SEC Preview

Favorites

East: Georgia
Mark Richt’s squad is loaded, and a preseason favorite to compete for a national title. The schedule is also loaded as the Bulldogs face eight coaches who have won national championships on one level or another – and that doesn’t even count Tommy Tuberville who went undefeated at Auburn in 2004. If the talented Bulldogs can stay hungry and manage that schedule, they’ll be in the SEC title game with a berth in the National Championship game on the line.

West: Auburn
Defending national champ LSU has too many holes to fill to be considered a favorite in the West. Auburn is breaking in two new coordinators, but strangely I have more faith in Tuberville than I do in the gambling Les Miles. There’s no way LSU converts on 4th downs as often as they did last season again!

Sleepers
East: South Carolina
Steve Spurrier predicted his Gamecocks would compete for the SEC East title prior to last season. A rash of injuries put an end to those dreams despite a 6-1 start. If the loaded defense can stay healthy, new coordinator Ellis Johnson should be able to mold them into one of the finest defenses in the nation. A good defense can go a long way.

West: Mississippi State
Was Mississippi State a one-year wonder, or are they going to stick around in the SEC West race again this year? Don’t be surprised if Sly Croom and his rock-solid defense, led by playmaking DB Derek Pegues, make another appearance in the postseason. The Bulldogs beat Alabama and won at Auburn last season, so there’s no reason they can’t pull off a similar feat again. And because it looks like LSU will take a step back coming off their national championship season, anything can happen in the wild SEC West.

On the Rise: Ole Miss
It’s safe to say the Ed Orgeron experiment was a mistake and should just be forgotten. Enter Houston Nutt, whose track record in the SEC proves he’ll be able to bring consistency back to the program. The cupboard is far from bare too, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He’ll need to find a running back, but since when has that been a problem for Nutt? True freshman Enrique Davis will challenge for playing time, but don’t count Dexter McCluster out of the equation. He showed flashes of brilliance as a true freshman two years ago, but was later inexplicably moved to wide receiver.

Declining: Arkansas
What were they thinking? Running the successful Houston Nutt out of town is one thing, but to turn around and hire Bobby Petrino is a double-whammy on the program. Petrino is a sound offensive coach, but he will have a hard time commanding respect from his players any more, and he’ll just leave a mess behind when he eventually bolts again (see Louisville and the Atlanta Falcons current situations). Expect some down years for the Razorbacks.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

East
1. Georgia	11-1 (7-1 conference)
2. Florida	10-2 (6-2)
3. Tennessee	9-3 (5-3)
4. South Carolina	7-5 (4-4)
5. Kentucky	6-6 (2-6)
6. Vanderbilt	2-10 (0-8)
West
1. Auburn	10-2 (6-2)
2. LSU	9-3 (5-3)
3. Alabama	7-5 (4-4)
4. Mississippi State	7-5 (4-4)
5. Ole Miss	6-6 (3-5)
6. Arkansas	4-8 (2-6)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: Knowshon Moreno (RB, Georgia)
Defense: Jasper Brinkley (LB, South Carolina)
Special Teams: Brandon James (KR, Florida)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Darry Beckwith (LB-LSU) – Arrington, Fave
Eric Berry (DB-Ten) – Arrington, Deion
Tray Blackmon (LB-Aub) – Arrington
Jasper Brinkley (LB-SoCar) – Arrington, Fave
Wes Byrum (K-Aub) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Dannell Ellerbe (LB-UGA) – Arrington, Fave
Greg Hardy (DE-Miss) - Arrington
Percy Harvin (WR-Fla) – Bo Jackson, Sayers
Brandon James (KR-Fla) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Ricky Jean-Francois (DL-LSU) – Arrington
Rashad Johnson (DB-Bama) – Deion
Knowshon Moreno (RB-UGA) – Bo Jackson, Sayers, Fave
Captain Munnerlyn (DB-SoCar) – Deion, Fave
Chris Nickson (QB-Vandy) - Frazier
Derek Pegues (DB-MSU) – Arrington, Deion
Chris Rainey (RB-Fla) - Sayers
Andre Smith (OL-Bama) – Bo Jackson
Brannan Southerland (FB-UGA) – Fave
Brandon Spikes (LB-Fla) – Arrington
Matthew Stafford (QB-UGA) – Bo Jackson, Fave
Tim Tebow (QB-Fla) – Bo Jackson, Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
LSU defensive line
Tennessee offensive line
Florida offensive line
Georgia defensive line
Ole Miss offensive line
Florida defensive line
Alabama offensive line
Auburn defensive line
Auburn offensive line
LSU offensive line
Ole Miss defensive line

