Preseason Commentary for 2008
I know, I know...embarrassed in the last two BCS National Titles, but I see them going there again this year...
#1 Ohio State should be fuming that they fell apart against LSU in the Sugar Bowl. You can give them all sorts of excuses for their failure, but I doubt they want to hear it. This is a team that returns the most starters in the country, and they are damn good.
Why? Laurinaitis is probably reason enough, coupled with 22 returning starters. Beanie Wells is prepped to be a star. Likely nobody in the Big 10 will challenge this team.
Why Not? USC is a huge obstacle. The trip to LA in September is rough. If they survive USC, they can practically stamp passage to Miami.
Instant Impact? You'll hear it again and again, but Terrelle Pryor represents the same thing that Tim Tebow did to Florida in their championship year. He is the X-Factor QB that can change a game just by being somewhere in the lineup.
#2 UGA could easily be #1. They return 17 starters. They were likely the best team at the end of the year. But they are in the SEC, which could make them a 2-loss team in January again.
Why? The O and D Lines return the majority of their depth. The D gets 9 starters back. Knowshon Moreno at RB and Matt Stafford at QB are playmakers.
Why Not? All the hard games are road games. LSU, Auburn, and Arizona State should be challenging, not to mention the Cocktail party in November.
Instant Impact? AJ Green. Although the Dawgs only lose on WR, Green looks like the best of a good crop of receivers, and he should see the field early.
#3 Oklahoma also makes a strong case for #1, but then there's the whole BCS Bowl pancake thing...
Why? Both lines return 100% intact, Sam Bradford was the best rated QB in the nation last year as a Freshman, DeMarco Murray is a playmaker, and the Sooners have played in the last two Orange Bowl National Championship games (roughly spaced out like the World Cup and the Olympics).
Why Not? Linebacker is a flashing red scary as hell weakness. Losing Curtis Lofton early to the NFL could be the worst thing that happened to this team. If somebody doesn't step up, this team is in trouble.
Instant Impact? LB Mike Balogun. With the LBs so depleted, this JUCO will have to step up at the Will and make an impact for the team to have success.
#4 Mizzou had it all going into the Big XII Championship game. They were #1 in the country. They had vengeance for their only regular season loss on the mind. They were in the best position to get into the National Championship. But they ended up in the Cotton Bowl, taking out their frustrations on a hapless Arkansas Rasorbacks team. And now they seem prepared to try for the brass ring again.
Why? Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin. 10 returning starters on D. The Illinois game in St Louis, the trip to Texas, and the KU game in KC are all that stand between the Tigers and another Big XII Championship game.
Why Not? A RB will need to step it up for this team to get back to where they were at the end of last season. Losing Tony Temple is probably bigger than anybody thinks.
Instant Impact? QB Blaine Gabbert is one of the best QBs in the country coming out of High School. Chances are he won't start over Chase Daniel, but he gives the Mizzou faithful something to look forward to when Chase departs.
#5 Florida returns 17 starters, including Tim Tebow (AKA, Mr. Heisman). With the volume of underclassmen that left after the 2006 Championship, there was very little wonder how 2007 would turn out. Now that experience has returned to the Gators, 2008 looks to be a ver good year.
Why? Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. Tough D. Any Questions?
Why Not? Trips to Tennessee and Arkansas. The Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. A season ender in Tallahasee could also be tough if Bowden's boys aren't the patsies they've been the last few years.
Instant Impact? Will Hill from NJ looks like a stud at Safety. Although he won't start right off, he will probably get some PT. Early.
#6 Clemson is finally at the point everyone's been talking about since Tommy Bowden arrived. The biggest hang up is the O line.
Why? Cullen Harper, CJ Spiller, and James Davis could be the best backfield in the land. Games against the Citadel and SC State. Duke. NC State, Maryland, and Ga Tech at home.
Why Not? An early battle with Bama in the ATL. Trips to Wake, BC, and FSU. O-Line is totally inexperienced. LB is a weakness.
Instant Impact? Da'Quan Bowers may be the best incoming DL in the country.
#7 USC is USC, which means they get the instant top 10 vote (and sometimes higher) as long as Pete Carroll is in charge. This team has some big challenges ahead, though, and has some experience issues.
Why? The players and skills are there. The talent, as usual, is abundant. The D should be very good. The Pac 10 slate doens't look to challenge this team much.
Why Not? The early battle with Ohio State looms. The O-Line is almost all new. Mark Sanchez has yet to prove his greatness.
Instant Impact? Matt Kalil. With the line replacing 4/5 starters, this looks like the place a true freshman could impact the most.
#8 Auburn
#9 Texas
#10 Arizona State
And so begins the 2008 college football season. Teams are practicing, some twice a day. The season is here, a short two weeks away.
Bama takes on Clemson in what amounts to a very intriguing SEC v. ACC matchup. Nick Saban's Tide is expected to contend in his third season. Tommy Bowden's Tigers are expected to challenge for the ACC. This is probably the best team Bowden has produced. Will Tommy stumble early and will Bama roll, or will the Tigers take a bite out of the mighty Crimson elephant?
The battle between Mizzou and the Illini last year was an afterthought. That is until both teams were at the pinnacle of their performance, Illinois making it to a BCS bowl, and Mizzou losing only to Oklahoma and making Arkansas their bitch in the Cotton Bowl. Who will win this border war and get a leg up in the hunt for conference supremacy?
USC makes an early trip to UVA, and before we totally dismiss this as another Pete Carroll romp, consider the losses in the Trojan camp and remember that jet lag could be a factor. Yes, okay, USC will probably pimp slap the Cavs, but I'm intrigued. Will the Trojans blow the Cavs out, or will this be a fun game to watch?
Tennessee takes a trip to UCLA. Their trip to Cal was embarrassing, equaling the embarrassment they leveled on the Bears the year prior. If the Vols want to show the power of the SEC, they will have to stomp a mudhole in the Bruins. If they were playing the other LA team, they would just have to win. Given that UCLA isn't exactly known for their pigskin prowess they way they are for their roundball play, they could get overlooked by the Vols. Will Tennessee make a statement, or will UCLA represent the PAC-10 by beating an SEC contender?
Kentucky in Louisville face off in what usually amounts to a fun game. Who will end the day with state bragging rights? |
