Week 5 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

It was a thrilling week in college football. Lane Kiffin got fired after a beat-down by Arizona State. Alabama shut (out/up) Bo Wallace and Ole Miss. The northwest had monsoon-like conditions for a few of the top teams in the country who all rolled to victories. All the “experts” talk about how LSU at Georgia was going to be a defensive struggle, yet I called it a shootout. Who was right? 44-41 final score should tell the story. Check out how week 5 is reflected in my new rankings/projections:

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: Florida, Houston, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, UCF, Wisconsin

Dropped from the rankings: Wisconsin (20), UCF (22)

25 (NR). Maryland (4-0) – IDLE. Next week: at Florida State. That blowout/shutout win over West Virginia looks pretty good now. This could be a bonehead inclusion after they play in Tallahassee next week, but they have been strong so far this season. Randy Edsall has his boys believing.

24 (19). Arizona State (3-1) – The Sun Devils could score at will against USC, but they also gave up some 41 points to a team that was struggling offensively. That does not bode well for their chances in the South division.

23 (NR). Northern Illinois (4-0) – After blowing out Purdue on the road, they are the first MAC team with two wins over the Big Ten in the same season. They are going to threaten another potential BCS bowl appearance.

22 (21). Michigan (4-0) – IDLE. Next week: vs Minnesota.

21 (17). Mississippi (3-1) – They were the latest shutout victim by Alabama, which there is no shame in, but for a team talking as much trash as they were, that has got to be discouraging and humbling.

20 (14). Oklahoma State (3-1) – Just when you want to count out West Virginia, they take out the #1 team in the conference. The Cowboys looked a bit lost throughout the game for the first time. Morgantown isn’t exactly the most hostile of crowds in the Big 12. They are going to need to get it together and soon.

19 (24). Fresno State (4-0) – They had one of those classic 9:00PM pickoffs in Hawaii that a team could sleepwalk through. Their offense was as on fire as it has been all year.

18 (18). Northwestern (4-0) – IDLE. Next week: vs Ohio State.

17 (25). Miami (4-0) – The Canes looked fantastic against the worst team in the nation, the South Florida Bulls. At some point, you have to think they will not show up. That hasn’t happened yet. Morris and Johnson have been scary good early on.

16 (15). Texas Tech (4-0) – IDLE. Next week: at Kansas.

15 (16). South Carolina (3-1) – They were down at the half and had lost their starting quarterback. They could have folded, but instead they came out furiously and took control of the game immediately on the road. Impressive effort by the Cocks.

14 (23). Oklahoma (4-0) – Here we go again…the Sooners look unbeatable early in the year, only to probably disappoint down the stretch again. Same story for the Bob Stoops-era Oklahoma squad.

13 (12). LSU (4-1) – The Tigers have now shown that they can put up the monster numbers in the SEC, and that Cam Cameron has suddenly turned Mettenberger into a top 5 QB in the conference.

12 (11). Texas A&M (3-1) – Johnny Football and company were able to escape with another shootout victory, this time at Arkansas in front of a ruckus crowd.

11 (13). Georgia (3-1) – The win against LSU proved that they still do not have a defense, but that offense can score on anyone. They have a terrific chance of not losing any SEC games.

10 (10). Louisville (4-0) – IDLE. Next week: at Temple.

9 (9). UCLA (3-0) – IDLE. Next week: at Utah.

8 (5). Florida State (4-0) – There is something always missing with hyped-up Florida State teams. The defense just decided it was ok to give up 34 points to a lame duck Boston College offense. They are going to need to get a lot better to contend for an ACC title.

7 (8). Ohio State (5-0) – The Buckeyes had an impressive win over a tough Wisconsin squad. Braxton Miller looked terrific in his return to the lineup. They are starting to look like the preseason #2 team in the country.

6 (7). Baylor (3-0) – IDLE. Next week: vs West Virginia.

5 (6). Washington (4-0) – They were able to blow out Arizona, who isn’t a great team, but one that came in rolling. The Huskies are for real, and with Stanford and Oregon coming up I consecutive weeks, they could prove to be the nation’s best team if they are able to spring the upsets.

4 (4). Clemson (4-0) – The Tigers jumped out to a big lead early and never let up. When they are hitting on all cylinders, I do not know who can beat them.

3 (3). Stanford (4-0) – They had the most impressive result of the week with a hammering of a confident and improved Washington State team in front of a crazy crowd at the Seahawks home stadium. They looked like the Stanford teams who pushed around the entire conference two years ago.

2 (2). Alabama (4-0) – They had one of the more confusing results of the season. Their defense had not been dominant, yet they were able to shut out perhaps the best pure offense they have played yet. The Tide are gearing up for another title run.

1 (1). Oregon (4-0) – The played in stupid conditions in Eugene, but they were seemingly unaffected by it when Cal looked like a bunch of fools. They did nothing to lose the top spot.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. BYU at Utah State, Friday 5:00PM CBS Sports Network – The Utah in-state matchups are all going to be amazing this year. It may be the best trio of teams the state has ever had. Chuckie Keeton vs Taysom Hill. Should be electric.

