Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and my top 25 today! Plus I'm going to give you a few picks for tonight games! Enjoy!
Big Ten
Legends
1. Nebraska 10-2
(6-2) – The defense was pretty bad last year. They got a lot of guys back
now and I think that will help with the cohesiveness. They are scattered
throughout the unit so there will be some blown plays at times, but they will
be few and far between. On offense, QB Taylor Martinez is one of the best in
the conference on the ground. He will get a little better through the air this
season, but the pass game still won’t be the focus. RB Taylor Burkhead will
also be a beast this fall. He should rush for about 1,500 yards this season.
Key Wins: Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State. Key Losses:
Ohio State, Northwestern.
2. Michigan 9-3 (6-2)
– This Wolverine team is going to be dangerous. QB Denard Robinson will be
a beast all fall and should be a dark horse for the Heisman. He has Roundtree
to throw it to and Toussaint to hand it off to; what’s not to like. The defense
will continue to be great as well. They have an improved secondary through
experience and their ability to not let the other team score will be uncanny.
The only problem is that I think they will be streaky this season. The Big 10
is one of those leagues that has a lot of interesting upsets. Michigan could
easily go 11-1, but with how the league is I think they lose a few.
Key Wins: Michigan State, Notre Dame, Iowa. Key Losses:
Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State.
3. Iowa 9-3 (5-3) –
I think Iowa is going to kill it this year. Not a lot of people have confidence
in this team, but I just got a feeling about them. They have a weaker schedule,
but will lose to all the big teams. QB
James Vanderberg will be the star again and should near 3,500 yards this
season. The run game could be an issue. They could start a sophomore and the
fact that they don’t have the best line doesn’t help. The defense will get
better this season. The secondary looks to be improved and they will need to
be. The group was one of worst in the Big 10 last season.
Key Wins: Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa State. Key Losses:
Michigan, Nebraska, Michigan State.
4. Northwestern 9-3
(5-3) – For some reason I’m hot on this Wildcat team. They have an easy out
conference season and I think they will win the close games this season. I know
they don’t have a lot of guys coming back, but I think they are still going to
have a solid season. The defense will still need more work. The do have a solid
middle of the D, but the secondary is going to be pretty bad. The offense will
have lost a lot last year, but the wideouts are back. I think they will help
the young QB Kain Colter adjust to his new position.
Key Wins: Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State. Key Losses:
Michigan, Illinois, Iowa.
5. Michigan State 8-4
(4-4) – This Spartan team is going to be interesting. I don’t think they
are going to be that good (as Big 10 standards go). The defense is there. With
all the juniors and seniors on that squad it’s hard to not be scared. The
middle of that defense will pass rush with the best of them and will stop the
run just as well. The only problem is going to be the offense. They have the
line to be great, but the players they block for are not as great. The QB
situation is going to be interesting. I don’t think either of the guys have the
arm to make it through a tough Big 10 schedule. Plus the running game isn’t
going to be any better.
Key Wins: Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Boise State. Key Losses: Michigan,
Nebraska, Ohio State.
6. Minnesota 2-10
(0-8) – This is another bad Minnesota team. They will get their two wins
out of conference and they will actually lose to a MAC team. They don’t have a
lot of guys coming back, but QB MarQueis Gray will be back. He is the entire
Gopher team. Without him they might as well go down to the MAC.
Key Wins: UNLV, New Hampshire. Key Losses: Western Michigan,
Iowa, Nebraska.
Leaders
1. Ohio State* 11-1
(7-1) – Ohio State might be one of the better teams this season. Though
they don’t have any post season hopes, Urban Meyer will keep his team
motivated. QB Braxton Miller will be much improved from last season. He has TE
Jake Stoneburner as his security blanket and RB Carlos Hyde will finally have
the space he needs to shine. The offensive line could be an issue for the
Bucks. They don’t have too many returning starters, but the guys have the
skills to learn quickly. The defense will be solid on the line and in the
secondary. It will be interesting to see how the linebackers respond to the
pressure. It shouldn’t be too much of an issue because Ohio State knows how to
put together a defense.
