2008-2009 College Basketball Pre-Season Rankings

Here's an early look at our pre-season College Basketball Rankings since the NBA Draft is over with.

1. North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels have to be the clear-cut favorites for next year. Basically everybody returns, Player of the year Tyler Hansbrough is back along with speedy PG Ty Lawson and sharpshooter Wayne Ellington. UNC will be deep and talented. Their guards will be one of the best in the nation. Backup PG Bobby Frasor is back from injury and Danny Green decided to pull out of the draft. Don't forget forward Deon Thompson plus a stellar recruiting class lead by Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis.

2. Connecticut Huskies
UConn is also a title favorite. A talented squad returns which includes Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien, A.J. Price (should be ready by next season with injury), Stanley Robinson, Jerome Dyson, and Craig Austrie, plus a great recruiting class should help with the bench. The Huskies have tremendous talent and now have the experience to make it to a Final Four and possibly a national championship.

3. UCLA Bruins
UCLA may have lost Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, and Luc Ruchard Mbah a Moute, but they still have one of the best PGs in the nation in Darren Collison and Josh Shipp looked like one of the best players in the early part of last season. Alfred Aboya and James Keefe are both capable post presences and Michael Roll should be healthy. Also, the top recruiting class in the nation should help with the draft losses. Recruit Jrue Holliday should fill in right away at SG.

4. Louisville Cardinals
The Cards should be another Final Four threat this season. They should have some of the best guard depth again lead by Andre McGee, Jerry Smith, and Edgar Sosa. Earl Clark decided to comeback and should be one of the best players in the Big East. David Padgett is gone but in-coming freshmen Samardo Samuels is one of the top center recruits in the nation.

5. Texas Longhorns
Texas should be the Big 12 favorite. They did lose floor general D.J. Augustin but A.J. Abrams is more than capable to take over at PG. Damion James, Connor Atchley, Justin Mason, and Gary Johnson are all back and should help them contend for a national title.

6. Duke Blue Devils
Duke may have struggled in the NCAA Tournament but they still won 28 games last season. They return everyone of significance except for DeMarcus Nelson. Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler will be a great scoring duo for Duke, plus they have plenty of experience in Greg Paulus, Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas, and David McClure. They still lack a premier inside presence which could hurt them throughout the season.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
ND returns everybody and I mean everybody. Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody returns and should be a candidate for National Player of the Year again. Kyle McAlarney is back as well. Expect the Irish to compete for a Big East Title and even a Final Four berth.

8. Memphis Tigers
Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey, and Andre Allen are gone, but the Tigers should still win the C-USA. Robert Dozier, Antonio Anderson, Shawn Taggart, Willie Kemp, and Doneal Mack are a very solid core returning. Add one of the top PGs in the country in Tyreke Evans and you have another Final Four contender.

9. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga should be a top 10 team again with 4 starters back and a good bench, plus they have a good recruiting class coming in with Demetri Goodson. Jeremy Pargo decided to return. Matt Bouldin, their leading scorer is back along with Austin Daye, Steven Gray, and Micah Downs. Also, Josh Heytvelt will be one of the top big men in the country.

10. Marquette Golden Eagles
Even with Tom Crean gone, Buzz Williams can lead this team not only to the NCAA Tournament but deep into it. The great guard trio in Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews all return for one last hurrah.

Other teams to keep an eye on:
Pittsburgh, Miami, Purdue, Michigan St., Arizona St., Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arizona, Georgetown, Villanova, Wisconsin, Davidson, and Xavier

Look Ahead to the 2008-2009 College Hoops Season

We all know the 2007-2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Season just finished. But there are a lot of us anticipating next season already. With a lot of young talent out there this past season, next year should be just as exciting!

Let's take a look at some of the top teams for 2008-2009:

UNC Tar Heels
Even though they could still lose Tyler Hansbrough, Tywon Lawson, and Wayne Ellington to the NBA, I really doubt they will all leave; one will be the most that leaves, even if that. Hansbrough will likely be back and Lawson's stock is down. Even if Lawson bolts injured PG Bobby Frasor is back and Danny Green is a very capable player as well. They only lose Quentin Thomas for sure and Deon Thompson and Alex Stephenson will be good as well.

UCLA Bruins
They could still lose a lot. Kevin Love has already announced he is going to the NBA, same with Russell Westbrook, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (which puzzles me). But Moute will likely be back, Westbrook could too. Josh Shipp, Alfred Aboya, Michael Roll, and James Keefe still return. Darren Collison still needs to make a decision, but even if he leaves they have a great recruiting class lead by Jrue Holiday that are ready to step in.

Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns could have everybody back from a team that lost in the Elite 8. D.J. Augustin still needs to make a decision, but it looks like he'll be back. A.J. Abrams, Damion James, Connor Atchley, Justin Mason, and Gary Johnson are all back and should help them contend for a national title.

Connecticut Huskies
UConn will likely return everybody from a loaded team. Hasheem Thabeet could still jump ship but his mom told ESPN that he is likely staying. This Husky team could be dangerous with A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Stanley Robinson, Jerome Dyson, and Craig Austrie all back. With a very good recruiting class lead by PG Kemba Walker, they should be the favorites to win a stacked Big East.