4. Maryland (#25) at Florida State (#8), 9:00AM ESPN – This is an intriguing matchup. Stefon Diggs and company are going to be able to score, but can they slow up Winston? No team has been able to do that yet.

3. TCU at Oklahoma (#14), 4:00PM FOX – TCU has looked mighty impressive defensively since losing to LSU on the opening weekend. This is the type of game that the Sooners like to drop.

2. Ohio State (#7) at Northwestern (#18), 5:00PM ABC – Northwestern is always a team that pushes the top B1G teams. This time, the Wildcats have their best squad in decades. Ohio State would be foolish to look any further than this game.

1. Washington (#5) at Stanford (#3), 7:30PM ESPN – No real surprise here, right? The game in Seattle last season, the last game that Stanford lost, was a hard-fought and low-scoring affair. Look for some more offense this time around a terrific game in front of a half-full stadium in Palo Alto.

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – So far, he has put up video game numbers. If he can do the same in games against Oklahoma and his Texas state rivals, then he will be invited for sure.

4. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – It doesn’t matter the venue or situation he is in. He looks like a seasoned veteran. Next year may be his time, but he is threatening this year.

3. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – He seems to get better and better each week. If they go unbeaten, he could potentially take the first Heisman Trophy in school history.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – He has led his team to victories in every way possible. He is going to torch every SEC defense and probably win this thing again.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – He will be the top contender all season, unless they lose a game. That seems unlikely at this point.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Ohio State over Washington

Orange Bowl – Clemson over Louisville

Sugar Bowl – Texas A&M over Oklahoma

Fiesta Bowl – Baylor over Northern Illinois

BCS Championship Game – Oregon over Alabama

What did you think of this weekend? Thoughts? Give me your rankings in the comments!

Read More

Week 1 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

I am never really a fan of the rankings this early in the game, but since everyone else does it, why not? The big game of the week was Clemson-Georgia. The Tigers came out on top at home. Washington blew out Boise State. A bunch of top teams struggled on offense. Seven FBS teams lost to FCS teams, including reigning Big 12 champ Kansas State going down at home to 2-time defending FCS champ North Dakota State. The talent disparity is becoming less and less visible each season. Check out my new top 25 below, as well as my Heisman tracker, BCS predictions, and one new category:

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: Baylor, Georgia Tech, Miami, Oklahoma, TCU

Dropped from the rankings: Oregon State (13), Boise State (16), Oklahoma (23)

25 (11). Nebraska (1-0) – The defense appeared to not be improved much at all, but that offense is about to explode. They can outscore most teams in the country, but teams riding that line never really win the important games.

24 (NR). Northern Illinois (1-0) – They got their revenge against the Hawkeyes in week one. The Huskies will probably charge toward another potential BCS berth.

23 (24). Northwestern (1-0) – They had a decent non-conference win against an improved Pac 12 team in California, but they are going to need Colter to get healthy to really justify the hype.

22 (14). Texas (1-0)– The Longhorns have no offense to speak of, but their defense should keep them in basically every game they play in conference.

21 (19). Texas A&M (1-0) – Against Rice, we saw two different teams. We saw the one where they showed their true colors that were shown last year against Louisiana Tech, and then we saw a motivated one. When Manziel gets hurt, this team is screwed.

20 (21). Florida (1-0) – Their offense is not going to be good, but no one is going to really score on them.

19 (18). Wisconsin (1-0) – They did just about everything that could have been asked of them with a new coach. They are going to struggle on defense, but that running attack should keep them in most games.

19 (NR). Mississippi (1-0) – They had the big opening night back and forth win over Vandy. This team is only going to get better too.

17 (16). Texas Tech (1-0) – This team is going to be tough to contend with for any defense. Keep an eye out for some big upsets and maybe a mini Big 12 title run for the Red Raiders.

16 (10). UCLA (1-0) – The defense is still a work in progress, but the offense was clicking like it was when it had Franklin at running back. Hundley is the real deal.

15 (5). Georgia (0-1) – They looked impressive against Clemson at times, but they are not quite as good as last year. Losing Mitchell for the season celebrating hurts big time for the previously most balanced team in the nation.

14 (8). Oklahoma State (1-0) – They struggled against the average Mississippi State team. They should quit with the QB experiment. JW Walsh is their guy.

13 (12). Michigan (1-0) – After a slaughtering of an in-state rival, everyone is about to jump on the bandwagon. That offense is not as good as it appears. That will be shown against the Irish.

12 (25). Cincinnati (1-0) – Tommy Tuberville had a great debut with a big time win over Purdue. Look for a battle of undefeated teams on December 5^th against Louisville.

11 (9). South Carolina (1-0) – They had an impressive win against North Carolina to kick off the new season. We will see how good they really are playing Georgia next.

10 (NR). Washington (1-0) – I am not sure if anyone had a more impressive win last weekend than the Huskies. They obliterated Boise State, who prepares for week one better than any school. This could be a Rose Bowl team.

9 (15). LSU (1-0)– Les Miles gets another huge non-conference win. The offense looks good under new coordinator Cam Cameron. They could be a sleeper BCS contender.

8 (22). Florida State (1-0) – They started off a lot fast than I expected them to with the electrifying newcomer Jameis Winston at QB taking over for 4-time bowl winner EJ Manuel.