Key Wins: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Cal. Key
Losses: Wisconsin.
2. Wisconsin 10-2
(6-2) – Wisconsin lost a lot of talent last season, but they do have RB
Montee Ball. With OSU out of the running for post season play, they will
dominate the rest of their weak division and even beat OSU. Montee Ball will
have another huge season along with his line. The QB position will be the
issue. Danny O’Brien will be the start, but he will have some growing pains
this year. The defense will have some success this year. They will still be a
top 5 unit in the Big 10 and they will really help the Badgers this season.
Key Wins: Illinois, Ohio State, Oregon State. Key Losses:
MSU, Nebraska.
3. Illinois 8-4 (4-4)
– The Illini are primed for a great season. I think that their schedule will
allow them to get off to a hot start. They do play a lot of the great Big 10
teams early though, so they will be in the basement for most of the season. QB
Nathan Steelhaase is going to have a great year. He is a force in the air and
on the ground. He will single handedly carry this team. The running game does
need to show up though. Donovonn Young will need to be the guy this year. I think
he will have the speed and illusiveness to really get the ground game going.
The defense will be near the top of the conference again. The pass rush will
only get better this season and the amazing secondary should stay the same.
Key Wins: Minnesota, Purdue, Northwestern. Key Losses: Ohio
State, Wisconsin, Penn State.
4. Penn State* 6-6
(2-6) – It’s hard to gage this team after this offseason hell. They are
either going to
come out inspired or they are going to be absolutely terrible.
I think they have a mixture of that this season. QB Matt McGloin shouldn’t have
too many issues leading them against the out of conference opponents. When it
comes to the conference though, he will struggle. The defense should have
another great year. I don’t think they can duplicate last season where they
only allowed 16.8 points per game, but they will still be respectable.
5. Purdue 5-7 (2-6) –
Another ho-hum year for the Boilermakers. They will have one heck of a battle
for QB this season, but whoever gets it will have options around him. WR O.J.
Ross and TE Cosby Wright will be the main playmakers and the line will be
pretty good. The defense will continue to struggle. They have a lot of guys
coming back, but it will still be hard for them. The d-line will be able to bring
the pressure, but the secondary will still have holes.
Key Wins: Minnesota, Indiana, Marshall. Key Loss: Michigan,
Wisconsin, Notre Dame.
6. Indiana 4-8 (0-8) –
Indiana will still be a bad team this season. They just don’t have the draw
like the rest of the Big 10 teams so the recruiting suffers. All of their out
of conference games should be wins, but I might be a bit generous. The offense
will improve a bit. RB Stephen Houston will be the star. He might get close to
1,000 yards on the ground this season. The defense was bad last season, but
they will be a bit better this year. They got a lot of guys coming back and I
think the experience will help them.
Key Wins: Navy, Ball State, Indiana State. Key Losses: All
conference games.
Big 12
1. Oklahoma 11-1
(8-1) – Oklahoma will rise to the top of the Big 12 this season. Their
rivals won’t be as good and QB Laudry Jones will do just enough to make them a
national championship contender. He will throw well over 4,000 yards again this
season. All the other key positions will have enough talent infused that they
will be very successful. The defense will continue to be dominating in the
secondary. They will need to work on the pass rush, but I believe Coach Stoops
will be able to change it around. Unfortunately, the in state rivals will spoil
the party once again.
Key Wins: West Virginia, TCU, Texas. Key Loss: Oklahoma
State.
2. West Virginia 10-2
(7-2) – They are going to be the surprise team from the Big 12. They will
handle the transition with flying colors. QB Geno Smith is going to be one of
the best passers in the nation. If they can get a running game to go along with
that, I think they could really be going places. Smith also has his wide outs
and his line. There isn’t much to hate about the offense. The defense might be
the issue. They were pretty bad in the Big East last season, but that doesn’t
mean they can’t adapt. They will be tested early and often in the Big 12 and I
think that will pull them together.
Key Wins: TCU, Texas, Baylor. Key Losses: Oklahoma, Kansas
State.
