Mark Schlabach revised, early top 25 for 2010

[JLEW1818]

College football's underclassmen have declared for the NFL draft. Incoming prospects have signed their national letters of intent.

There's no better time to update the Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2010.

Say hello to North Carolina and BYU, which weren't included in the original top 25 released on Jan. 8, the day after Alabama defeated Texas 37-21 in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.

Say goodbye to Stanford and Navy, which could very well return to the top 25 when we revise it again before the start of the 2010 season in September.

Georgia Tech, which lost four of its best juniors to the NFL draft, moved down the poll. Florida State, which signed one of the country's best recruiting classes under new coach Jimbo Fisher, moved up.

Here's a revised look at the best teams in the country for the upcoming season:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama, the defending BCS national champion, will have plenty of holes to fill before it kicks off the 2010 season against San Jose State at home on Sept. 4. But Tide coach Nick Saban has stockpiled talent the past three seasons and signed a third straight top-three recruiting class this year. Most of the Tide's offensive firepower is coming back, including quarterback Greg McElroy, receiver Julio Jones and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Two starting offensive linemen will have to be replaced, but left tackle James Carpenter might be a future NFL star.

The defense will have to be rebuilt, but there might not be a better defensive architect than Saban. He was able to persuade defensive coordinator Kirby Smart not to leave for Georgia, his alma mater, and that will help in the rebuilding process. The entire defensive line will have to be replaced, along with two linebackers and three defensive backs. Cornerback Kareem Jackson and All-American linebacker Rolando McClain left for the NFL draft. Incoming freshman cornerbacks DeMarcus Milliner and John Fulton and defensive ends Adrian Hubbard and Alfy Hill might have to contribute right away. Linebacker Dont'a Hightower's return from a knee injury will help.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel can only hope quarterback Terrelle Pryor turned the corner with his performance in a 26-17 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Entering his third season, Pryor is still trying to live up to the hype that made him the country's top high school QB prospect. The good news: Four starters will be back on the offensive line. The Buckeyes will have to replace left tackle Jim Cordle, and junior Mike Adams will be the top candidate to protect Pryor's blind side entering spring practice. Three tailbacks will compete for the starting job, including heralded freshman Jaamal Berry, who missed all of last season because of a hamstring injury.

Six starters, including five seniors, are returning on defense. Junior end Thaddeus Gibson entered the NFL draft, but getting Cameron Heyward to come back to school was a major coup. Incoming freshman Christian Bryant might be able to help in the secondary right away.

3. Boise State Broncos The Broncos beat TCU 17-10 in the Fiesta Bowl to finish the 2009 season unbeaten, but their biggest victory might have been keeping coach Chris Petersen around for another season. And if Petersen hasn't left for a bigger school by now, he just might retire at Boise State.

The Broncos will bring back 21 of 22 starters on offense and defense in 2010, but they'll have to replace defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, who left for the same position at Tennessee. Petersen promoted defensive-line coach Pete Kwiatkowski to replace Wilcox. Quarterback Kellen Moore will enter the season as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate after throwing for 3,536 yards with 39 touchdowns and only three interceptions last season.

The only starter leaving on defense is Kyle Wilson, one of the best cornerbacks in the country. All five starters are back on the offensive line, which allowed the fewest sacks in the country last season.

Boise State's schedule gets much tougher in 2010, as it opens the season against Virginia Tech on Labor Day night at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., and hosts Oregon State on the blue turf on Sept. 25.

4. Oregon Ducks With Pete Carroll leaving USC to coach the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, Oregon might be in position to become king of the Pac-10. The Ducks' loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl momentarily put the brakes on coach Chip Kelly's early momentum, but it picked up again after he signed what was being called the best recruiting class in school history.

Oregon returns all but three starters from last season, including quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and tailback LaMichael James. Kelly signed three running backs from Texas to help James carry the load, with senior LeGarrette Blount departing. Starting defensive linemen Will Tukuafu and Blake Ferras departed, but the Ducks signed junior college transfer Isaac Remington and freshman Ricky Heimuli to help replace them.

Oregon's schedule isn't especially difficult, with nonconference games against New Mexico (home), Tennessee (road) and Football Championship Subdivision opponent Portland State (home). The Pac-10 schedule includes road games at Arizona State, USC, Cal and Oregon State.

5. Virginia Tech Hokies Much like Ohio State, Virginia Tech's fortunes in 2010 might depend on the development of its quarterback. Like Pryor, Tyrod Taylor has repeatedly hurt opponents with his feet, but he also has struggled at times with his passing accuracy. Entering his senior season, Taylor should have a much better grasp of Tech's offense. He'll have plenty of help in the backfield with two 1,000-yard runners returning. Sophomore Ryan Williams ran for a school-record 1,655 yards last season; sophomore Darren Evans ran for 1,265 yards as a freshman in 2008. Evans missed all of last season with a knee injury.

Tech will have to rebuild its defense after losing seven starters, but coordinator Bud Foster has never had problems filling holes. End Jason Worilds, who entered the NFL draft as a junior, will have to be replaced, as will linebacker Cody Grimm and safety Kam Chancellor. Incoming freshman Nick Dew and Theron Norman might be asked to help immediately.

Tech opens the season against Boise State and then plays a very difficult three-game stretch in November: Georgia Tech at home, followed by road games at North Carolina and Miami.

6. Texas Longhorns The Longhorns will have to replace a lot of firepower in 2010, including record-setting quarterback Colt McCoy and receiver Jordan Shipley. But as long as coach Mack Brown keeps recruiting top-five classes, Texas should have little trouble filling holes.

Sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert gave Texas fans reason to hope for big things in 2010 with his performance in the Longhorns' loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. Forced into action after McCoy injured his throwing shoulder, Gilbert played surprisingly well after getting only spot duty during the regular season. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis will have to find a running game to keep pressure off Gilbert this coming season, and incoming freshman receivers Mike Davis and Darius White might be able to play right away.

Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who is Brown's coach-in-waiting, will have seven starters back. Safety Earl Thomas turned pro, and end Sergio Kindle and tackle Lamarr Houston also departed. Texas' No. 2-ranked recruiting class includes highly regarded end Jackson Jeffcoat, linebacker Jordan Hicks and tackles Taylor Bible and Ashton Dorsey.

7. Nebraska Cornhuskers Do you think Nebraska fans are excited about the direction of the program under coach Bo Pelini? More than 50,000 tickets already have been sold for the April 17 spring game. Big Red has good reason to be jacked for 2010. Don't be surprised if you see a Texas-Nebraska rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game in early December.

The Cornhuskers will have to replace defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was probably the best player in the country last season, along with four other starters on defense. But Pelini has Nebraska playing "Blackshirt" defense again. Ten starters are expected back on offense, but the Cornhuskers have to improve after finishing 101st in the country in passing (175.7 yards per game) and 99th in total offense (322.7 yards) last season. Quarterback Zac Lee played better in Nebraska's 33-0 rout of Arizona in the Holiday Bowl, but he was inconsistent throughout the 2009 season.

Nebraska's nonconference schedule is really soft except for a Sept. 18 road game at Washington. In Big 12 play, the Cornhuskers will face Texas at home on Oct. 16 and make road trips to Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.

8. TCU Horned Frogs Fresh off a 12-1 season, with the only loss coming against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, TCU should be armed for another run at a BCS bowl game in 2010. The Horned Frogs will bring back nine starters on offense, including quarterback Andy Dalton. Left tackle Marshall Newhouse and tailback Joseph Turner will have to be replaced, and coach Gary Patterson signed a couple of heralded tailback prospects to help fill the void.

TCU lost only four starters on defense, but all of them were significant departures. Pass-rushing end Jerry Hughes, linebacker Daryl Washington and cornerbacks Nick Sanders and Rafael Priest were the heart and soul of one of the country's stingiest defenses. The Horned Frogs signed six defensive backs in their recruiting class.

9. Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers seemed to turn the corner under coach Bret Bielema last season, and he was rewarded with a one-year extension that would take him through the 2015 season. The Badgers finished 10-3 in 2009 and beat Miami 20-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Wisconsin should be good enough to challenge Ohio State in the Big Ten this coming season, especially with quarterback Scott Tolzien playing so well down the stretch. If the Badgers have lacked anything during Bielema's tenure, it was consistent quarterback play. It won't hurt Tolzien that tailback John Clay and eight other starters on offense are returning to the team, too. Five starters are leaving the defense, including linebacker Jaevery McFadden and safety Chris Maragos. The heaviest losses were on the interior defensive line, so Bielema signed three defensive tackles in his recruiting class.

The Badgers get a break in the Big Ten schedule, as they won't play Penn State this season. They'll face Ohio State at home on Oct. 16 and play road games at Michigan State and Iowa.

10. Florida Gators So what if half the Gators are leaving for the NFL draft and coach Urban Meyer is on a self-imposed leave of absence? With the country's No. 1 recruiting class on board, the Gators should again be the favorites in the SEC East.

Florida looks to be equipped to handle the heavy personnel losses, which included five juniors (defensive end Carlos Dunlap, cornerback Joe Haden, tight end Aaron Hernandez, center Maurkice Pouncey and safety Major Wright) leaving for the NFL draft. Throw in the losses of all-everything quarterback Tim Tebow and star linebacker Brandon Spikes, and it's no wonder Meyer needed a break. But quarterback John Brantley is a more polished passer than Tebow and might make the Gators more explosive.

Florida's coaches were really excited about freshman receiver Andre Debose this past fall until he tore his hamstring during preseason camp. Incoming freshman Mack Brown might be the tailback the Gators have sorely lacked during Meyer's tenure.

The Gators are still searching for a defensive coordinator, after Charlie Strong was hired as Louisville's coach. Meyer hired NFL assistant George Edwards, but he left shortly after he was hired to become defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.

11. Oklahoma Sooners Programs such as Oklahoma don't stay down for long, so last season's 8-5 record figures to be nothing more than a blip on the radar for coach Bob Stoops. Quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham turned pro, but they barely played last season because of injuries. Replacing cornerback Dominique Franks and All-American defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who also left school early, might be a bigger chore. Quarterback Landry Jones played very well at times during Bradford's absence, and getting tailback DeMarco Murray to come back was a coup. Seven starters are expected back on offense, but tackle Trent Williams and guard Brian Simmons will be tough to replace.

The Sooners will play one of the country's toughest schedules, with nonconference games against Florida State (home), Air Force (home) and Cincinnati (road). Oklahoma will play its annual game against Texas in Dallas and also will face Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State on the road.

[JLEW1818]

12. Iowa Hawkeyes The 2010 schedule sets up very well for Iowa, which plays Big Ten challengers Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State at home. Coach Kirk Ferentz's teams have made their living running the football and playing stingy defense. They'll have to replace four starting offensive linemen (and tight end Tony Moeaki) to run the ball well this coming season, which might not be easy. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi returns and must eliminate the turnovers that plagued him last season.

