by Trevor Freeman
As I was sifting through a magazine stand about a week ago, I made one of my favorite discoveries. That’s right, I came across a college football preview magazine. You know what that means folks………we are almost there. I can almost feel Boise State marching into Georgia; I can almost see Texas and The Ohio State University hooking up in what should be a thriller. Remember when Bernard Hopkins called out Roy Jones and said to him, “Roy if you’re not going to fight me, then you have to ask yourself. Are you really a fighter?” Well, if you don’t enjoy the intensity, atmosphere, and feel of college football then you have to ask yourself. Are you really a football fan?
It is time to come with my preseason top 25. Let me note that I write this while flying home from my Hawaiian vacation. I have go to work at my real job tomorrow. I think this is a sad development, not just for me, but also for the United States of America. With no limits on my time, I could regale countless readers with stories of sports, reality television and Waikiki bliss. There’s still time though. We just need somebody to step up and pay me to analyze the truly meaningful things in life.
25. UTEP
I’m still a little upset about UTEP losing in the NCAA Tournament, as they were one of my upset specials. However, I won’t carry that bitterness over to football season. Mike Price’s squad will once again be extremely dangerous. Carson Palmer’s little brother will lead what should be an outstanding offensive attack. Watch out for UCLA transfer Tyler Ebell, as he was a very productive back in the Pac 10.
24. Alabama
Before Brodie Croyle went down last year, Bama was a tough team to beat. I think they are a deep sleeper this year. They get both Tennessee and LSU in Tuscaloosa and only have four road games with the Iron Bowl being the toughest. This could be a 10 win team.
23. UCLA
An extremely experienced group is returning for Karl Dorrell. TE Marcedes Lewis and RB Maurice Drew lead the offense. The defense will be very good and will be spearheaded by Spencer Havner, a probable finalist for the Butkus Award.
22. Utah
The cupboard isn’t bare. The Utes are strong along the lines. There will be some growing pains with sophomore QB Brian Johnson.
21. Georgia Tech
An extremely underrated team with an extremely underrated defense. They need Reggie Ball to cut back on his turnovers in order to move into the top fifteen.
20. Louisville
If Brian Brohm is as good as they say he is, Louisville may not miss Stefan LeFors as much as I am projecting. In fact, if Brohm is the real deal, the Cardinals are a top ten team.
19. Bowling Green
The second best quarterback in the country plays for Bowling Green. His name is Omar Jacobs and he will be starting for an NFL team within the next five years. Their two toughest games are both on the road, against Wisconsin and Boise State. I think they beat Wisconsin and lose to Boise State and therefore finish with one loss.
18. Florida State
If you have read the borderline hysterical stories about Wyatt Sexton’s escapades then you know I can’t put the Seminoles any higher. Bobby Bowden’s defense is really going to have to carry them this year.
17. Auburn
Even though the losses of Cadillac Williams, Ronnie Brown, Jason Campbell, and Carlos Rogers will push the Tigers back down the rankings, it doesn’t change the fact that they should have been playing for the national title last year.
16. Purdue
Better at running and on defense than people will give them credit for. Don’t be surprised if Brandon Kirsch steps in and gets the job done. Joe Tiller is an extremely underrated offensive mind.
15. California
They return essentially their entire offensive line and Joseph Ayoob from……….Marin County (home of this esteemed writer) might turn out better than Aaron Rodgers. He’s been called “the white Michael Vick”.
14. Georgia
D.J. Shockley will determine their season. If he plays well the Bulldogs can contend in the SEC. If he doesn’t they are in serious trouble.
13. Florida
Urban Meyer and Chris Leak are going to make sweet music together. The defense may have lost Channing Crowder, but I don’t think it will matter as Brandon Siler looks like the real deal.
12. Texas A&M
I said it in my Heisman article and I will say it again. The Aggies are the biggest sleeper in the country. They should be 8-0 before their final three games, which are at Texas Tech, at Oklahoma, and in Aggieland against Texas. It wouldn’t shock me if they emerged as Big 12 champions.
