Rank) Team, record, (AP), (Coaches), thoughts
1) Alabama Crimson Tide 12-1 (1), (1)- I grudgingly give my national title to the Alabama Crimson tide. Not that I have anything against them. But that I find it unfair to ask LSU to have to beat a team they already bead on the road once a second time, which time and time has proven hard in the pro’s and college. They were also not good enough to win their own conference. They have arguably one of the greatest defenses in the history of mankind (too much? lol). I just think its time for the Champion to be deceided on the field in a tournament. All they really needed was two weeks off and then to play Oklahoma State.
2) Oklahoma State Cowboys 12-1, (3), (3)- I know, I know everybody else says LSU should be here. Then LSU should have showed up to play Alabama or at least recruited a quarterback. Oklahoma State to me easily deserves this spot and maybe the number one nod as they didn’t even get a chance to play. I would love to see one of the most explosive offenses in years against one of the best defenses in years.
3) LSU Tigers 13-1, (2), (2)- Poor LSU, go undefeated and win the SEC only to have to play the game of the century again. Maybe next time Les Miles will actually prepare an offensive gameplan. LSU got out coached on offense and defense which isn’t good when your playing for the national title in front of basically your home crowd.
4) Oregon Ducks 12-2, (4), (4)-After a tough start getting physically abused by the number 3 LSU Tigers in the opening game. Oregon turned it around and got back on track. The high octane Ducks could have made some noise a long playoff system. But with what we are stuck in they had to settle for a barn burning Rose Bowl that barring a miscue at the end by Wisconsin could have gone overtime. Luckily for the teams in the Pac-12 both the cogs on offense Thomas, and running James have decieded to go pro. Unlucky for the Pac-12 is the realization that they will just reload.
5) Arkansas Razorbacks 11-2, (5), (5)- When the coach said that they weren’t going to miss a beat with the loss of Ryan Mallet to the pro’s most including me scoffed it off as bravado. Little did we know that he wasn’t playing around. This team would kick that teams butt and twice on Sunday. Leave it to Arkansas though to have one of their best teams the year that two other teams from their conference play for the national title. Expect more big things from this crew in the future.
6) Stanford Cardinals 11-2, (7), (7)-Andrew Luck had almost no luck getting any speed to throw to stretch the field or else they might have played LSU for the title. Great line play, strong running, sell out defense. This is probably the best "Team" in college football. Which is why the son of one of the greatest running backs in history Barry Sanders jr, chose to commit to Stanford over his fathers alma mater Oklahoma State. So don’t expect the Cardinals to fall off the map.
7 USC Trojans 10-2, (6), (UR)- Well it looks like the Pac-12 has USC to fear again. With the maturation of Matt Barkley, and the growth of some of the best freshman wide receivers in years. The Trojans are very dangerous. As of right now they are my preseason number one for next year. By the end of the season I don’t know if their was a team that could beat them.
8) Boise State Broncos 12-1 (8), (6)- This class has more in common with some of the old Florida State teams of the eighties than you might think. As all that has kept them from some perfect season has been an ill-timed missed field goal. Kellen Moore leaves this team as the winningist quarterback in the history of college football surpassing my beloved Colt McCoy. Are dark days ahead for the Broncos having to replace him and stud running back Doug Martin. Only time will tell. Personally I look for them to have their struggles and replacing a great quarterback is not easy. But eventually expect them to land on their feet.
9) South Carolina Gamecocks 11-2 (9), (8)-Midway through the season the Carolina parted ways with long time senior quarterback Stefan Garcia. Gamecock fans will tell you "Thank God", Adequate quarterback play from Conner Shaw help this solid defensive team continue on to a 11-2 record especially after the loss of one of the best runningbacks in the country Marcus Lattimore. If Shaw can improve, Lattimore can get back to the way he was, and the Gamecocks can replace Alshon Jeffery(no small task) then this team should be right back in the mix.
10) Michigan State Spartans 11-3 (11), (10)-Sparty only seemed to play big in the big games, and usually as the clock ran down. They where the 1st team to upset Wisconsin’s national title bid on a hail mary, and seem to keep wanting to do it again and again.
11) Wisconsin Badgers 11-3, (10), (11)- The season looked brighter than normal with NC state Transfer Wilson at the helm. But some bad breaks and unanswered prayers led them to being ten spots down from their goals. But perk up the running game is still their with recording breaker Ball returning along with some other horses in the stable. If they can ever get some speed on defense look out.
12) Baylor Bears 10-3, (13), (12)- No one was more surprised than me that Robert Griffin III finally pushed the Bears out of obscurity. I wasn’t surprised he was great, after all the did set the Freshman record for completions and attempts without an interception. No what really surprised me was the stable of explosive runningbacks that seemed to score at will in the big games. But when ever the game was on the line you knew Griffin would get it done.