Big XII Preview

Favorites

North: Missouri
Gary Pinkel has the best collection of athletes he’s ever had at Missouri, so it’s time for the Tigers to take the next step. The defending North champs return an array of playmakers, including Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin, and William Moore, that are among the elite in all of college football. If Missouri doesn’t win the division it would be a huge disappointment.

South: Oklahoma
“Big Game” Bob has taken some lumps lately in bowl games. Somehow he gets a pass though because Coach October has done a great job in Big XII play over that same stretch, winning five out of nine conference titles. OU is once again the consensus favorite to win the South because of some key returnees on offense. But there are sizeable holes on defense (just ask Pat White) that make them more vulnerable than you might think.

Sleepers
North: Nebraska
New head coach Bo Pelini will turn this program around sooner than you think. There is talent on hand and nobody will be taking the Cornhuskers seriously after the debacle last season. Nebraska also has the benefit of hosting Missouri and Kansas so a run at the Big XII title game isn’t out of the question.

South: Texas
It’s hard to refer to Texas as a “sleeper”, but the Longhorns aren’t getting a lot of respect from the national media despite a strong finish to the 2007 season. Oklahoma is justifiably getting most of the preseason hype, but even Texas Tech has been a trendy pick to contend in the South ahead of Texas. The Red River Rivalry will once again determine the South champ though, and Texas has the athletes to pull it out.

On the Rise: Iowa State
Gene Chizik quietly did a good job laying the foundation in 2007. He injected some enthusiasm back into the program that had waned in recent years. This offseason he placed a big emphasis on getting stronger as a team, and that will also pay dividends on the field. Defense is Chizik’s specialty so you can expect improvement on that side of the ball. With four starters returning on the offensive line and a pair of gifted young quarterbacks, the offense might even be a little more potent in 2008 than it was last season.

Declining: Kansas State
Signing 19 junior college players and paying Fresno State to get lost in favor of a 1-AA cupcake on the schedule (too bad Texas wasn’t available) sends a pretty clear signal that Ron Prince thinks his days are numbered. Will these stopgap measures work, or will they just make a bigger mess for the next coach to clean up? Looks like a sinking ship to me.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

North
1. Missouri	11-1 (7-1 conference)
2. Nebraska	8-4 (4-4)
3. Kansas	8-4 (4-4)
4. Colorado	6-6 (4-4)
5. Iowa State	6-6 (3-5)
6. Kansas State	5-7 (2-6)
South
1. Texas	11-1 (7-1)
2. Oklahoma	11-1 (7-1)
3. Texas Tech	8-4 (4-4)
4. Texas A&M	6-6 (3-5)
5. Oklahoma State	6-6 (3-5)
6. Baylor	2-10 (0-8)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: Chase Daniel (QB, Missouri)
Defense: William Moore (DB, Missouri)
Special Teams: Jeremy Maclin (KR, Missouri)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Justin Brantly (P-A&M) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Ian Campbell (DE-KSt) – Arrington
John Chiles (QB-Tex) – Frazier
Perrish Cox (KR-OSU) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Michael Crabtree (WR-Tech) – Bo Jackson
Chase Daniel (QB-Miz) – Bo Jackson, J.Pike’s Fave
Auston English (DE-Okl) - Arrington
Mike Goodson (RB-A&M) – Bo Jackson, Sayers
Graham Harrell (QB-Tech) – Bo Jackson
Jeremy Maclin (WR-Miz) – Bo Jackson, Sproles/Sauerbrun
William Moore (DB-Miz) – Arrington, Deion
Joe Mortensen (LB-Kan) - Arrington
DeMarco Murray (RB-Okl) – Sayers, Sproles/Sauerbrun
Brian Orakpo (DE-Tex) – Arrington
Zac Robinson (QB-OSU) - Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
Oklahoma offensive line
Texas offensive line
Oklahoma defensive line
Texas Tech offensive line
Texas defensive line
Nebraska offensive line
Colorado defensive line

Big Ten Preview

Favorite: Ohio State

There’s no doubt about it. Ohio State has run roughshod over the rest of the Big Ten the past three seasons, and this year’s Buckeyes should be no exception. Virtually everybody of significance is back which means this might even be the best team Jim Tressell has put on the field to date.