Eight starters are expected back on defense, but the linebacker corps will have to be rebuilt after losing A.J. Edds and Pat Angerer. End Adrian Clayborn is one of the country's best pass-rushers, and safety Tyler Sash has a knack for making big plays. Cornerback Amari Spievey turned pro, taking away a big weapon on defense.

13. Cincinnati Bearcats Maybe we have too much faith in new Bearcats coach Butch Jones. Cincinnati was embarrassed by Florida 51-24 in the Sugar Bowl after former coach Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame. Quarterback Tony Pike is leaving, as is star receiver Mardy Gilyard. But Jones was a big winner at Central Michigan, and the Bearcats didn't miss a beat when quarterback Zach Collaros was on the field last season. In fact, Collaros looks like a tailor-made quarterback for Jones' offense, much like former Chippewas star Dan LeFevour. Only five starters are coming back on defense, but the Bearcats had to replace 10 defensive starters before the 2009 season.

Cincinnati will play a very difficult schedule, with nonconference games against Miami (Ohio) at home, Oklahoma at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and road contests at NC State and Fresno State.

14. Pittsburgh Panthers The Panthers were four points from playing in a BCS bowl game last season, losing at West Virginia 19-16 in the Backyard Brawl and 45-44 to Cincinnati, which ended up deciding the Big East championship. Instead, Pitt beat North Carolina 19-17 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, which gave the Panthers their first 10-win season since Dan Marino was playing quarterback for them in 1981.

If coach Dave Wannstedt can find a replacement for quarterback Bill Stull and rebuild his team's interior defensive line, the Panthers might be even better in 2010. Tailback Dion Lewis is back after a sensational freshman season, and Jonathan Baldwin is as good as any receiver in the country. Sophomore Tino Sunseri is the early favorite to replace Stull. Sunseri led Pittsburgh's Central Catholic High to a state championship in his senior season, and his father, Sal, was an All-American linebacker at Pitt and is currently the assistant head coach/linebackers coach at Alabama.

Pitt will be tested early and often, with nonconference road games at Utah and Notre Dame and a home contest against Miami.

15. Arkansas Razorbacks It seems to be only a matter of time before Bobby Petrino has the Razorbacks seriously challenging Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the SEC West. It might happen in 2010, especially because junior quarterback Ryan Mallett decided to return to school. Mallett was eligible to enter the NFL draft as a sophomore because he sat out the 2008 season after transferring from Michigan. He has plenty of good weapons, including receivers Greg Childs and Jarius Wright and tight end D.J. Williams, who also bypassed entering the NFL draft.

Arkansas' biggest problems in 2009 came on defense, and star tackle Malcolm Sheppard and linebacker Wendel Davis are departing. Petrino's staff will look much different, too, with three new coaches coming on board. Petrino's brother, Paul, left to become offensive coordinator at Illinois.

16. LSU Tigers It figures to be a big season for Tigers coach Les Miles. If his team doesn't bounce back from last season's disappointing 9-4 finish, Miles might find himself on the hot seat even after leading the Tigers to a BCS national championship in 2007. If LSU does rebound, Miles might be a hot coaching commodity again, especially at a place like Michigan, his alma mater.

For LSU to bounce back this coming season, Miles and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton have to get on the same page offensively. The Tigers never seemed to have an identity on that side of the football last season. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson struggled in his first full season as a starter, and Miles and Crowton never seemed to have complete confidence in him. The Tigers also failed to get the ball to two of their best young playmakers: Russell Shepard and Rueben Randle. They have to be more involved this coming season.

Coordinator John Chavis shored up the defense last season, but he'll have to replace three starting defensive linemen, two linebackers and star safety Chad Jones, who left for the NFL draft. Incoming freshmen J.C. Copeland and J.R. Ferguson might be able to help up front.

LSU will play a tough schedule, starting with the opener against North Carolina in Atlanta. The Tigers also will play West Virginia at home and SEC road games at Florida, Auburn and Arkansas.

17. Florida State Seminoles For the first time in 34 seasons, Bobby Bowden won't be coaching the Seminoles. But new coach Jimbo Fisher did a fantastic job assembling his coaching staff and inherits a team that was very young in 2009. Fisher lured Arizona defensive coordinator Mark Stoops to Tallahassee and persuaded East Carolina defensive coordinator Greg Hudson to come to FSU as linebackers coach.

The Seminoles allowed 30 points or more five times in 2009 and won't challenge for an ACC title until their defense gets better. Expect incoming freshmen such as Jeff Luc, Christian Jones, Telvin Smith and Lamarcus Joyner to play on defense right away.

FSU might be very, very good on offense. Quarterback Christian Ponder is coming back from a shoulder injury and will have all five offensive linemen back to protect him. Fisher will be tested in his first season, as the Seminoles play road games at Oklahoma and Miami and home games against Florida and BYU.

18. North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina fans can't wait for football season to get here, and it's not just because basketball season can't end soon enough. The Tar Heels finally look ready to turn the corner under coach Butch Davis after finishing 8-5 in 2009. Four All-ACC defenders are coming back: end Robert Quinn, linebacker Quan Sturdivant, cornerback Kendric Burney and safety Deunta Williams. If UNC is to challenge for an ACC title, though, its offense has to get much better. The Tar Heels ranked 108th in total offense (307.7 yards per game), 102nd in passing (174.9) and 83rd in scoring (23.7 points). Returning quarterback T.J. Yates will have to hold off Bryn Renner to keep the starting job.