11. Boise State
The Broncos return sixteen starters with a perfectly split eight on offense and eight on defense. Jared Zabransky and Lee Marks will be household names by the end of the season. The Broncos season may be determined by their season opener in Georgia. Win that and they stand a great shot of being this season’s Utah, as Fresno State would seem to be the only other team on that schedule who can beat them.
10. Texas
The Longhorns will once again be stacked. They always are as Mack Brown is an outstanding recruiter. However, this may be a disappointing year for Longhorn fans as I definitely see them losing at Ohio State and we all know their history with Oklahoma. What could be the nail in the coffin though is November 25th in Aggieland.
9. Iowa
The Hawkeyes will be led by their stout defense. Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge are both All-American caliber linebackers. Kirk Ferentz might be the best college football coach in the country.
8. Oklahoma
This is a rebuilding year in Norman. However the presence of Adrian Peterson still makes the Sooners extremely dangerous. The key will be the gelling of three new starters on the offensive line as well as who will play quarterback. It wouldn’t shock me if Paul Thompson started out at QB, but gave way to Rhett Bomar midway through the season.
7. Tennessee
Count me as somebody not sold on them getting to the national title game. I look at their schedule and I see: at Florida, at LSU, at Alabama, and at Notre Dame. I don’t see them winning all of those games and I think there is a great chance that they lose two of them.
6. LSU
All this team is missing is a quarterback. Watch and see if LSU doesn’t try to get Ryan Perrilloux onto the field. He was the #1 ranked high school quarterback in the country and will be starting by next season. If LSU can get anything out of the quarterback spot they can compete for the national title, as they are loaded on defense and at every other position on offense. LaRon Landry is one of the best five free safeties in all of football (and that includes the NFL). They have three running backs in Justin Vincent, Alley Broussard, and Joseph Addai that would start for just about every team in the country.
5. Miami
Plenty of weapons return for the Hurricanes and if Kyle Wright proves to be the real deal then the Hurricanes should be in the national title mix. The receiving corp. is stacked with Lance Leggett, Ryan Moore, and Sinorice……don’t call me Santana Moss all returning. This should help Wright’s transition to starting quarterback. Devin Hester is still a Hurricane, which means they will be a huge threat in the return game. The defense is stacked and will be led by Hester and Kelly Jennings. If Willie “I’ve been arrested twelve times” Williams is as good as they say, this defense has a chance to be the best in the country.
4. Michigan
The only team in the country with the offensive firepower to stay on the field with USC. Chad Henne, Michael Hart, Steve Breaston, and Jason Avant lead the Wolverines high-powered unit. The question will be whether or not they can stop anybody, as their secondary is breaking in three new starters and lost a lot in Marlin Jackson, Markus Curry, and Earnest Shazor.
3. The………………Ohio State University
The Buckeyes return nearly every significant contributor from last year. The team got better when Troy Smith assumed the reigns at quarterback. Ted Ginn Jr. is a Heisman Trophy candidate and might be the most talented player in all of college football. The key to this being a great season is in the backfield. The Buckeyes desperately need either Antonio Pittman, Erik Haw, or Maurice Wells to step up and carry the load. The defense will be outstanding as A.J. Hawk leads a linebacking corp. that has four guys in it who will be playing on Sunday.
2. Virginia Tech
If Marcus Vick can be the football player everybody in the country thought he could be in high school, the Hokies are the second best team in the country. The defense led by Daryl Tapp, Xavier Adibi and Jimmy Williams will be stout and we all know about Virginia Tech’s special teams.
1. USC
Their only competition will be history. I think ten years from now; we will look back on this USC team and say that they were one of the greatest in college football history.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at [email protected].
12 replies on “College Football Preseason Top 25”
Good article I fully support Ohio State being 3rd…i think they’ll have a great year. I think Tenn. could be a top 5 team and should be the SEC Champ. Don’t think LSU will be good, b/c Nick Saban left. LSU is the only ranking I’d disagree with, outside of leaving out Clemson (i think they should be at around 20 or 25).
