12. Wisconsin: Somehow every season, Wisconsin smash-mouth football and bruising running game get them right back in the thick of things. Lead by RB John Clay, the Badgers will face tough games against Ohio State and Michigan. 13. Auburn: “War Eagle” could run the table -- This may be the surprise team of the year! The Tigers look favorable up and down the schedule until they hit the finale against Alabama. Mark your calendars for that one! 14. LSU: The Tigers are riddled with talent on both sides of the ball. QB Jordan Jefferson returns as the starter and defenses will have to play to his big arm as well as quick feet. 15. Iowa: This is another one of those teams to watch. T5he Hawkeyes have a pretty tough schedule, but get Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin all at home. Kirk Ferentz is a coach who knows winning, and this shouldn’t be any different. 16. Utah: If the Utes were in the Pac-10 this season, they would make a huge commotion atop of the polls. However, too many tough games this season against out of conference teams will push them back. 17. Arkansas: Sold on Ryan Mallett as a top-rated QB, but not sold on the fact that the Razorbacks can overcome some serious powerhouse teams in Alabama, Auburn, and LSU this season. They just aren’t solid enough to get through that schedule without losses. 18. Stanford: “Luck”y for Stanford they have star QB Andrew Luck. Sure they lost stud running back Toby Gerhart, but scouts are already drooling over Luck’s potential in leading the Cardinals and so are we.
19. Georgia Tech: No losses on defense and a wellprepared team with fundamentals. Pair this with an ACC schedule and the Yellow Jackets are back in the Top 25! 20. South Florida: We know, we know, we know. . . a lot of people are going to see this as our homer pick, but with strength of schedule and some surprising talent on the roster, look for the Bulls to shock the polls again. 21. Nebraska: Very tough road schedule ahead and loss of a superstar on defense makes it difficult for the Huskers to get back into the form they are accustomed to. This is a rebuilding year albeit a good one. 22. Penn State: Losing your QB and the majority of your starting defense is not the way to start a season, but the Nittany Lions know how to win. However, they must battle on the road against the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide. 23. Pittsburgh: Two words, one man. . . Dion Lewis. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have ranked the Panthers at all. We project losses to WVU, Miami, and Utah, but Dion’s superstar talent will have the Panthers running into the mix. 24. North Carolina: We absolutely love this team’s will to fight. As usual, they have a brutal schedule but could pull out some upsets. 25. Notre Dame: Very easy schedule and the Fighting Irish are deservedly ranked on the bubble this time. They finally have their coaching in order, and Head Coach Brian Kelly will seek to make a statement early in the season to push his team up the polls.
Alabama’s Mark Ingram (22), running away from South Carolina defenders, will help the Crimson Tide defend their national championship title.
West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart talks to Noel Devine, the team’s leading rusher, and Jock Sanders, the team’s leading receiver, who were the Mountaineers’ cooffensive players of the year last season.
PREMIER PLAYERS
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