UNC fans won't have to wait long to find out whether the Tar Heels' title hopes are legitimate. UNC opens the season with perhaps the toughest five-game stretch in the country: against LSU in Atlanta on Sept. 4, home against Georgia Tech on Sept. 18, at Rutgers on Sept. 25, home against East Carolina on Oct. 2 and home against Clemson on Oct. 9.

19. Georgia Bulldogs The Bulldogs were one of last season's more disappointing teams with an 8-5 finish. But Georgia upset rival Georgia Tech 30-24 in the regular-season finale and blasted Texas A&M 44-20 in the Independence Bowl, giving it some momentum heading into the offseason.

The Bulldogs will have 10 starters back on offense, including all five offensive linemen and junior receiver A.J. Green. Tailbacks Washaun Ealey and Caleb King didn't hit their stride until late in the season and might form a potent one-two punch this coming season. The only offensive starter leaving is quarterback Joe Cox, who wasn't very good last season. Redshirt freshmen Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger will battle junior Logan Gray for the starting quarterback job.

Georgia's defense was awful at times last season, and coach Mark Richt fired coordinator Willie Martinez and two other assistants. Richt hired former Dallas Cowboys defensive-line coach Todd Grantham as his new coordinator. Grantham coaches a 3-4 scheme and will try to put more pressure on the quarterback and create more turnovers. The Bulldogs will have to replace linebacker Rennie Curran and safety Reshad Jones, who entered the NFL draft, and they'll have to find some tackles with Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens leaving.

20. Oregon State Beavers During the past four years, few teams have been as consistent as Oregon State, which finished in the top three of the Pac-10 standings every season. With nine starters coming back on both offense and defense, there is no reason to believe the Beavers will take a step back in 2010. Coach Mike Riley's biggest concern is replacing quarterback Sean Canfield, who completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,271 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. Redshirt freshman Ryan Katz is expected to take over at quarterback, and he'll have tailback Jacquizz Rodgers and receiver James Rodgers to help him. Together, the Rodgers brothers accounted for more than 4,000 all-purpose yards and 32 of the Beavers' 49 touchdowns in 2009. The Beavers play at Boise State on Sept. 25 and host USC and Oregon in 2010.

21. USC Trojans So the USC band is back together, huh? The biggest question going into the 2010 season is whether USC athletic director Mike Garrett picked the right front man. Lane Kiffin, who bolted Tennessee after only one season to replace Carroll at USC, inherits a team that slipped mightily in 2009. After tailback Joe McKnight and receiver Damian Williams left for the NFL draft, it might not get much easier this coming season. At least Kiffin can work with quarterback Matt Barkley, who played well at times as a freshman starter in 2009.

The left side of the offensive line will have to be rebuilt, and tight end Anthony McCoy also departs. Seven starters are coming back to a defense that was really bad in 2009. But the Trojans' defense probably got better the day Monte Kiffin, the head coach's father, stepped onto the USC campus. The Trojans play nonconference games at Hawaii and Minnesota and play Pac-10 road games at Stanford, Oregon State, Arizona and UCLA.

22. Penn State Nittany Lions Joe Paterno's 45th season as Penn State's coach will begin with an inexperienced quarterback under center, something JoePa always seems to enjoy. Paterno goes into the 2010 season needing only six victories to reach 400 in his career, and the Nittany Lions should be good enough to reach that milestone.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will have to rebuild his unit after linebackers Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee and tackle Jared Odrick departed. Incoming freshmen Khairi Fortt and Dakota Royer, who enrolled at Penn State in January, might get opportunities to play early. Freshman Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin will battle for the quarterback job, as will incoming freshman Paul Jones, who enrolled in classes early. The Nittany Lions face three difficult road games this coming season: at Alabama, Iowa and Ohio State.

23. Miami Hurricanes Randy Shannon's fourth season as coach of his alma mater might be an important one. The Hurricanes seemed to lose momentum at the end of last season, losing two of their last four games, including a 20-14 defeat to Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Shannon was the toast of South Beach after leading the Canes to three victories over nationally ranked opponents in the first month of the 2009 season. But Shannon has yet to be rewarded by school officials. His contract is set to expire after the 2010 season, and he and Miami officials have yet to have formal talks, as far as anyone knows.

If Miami is to reach its potential this coming season, quarterback Jacory Harris has to continue to develop and avoid the turnovers that plagued him last season. Tackles Jason Fox and Matt Pipho will have to be replaced on the offensive line, and tailback Graig Cooper's status is in serious doubt after he suffered a serious knee injury in the bowl game. Lamar Miller or incoming freshmen Eduardo Clements or Storm Johnson might get the call to replace him.

24. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Georgia Tech's breakthrough campaign under coach Paul Johnson ended with something of a thud, as the Yellow Jackets lost to Georgia and Iowa in the Orange Bowl to finish the 2009 season. It didn't get much better after that, as four juniors declared for the NFL draft: tailback Jonathan Dwyer, receiver Demaryius Thomas, safety Morgan Burnett and end Derrick Morgan.

Quarterback Josh Nesbitt returns to anchor Johnson's triple-option spread offense, and Tech should have enough talent to fill the backfield. Johnson hired former Virginia coach Al Groh to shore up his team's defense, which was porous at best last season. Tech plays road games at Kansas, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Georgia this coming season.