13) Michigan Wolverines 11-2 (12), (9)- What a difference a year makes. New Coach same players and not only did they beat arch rival Ohio State, but they were one of the few Big 10 teams to win their bowl game. Watch for Robinson next year to throw to himself so that he can lead the team in another catagory lol. The Wolverines are on their way up, which is why State had to go get Urban Meyer out of retirement.
14) TCU Horned Frogs 11-2 (14), (13)-Sophomore Casey Pascal did a heck of a job replacing Andy Dalton as the Frogs only lost an back and for with Baylor and an overtime loss to rival SMU. The Frogs are hitting on all cylinders at just the right time as the enter the Big 12 next year
15) Houston Cougars 13-1, (18), (14)- 12th year senior Case Keenum leaves after having broken just about all records associated with quaterback, and 8 they haven’t even thought up yet. Minus a stubble against Southern Miss, this was a great year for the Coug’s.
16) Oklahoma Sooners, 10-3 (16), (15)- Want to mess up a preseason number one ranking and a chance at the BCS title game. Step one have a consistant kicker miss a big field goal, check. Step two Lose some key players, check (Rb-Dominque Whaley, Wr-Ryan Broyles), Step three have poor line play so you quarterback is running for his life and making bad decisions, check. But look for the Sooners to reload, and also for their defense to be much better with Brother Stoops back as DC
17) Kansas State Wildcats 10-3, (15), (16)- They surprised a lot of people except me, well ok Collin Klein did better than even I thought. The Wildcats are a team on the move, and will be looking to challenge for the conference crown next year.
18) West Virginia Mountaineers, 10-3, (17), (18)- They proved they had an explosive offense putting up all those numbers in a loss to LSU, what happens next will depend on how well Gino Smith develops. Well he be the guy who couldn’t be stopped by Clemson, or the one who makes mistakes. Note West Virginia could be playing in the Big 12 next year but that will be decieded by the courts.
19) Southern Miss Golden Eagles 12-2, (20), (19)-This was a hard team to figure out. Losses to UAB, and Marshall didn’t help. They only seemed to show up for the big games, like the beating they put on Houston. With their coach at North Carolina, it remains to be seen if they can make it back to the top 30 again.
20) Georgia Bulldogs 10-4, (19), (20)-At times they could be world beaters, aka first half of SEC title game against LSU, others they were just plain bad. But they finally showed enough to keep their coach off the hot seat...well for another year that is.
21) BYU Cougars, 10-3, (UR), (25)-They played a tough schedule and had some rough spots in their first year as an independent, but all in all they don’t seem the worse for the wear. Will they have problems filling their schedule..probably, would you want to play them.
22) Clemson Tigers 10-4, (22)(22)-Boyd to Watkins was such a great combinations for the first 8 games that this team almost seemed destined for the promised land. Then the wheels came off and the car crashed. Most evident in allowing the most points ever in a modern day college football bowl game. But their young so watch out.
23) Florida State Seminoles 9-4, (23)(23)-Jimbo Fisher would love some consitancy from his team. But with the recruiting effort he has made this year don’t be shocked if this is the low point of the next couple of years.
24) Nebraska Cornhuskers, 9-4, (24)(24)-In consitancy at quarterback by Martinez marred this season. Look for the blackshirts to reassert themselves into Big 10 contention.
25) Cinncinati Bearcats 10-3, (25)(UR)-Kind’ve flew under the radar this year, but finished with a fine season
26) North Carolina State Wildcats 8-5 (UR)(UR)- A slow start by Glennon was only overshadowed by how well he and his team played down the stretch. This is a diffinate ACC challenger next year
27) Texas Longhorns 8-5 (UR)(UR)- Great Defensive play made this team a contender, poor play at quaterback and nagging injuries and the runningback position made it an average contender at times. If Ash can be the answer he seemed like he might be in the Bowl game then expect big things from this team. The addition of the number one HS running back to this stable wont hurt either.
28) Northern Illinois Huskies 11-3 UR, UR- Few people in college football can stop Chandler Harnish, the best they could do was contain him.
29) Auburn Tigers 8-5, UR, UR, -There is nothing like having the best player in the game and winning the national titles. Except the season afterwards generally sucks, well at least the Tigers didn’t fall as far as Texas did the year after Colt McCoy. But there do seem to be storm clouds in the future as rumors of the MVP of last years title game transfering away.
30) Virginia Cavaliers 8-5, UR, UR - There new coach has them off to a faster rise than expected after coming over from Richmond. Watch out for this team, who plays like a team in the near future.
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