3. TCU 10-2 (7-2) –
Though this is TCU’s first season in the Big 12, they have the pedigree to win
a lot of games. To be honest, I think they needed the new challenge. Now that
they have a lot of hard games they are going to try harder. They are returning
someone in every key position on offense. QB Casey Pachall is going to have a
good year. The running game will also be solid. They have two very capable
backs and that will really help them out. The defense is good at stopping the
run, but the passing game is really going to hurt them. The secondary is going
to need some improvement if they are going to make it in the Big 12.
Key Wins: Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State. Key Losses:
West Virginia, Oklahoma.
4. Oklahoma State
10-2 (7-2) – The Cowboys are going to take a few steps back this season,
but they will continue to get wins. The freshman QB problem might be an issue
this season. The running game will have to pick up the slack. RB Joe Randle
will have another stellar season and will really help OSU win some games. The defense
will need some help. They did a good job last year bending and not breaking,
but they will need to stop the pass. If the secondary can get it together, this
team becomes really dangerous.
Key Wins: Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor. Key Losses: TCU, West
Virginia.
5. Texas 8-4 (5-4) –
A lot of people think this team is back on the rise. I just don’t see it. Mac
Brown is a great coach, but he is really going to have to work some magic if
this team is going to get a sniff of the top three. The QB and RB battles will
be an interesting storyline this season. I don’t know if they are going to be
able to find a constant starter though. The line will be really good and
whoever the QB is will have options. The defense was really good last year and
I think that will continue. The defense will be the reason that they win most
of their games this season.
Key Wins: Kansas State, Baylor, Texas Tech. Key Losses:
Oklahoma, TCU, West Virginia.
6. Baylor 7-5 (4-5) –
Baylor lost RG3, but they will still have some great players. I’m not expecting
a season like last year from the Bears, but they will be dangerous. QB Nick
Florence will have learned a few things from RG3 and I think the wideouts will
help out. The defensive secondary is also looking great. They are all returning
and that will really help them improve from last season’s last place finish.
Key Wins: Texas Tech, Kansas State, Iowa State. Key Losses:
Texas, TCU, WV.
7. Kansas State 7-5
(4-5) – QB Collin Klein is on the edge of stardom. Now that some great play
calling talent has left the conference, he can take center stage. He had over
1,000 yards on the ground last season. He was also able to get over 1,000
through the air. They are going to need the passing game to come around, so WR
Chris Harper will really have to step up. The defense will continue to stay
near the top of the conference. Their ability to stop the run will continue to
be great, but the pass defense will regress this season.
Key Wins: West Virginia, Kansas, Miami. Key Losses: TCU,
Baylor, Texas.
8. Iowa State 4-8
(2-7) – I think Iowa State had a dream season last year. I know Paul Rhoads
can get his team motivated, but there is more talent in the Big 12 this year so
the Cyclones will regress. The offense will be proficient. RB James White will
have a decent season and should almost get to 1,000. The defense will once
again be middle of the road. The pass rush won’t be so great, but the pass
defense should be scary.
Key Wins: Kansas, Texas Tech, Tulsa. Key Losses: Baylor,
West Virginia, Kansas State.
9. Texas Tech 5-7
(2-7) – It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Tech of old. The defense
will continue to be the issue for them this season. They never seem to have the
same coordinator from year to year and I don’t think they have the talent to
hang with the great Big 12 offenses. The offense will continue to be pretty
explosive. WR Eric Ward will double his receiving stats this season and will
lead the offense.
Key Wins: Iowa State, Kansas, Texas State. Key Losses:
Kansas State, Texas, Baylor.
10. Kansas 3-9 (0-9) –
Once again; another school that should stick to basketball. Head coach Charlie
Weis could help the Jayhawks get to .500 someday, but not this year. The
offense doesn’t have a lot besides the left side of the line. At the moment
it’s kind of hard to see who is going to be the star on the scoring side, but
time will tell. The defense also doesn’t have a lot of guys. Overall, Kansas is
just the bottom of the Big 12 barrel.
Key Wins: Rice, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State.