25. BYU Cougars The Cougars finished 11-2 last season after blasting Oregon State 44-20 in the Las Vegas Bowl to finish with at least 10 victories for the fourth season in a row. Coach Bronco Mendenhall's biggest task will be finding a quarterback to replace departed starter Max Hall. Incoming freshman Jake Heaps, who was ranked among the best drop-back passers in the country, already has enrolled in classes and will participate in spring practice. He'll challenge junior Riley Nelson and redshirt freshman James Lark, who is back from a two-year Mormon mission.

Whoever starts at quarterback won't have much of a honeymoon. The Cougars open the season at home against Washington on Sept. 4 and play at Florida State on Sept. 18. They host Nevada at home on Sept. 25.

[BOOMERBRADLEY]

Texas at 6 is a joke

[TXBOOMER]

Nebraska at 7 is a MF'in joke.

[PLaw]

11. Oklahoma Sooners Programs such as Oklahoma don't stay down for long, so last season's 8-5 record figures to be nothing more than a blip on the radar for coach Bob Stoops. Quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham turned pro, but they barely played last season because of injuries. Replacing cornerback Dominique Franks and All-American defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who also left school early, might be a bigger chore. Quarterback Landry Jones played very well at times during Bradford's absence, and getting tailback DeMarco Murray to come back was a coup. Seven starters are expected back on offense, but tackle Trent Williams and guard Brian Simmons will be tough to replace.

The Sooners will play one of the country's toughest schedules, with nonconference games against Florida State (home), Air Force (home) and Cincinnati (road). Oklahoma will play its annual game against Texas in Dallas and also will face Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State on the road.

Is this guy serious? 11? Eleven? We're freakin' OKLAHOMA. Obviously, he didn't do a lick of homework. Gresh did not play at all and SAM may have played 7 quarters. From what I saw, Williams and Simmons shouldn't be hard to replace. If Williams was half as good as the news clippings, then Sam would have never been hurt and the SOONERS would be celebrating another Big XII CC and likely a MNC.

Potential pitfalls will be at Cincy and Fair Park - but as I said, we're freakin' OKLAHOMA and we expect to win 'em all.

For the off season, that one got me fired up.

BOOMER Freakin' SOONER

[rainiersooner]

Texas at 6 is a joke

That was my thought. Oh, and it is based on this analysis:


Gilbert played surprisingly well after getting only spot duty during the regular season.

Come on...give me a break.

[kevpks]

11 is striking distance. How long until Virginia Tech falls out of the top 10? One week? Two? It seems like they are overrated every year.

[OU_Sooners75]

What gets me is if these were true preseason rankings, Boise State would be poised to play in their first MNC game in D-1A football.


Complete Joke of a ranking to say the least!

[Sabanball]

My thoughts--

The Huskers are way overrated at 7th, and Florida is very underrated at 10th. I think he's about right on Texas. I can understand why the pollsters will put us at no. 1, but three consecutive seasons of going unbeaten in our conference regular season play is not likely to happen. We pick up UF at home, and LSU and Tennessee are on the road. We'll definitely be in the hunt, but there's no way I see us keeping the no. 1 ranking wire to wire.

IF Boise can get past the Hokies in their opener, look for them to run the table and be in the BCS title game next year--whether they will deserve to be is another issue.

[NatureBoy]

Nebraska finished the season winning 6 of their last 7 games. Their lone loss was a controversial 1 point loss on the last play of the game against Top5 Texas.

Nebraska finished the season demolishing Top25 Arizona in the Holiday Bowl, 33-0, the first shutout in Big12 bowl history.

As a Husker fan, I wouldn't put NU in the Top10, but I would put them slightly ahead of Oklahoma.

[JLEW1818]

What gets me is if these were true preseason rankings, Boise State would be poised to play in their first MNC game in D-1A football.


Complete Joke of a ranking to say the least!

yup, and i think Boise will start off ranked 2nd or 3rd. If they start off at 2, they really might control their own destiny.

[BoulderSooner79]

11th seems generous for us seeing that we finished unranked, we still have an unproven O-line and we lose star players on defense - the bright spot last season. And it's fun to start low and climb each week ;)

[OU_Sooners75]

Jlew, I can say this with certainty....

If there are three undefeated teams (Boise and lets say Oklahoma and Ohio State) Boise State will not be playing in the National Championship game.

The only game on their schedule that is worth mentioning is Virginia Tech...and I really do not see them beating VT in Washington DC. However, if they do, they really do not play anyone else that gives them the credentials to play in the BCS title game.

[OU_Sooners75]

11th seems generous for us seeing that we finished unranked, we still have an unproven O-line and we lose star players on defense - the bright spot last season. And it's fun to start low and climb each week ;)


It is a little generous. However, it is hard to keep programs like OU down very long.

I would not be at all surprised if OU starts inside the top 10. Nor would I be surprised if they started inside the top 15 instead.

Either way, we MUST work to make our goals this coming season. Nothing is going to be handed to us. The pollsters will not jump us very much unless we win convincingly.

[Skinshokiefan]

11 is striking distance. How long until Virginia Tech falls out of the top 10? One week? Two? It seems like they are overrated every year.

If we beat Boise, we'll be 8-0 going into November

Since 2004 we have had only 2 losses in November

Its been October which has really kicked our ***. I think VT starting at 5 is a bit too high though considering the D losses, I'd have us at 10 or 11.