Sleeper: Penn State

Despite all the off-season dismissals and injuries, there are still enough talented players left for Penn State to make a run at the Big Ten title. It’s a good thing Paterno had great depth on defense because that was the area hit hardest in the off-season. Even with the losses, the defense should still be very good. Pair that with an offense that boasts as many playmakers as anybody in the conference and it’s easy to see that the biggest threat to Ohio State’s supremacy lays in State College, PA.

On the Rise: Michigan State

Mark Dantonio is on the verge of shifting from being the most underrated head coach in the nation to being a very hot commodity when the big coaching jobs start opening up. Dantonio learned how to win in the Big Ten from Jim Tressell (watch Javon Ringer put up Beanie Wells-like numbers this year) and he has already laid an excellent foundation. Look for the Spartans to continue to improve and become a player in the Big Ten race as early as 2009.

Declining: Minnesota

How can a team that won only one game a year ago be getting worse? Well, consider where Minnesota was just a year and a half ago under Glen Mason and where they are right now under Tim Brewster – the program is in definite decline. Why the Gopher brass decided to fire Mason, the most successful coach at the school in recent memory, is beyond me. It led to a terrible product on the field and the only thing that has changed this season is the defensive coordinator - as if that was the problem. Gopher faithful better get comfortable in the cellar because that’s where they’ll be for a while. But look on the bright side – at least they won’t have to watch games in that awful dome much longer!

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

1. Ohio State	11-1 (7-1 conference)
2. Penn State	10-2 (6-2)
3. Wisconsin	9-3 (5-3)
4. Illinois	8-4 (5-3)
5. Michigan State	8-4 (5-3)
6. Michigan	7-5 (4-4)
7. Iowa	6-6 (4-4)
8. Northwestern	6-6 (3-5)
9. Purdue	5-7 (3-5)
10. Indiana	5-7 (2-6)
11. Minnesota	2-10 (0-8)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: Javon Ringer (RB, Michigan State)
Defense: James Laurinaitis (LB, Ohio State)
Special Teams: David Gilreath (KR, Wisconsin)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Vontae Davis (CB-Ill) – Arrington, Deion
Maurice Evans (DE-PSU) – Arrington
David Gilreath (KR-Wis) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Stephfon Green (RB-PSU) – J.Pike’s Fave
Malcolm Jenkins (CB-OSU) – Arrington, Deion
James Laurinaitis (LB-OSU) – Arrington
Kellen Lewis (QB – Ind) – Frazier
Zoltan Mesko (P-Mich) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Terrelle Pryor (QB-OSU) – Frazier
Javon Ringer (RB-MSU) - Bo Jackson
Anthony Scirrotto (DB-PSU) – Deion
Morgan Trent (DB-Mich) – Deion
Donvan Warren (CB – Mich) – Deion
Chris Wells (RB-OSU) – Bo Jackson
Juice Williams (QB-Ill) – Frazier
Martez Wilson (LB-Ill) - Arrington
Gold Wrenches:
Ohio State offensive line
Penn State defensive line
Ohio State defensive line
Wisconsin offensive line
Penn State offensive line
Michigan defensive line

ACC Preview

Favorites

Coastal: Clemson
The Tigers return a loaded roster in a league that is not very good at the moment. With question marks all over the rest of the league, Tommy Bowden’s squad holds the keys to their own fate. It’s not out of the question for this team to run the table and crash the National Championship game.

Atlantic: Virginia Tech
This pick shows just how weak the rest of the ACC is. Virginia Tech lost virtually every significant playmaker from last year’s roster, and suffered further losses at running back and wide receiver in the off season due to injury and off-the-field issues. Yet the Hokies are still the favorite to take home the Atlantic division.