7 (20). Louisville (1-0) – They demolished the competition, which I was not too sure they would do right off the bat. They could breeze to an undefeated season and maybe sneak into the title game with some luck.

6 (7). Notre Dame (1-0) – They looked the part of a title contender again against Temple. We will see how that goes at Michigan this week.

5 (2). Ohio State (1-0) – They had a very uneventful and ugly win over Buffalo. This is not the team we thought it was going to be. I will now be surprised if they go unbeaten.

4 (6). Clemson (1-0) – They got the signature win right off the bat. Can they stay focused during their much weaker conference schedule?

3 (4). Oregon (1-0) – They won in a blowout against a scrub like they always do. They go on the road this week. We will see how well that offense travels without Chip Kelly to call the plays.

2 (3). Stanford (0-0) – They did not play, but they are going to be a force all year long. Their first game will be a tricky game vs a tough San Jose State team that gave them problems last year.

1 (1). Alabama (1-0) – No real surprise here. Even though they could not block anybody and the offense was very stale, they still won in a blowout because their special teams and defense are head and shoulders above every other team in the nation.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Syracuse at Northwestern (#23), 3:00PM BTN – This is an intriguing non-conference game. Syracuse is coming off a loss to Penn State. This will be less of a clash of styles and probably a high scoring thriller.

4. Florida (#20) at Miami, 9:00AM ESPN – One of the classic in-state rivalries. The difference this year is that both teams are pretty good.

3. Texas (#22) at BYU, 4:00PM ESPN2 – The last time the teams met in 2011, it was a great game. This time they meet in Provo, which should ensure that this is a tough, probably low-scoring, but highly competitive game.

2. South Carolina (#11) at Georgia (#15), 3:30PM ESPN – We will see exactly what both teams are made of in this game. Georgia has a gut check and revenge game. South Carolina has an early test to see if they are the new favorite in the division. Should be quite a game.

1. Notre Dame (#6) at Michigan (#13), 5PM ESPN – This is going to go down as one of the most interesting matchups between the rivals. With the future of the rivalry in question, these games are going to mean even more to the teams.

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – He has everyone’s attention right off the bat. If he continues with his production and keeps winning, then I would not at all be surprised if he gets an invite.

4. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson – He had his first monster outing in an important game since his freshman year. If he can put up numbers like that all year long, then he will be a slam dunk Biletnikoff winner and Heisman threat.

3. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State – He had an underwhelming game stats-wise, but his passing is improved. They need to go undefeated for him to win this.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – He is a punk and a diva, but he is scary good. He is going to be gunned for all year long, but if he can stay healthy and productive, then he will be in the conversation for the duration.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – He was able to do whatever he wanted against Nicholls State. He is going to be the frontrunner until he loses a game.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Oregon over Michigan

Orange Bowl – Ohio State over Florida State

Sugar Bowl – Alabama over Clemson

Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma State over LSU

BCS Championship Game – Stanford over Louisville

What did you think of this weekend? Thoughts? Give me your rankings in the comments!

Read More

Complete 2013 College Football Preview

Football season is almost here! I care more about college football than any other sport, so even though “almost here” means that the first slate of games is in like six weeks, the Conference Media Days and fall practices are starting. I am not jumping the gun too much, after all, I predict the next year’s Oscars in March. Without further ado, check out the complete, extensive, and probably unintentionally biased college football preview!

Conference Rankings and Breakdown

After sifting through these rankings, not only will you know where your team will finish in 2013 within its conference, but you will also know where your BCS (I cannot wait until next year when that no longer exists) conference stands as a whole. This is not an exact science, obviously, since teams are coming in and out of conferences seemingly daily, and there was a stretch last year when West Virginia looked as if it would roll over the Big 12 before getting taken to the woodshed by Texas Tech and losing 6 of its last 8. We have no real basis for predicting how some of these teams will do (I am looking at you Big East American Athletic Conference!). It should be fun, though. Check it out.

American Athletic Conference (#6)

10. Memphis Tigers (HC: Justin Fuente, 2^nd season)

9. Temple Owls (HC: Matt Rhule, 1^st season)

8. Southern Methodist Mustangs (HC: June Jones, 6^th season)

7. South Florida Bulls (HC: Willie Taggert, 1^st season)

6. Connecticut Huskies (HC: Paul Pasqualoni, 3^rd season)

5. Central Florida Knights (HC: George O’Leary, 10^th season)

4. Houston Cougars (HC: Anthony Levine, 2^nd season)

3. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (HC: Kyle Flood, 2^nd season)

2. Louisville Cardinals (HC: Charlie Strong, 4^th season)

1. Cincinnati Bearcats (HC: Tommy Tuberville, 1^st season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Defensive Player of the Year: Jamal Merrell, LB, Rutgers

Coach of the Year: Tommy Tuberville, Cincinnati

Automatic BCS Bid: Cincinnati

This conference is going to be interesting. The top three teams are very well defined at this point. It is going to probably be another split at the top, even though Rutgers lost nearly half of its starting lineup to the NFL. Cincinnati is going to get an immediate boost from new head coach Tommy Tuberville who turned Texas Tech into a formidable team in the Big 12 quickly. He is inheriting a lot of talent too. Louisville has the best coach and QB and, with some luck, could potentially run the table. The AAC has great offenses all over the place, but the few with solid defenses will rise to the top.