I don't know nearly enough about your program to make a qualified judgement, but recent history shows that Oklahoma will be a top 5 team

[OU_Sooners75]

If we beat Boise, we'll be 8-0 going into November

Since 2004 we have had only 2 losses in November

Its been October which has really kicked our ***. I think VT starting at 5 is a bit too high though considering the D losses, I'd have us at 10 or 11.

I don't know nearly enough about your program to make a qualified judgement, but recent history shows that Oklahoma will be a top 5 team


Same ole song and dance for Virginia Tech.

[silverwheels]

Yeah, Virginia Tech usually stumbles fairly early then finishes strong. The ACC is kind of a crapshoot at the moment, though.

And I think 11 is about right for us. I think we'll be better than 2009, but how much? There is a lot of talent on campus right now, though, and a really good class coming in.

[OUbasketball4life]

It amazes me still how people (espn) are saying that it won't be long before Gilbert will be in the heisman race based on what he did against Bama...or how people thinks Texas dominates the Big 12. I say let Texas enjoy their 2nd Big XII title for now but this season I think it's time to return that trophy to the rightful OWNER of the Big XII

[JLEW1818]

agree. Gilbert will always be in the Heisman talk the rest of his career. He reminds me of Chris Simms. I thought this when i saw him play his senior year in high school. big arm, no accuracy.

lets see if Lewis and Lewis can make him their bitch.? that gets my vote

[BoulderSooner79]

...
Either way, we MUST work to make our goals this coming season. Nothing is going to be handed to us. The pollsters will not jump us very much unless we win convincingly.

Not true - we will move up as long as we win period. That's true of any BCS conference team and especially true for any SEC or big12 team right now. And doubly true for "brand" teams (ie UF, 'Bama, 'SC, horns, tOSU and yes OU). But you're right, nothing will be handed to us - those winning streaks don't come easy and we don't have a cupcake schedule.

[JLEW1818]

yah it helps to be ranked in the top few tho. If Alabama, Boise State, Ohio St, Oregon...

if 2 of those 4 win out, and so do we. we will not go to the title.

our schedule will help... but i don't think enough ground could be made up.. unless we pull a 03 (even tho we were 1) and literally be the **** outta everybody.

again this is all hypothetical. the coaches poll might rank us top 5, who knows.

remember

Coaches + Harris + Computers = BCS

[Tigeman]

If we win out w/ our schedule this year, we will have no issues jumping either BSU or Oregon. We may not jump an undefeated tOSU or Bama.... but I don't see Bama going undefeated.

[BoulderSooner79]

If we win out w/ our schedule this year, we will have no issues jumping either BSU or Oregon. We may not jump an undefeated tOSU or Bama.... but I don't see Bama going undefeated.

Right. If we go undefeated we are in - guaranteed. And we won't go undefeated - guaranteed.

[JLEW1818]

Right. If we go undefeated we are in - guaranteed. And we won't go undefeated - guaranteed.

lol, probably true...

I remember in 6th grade seeing the Sooners lose 5 games, 1999.

2000 then came.. :D

[OU44life]

I like where we are in this one

CFN 2010 Pre-Preseason Rankings

The Top 15


15. USC
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 16
What now? This is uncharted territory for Lane Kiffin and the program. Having been humbled by the league for a change, USC will spend the next few months trying to pull itself back up to national contention. Continuity at quarterback will help and raw talent on both sides of the ball isn’t an issue, but the Trojans need to locate the swagger that was missing in 2009. Of all the units, the secondary will be hardest hit by graduation, losing Taylor Mays, Kevin Thomas, Josh Pinkard, and Will Harris.

14. North Carolina
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 31
Now that Butch Davis has built a foundation in Chapel Hill, he’s looking to get the Heels over the hump and into the ACC title game with a team loaded with NFL players … at least on one side of the ball. The defense should be tremendous starting with DE Robert Quinn and DT Marvin Austin, along with linebackers Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant. The offense will be a work-in-progress until someone can step up and solidify the quarterback play. With the top four producers back, at least the young receivers figure to be much-improved.

13. Penn State
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 15
It’s Penn State, so the team is going to be good, it’ll go to a great bowl game, and it’ll be in the hunt for the Big Ten title, but it’s more of a Big Ten X factor than a sure thing contender going into 2010. Ohio State is loaded, Iowa should be even better, and Wisconsin should be terrific. Penn State has to replace Clark and has to hope for Kevin Newsome or Matt McGloin to be good enough to keep the passing game going while RB Evan Royster gets a heavier workload. There’s work to do to replace several key players on defense like DT Jared Odrick and linebackers Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman, and Josh Hull, but there are several decent prospects on the way ready to step up. This will be a good team that no one will put at the top of the Big Ten preseason pecking order, but it could surprise and be great with a little luck.

12. Iowa
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 8
Preseason top ten … maybe? Only four starters are back on offense, but the backfield is intact and Iowa is always great at filling in the holes with no-name players who come from out of nowhere to produce. The defense returns loaded, PK Daniel Murray and P Ryan Donohue could form one of the nation’s best kicking tandems, and the schedule isn’t all that bad with just two road games in the first eight. The toughest games, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State, are at home.

11. Oregon
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 10
Oregon won a Pac-10 championship with a team that had very few senior starters, so a repeat is more than just an attainable goal; it’s expected. With Jeremiah Masoli and LaMichael James returning to the backfield and the entire offensive line intact, Chip Kelly’s offense could be even more prolific in 2010. The defense can use a complement to Kenny Rowe at defensive end and the offense is always looking for more consistency from the receivers, but otherwise, this program is poised for a third straight 10-win season.