Sleepers
Coastal: Boston College
For some reason, everybody seems to be writing off Boston College this year. I’m sure that reason has to do with Matt Ryan, but again, I’m not sure Ryan was worth all the hype. The defense was pretty good though, and a significant portion of that unit returns. If there’s a team in this conference capable of knocking off Clemson, it’s BC.

Atlantic: Miami
Who knows what to expect from Miami in 2008? This is the kind of team that could go 4-8 and not really surprise anybody. They could also just as easily go 9-3 and win an Atlantic Division that is completely up for grabs due to the questions surrounding Virginia Tech. Randy Shannon looked downright overwhelmed in his first season as a head coach, but he learned a lot in some difficult losses. Expect him to take a step forward as a coach this year. Helping him out will be new defensive coordinator Bill Young, who coached Kansas’ surprisingly stout D last year.

On the Rise: North Carolina
Butch Davis quietly made progress at UNC last season. He brought in a solid recruiting class - many of which saw action right away - and gave the program the leadership and direction it had lacked. It's hard to believe there isn't more buzz in Chapel Hill right now because the Tar Heels could take a couple more sneaky steps in the right direction and find themselves as top dogs in the conference. In the current state of the ACC, that's not too far out of the question.

Declining: Wake Forest
Jim Grobe is a fantastic coach, there’s no doubt about that. He was also fortunate to have a strong core group of players the last few seasons. Wake Forest doesn’t get players like Kenneth Moore, Jon Abbate, Steve Justice, or speedsters like Willie Idlette and Kevin Marion very often, and I don’t see anybody on the roster capable of filling their shoes anymore. Now raised expectations and preseason top 25 recognition are a part of the program, but unfortunately I don’t think players like Riley Skinner are up to the task of maintaining the momentum.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

Coastal
1. Clemson	11-1 (7-1 conference)
2. Boston College	9-3 (5-3)
3. Florida State	7-5 (4-4)
4. Maryland	7-5 (4-4)
5. Wake Forest	6-6 (3-5)
6. N.C. State	5-7 (3-5)
Atlantic
1. Virginia Tech	8-4 (5-3)
2. Miami	7-5 (5-3)
3. North Carolina	7-5 (4-4)
4. Georgia Tech	6-6 (4-4)
5. Virginia	5-7 (3-5)
6. Duke	3-9 (1-7)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: James Davis (RB, Clemson)
Defense: Victor “Macho” Harris (DB, Virginia Tech)
Special Teams: C.J. Spiller (KR, Clemson)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
James Davis (RB-Clem) – Bo Jackson, J.Pike’s Fave
Graham Gano (K/P-FSU) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Macho Harris (DB-VT) – Arrington, Deion
Josh Portis (QB-UMD) – Frazier
Alphonso Smith (CB-WF) - Deion
C.J. Spiller (RB-Clem) – Sayers, Sproles/Sauerbrun
Sam Swank (K/P-WF) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Tyrod Taylor (QB-VT) - Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
Clemson defensive line
Boston College defensive line
Georgia Tech defensive line
Virginia Tech offensive line
Florida State defensive line

Pac-10 Preview

Favorite: USC

No surprise here. Pete Carroll has won the last six conference crowns at SC, and this year looks no different. The gap is closing however, so expect the Trojans to lose at least one or two conference games again this year.

Sleeper: Oregon
If all the pieces come together, the Ducks could sneak away with the Pac-10 title. All their tough conference games are on the road though (USC, Arizona State, Cal, Oregon State), so the will have to be really good to win it. But the talent is there, and the confidence is building after the Ducks upset USC last year.

On the Rise: Stanford
Call me crazy but I'm buying into Jim Harbaugh. He's got genuine enthusiasm (as opposed to, say, Mike Stoops) and an infectious, never-say-die attitude. How else do you explain the Cardinal knocking off 41-point favorite USC on their home field a year ago? Harbaugh will pull off another big upset this year and perhaps guide Stanford to their first bowl game since 2001.