Atlantic Coast Conference (#5)

ATLANTIC

7. Duke Blue Devils (HC: David Cutcliffe, 6^th season)

6. Virginia Cavaliers (HC: Mike London, 4^th season)

5. Pittsburgh Panthers (HC: Paul Chryst, 2^nd season)

4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (HC: Paul Johnson, 6^th season)

3. Virginia Tech Hokies (HC: Frank Beamer, 27^th season)

2. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (HC: Al Golden, 3^rd season)

1. North Carolina Tar Heels (HC: Larry Fedora, 2^nd season)

COASTAL

7. Boston College Eagles (HC: Steve Addazio, 1^st season)

6. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (HC: Jim Grobe, 13^th season)

5. North Carolina State Wolfpack (Dave Doeren, 1^st season)

4. Maryland Terrapins (HC: Randy Edsall, 3^rd season)

3. Florida State Seminoles (HC: Jimbo Fisher, 4^th season)

2. Syracuse Orange (HC: Scott Shafer, 1^st season)

1. Clemson Tigers (Dabo Swinney, 6^th season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson

Defensive Player of the Year: Lamarcus Joyner, S, Florida State

Coach of the Year: Larry Fedora, North Carolina

Conference Championship Game: Clemson over North Carolina

This conference seems to be all but over already. Clemson is the prohibitive favorite with the majority of the key components of its squad returning from last year’s bowl victory over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl (maybe the best matchup the bowl has ever had). They are going to put up crazy offensive numbers once again led by Heisman contender Tajh Boyd. They would be a dark horse candidate for the BCS title game if they didn’t have Georgia and in-state rival South Carolina in the non-conference. Florida State is going to have a bit of a disappointing season finishing third in the Coastal division without 4-time bowl winner E.J. Manuel and with newcomer Syracuse bumping them down a spot. The other side is going to come down to who can avoid bad losses to the Dukes and Boston Colleges of the world. Miami is poised for a good year, as is returning VT quarterback Logan Thomas, but I feel like North Carolina takes the Atlantic Division fresh off of its bowl ban. They continue to get top level talent, and Fedora can really build a program. That will be an entertaining title game for sure.

Big Ten Conference (#4)

LEGENDS

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers (HC: Jerry Kill, 3^rd season)

5. Iowa Hawkeyes (HC: Kirk Ferentz: 15^th season)

4. Northwestern Wildcats (HC: Pat Fitzgerald, 8^th season)

3. Michigan State Spartans (HC: Mark Dantonio, 7^th season)

2. Michigan Wolverines (HC: Brady Hoke, 3^rd season)

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (HC: Bo Pelini, 6^th season)

LEADERS

6. Penn State Nittany Lions (HC: Bill O’Brien, 2^nd season)

5. Illinois Fighting Illini (HC: Tim Beckman, 2^nd season)

4. Indiana Hoosiers (HC: Kevin R. Wilson, 3^rd season)

3. Purdue Boilermakers (HC: Darrell Hazell, 1^st season)

2. Wisconsin Badgers (HC: Gary Andersen, 1^st season)

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (HC: Urban Meyer, 2^nd season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State

Defensive Player of the Year: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State

Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer, Ohio State

Conference Championship Game: Ohio State over Nebraska

This conference is an interesting case. We have last year’s ineligible team that made undefeated look easy and returns a host of its starters, including Heisman frontrunner Braxton Miller. Nebraska is coming off a whipping at the hands of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game after going undefeated in the Legends Division. Wisconsin had a Rose Bowl berth, but they lost their coach before the game. Michigan is poised to have a rebound year of sorts when they will not have to be handcuffed by the electric play and limited passing game of Denard Robinson. Devin Gardner looked better than Robinson in glimpses last season. Michigan State is one of those that everyone feels will drop down each year, but they just linger around and take the top teams down to the wire. Penn State is going to have a huge falloff, though. It is years 2-4 of their sanctions that will really be hard on the Nittany Lions. The lack of scholarships and hope for any of the recruits to play in a bowl game is lost. It will be tough sledding for reigning national coach of the year Bill O’Brien. Oh, and watch out for Northwestern. That team can play. They have Kain Colter and Venric Mark coming back, which may be enough to contend in a tough Legends Division.