10. LSU
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 27
Last year was a strong year even if it wasn’t the special one that LSU has been accustomed to. This season should be when the Tigers get back into the national title hunt with eight starters back on offense and the phenomenal recruiting classes of the last few years about to kick in. The defense suffers a big blow up front with the loss of three good starters, but LSU is a factory for coming up with talented linemen. The linebacking corps has the potential to be special with a little bit of time, while the secondary, led by corner Patrick Peterson, will be a rock. No one’s touching this team until the trip to Florida on October 9th, and the Alabama game is in Baton Rouge.

9. Wisconsin
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 19
Look out. There are a few key replacements to make but the Badgers should be considered among the favorites to win the Big Ten title. Last year’s team was good and young, but the 2010 squad should be good and experienced. Now the key will be to see if Bret Bielema’s club can play up to expectations. For all the good things that happened in 2010, the bowl win over Miami was the only victory of note and the Badgers failed in their three big regular season tests against Ohio State, Iowa, and Northwestern. They’ll be in just about everyone’s preseason top 15, and they’ll have to play like it from the start.

8. Boise State
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 3
The preseason hype will be off the charts. This will be the hot team this offseason after yet another big season and with so much talent returning, but will it be enough to finally be in the national title discussion? If the Broncos can beat Virginia Tech in Landover, Maryland in the season opener and if they can get by Oregon State at home, then yes. At this point with so many great seasons in a row, there should be a groundswell of support to see what the team can do when finally given a shot at the whole ball of wax … if it beats the Hokies.

7. Virginia Tech
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 9
Virginia Tech figures to be where it is each season, near the front of the pack in the hunt for an ACC crown. As the Coastal Division gets tighter, with the likes of Miami, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina, there’ll be minimal margin for error. QB Tyrod Taylor has another season of eligibility left, meaning the backfield will be loaded with terrific athletes. While the defense has vacancies that need to be filled, that never seems to be too big of a problem for ace coordinator Bud Foster.

6. Oklahoma
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 35
Reports of the program’s demise might be premature. Boosted by one of the best recruiting classes in the nation, the talent level is still high and now the team is a bit more experienced with eight starters returning on offense led by QB Landry Jones, whose time spent throughout last year was the one positive from the Sam Bradford injury, and RB DeMarco Murray who only seems like he’s been in Norman so long that he once shared a backfield with Billy Sims. The defense loses all-everything DT Gerald McCoy, but it gets back seven starters including LB Travis Lewis and pass rushing star Jeremy Beal. The schedule is interesting with Florida State, at Cincinnati, at Missouri, and at Texas A&M to deal with.

5. Nebraska
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 17
If you’re looking for your sleeper, or at least a team that might just outside of everyone’s preseason top five who might end up in Glendale, this could be it. Ten starters are back on offense and there’s good, developed depth to rely on, and while the defense loses Ndamukong Suh and Barry Turner off the line and SS Larry Asante from the secondary, Bo Pelini’s defense isn’t going to take a major step back with Jared Crick and Pierre Allen the stars up front. Schedule-wise, the early date at Washington will be a test, but it’s winnable for a team dreaming of a national title. Road games at Oklahoma State and Texas A&M are dangerous, but Texas and Missouri have to come to Lincoln.

4. Ohio State
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 7
The Buckeyes are the far-and-away favorites to the win the 2010 Big Ten title and will be in the mix for the national title from the start. Miami is coming to Columbus, but there isn’t any USC to deal with this year. There are only two dangerous road games, Wisconsin and Iowa, but if the team really is national title-good, it needs to win those. The offense is loaded with experience and the defense should be solid once again as the tremendous recruiting classes of the last few years restock the shelves.

3. Texas
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 4
Texas might be considered one of the favorites for the national title if there weren’t a few question marks about QB Garrett Gilbert’s consistency as the full-time starter. Throw in some nasty road games against Nebraska and Texas Tech to go along with dates against Oklahoma, UCLA, and Texas A&M, and the Horns will have to earn what they get. However, the overall schedule isn’t all that awful for a team this good and there’s no reason to not be in Glendale in early January either as the Big 12 champion or as the Big 12 champion playing for the whole ball of wax. The defensive back seven will be a rock and the losses up front, including Sergio Kindle and Lamarr Houston, can be replaced by more NFL-caliber talent. The offensive line needs to be better and there has to be a running game, but this could still be a team that simply outtalents its way to a championship.

2. Florida
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 2
If you’re ever going to get to Florida, this is it with the phenomenal recruiting classes waiting in the wings. In a year of transition (or Year One A.T.T. … figure it out), QB John Brantley has to live up to all the prep hype and be the NFL prospect that many consider him to be. However, he can be mediocre and the Gators will still likely win the East with a defense that remains loaded despite the loss of future NFL stars like Brandon Spikes and Joe Haden. The offense will have to use the offensive line to pave the way for more of a running game from the backs. The depth chart is laughably amazing with too much talent for one ball now that super-recruit Mack Brown is in the mix with Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey, and Emmanuel Moody. With Tennessee in even more of an iffy phase and Georgia trying to figure out what it is, this might be a three game season going to Alabama and hosting LSU in back-to-back weeks and dealing with an improved Florida State in the regular-season finale.

