That time of the year has returned.
As we enter September, football returns to daily life after its yearly time away. This year marks an off-season that has been almost overloaded with stories in both the college and pro ranks, with stories ranging from the good and triumphant to the tragic and sad all the way down to the freakshow that first day in Minnesota turned out to be if you were confined to the spectator role. The point is that the game with soon overtake the stories and the hype, but both will end up benefiting from each other as an off-season like this last one doesn’t come along too often and one will likely be able to top it for anticipation and almost glee for what this weekend will represent: the beginning of the football season. Think about it: Brett Favre as a Viking, Michael Vick as an Eagle, Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, and Colt McCoy all coming back, Joe Paterno back on the sidelines, USC not the odds on favorite for a change, Tom Brady returning to the huddle after a year off, the Cardinals a pre-season favorite to win the NFC, how can you not be in intense anticipation for this season to begin? If you’re not, you’re probably not a football fan.
USA Today Coach’s Top 25
1. Florida
Despite Harvin and other necessary offensive weapons being gone, Tebow still has good backup while looking for a repeat and maybe a second Heisman. Mississippi has been on the Gators’ radar since their loss to them last September, but a repeat of that game is very possible. If that happens, the title could be lost.
2. Texas
With his end of the regular season charge and last-minute heroics in Arizona to end last season, you know Colt McCoy wants that title. The chip on the shoulder of that whole team about supposedly being robbed of a Big-12 title shot (whatever your opinion may be on that matter) only benefits them and will provide what they will need those three weeks to end October when they play Oklahoma, Missouri, and Oklahoma St. in straight weeks, the final two being on the road and the first being at the Cotton Bowl. If they get through that, then they should be playing for the title, come January.
3. Oklahoma
Like Florida, the Sooners lost plenty on offense after last year’s historic run. But what they lost may have been counteracted by the fact that they kept their backfield. While the O-line isn’t quite what it was last year, if it holds and plays to last year’s form, there’s no reason the Sooners shouldn’t make another run. Bradford may have to rely on the run more than last year, but the Sooners can easily get the job done.
4. USC
Mark Sanchez leaving will likely be what kills the Trojans’ national title hopes this year. However, this is a team that can easily win the Pac-10 again, even if it means playing closer in big games than they have in past years.
5. Alabama
No Glen Coffee and no John Parker Wilson means that a repeat of last year’s near SEC title run is unlikely. Saturday against V-Tech will be a litmus test on how the previously mentioned losses have affected the team as a whole. For the season as a whole, the SEC won’t be as smooth for the Tide as it was last year and that will be the x-factor on why playing January 1 should be the ultimate goal of this team for the year and not just something that should happen.
6. Ohio St.
This is Terrell Pryor’s make-or-brake season and whether he plays like it is will say a lot about his team’s chances. Even without Sanchez, the Trojans may be too much to handle since the game is in September and not November, but the Big-10 will come down to (once again) the Buckeyes’ meeting with Joe Pa.
7. Virginia Tech
Definitely the team to beat in the ACC this year and an impressive showing against Bama could put the Hokies into the national title argument right out of the gate. However, the ACC is tougher than it may appear and nobody is immune from those November upsets.
8. Penn St.
As previously mentioned, the Big-10 will come down to the OSU/Penn St. meeting and since Penn St. gets it in their house this year, they might be smelling roses for a second straight year.
9. LSU
The Tigers’ domination in the Peach Bowl showed that even in a disappointing season, they can be dangerous. At the start of this season, the Tigers are dangerous because they are no longer the most looked at team in the SEC with Florida and Bama being the top followed by Ole Miss and Tennessee thanks to a lot of preseason hype and Lane Kiffin’s antics.
10. Ole Miss
There may be a lot of hype attached to the Rebels in this preseason, but it is deserved. Remember, this is the team that beat Florida last year and then shocked everyone with their beating of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. With no Florida and getting Bama, Tennessee, and LSU at home, this is the Rebels’ year if they want to get to Atlanta for that conference title game.
11. Oklahoma St.
Having to play Texas and Oklahoma (on the road) in the same year usually guarantees at least one loss, so the national title is likely out of the equation for the Cowboys. Dez Bryant’s return combined with the loss of Crabtree and Iglesias going pro makes the Cowboys my dark horse candidate to win the Big-12 this year.
12. California
With possibly the best running back in the nation, Cal seems to have the pieces to overthrow USC and take the Pac-10. But the Pac-10 looks to be a more competitive conference than it has been in years with both Oregon’s being potential conference champs and Neuheisel’s second year in UCLA beginning, so whether Cal can be the most consistent will decide whether their season ends in Pasadena or not.
