college football top 25

[franksolich]

http://blogs.ajc.com/barnhart-college-football/2009/05/15/spring-top-25-gators-no-1-tech-13-dawgs-14/

Oh my.

It's a little too early, isn't it?

Spring Top 25: Gators No. 1, Tech 13, Dawgs 14

1—Florida (13-1, 1): Tim Tebow is back. The entire defense is back. There are no apparent weaknesses on this team. The only real concern is an Oct. 10 trip to LSU.

2—Texas (12-1, 2): Colt McCoy and the Longhorns will be motivated after coming up one-point short of a shot at the national championship last season.  They meet Oklahoma in Dallas On Oct. 17 and travel to Oklahoma State on Oct. 31.

3—Oklahoma (12-2, 5): QB Sam Bradford, the Heisman Trophy winner, came back to school for another shot at the national championship.

4—Alabama (12-2, 4): Crimson Tide has to rebuild OL but defense should carry this team a long way.

5—Southern California (12-1, 3): QB Mark Sanchez left early and nine starters are gone on defense. So what? Trojans reload and win the Pac-10 again.

6—Virginia Tech (10-4, 8): The defending ACC champions came out of spring feeling good about defense, QB Tyrod Taylor.

7—Oklahoma State (9-4, 7): Georgia fans need to remember: QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, WR Dez Bryant. The Cowboys are very good.

8—Ohio State (10-3, 9):  RB Beanie Wells left but QB Terrelle Pryor returns with eight starters on defense.

9—LSU (8-5, 6): Tigers bounce back with John Chavis as new defensive coordinator and Jordan Jefferson at QB.

10—Ole Miss (9-4, 16): Not sure if I’m totally on the Ole Miss bandwagon yet because LT Michael Oher and DT Peria Jerry are gone. Rebels do have a very good QB in Jevan Snead and a good schedule.

11—Oregon (10-3, 18): Mike Bellotti stepped down as head coach but Chip Kelly was the genius behind that offense. Will challenge Southern Cal in Pac-10.

12—Penn State (11-2, 21): People are telling me that Joe Pa might win the Big Ten despite losing 14 starters. We’ll see.

13—Georgia Tech (9-4, 13): There are some big holes to fill on the defensive line, but Paul Johnson’s offense will be even better in year two.

14—Georgia (10-3, 15): Still concerned about the defense and the running back position. The Sept. 5 trip to Oklahoma State is scary.

15—Florida State (9-4, 12): If the Seminoles can find a couple of receivers they will win the ACC Atlantic.

16—North Carolina (8-5, 14): Tar Heels also need some wide receivers but the defense (19 INT last season) will be very good.

17—TCU (11-2, 17): The Horned Frogs lost seven starters from the nation’s No. 2 defense but these guys are always good under Gary Patterson.

18—Boise State (12-1, 24): Broncos return QB Kellen Moore but have a tough opener with Oregon.

19—Utah (13-0, 19): QB Brian Johnson is gone but nine starters on defense return.

20—Texas Tech (11-2, 20): QB Graham Harrell is gone but Mike Leach always finds another quarterback to plug into his offense.

21—Cincinnati (11-3, NR): Only one starter returns on defense but QB Tony Pike is back on offense. Bearcats are still good enough to repeat as Big East champs.

22—East Carolina (9-5, NR): Sixteen starters, including QB Patrick Pinkney, return from the C-USA champs.

23—California (9-4, 22): RB Jahvid Best is the nation’s leading returning rusher. Seven starters are back on defense.

24—Notre Dame (7-6, NR): I’m not convinced the Irish are that good but the schedule, other than Southern Cal on Oct. 17, is very manageable.

25—Kansas (8-5, NR): With quarterback Todd Reesing coming back, the Jayhawks will challenge Nebraska for the Big 12 North.

Lots and lots of interesting reader comments.

[BlueStateSaint]

Now waaaaaait a sec, sir.  Where's Nebraska on that list?  (You've turned me into a possible-Nebraska fan, so I really want to know.)

[USA4ME]

It's a little too early, isn't it?

A little early, but it'll be here before you know it.

The Gators are loaded even more than last year.  Minus inforeseen injuries they should roll.

BlueStateSaint makes a good point.  I wouldn't be surprised to see NU sneak into the Top 25 by years end.  They have the talent, it's just a matter of whether the coach can get them to show up every game.  They only lost 4 games last year, although Mizzou and OU sorta stomped them.  Their Sept 19th game against VT should answer a lot of questions.

.