Memphis Tigers
Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey, and Andre Allen are gone, but the Tigers should still win the C-USA. Robert Dozier, Antonio Anderson, Shawn Taggart, Willie Kemp, and Doneal Mack are a very solid core returning. Add one of the top PGs in the country in Tyreke Evans and you have another Final Four contender.

Louisville Cardinals
Louisville will have one of the deepest guard rotations in the country again with Edgar Sosa, Andre McGee, Jerry Smith, Preston Knowles, and Will Scott all returning. They do lose David Padgett and Juan Palacios, but forward Terrence Williams is back and they add one of the best centers in the nation in Samardo Samuels. Earl Clark said he will return for his junior year after testing the waters, which should make Louisville a contender again.

Duke Blue Devils
Duke only loses DeMarcus Nelson to graduation. They will still be a big threat from behind the arc with Greg Paulus, Jon Scheyer, Gerald Henderson, and Kyle Singler all back. But the problem still lies in the paint as they still don't have a big-time threat inside.

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga should be a top 10 team again with 4 starters back and a good bench, plus they have a good recruiting class coming in with Demetri Goodson. Jeremy Pargo put his name in the draft, but is expected to return. Matt Bouldin, their leading scorer is back along with Austin Daye, Steven Gray, and Micah Downs. Also, Josh Heytvelt will be one of the top big men in the country.

Other teams to keep an eye on:
Kansas, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan St., USC, Arizona, Tennessee, Xavier, & Davidson.

Elite 8 Predictions

East

UNC vs. Louisville

I've been anticipating this match up ever since the bracket came out. I like pretty much every match up here. Both have some good guards even with Tywon Lawson I will give the edge to Louisville in this department because the Cards are a little deeper. Earl Clark will be a tough match up guard-wise for the Heels. Louisville's guards can give problems to UNC's with their depth and feisty defense. The frontcourt match up should be a dandy. David Padgett vs. Tyler Hansbrough; Both are physical players but I will once again give a slight edge to Louisville. Should be a great game.

The Pick: Louisville- yes I am picking them. I like their guard depth, their demanding defense, and Padgett down low.

West

UCLA vs. Xavier
UCLA's gotten away with some close calls lately, but they still win it because of their defense and experience, plus Kevin Love has been a huge factor as well. They'll need everyone to step up for their next game or they could be eliminated. Xavier is a well-balanced team and anyone can put up double figures for them, plus they're experienced as well. Should be another great game.

The Pick: UCLA's Defense will win it once again for them, plus they have Kevin Love.

South

Memphis vs. Texas
Memphis showed that they can play with and beat the top teams from the power conferences. The guard match ups will be a showdown here with Derrick Rose, Antonio Anderson, Andre Allen, and Willie Kemp vs. D.J. Augustin, A.J. Abrams, and Damion James. It's just a matter of if Texas's forwards are talented and quick enough to keep up with Memphis's forwards and bigs.

The Pick: Memphis's frontcourt and overall talent is just too much for the Longhorns, but expect a very close game.

Midwest

Kansas vs. Davidson
Stephen Curry has continued to impress me. He is just a pure baller. Kansas meanwhile has been one of the more impressive teams. Their guards are excellent and they're just so talented. Davidson needs more than Curry to step up, especially their frontcourt like they did vs. Wisconsin if they want any piece of the Jayhawks.

The Pick: Kansas is just too talented and big for Curry and Co.

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 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

2007-2008 College Basketball Pre-Season Rankings

Now that we know who's in and who's out of the NBA Draft, here's an early pre-season College Hoops Top 10 poll for the 2007-2008 season.

1. UNC Tar Heels- The top team for next season definitely has to be the Tar Heels. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington all return. They have everybody returning but Reyshawn Terry and Brandan Wright. Wright will be missed greatly but they still have a lot of fire power. Look for UNC to be in the Final Four and possibly that national championship game.

2. Memphis Tigers- The 2007-2008 squad will return 5 of their top 6, plus the additions of recruits Derrick Rose and Jeff Robinson will help a lot. Especially the addition of Rose, he should be able to come in right away and help fill in for the lone loss in Jeremy Hunt. After back to back Elite 8 finishes the past two seasons, Memphis finally has what it takes to get over the hump and into the Final Four. They were the lone team that wasn't affected by the draft deadline date.

3. Kansas Jayhawks- The Jayhawks also have a great number of players returning and will be the top team in the Big 12. With the return of Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, freshmen sensation Darrell Arthur, Sherron Collins, Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, and Darnell Jackson, KU will barely miss a beat. The decision for Rush to stay is a huge sign of relief for KU and he will benefit from it a lot, unlike his brothers. KU also brings in quality recruit Cole Aldrich to help fill the loss of Julian Wright.

4. Georgetown Hoyas- Roy Hibbert is one of the "Big Two" to return. Jeff Green decided to stay in the draft at the last minute. If Green stays Georgetown is no doubt the top team. The Hoyas will return everyone excluding Green from a team that lost out in the Final Four. Those key returnees are Hibbert, Jon Wallace, DaJuan Summers, Jessie Sapp, Patrick Ewing Jr. and Vernon Macklin. Oh and how about a 5-star stud in Austin Freeman to add to the list.