Southeastern Conference (#3)

EAST

7. Missouri Tigers (HC: Gary Pinkel, 13^th season)

6. Vanderbilt Commodores (HC: James Franklin, 3^rd season)

5. Kentucky Wildcats (HC: Mark Stoops, 1^st season)

4. Florida Gators (HC: Will Muschamp, 3^rd season)

3. South Carolina Gamecocks (Steve Spurrier, 9^th season)

2. Tennessee Volunteers (HC: Butch Jones, 1^st season)

1. Georgia Bulldogs (HC: Mark Richt, 13^th season)

WEST

7. Mississippi State Bulldogs (HC: Dan Mullen, 5^th season)

6. Auburn Tigers (HC: Gus Malzahn, 1^st season)

5. Arkansas Razorbacks (HC: Bret Bielema, 1^st season)

4. Texas A&M Aggies (Kevin Sumlin, 2^nd season)

3. Louisiana State Tigers (HC: Les Miles, 9^th season)

2. Mississippi Rebels (HC: Hugh Freeze, 2^nd season)

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (HC: Nick Saban, 7^th season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia

Defensive Player of the Year: C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama

Coach of the Year: Butch Jones, Tennessee

Conference Championship Game: Alabama over Georgia

Everyone will cry that ranking the SEC 3^rd is ridiculous, but they are just so weak at the bottom that they cannot stand up with the two deepest conferences. In the East, we have the defending division champion Georgia with its 4-year starting QB coming back, as well as its game-breaking young running backs. They should not have too much of an issue getting back to the Conference Title Game, but Tennessee, with new head coach Butch Jones, may be the only conference loss for the Bulldogs. They get Georgia at home, but they have three tough road games, which will make it difficult for them to actually take the division. Look for a huge bounce back from the Volunteers. Florida lost way too many starters to compete this year, and South Carolina is going to be in that usual 9-10 win range and miss out on the big time bowls. On the West side, we have Alabama. That is really all there is. I cannot see them losing to the Aggies again, even though the game is in front of the 12^th Man in College Station. A&M lost a bunch of starters, and they will fall back the middle of the conference. Bielema will get the Razorbacks back, but it will take a while after the mess they have been put through the last couple seasons. LSU is always going to be around, but they just do not have the offense. Ole Miss is on the rise and will greatly improve on the 7 wins from a year ago. Once conference play gets going, their spread attack will be in full force and they will be a tough out. None of that really matters, though. The Tide will roll, maybe go undefeated this year, and almost certainly return to the National Championship Game.

Big 12 Conference (#2)

10. Kansas Jayhawks (HC: Charlie Weis, 2^nd season)

9. West Virginia Mountaineers (HC: Dana Holgorsen, 3^rd season)

8. Iowa State Cyclones (HC: Paul Rhodes, 5^th season)

7. Kansas State Wildcats (Bill Snyder, 22^nd total season)

6. Baylor Bears (HC: Art Briles, 6^th season)

5. Texas Christian Horned Frogs (HC: Gary Patterson, 13^th season)

4. Oklahoma Sooners (HC: Bob Stoops, 15^th season)

3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Kliff Kingsbury, 1^st season)

2. Texas Longhorns (HC: Mack Brown, 16^th season)

1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (HC: Mike Gundy, 9^th season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor

Defensive Player of the Year: Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas

Coach of the Year: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Automatic BCS Bid: Oklahoma State

The Big 12 is the deepest conference in college football right now. Everyone except the pathetic Jayhawks is viable and bowl ready. There are legitimately 6 or 7 teams that could take the conference this year. Texas has a host of returning starters, and we have to think that the defense will be improved from last year. Texas Tech is going to continue putting up big numbers offensively with Kingsbury as head coach, adding to their sneaky good defense. Kansas State may take a step back without Colin Klein, but Snyder can coach them up better than anyone. TCU can make a run in their second year in the conference. Oklahoma is going to look totally different with Blake Bell as the full time QB. Baylor is going to be an offensive juggernaut, but I just cannot take them totally seriously until they field a competitive defense. The team that has been up there a lot recently that will wind up with the conference title is Oklahoma State. They have the important starters back, minus Joseph Randle. They are poised and well coached. Their schedule looks pretty manageable, with the only tough road games in Austin and Lubbock. No team is going to finish with less than two losses this year. The conference is way too competitive.

Pacific-12 Conference (#1)

NORTH

6. California-Berkeley Golden Bears (HC: Sonny Dykes, 1^st season)

5. Washington State Cougars (Mike Leach, 2^nd season)

4. Oregon State Beavers (HC: Mike Riley, 13^th total season)

3. Washington Huskies (HC: Steve Sarkisian, 5^th season)

2. Stanford Cardinal (HC: David Shaw, 3^rd season)

1. Oregon Ducks (HC: Mark Helfrich, 1^st season)

SOUTH

6. Colorado Buffaloes (HC: Mike MacIntyre, 1^st season)

5. Arizona State Sun Devils (HC: Todd Graham, 2^nd season)

4. Arizona Wildcats (HC: Rich Rodriguez, 2^nd season)

3. Utah Utes (HC: Kyle Whittingham, 9^th season)

2. Southern California Trojans (HC: Lane Kiffin, 4^th season)

1. California-Los Angeles Bruins (HC: Jim Mora, 2^nd season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA

Coach of the Year: Mark Helfrich, Oregon

Conference Championship Game: Oregon over UCLA

The best conference in the land is going to be a battle. I cannot see any of the teams going unbeaten in conference this year. The North is, of course, the best division in all of college football. Stanford and Oregon are arguable two of the five best teams in the nation. Oregon State is in that Michigan State mold, where everyone underestimates every single year. Washington has a senior quarterback and could make some noise with a 9 or so win season. Washington State proved last year that they can be a tough team to contend with at home. Leach’s offense promises to be much more consistent this year. California has a new coach and a lot of talent. Other than maybe the top two, the other four could finish in any order. I feel like the Ducks will wind up with the North title, with their only loss coming against UCLA at home. The South is probably going to come down to the Los Angeles schools. UCLA has a chunk of its division champion team back, most importantly Brett Hundley. USC should certainly have a better season than last year without the curse of the preseason #1 ranking. Utah is slowly climbing up the ranks as it gains more Pac-12 ready talent. The other three teams are all still breaking in new head coaches. MacIntyre is a great hire for Colorado. He turned San Jose State into a 10 win team, just two years removed from a 1-12 laughing stock. He will get Colorado back to the middle in the next couple years. The South champ is going to be UCLA, but I cannot see them beating Oregon twice in the same year. Ducks get the Rose Bowl berth.