SEC
East
1. Georgia 11-1 (7-1)
– Georgia is a serious contender in the SEC. They aren’t a LSU or Bama, but
they still have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. QB Aaron Murry is
going to have another wonderful season and will probably improve on his numbers.
The running game will need to get tuned up though. The Bulldogs have some young
guys that look like they could have some big seasons on the ground. The defense
looks just as good as last year. They only have two new starters and their
experience will lead them to another great season.
Key Wins: South Carolina, Missouri, Florida. Key Loss:
Auburn.
2. South Carolina 9-3
(5-3) – The Gamecocks have been one of the SEC’s best for years now. They
will continue to be one of the great teams this year. They have a great running
game in RB Marcus Lattimore. He will run for over 1,000 yards this season and
really rack up the points. QB Connor Shaw should be great as well. He will
throw for over 2,000 yards this season. The defense is truly what makes this
team great though. They will have another great season as they climb the
national rankings for defense. The secondary might take a hit this season, but
they should still be one of the best in the nation.
Key Wins: Missouri, Florida, Clemson. Key Losses: Georgia,
LSU, Arkansas.
3. Missouri 9-3 (5-3)
– For some reason I think the new comers are going to do really well. They
are going to get off to a rocky start, but as the season goes on they are going
to get some quality wins. The offense lost their running back, but I’m
confident that Senior Kendial Lawrence will have learned enough from the system
to have a great year running the ball. QB James Franklin is also going to be
really good. His dual threat ability will make him a hard matchup for defenses.
The defense will regress a bit. They won’t be used to the speed of the SEC and
will give up some big player early, but should have a great season.
Key Wins: Tennessee, Florida, Arizona State. Key Losses:
Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia.
4. Florida 9-3 (5-3) –
This Florida team is going to shock a lot of people. They will have the fire
power to hang with the best, but they won’t quite be able to beat them. QB
Jacoby Brissett will have a pretty good year as the starter and will throw for
close to 3,000 yards. The running game will have to pick it up this season and
with Mike Gillislee’s speed I think they will. The defense got a lot of guys
back. They will continue to stay near the top of the country at everything they
do. The secondary will continue to be stellar with Safety Matt Elam.
Key Wins: Texas A&M, Florida State, South Carolina. Key
Losses: Missouri, Georgia, LSU.
5. Tennessee 6-6
(2-6) – This Tennessee team would be top 3 in almost any other conference,
but not the SEC. The have returning starters all over the roster and I think
last season created a lot of momentum. QB Tyler Bray will have a great season
throwing for over 2,500 yards. The running game will suffer though. It will
continue to be one of the worst in the SEC because of the lack of experience in
the position. The defensive secondary will be tough. They were middle of the
road in the SEC last season, but 12th nationally. They will get
better there. The run stopping will need some work. The linebackers will really
be tested this season.
Key Wins: Vanderbilt, Kentucky, NC State. Key Losses:
Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State.
6. Kentucky 5-7 (2-6)
– Kentucky isn’t an SEC power house for football, but they will still put
up a great fight. The Wildcats will be near bowl contention at the end of the
year, but the lack of a run game will really hurt them. Their line isn’t that
big and the running backs aren’t elusive enough to make up for that. The
defense will have a great line and secondary. They will still need to work on
stopping the run though. The line backers are going to have to play big if the
defense wants to have a chance.
Key Wins: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Kent State. Key
Losses: Tennessee, Florida, Louisville.
7. Vanderbilt 4-8
(1-7) – I feel bad hating on Aaron Rodger’s little brother, but this team
can’t do it in the SEC. The offense will be good, but not great. They got guys
at all the key positions and they are all experienced. QB Jordan Rodgers will
improve on last year’s stats and get close to 2,000 yards through the air. The
defense will be middle of the road as well. Though they are nearly a top 25
defense, they are vanilla in the SEC.
Key Wins: Ole Miss, Wake Forest, UMass. Key Losses:
Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri.