Clemson That is actually one of the teams I really had to rack my brain about. Clemson has top 15 talent. There is no question about that. However, I’m not totally sold on Tommy Bowden as a game coach and their schedule is pretty daunting with Texas A&M, Miami, Florida State, and at Georgia Tech staring them in the eye.
OSU No way Ohio State finishes that high and for one reason…Michigan. Hands down the best team in the big ten.
Great article, rankings are fun when they aren’t done by the “experts”. They were your opinions and you backed them up well.
More importantly, you left out Arizona State. Most talented team in years and finished 20th last year, with almost the same team returning. Still great article.
ASU They were another really tough omission. I think I may have put too much stock in the loss of Andrew Walter. The Sun Devils are one of the “tough” games on USC’s schedule as well as I believe that game is in Tempe.
I think college football and basketball preseason top 25s are the most fun articles to do, because it is such a guessing game.
There is no way possible that michigan will be the best team in the big ten. ScubaSteve how can you tell me that michigan will even win 8 games this year without marlin jackson earnest shazor and most importantly Braylon edwards. Ohio state has 2 of the top 10 or even 5 receviers in the nation in Ted Ginn and Santonio Holmes. Not to mention having one of the best linebacking corps in the country and the best linebacker in the country in A.J hawk. Michigan will not have anything on Ohio State this year.
Agree and Disagree regarding Michigan I completely agree that The Ohio State University is better on paper than Michigan. Defensively, Ohio State is light years better than Michigan.
I disagree that Michigan will be lucky to win 8 games. With Henne, Hart, Breaston, and Avant all returning on offense they will put some big numbers up on the scoreboard. I don’t think Braylon is as big a loss as they think he is.
no way michigan beats osu — michigan will lose to OSU this year simply because without braylon edwards, they are less dangerous this year, whereas the buckeyes will only improve by beginning the season with troy smith starting at QB (actually game 2). OSU manhandled michigan last year with edwards, and they will destroy them this year, too.
Texas — “as we all know their history with Oklahoma.”
Actually, the history is pretty slanted in Texas’ favor. The series record is Texas up by about 20 games.
You are absolutely right. I should have put recent history. I was referring to Mack Brown losing to Oklahoma for the last six years.
2005. — Auburn doesn’t have it this year to repeat the same quality of football, I tend to think of that team as a one year wonder, they may have others but last year was their chance (Oklahoma was legit at #2). I don’t think UTEP has it to be in the top 25. Boise State has virtually no defense. Cut the cinderella stories and get real. Ohio State is tops in the Big 10 along side Iowa, Michigan needs a quarterback and possibly a coach. USC is the best overall team in the country but won’t be the same minus Norm Chow. I too think LSU will have offensive woes as will Oklahoma who will become one dimensional on offense (too bad for Adrian Peterson who will feel the brunt of Stoops decision not to develop quarterback depth). And here’s a bombshell for ya. The team nobody has the guts to comment on Nebraska. Oklahoma will be playing in Lincoln and struggling to regroup, this is a game Oklahoma loses miserably because of a lack of vertical attack and a one-dimensional offense. Zac Taylor will provide Nebraska with sorely lacking offesive pop and will be balanced offensively. Nebraska could easily slip in to the Top 10 and certainly is a Top 25 team. Texas might be the best overall team in the Big 12 which is full of capable talent. So many notable teams so little time(Forida, Miami, Tennessee). Most capable Natonal Championship team goes to USC who they’ll play is anyone’s guess, ask me in November.
Boise State I wouldn’t dismiss the Broncos so fast. They have a great chance of being this year’s Utah. Yes, they gave up a lot of points last year, but they return eight starters from that defense. Generally, having experience coming back helps. Their defense doesn’t have to be great either, as their offense can put up points in a hurry.
Where are the Mountaineers!!!!! — After our big win last year in the sugar bowl and I dont see us in the pre-season top 25!!!! You are crazy!!!