5. UCLA Bruins- The Bruins will look to make another run at a Final Four berth with nearly everyone back. Their top scorer Aaron Afflalo jumped into the draft and will be missed dearly. But the Bruins return a solid nucleus with Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Lorenzo Mata, Michael Roll, and Alfred Aboya. UCLA lacked a premier post presence this past season, but the addition of 2007 recruit Kevin Love will help and should get immediate playing time. Look for the Bruins to be one of the top teams in the country again.

6. Louisville Cardinals- L'Ville returns 7 of their top 8 and should be one of the premier teams in the Big East. Terrence Williams, Edgar Sosa, David Padgett, Juan Palacios, and Derrick Caracter all return and should be one of the best starting five's in the land. Look for Rick Pitino's Cards to make a great run next season.

7. Washington St. Cougars- The Cougars return everyone but Ivory Clark and should benefit with all the experience returning. Last season was no fluke and the Cougars will show just that by competing for a Pac 10 title and possibly an Elite 8 or even a Final Four berth.

8. Tennessee Volunteers- Remember how the Vols nearly stunned the Buckeyes in the Big Dance? Well the Vols return everyone, including Chris Lofton. Because of Lofton's decision, Tennessee is my early favorite to win the SEC.

9. Indiana Hoosiers- IU should be the early favorite to win the Big Ten. D.J. White is back and should be better than ever. Armon Bassett, AJ Ratliff, Lance Stemler, and Mike White all return as well; you can also add Eric Gordon (inset) to that list, one of the top recruits in the country and he won't disappoint. Not to shabby for Kelvin Sampson's second year.

10. USC Trojans- The Pac-10 will be very tough again next season, which is why I have USC as low as 10 here. Also, the loss of Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt doesn't help either. But Taj Gibson is returning and I heard new signee OJ Mayo is pretty good.

Other teams to keep an eye on:

Marquette, Georgia Tech, Michigan St., Kansas St., Ohio St., Oregon, Gonzaga, Arizona, and Pittsburgh.

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.

Look Ahead to the 2007-2008 Men's College Hoops Season

We all know the 2006-2007 NCAA Men's Basketball Season just finished. But there are a lot of us anticipating next season already. With a lot of young talent out there this past season, next year should be just as exciting!

Let's take a look at some of the top teams for 2007-2008:

UNC Tar Heels
The top team for next season definitely has to be the UNC Tar Heels. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington all announced they were coming back. They have everybody returning but Reyshawn Terry, and the recent recruiting class should help fill that in. Brandan Wright still has to make a decision about his future, but even if he bolts for the NBA, UNC will still be the team to beat.

UCLA Bruins
The Bruins will look to make another run at a Final Four berth with nearly everyone back. Their top scorer Aaron Afflalo already announced he will be entering the NBA Draft. But the Bruins return a solid nucleus with Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Lorenzo Mata, Michael Roll, and Alfred Aboya. UCLA lacked a premier post presence this past season, but the addition of 2007 recruit Kevin Love will help and should get immediate playing time. Look for the Bruins to be one of the top teams in the country again and make another Final Four run.

Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks looked like my top team until Julian Wright recently decided to forgo his last two years of eligibility. The Jayhawks also have a great number of players returning and will be the top team in the Big 12. With the return of Mario Chalmers, freshmen sensation Darrell Arthur, Sherron Collins, Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, and Darnell Jackson, KU will barely miss a beat. Brandon Rush still needs to make a decision, but if he decides to stay watch out!

Memphis Tigers

A lot people doubted this team in the NCAA Tournament and they nearly topped OSU until the game got out of hand. If Chris-Douglas Roberts stays this team won't be going anywhere but up. With 5 of their top 6 returning, they finally may get over the hump and get into the Final Four. Plus the addition of Derrick Rose isn't bad. This Tiger team was young, but experienced this past season and come next year, they will have an even bigger bite.

Ohio St. Buckeyes
Greg Oden hasn't officially decided on his future, but if he stays the Buckeyes will no doubt be the number one team for next year. Mike Conley said he's staying, and even if Oden leaves OSU will be a top 10 team again. Conley, Butler, Lighty, and Cook will lead a stacked backcourt and Hunter and Terwilliger will anchor the frontcourt. Also, a great recruiting class will help a lot.

USC Trojans
Look for USC to be one of the top teams for next year and should compete with UCLA for the Pac 10 Title. I expect Gabe Pruitt to stay. They still have Taj Gibson inside and I heard new signee OJ Mayo is pretty good.

Louisville Cardinals
The Cards nearly knocked off Texas A&M in the Big Dance and could have made a huge run if they did. Louisville returns 7 of their top 8 and should be one of the premier teams in the Big East. Terrence Williams, Edgar Sosa, David Padgett, Juan Palacios, and Derrick Caracter all return and should be one of the best starting five's in the land. Look for Rick Pitino's Cards to make a great run next season.

Other Teams to keep an eye on:
Georgetown, Washington State, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Michigan State, Kansas State, and Marquette.