Top 5 BCS Busters

5. Tulsa Golden Hurricane – The 11 win team from a year ago has their returning starting QB Cody Green.  Their Conference USA schedule is manageable. This is a team that definitely needs to run the table to get in the BCS, however.

                Toughest games: at Oklahoma, vs Iowa State, at Louisiana Tech

4. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs – They blew everyone away last year with their high powered offense and skill position talent. While their quarterback and receiver are gone, they still have standout running back Kenneth Dixon and a very doable road to the BCS.

                Toughest games: at NC State, at Kansas, vs Tulsa

3. Boise State Broncos – They are always going to be in the running. Last year was an off year for them, when they only won 11 games. This year, their schedule shapes up nicely. Senior QB Joe Southwick seemed to really be running the offense well at the end of the year.

                Toughest games: at Washington, at Utah State, vs Nevada, at BYU, at San Diego State

2. Northern Illinois Huskies – The BCS team from last year is set to make another run this year. They will not start off the year under anyone’s radar, however. The MAC may not be as great as it was last year, either. They need to be undefeated this year, and seeing how Jordan Lynch played last year, that isn’t out of the question. Losing their head coach may hurt them a bit, though.

                Toughest games: at Iowa, at Purdue, at Kent State

1. Arkansas State Red Wolves – They may have lost standout dual threat QB Ryan Aplin and head coach Gus Malzahn, but this team was as complete as any last year. They basically dominated the Sun Belt. I expect more of the same this year.

                Toughest games: at Auburn, at Missouri, at Louisiana-Monroe

Top 5 Defenses

5. Michigan State Spartans – They lost William Gholston to the NFL, but they still return a few key starters, including elite cornerback Darqueze Dennard. They are always well coached and huge up front. Expect their defense to keep them in a bunch of games again this year, as its offense will not be up to par just yet.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – This defense will hold most offenses to low numbers again, despite losing all everything linebacker Manti Te’o. They still have probably the most elite defensive line in the country, with Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt leading the way.

3. South Carolina Gamecocks – They have Jadaveon Clowney, which basically justifies them being on this list. He is the freakiest edge rusher I have seen in a long time. Add in a few other key returning starters from one of the better defenses last year, and you have one of the stingier potential defensive squads for 2013.

2. Stanford Cardinal – The Cardinal lost a few of their main contributors from a year ago, but David Shaw has shown an ability to replace his stars with almost no transition period. Expect Shayne Skov and company to continue the new tradition of defensive dominance by Stanford.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide – They may have lost another crop of players to the NFL, but once again, they are going to be loaded defensively. Led by likely All-American LB C.J. Mosley, this group is going to be scary good again, being as tough to move the ball on as any defense in the last few years.

Top 5 Offenses

5. Baylor Bears– We saw how well first time starter Nick Florence could do after the team lost RGIII (that is almost 45 PPG, by the way). Now they have Bryce Petty as the signal caller, who has the potential to be every bit as good as Florence. Lache Seastrunk could be a Heisman contender. Tevin Reese stretches the field as well as any Big 12 receiver. Look for some scary numbers by this offense, especially because their defense cannot stop anybody.

4. Clemson Tigers– Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins are back. They have lit up the ACC the past two seasons, and this year will be no different. I understand that DeAndre Hopkins is in the NFL and was a major component to the potency of that passing game, but Watkins is the game-breaker. Roderick McDowell should fit in nicely as a replacement for Andre Ellington. They should destroy ACC defenses.

3. Georgia Bulldogs – This could wind up being the most balanced offense in all of college football. Aaron Murray is coming into his fourth year as QB. Todd Gurley is as electric and talented as any running back in the nation. Malcolm Mitchell heads a dynamic receiving core as well. They should be able to score at will this year. Their defense is also going to be suspect, so they will put up monster numbers.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide – I could have put them number one. A.J. McCarron is more than just a game manager now. He is going to be given the keys to the offense, and he has all of the tools to be a great pocket passer. T.J. Yeldon is the next in line of the Alabama running backs who will dominate and get drafted high. Kenny Bell and Amari Cooper may be the two best receivers in the SEC. They proved against Notre Dame that they can pound even the most talented of defenses.

1. Oregon Ducks– Once again, the Ducks are probably going to be the best offense. Chip Kelly groomed Mark Helfrich to make the transition seamless, and there is no indication that it won’t be just that. Marcus Mariota and De’Anthony Thomas is a great running tandem, but Mariota can definitely throw the ball too. He is their best QB I have seen. Josh Huff is a solid wide out, while Colt Lyerla is a versatile and unguardable weapon. They should roll over almost every team they play and put up video game numbers once again.