West
1. Alabama 12-0 (8-0)
– I know Bama lost a lot of players, but they do every year. This is a
great program. Nick Saban will really shock some people with the depth this
season. The defense won’t be the best in the nation, but I guarantee you they
will be close. They are filled with a lot of new talent that is going to
explode onto the scene this year. The offense will miss the running game of
Trent Richardson, but that line is so good I think anyone can go for 1,000
behind them. QB, AJ McCarron and his wide outs are going to be the key. If they
can improve on not dropping the ball, the Tide could roll all the way.
Key Wins: LSU, Arkansas, Auburn. No Losses.
2. LSU 11-1 (7-1) –
The Tigers will be back in full force this season and will really compete will
Bama. Though they lost Tyrann Mathieu, this team will be good. The passing game
will still be the highlight of the offense, but the running game will improve.
They got a good set of tail backs and will pound out some good yards this
season. The defense will be close to their form last year. The secondary isn’t
going to be as good, but I expect the pass rush and run stopping abilities to
still be there.
Key Wins: Arkansas, Texas A&M, Washington. Key Loss:
Alabama.
3. Arkansas 10-2
(6-2) – I would group these guys in with South Carolina. They would be a
national championship contender anywhere else, but they play in the SEC. QB
Tyler Wilson is the best in the conference and he will be unstoppable with his tight
ends. The running game is what might bring this team down. If they can get that
everybody needs to watch out. The defense is also an area of concern. They give
up a lot of yards on the ground. The senior line backers are going to need to
do a lot this season if they want to go to a BCS bowl.
Key Wins: South Carolina, Auburn, Texas A&M. Key Losses:
Alabama, LSU.
4. Auburn 7-5 (3-5) –
Though the years of Cam Newton seem to be light years in the past, the Tigers
will still be on the prowl. The offense will be better than last year. The
running game will continue to be efficient, but the passing game is really
going to need some work. The Tigers will have a young QB no matter what. The wide
outs will really have to help out. Both of them are seniors and have a ton of
experience in the SEC and should tear up some teams. The defense won’t be the
worst in the SEC, but they won’t be too far from it.
Key Wins: Clemson, Mississippi State, Ole Miss. Key Losses:
Alabama, LSU, Arkansas.
5. Texas A&M 6-6
(2-6) – I think the Aggies are going to have a hard time crossing over to
the SEC. They lost a lot of talent last year and couldn’t keep a lead in the
fourth quarter. The offense won’t have the same bite they had last season. The
defense won’t be too much better. They will get to the QB, but the secondary
has so many holes. They won’t have a problem stopping the rushing game, so they
should have that to lean on.
Key Wins: Mississippi State, Auburn, SMU. Key Losses:
Missouri, Ole Miss, Florida.
6. Mississippi State
6-6 (2-6) – The Bulldogs have gotten
better over the years and they could get into another bowl game. The wide outs
will be outstanding this season. They just won’t have someone to throw it to
them. QB Tyler Russell will need to adjust quickly or this team doesn’t have a
chance. The defense has a chance to be pretty good. I think they will allow
less yards through the air this season. The will regress a bit in the other
departments though.
Key Wins: Ole Miss, Tennessee, South Alabama. Key Losses:
Arkansas, Texas A&M, Kentucky.
7. Ole Miss 4-8 (1-7)
– This isn’t a very good team, but they should be on the rise from last
season. RB Jeff Scott is the offense and at the moment and he will rush for
close to 1,000 yards. The defense isn’t very good either. They are going to get
torn up by a lot of teams this season. Almost all of their wins will be from
out of conference games, but I think they can shock one team in the SEC.
Key Wins: Texas A&M, Tulane, UTEP. Key Losses:
Mississippi State, Auburn, Vanderbilt.
Championship: Alabama Over Georgia
Top 25
1. USC
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
6. Ohio State
7. Georgia
8. Nebraska
9. West Virginia
10. Florida State
11. Virginia Tech
12. South Carolina
13. Arkansas
14. Michigan
15. Oklahoma State
16. Wisconsin
17. North Carolina
18. Florida
19. TCU
20. Missouri
21. Stanford
22. Iowa
23. Clemson
24. Boise State
25. Louisville
Today's Picks:
CMU 42 - SE Missouri State- 3
South Carolina 45 - Vanderbilt 14
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