[franksolich]

Oh, I dunno.

After Frank Solich, a coach of impeccable integrity and principle, was fired, the Nebraska football program went way downhill.

Remember, we had that now-gone athletic director who wanted Nebraska to stop being Nebraska, and to be like "everybody else," because it's hip, it's cool, it's trendy, it's with it, to be like everybody else.

The damage was so great one had to see to imagine it.

My own timeline is (a) winning a Big 12 Top championship sometime by 2013, (b) winning the Big 12 conference championship game by 2030, (c) being in the national Top Ten by 2027, and (d) winning the national championship by 2039.

I'd settle for that.

Again, I can't describe how great the destruction was.

[BlueStateSaint]

Frank, Frank, Frank . . . Methinks that you give Bo Pelini not enough credit.  I say Big 12 (regular season)Championship by 2012, as you do, but winning the B12 Championship Game the same season.  National Championship the next season, if not that season.

He'll turn it around.  Quickly. 

[Odin's Hand]

The problem with Nebraska is they lost a whole lot on offense. Ganz, 4 O-line men, 3 WRs, 2 RBs, 1 TE are gone. Another problem Pelini has is he hasn't built in-roads that Osbourne had in CA, TX and OK (especially Lawton). Most of his really good skill players came from those states. Unless he can rebuilt those, which will be difficult with Texas, USC, OU and OSU all being at the top of their game, there will be no Big 12 Championships in the cards.

[dutch508]

The problem with Nebraska is they lost a whole lot on offense. Ganz, 4 O-line men, 3 WRs, 2 RBs, 1 TE are gone. Another problem Pelini has is he hasn't built in-roads that Osbourne had in CA, TX and OK (especially Lawton). Most of his really good skill players came from those states. Unless he can rebuilt those, which will be difficult with Texas, USC, OU and OSU all being at the top of their game, there will be no Big 12 Championships in the cards.

They lost the main concept of Nebraska football- Power football.

That is what made them great.

[debk]

They lost the main concept of Nebraska football- Power football.

That is what made them great.

Nebraska hasn't been the same since Osborne quit coaching. 

Sad to see that UT wasn't even mentioned.  Lot of wondering going on as to whether or not Kiffin will be able to bring the team back to where it used to be.

[franksolich]

They lost the main concept of Nebraska football- Power football.

That is what made them great.

Yeah, the deal about running the football down the field, rather than passing it.

Anyone who's ever been in Nebraska (in an outdoor stadium, not one of these domed things like in Minneapolis) in September, October, and November, would find many very good reasons Nebraska always ran the ball, rather than passed it.

It's not like Nebraska's Florida or southern California.

For some reason, probably a pretty stupid one, people decided passing was hip, cool, with it, trendy, and running was dull, boring, stale, old hat.

Especially that asshole Herb Kirkstreit, or whatever his name is, that television personality.

Doing the dull, boring, stale, old hat stuff made Nebraska--at the time, the smallest state in the union with a Division I college football team--the terror of the football world, from State College to Lost Angeles.....for 42 years.

There's a lesson in this for all: if something works, don't mess with it.  Mess with it only when it stops working.....and never change something just for the sake of becoming hip, cool, trendy, with it; just because "everybody else is doing it."

[ReardenSteel]

Florida looks unstopable. 

Glad to see tOSU in the top 10 and can't wait to see them play USC in Columbus. I'm even more glad it's USC with the rookie QB this time around. Should be a close game this time. Like a mini Rose Bowl in September. 

Good on Cincy for making the list but I don't see how they hang on with a whole new defense.

[Odin's Hand]

Yall will probably one day look on the Bill Callahan years as the Schnellenberger/John Blake days are around here. Nebraska should be the top dog in the Big 12 North nearly every year given their tradition, facilities and alumni/fan support. Hell, the Nebraska Weight Room used to be the benchmark of college football thanks to Boyd Epley.

[Oriole Fan]

Now waaaaaait a sec, sir.  Where's Nebraska on that list?  (You've turned me into a possible-Nebraska fan, so I really want to know.)

Does Lawrence Phillips have any eligibility left?

[debk]

Yall will probably one day look on the Bill Callahan years as the Schnellenberger/John Blake days are around here. Nebraska should be the top dog in the Big 12 North nearly every year given their tradition, facilities and alumni/fan support. Hell, the Nebraska Weight Room used to be the benchmark of college football thanks to Boyd Epley.

UT has some of the best facilities in the country, but it hasn't done much for us when it comes to beating Florida.