Top 5 Coach of the Year Contenders

5. Dabo Swinney, Clemson – He is a hot commodity in the coaching world right now. Everyone seems to really like the guy, and his team is fun to watch. If he can coach his talented team to a BCS game and potentially an undefeated season, then he will be recognized in one form or another.

4. Butch Jones, Tennessee – If Jones can take that mess of a Tennessee team out of the muck and into contention for a SEC Championship Game berth, which I expect he will, then he will be up there for this award. He has followed Brian Kelly each step so far and improved on what he left him, but this time it is a rebuilding job. He can turn it around in one year. A division title will almost guarantee a spot on the Coach of the Year shortlist.

3. Mark Helfrich, Oregon – If he can get his team out the Pac-12 without a loss, then he deserves to be commended. With the investigations and bad press that the team has had, as well as losing one of the greatest offensive minds in recent memory, Helfrich would deserve to be in the conversation if he can win big and basically outshine his predecessor.

2. Nick Saban, Alabama – He is the coach of the likely National Champions. Most of the time, however, this award goes to a coach that does something truly special with a team, not necessarily the coach of the best team. He will get his votes, though, especially if he can get out of the SEC without a loss.

1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State – Like Saban, most people expect his squad to be dominant. He already showed last year that the talent was already there and that it just needed the right coach. If they go undefeated again, it would be the first time since 1994-1995 Nebraska that a team has back-to-back unbeaten seasons. He would deserve the award just for that.

Top 5 NFL Draft Prospects

5. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – People may question his level of competition against the putrid Big East, but that Sugar Bowl victory against the vaunted Florida defense proved that he is the real deal.

4. Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU – After Ziggy Ansah got taken so high in the 2013 draft, it is clear that Van Noy will follow suit in 2014. He was actually the best defender on the team, always making big plays and putting up crazy numbers for an outside linebacker.

3. Marqise Lee, WR, USC – He may be a bit short for the prototypical NFL receiver, but he is ridiculously talented. When he has the ball, he is electric. When he doesn’t have the ball, he is making people look silly. His hands are as good as it gets. He will be an instant impact player at the next level.

2. Taylor Lewan, T, Michigan – He has been the talk of the Big Ten in terms of linemen for a couple years now. He is every bit as talented and athletic as Jake Long, the former #1 pick. He will almost certainly be the first left tackle taken in the draft.

1. Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – He is one of the craziest athletes in the nation. He is a pure pass rusher with sub 4.45 speed. Unless a team really wants a QB, then he will be the first pick in the draft for sure.

Top 10 Heisman Contenders

10. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – With how poorly he has handled his historic Heisman win a year ago, I cannot see him winning again. However, when Tim Tebow had his win as the first sophomore, he was invited back both subsequent seasons whether he deserved it or not. People still love him and he will continue to be in the spotlight from now until December.

9. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – He has the talent and the offense around him to put up some stupid numbers in 2013. His team will need to be a threat in the Big 12 for this to be realistic, but his numbers should speak for themselves.

8. Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – He is going to need to build on what he did last year for him to really compete for an invitation to New York. Defensive players are getting more national Heisman attention recently, so he will be on everyone’s watchlist to start the year and maybe to end the year if he can have an Ndamukong Suh-level season of dominance and big plays.

7. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama – Once Eddie Lacy left for the NFL, he was placed on everyone’s shortlist. He will be given the platform and carries to have just as impressive of a season as invitees Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram before him. Sharing the ball with Lacy was the best thing for him. Look for him to have a ridiculous season.

6. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia – He is going to continue to be scrutinized for not being clutch until he can beat Alabama or win a BCS bowl. If he can put together an undefeated regular season, then he will be a finalist for sure. He just needs to block out all of the negative attention and just conduct what should be an unstoppable offense.

5. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska – All three seasons of his career, he has garnered early Heisman attention for his big plays and monster numbers. He is finally the unquestioned starter and proved last year that he is the most clutch quarterback in the country. He can win the Heisman if they win the Big Ten. A battle of undefeated teams in the Big Ten Title game would be the best thing for him.

4. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – He has everything going for him right now. Last year, he was a top 10 level Heisman contender. This year, with all of the weapons he has coming back and a probable Orange Bowl run in front of him, he is a frontrunner. Let’s see how he can do with expectations.

3. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – He seems to have a bit of Colin Kaepernick in him, except he plays at a big school. If he has an even better and more efficient sophomore campaign, then he will be an easy Heisman finalist, since his team is likely headed for another 11-12 win regular season.

2. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama – At some point, the conductor of one of the most impressive runs in modern college football history has got to be recognized. He is efficient, poised, and clutch. Another unbeaten season will guarantee his candidacy.

1. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State – The clear frontrunner this year has to be the most dynamic quarterback in the nation. In Urban Meyer’s offense, Miller thrived last year. If he can stay healthy, then his numbers will be sick and he will run away with this vote.