13. Georgia
Losing Stafford is a critical blow to a team that looked downright horrible on defense last year. Having to almost start from scratch in the quarterback position while starting from scratch on defense (even if you’re not drastically changing much) means this could be a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs and competing for the division title let alone the SEC title may not be in the works.
14. Oregon
Like Cal, it’s all about consistency when it gets to conference play as the Ducks have the players to take this conference. They won’t if they repeat last year’s inability to win the big games. However, beating Oregon St. again could prove more helpful this year, but starting out at Boise St. is a bit of a curve.
15. Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets’ option offense seemed to work all of last year until they met LSU in the Peach Bowl and the roof caved in on that offense. However, the Jackets do get V-Tech at home and if they can get by FSU on the road and perform at home, this team could become the team to beat in the ACC.
16. Boise St.
The schedule favors Boise going unbeaten since the most difficult of their conference games are at home, but as far as the BCS goes, they’ll have to go unbeaten; despite Oregon providing a great opening test, there doesn’t seem to be much else testing the Broncos this year.
17. TCU
Despite getting the best starting position of the MWC’s big three, I think the Horned Frogs end up number three of those three. That doesn’t mean they can’t win seven or eight or even nine, but I think tragic circumstances in big games will plague them this year, like it did against Utah last year.
18. Utah
The only way for Utah to top or even match last year is to go unbeaten and win another BCS bowl game. Will it happen? I don’t think it will, but I do believe that the MWC will come down to the Utes game against BYU. Anything under eight wins will be a disappointment considering the talent and the MWC being a three-team conference.
19. Florida St.
Bobby Bowden says he thinks the Seminoles are back and they didn’t look that far off last year. Yes they got clobbered by Florida and lost a couple of important games, but those are things that just happen to FSU these days. Bowden’s expectations have risen and I think everyone else’s should. Does that mean this team could play for the ACC title this year? If they’re as good as Bowden thinks they can be, they could play for the conference title, if not disappointment will follow them every step of the way.
20. North Carolina
An ACC force with the power to mess up a team’s season in one afternoon. While the Tar Heels nearly came out of nowhere to play for the conference title last year, nothing has indicated to me that they will be nothing more of a repeat of last year. Remember that means great season by this school’s football standards and a bowl game, but again without a conference title game berth.
21. Iowa
The Hawkeyes seem to be the only real threat to the Buckeyes or Nittany Lions in the Big-10 as the season begins and with most of the conference in rebuilding mode or not having the talent to stand up to the big two, the Hawkeyes pulling an upset or two is the only thing people have to hope for as far as a dark horse coming out of nowhere and shocking us all. But with the Hawkeyes going on the road against both Penn St. and Ohio St., I’m not holding my breath for two big upsets.
22. Nebraska
The rebuilding process of this program has hit a year when it could hit a major snag. They won’t upset Oklahoma and they have to go on the road against V-Tech, Missouri, and Kansas. Tech will prove to be a test despite the game being at Lincoln and despite Leech’s boys missing Harrell and Crabtree, plus there’s that always-interesting Thanksgiving weekend meeting with Colorado and the first Nebraska/Kansas St. game since Bill Snyder’s return to Manhattan (Midwest). While I think they’ll be able to get through most of this, anything past seven wins could be pushing it.
23. Notre Dame
They should win at least eight (anything below eight will be a disappointment), they’ll probably get a BCS berth based on who they are, and they may even win in the BCS game they may get into. With the schedule they have this year, eight should be set in stone and they probably are already getting their BCS campaign ready should they get out of September unbeaten.
24. BYU
Starting with Oklahoma is not a good thing. However, the Cougars not getting completely blown out of the water will be more of a good thing than bad; keeping it close or pulling a monster upset would put them on everyone’s radar. Quick sidenote: an undefeated BYU should have a better chance of busting the BCS party than an unbeaten Boise because the Cougars are in a better conference and have a better non-conference schedule. As far as them winning the MWC: they get TCU at home (I believe they win that one), so it all comes down to them beating Utah.
25. Oregon St.
Losing one of the Rodgers brothers is a tough loss, but the team still has talent. However, last year was the year if this team was going to win a Pac-10 title as far as I’m concerned. This year, they will likely play spoiler to a team or two (maybe the roles will be reversed when they play Oregon), but I don’t see this team winning the Pac-10 though they will compete for a short period of time for it.