Declining: Washington State
There's no doubt about it - Paul Wulff inherited a sinking ship. The Cougars roster has dwindled well below the 85-scholarship limit to a point where depth is a serious issue. Wulff may end up being a good hire in the long run, but Wazzu will have to hit bottom first.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

1. USC	10-2 (8-1 conference)
2. Arizona State	9-3 (7-2)
3. Oregon	9-3 (6-3)
4. California	7-5 (5-4)
5. Oregon State	6-6 (5-4)
6. UCLA	6-6 (5-4)
7. Stanford	6-6 (4-5)
8. Arizona	4-8 (2-7)
9. Washington	3-9 (2-7)
10. Washington State	3-10 (1-8)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Offense: Sammie Stroughter (WR, Oregon State)
Defense: Rey Maualuga (LB, USC)
Special Teams: Kai Forbath (K, UCLA)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Jahvid Best (RB, Cal) - Sayers
Jairus Byrd (CB, Ore) - Deion
Patrick Chung (S, Ore) - Arrington, Deion
Kai Forbath (K, UCLA) - Sproles/Sauerbrun
Everson Griffen (DE, USC) - Arrington
Jake Locker (QB, Wash) - Frazier
Rey Maualuga (LB, USC) - Arrington
Joe McKnight (RB, USC) - Sayers
Sammie Stroughter (WR, OrSt) - Bo Jackson, Sproles/Sauerbrun
Walter Thurmond (CB, Ore) - Deion
Thomas Weber (K, ASU) - Sproles/Sauerbrun
Gold Wrenches:
USC defensive line
Oregon offensive line
UCLA defensive line

Big East Preview

Favorite: West Virginia

Despite a coaching change, the Mountaineers are the most well-equipped team to make a run at the Big East title. Pat White and the offense will again be one of the most difficult to defend in the nation. The defense has some holes to fill, but since when has defense mattered in Morgantown? The Big East title will be decided in the last two weeks of West Virginia’s season when they travel to Pitt and host USF. Pitt upset the Mountaineers last season and knocked them out of a potential spot in the national title game. I believe West Virginia will only need to split those two games to earn their third BCS bowl berth in four years.

Sleeper: Pittsburgh
If Pitt is able to build on their season capping upset over West Virginia at the end of 2007, they might have a realistic shot at the Big East title. All the pieces seem to be in place, highlighted by the fantastic running of LeSean McCoy on offense and tackling machine Scott McKillop on defense. If Dave Wannstedt can coach the Panthers up, only an early road trip to South Florida will stand in the way of the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia deciding the Big East champion.

On the Rise: Louisville
Poor Steve Kragthorpe. If he had known the mess Bobby Petrino left this program in, he might have reconsidered leaving Tulsa prior to last season. In addition to the rash of off-the-field issues that led to dismissals of several former Petrino players, many of the players that stuck around quit on the Kragthorpe last year, presumably because he introduced an element of discipline to the program that was clearly lacking. Former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English was brought in to fix the defense and it appears Kragthorpe might be in for one more difficult season at Louisville - but the clouds will part soon. Once he gets a core of his own players in place, you’ll see marked improvement in effort and cohesion and Louisville will once again be in the thick of the Big East race.

Declining: Cincinnati
Brian Kelly is no Mark Dantonio. Kelly inherited a good team and won, but his inattention to detail (Kelly openly admits to not caring about finishing last in the Big East in penalties) will catch up with him this season when they won’t be able to sneak up on teams anymore. Cincinnati will still be a bowl team with a potent offense, but they won’t win 10 games again.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

1. West Virginia	10-2 (6-1 conference)
2. South Florida	9-3 (5-2)
3. Pittsburgh	8-4 (4-3)
4. Rugters	8-4 (4-3)
5. Connecticut	7-5 (3-4)
6. Cincinnati	8-5 (3-4)
7. Louisville	6-6 (3-4)
8. Syracuse	2-10 (0-7)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Offense: Pat White (QB, West Virginia)
Defense: George Selvie (DE, South Florida)
Special Teams: Pat McAfee (K/P, West Virginia)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Noel Devine (RB, WVU) – Sayers
Matt Grothe (QB, USF) - Frazier
LeSean McCoy (RB, Pitt) – Bo Jackson, Sayers, J.Pike’s Fave
Mike Mickens (CB – Cincy) – Deion
George Selvie (DE, USF) - Arrington
Pat White (QB, WVU) – Bo Jackson, Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
West Virginia offensive line
Rutgers defensive line