Preseason Top 25

Others receiving votes: Baylor, Miami, Mississippi, Rutgers, Syracuse, TCU, USC, Washington

25. Cincinnati– Head coach Tommy Tuberville will get them there. He is left a host of talent, and they will make a run at it in the AAC.

24. Northwestern– The Wildcats have key returning starters on offense, and they have showed recently that they really have a winning pedigree. We will have to see how the team does with some real expectations in the Legends Division.

23. Oklahoma – They are always in the running and wind up disappointing. I expect the offense to go through some growing pains early on, but it could really get rolling behind power running QB Blake Bell.

22. Florida State– The Seminoles are faced with another year of high expectations, which is not good for that squad. Every year is the same hype, and every year they wind up being a pretty good but not great team with elite talent.

21. Florida – The losses on the defensive side of the ball are going to force the offense to carry the team early on, which will be a great change of pace for the defensive-minded coaching staff.

20. Louisville– This may seem a bit low for the Cardinals, but other than Teddy Bridgewater, there just is not too much pull for Louisville. They will likely have a huge year again, though. The matchup with Cincinnati in December will likely decide who gets the BCS nod.

19. Texas A&M– Johnny Football has been a media hound recently, but maybe that is just ESPN looking for a story. The team had some huge losses to the draft, but Manziel should be able to shoulder the pressure to put together another nice season and pull a couple more upsets.

18. Wisconsin – There may be a slight transition period after losing their coach and Montee Ball, but they can reload and make another run toward a Rose Bowl berth.

17. Boise State– The team has a bunch of starters coming back, and we know at worst that they will be a well coached team that will win 10 games. I don’t foresee the early offensive struggles like last year.

16. Texas Tech– This team is a dark horse in the Big 12. The offense will be potent. If the defense is solid like last year, then watch out for the Kliff Kingsbury-coached squad.

15. LSU – The Tigers are looking at another elite defense and good running game. We will see if Zach Mettenberger has grown in the offseason.

14. Texas – They have some 20 returning starters, so they have to be great. They will likely still struggle on offense since none of their QBs are great, but they will be a veteran and well coached bunch. If they do not contend this year, that could be the end of Mack Brown in Austin.

13. Oregon State– There is no real reason for them to be up this high, but there isn’t a reason they shouldn’t be either. Storm Woods and company will make the offense viable. The defense is always stingy when they are not playing Oregon. They will be a “surprise” team again.

12. Michigan – Devin Gardner could be the guy who could take the team to the Promised Land, but not quite this year. He is the next Ryan Tannehill. The rest of the team stacks up well. They will be right there contending for a division title with…

11. Nebraska – The Cornhuskers need to win this year. Martinez may well hold every relevant record in school history, but without a conference title, all of that will not mean much. They have the returning talent to do just that.

10. UCLA – The early season matchup with Nebraska will be interesting. That will be a nice barometer to measure where the team will fall in 2013. They looked like the best team in the Pac-12 at times, but they also looked very stale at times. I expect Brett Hundley to make them more of the former this year.

9. South Carolina– The team is going to be all about defense. They have a nice group of skill position players ready to step up, but they aren’t exactly Marcus Lattimore and Ace Sanders. That defensive front will keep them around the top 10 all year.

8. Oklahoma State– The Cowboys are looking at having one of the elite offenses in the nation once again. The stable of QBs has settled down to just one, Clint Chelf. He has the talent to be the best QB in the conference.

7. Notre Dame – How will Everett Goldson respond during his sophomore campaign after getting hammered in the National Championship Game? Pretty well, I suspect. Brian Kelly has never really had a great team coming back since he always upgrades. You can’t get much higher than Notre Dame. Look for another title run this year.

6. Clemson – The offense of the Tigers is going to be scary. For them to finally compete legitimately for a BCS title, they need to improve on defense. Their offense will mask a lot of their deficiencies, however.

5. Georgia – Week 1: Georgia at Clemson. Be there. It is set up to be a classic offensive show and battle to see who is a legit top 5 team and who is going to come up short once again.

4. Oregon – The Ducks will not leave the top 10 all year, unless they drop to Tennessee in the non-conference. They are reloaded and set for another National Title run.

3. Stanford – The Cardinal are going to be incredible once again. With Kevin Hogan at QB, the team was on a different level. Losing their horse Stepfan Taylor is a blow, obviously, but they have reserves. Oregon at Stanford on 11/7…should be another unforgettable matchup with a BCS Title spot potentially on the line.

2. Ohio State – After seeing how they played last year with nothing to play for, I cannot think that this year they will be any weaker. If they slip up, it will be surprising, maybe even shocking. A battle of unbeatens against Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship would be a sight to see.

1. Alabama – Surprised? I didn’t think so. They are the favorite, and they should be. However, last time they were basically a unanimous #1 in 2010, they lost 3 games in the regular season. Can you see that happening again? Nah me neither.

BCS Predictions

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State over Cincinnati

Orange Bowl: Stanford over Clemson

Rose Bowl: Oregon over Nebraska

Sugar Bowl: Georgia over Texas

BCS Championship Game: Alabama over Ohio State

So, there you have it. What do you think? Your top 25? Other rankings? Any notable snubs or overlooks? Let me know in the comments!

Read More