. With their QB Casey Dick back and the best RB tandem of Heisman favorite Darren McFadden (inset) and Felix Jones in the country returning, they will be one of the top rushing teams in the country again. Also, WR Marcus Monk will be one of the best in the SEC.

Other teams to keep an eye on:
Boise St., Rutgers, Oklahoma, Auburn, Ohio St., and Nebraska

Just felt I had to do a College Football article. I'll be back tomorrow with an NBA Article.