1. Alabama
2009 Final CFN Ranking: 1
Because it’s Alabama and because the coaching is so great and because the talent level is so ridiculously high after a few years of top-shelf recruiting, this might be everyone’s preseason No. 1 team. However, there are concerns for a team that caught a few big breaks in a down year in the SEC (not to mention Colt McCoy’s shoulder injury in the national title game) and needed a few skin-of-the-teeth wins to get through unscathed. The defense has some major work to do with six of the defensive front seven gone including LB Rolando McClain and NG Terrence Cody. Corner and punt return star Javier Arenas and FS Justin Woodall are also gone. But don’t weep any tears for a defense that has plenty of NFL prospects waiting in the wings. Oh yeah … the offense. The backfield is jaw-dropping with a Heisman-winner (Mark Ingram) along a guy (Trent Richardson) who might be a starter in the NFL right now. Throw in top-five pro prospect WR Julio Jones and three starters on the O line, and the offense will be tremendous. The schedule has plenty of landmines with Penn State, at Arkansas, Florida, at South Carolina, Ole Miss, at Tennessee, at Tennessee, and Auburn to deal with.

[MojoRisen]

Gilbert was pitiful for most of the game, couple of big plays and a lot of bad ones. It was tough to watch

[BoulderSooner79]

Fey - I prefer the double digit rating that puts a nice big chip on the players shoulders.

[JLEW1818]

Gilbert was pitiful for most of the game, couple of big plays and a lot of bad ones. It was tough to watch

yah, looked like bama let off some on coverage.

kinda like Tech in 2007. When Joey had some tds

[JLEW1818]

mine would be

1) Alabama
2) Boise State
3) Ohio State
4) Oregon
5) Virginia Tech
6) Florida
7) Texas
8) Wisconsin
9) Nebraska
10) Oklahoma

just me

[KantoSooner]

Always interesting to see what other people are thinking, but this is way too early to do much other than wait and see. Good players can underwhelm, guys can get hurt in practice, yadda, yadda and teams can get lucky or unlucky once the season starts.
Most of these polls seem to believe that Texas and Nebs play for the B12 and I am not at all sure that happens. Will Texas have a better offense than last year? No. It won't. Gilbert may be the second coming, but he won't have Shipley to throw to and if he has a run game to lean on, we still haven't seen it yet. Will OU's offense be stronger than last year? Yes. We likely won't have to change QB's in the middle of the game. Does that get us more than 3 points closer to UT? Yes, in my view.
Will Nebs have the D they had this year? No. Will they get pushed more by the B12 North? Probably. Will they have an offense better than this year's? Questionable.
I can see OU and KSU in the B12 as easily as I can see UT and Nebs.
These polls are, at best, very speculative.

but then, water is wet. Sorry, I'm just aggravated this morning.

[MojoRisen]

We can do with out the injuries, but we have a lot of improvement to do on the OLINE before I say we are a top 15 team. We looked pretty good against Stanford in the second half and they may have been under rated so it is tough to tell.

[JLEW1818]

horns are in OUr shoes (2009)

Inexperienced QB
Inexperienced Oline
Inexperienced WRs

none of those are easy to fix in 1 season.

[OU44life]

horns are in OUr shoes (2009)

Inexperienced QB
Inexperienced Oline
Inexperienced WRs


none of those are easy to fix in 1 season.


Good Point Jlew

Unfortunately they once again have a joke of a schedule and OUr's is one of the toughest in the nation. I guess we just take care of business on the field with them and things should work out.

[NatureBoy]

Always interesting to see what other people are thinking, but this is way too early to do much other than wait and see. Good players can underwhelm, guys can get hurt in practice, yadda, yadda and teams can get lucky or unlucky once the season starts.
Most of these polls seem to believe that Texas and Nebs play for the B12 and I am not at all sure that happens. Will Texas have a better offense than last year? No. It won't. Gilbert may be the second coming, but he won't have Shipley to throw to and if he has a run game to lean on, we still haven't seen it yet. Will OU's offense be stronger than last year? Yes. We likely won't have to change QB's in the middle of the game. Does that get us more than 3 points closer to UT? Yes, in my view.
Will Nebs have the D they had this year? No. Will they get pushed more by the B12 North? Probably. Will they have an offense better than this year's? Questionable.
I can see OU and KSU in the B12 as easily as I can see UT and Nebs.
These polls are, at best, very speculative.

but then, water is wet. Sorry, I'm just aggravated this morning.

How can you say it's questionable that NU will have a better offense? They return 10 of 11 starters. Zac Lee played from the OOC schedule to the end of the year with a major injury in his throwing arm that required offseason surgery. Surgery that should lead to a full recovery.

10 of 11 starters return, the QB played almost all of last year with a significant injury...questionable that the offense gets better? I'd say it's highly likely that the offense will be better.

As far as KSU winning the North, I'd bet a lot of money that that does not happen. KSU was 5-6 against FBS teams last year, I don't see why so many OU fans are picking the Wildcats to suddenly make a huge jump from 5-6 to winning the North. The Wildcats haven't had a winning season since 2006 (7-5).

Bill Snyder has gone 4-7, 5-6 and 6-6 (5-6 against FBS teams) in his last 3 seasons. He's not the Bill Snyder of old.

[JLEW1818]

here is my thing with our schedule... we will not lose at home. that's just me.

so that leaves games at Tamu, at pokes, at Missouri, and of course texas in dallas.

Texas has to go to Nebraska and Kansas St.

they struggle against Kstate in just about every sport it seems.

[budbarrybob]

These rankings are all the suck. Okie light is NO where in there! :D

[JLEW1818]

they are going to be so horrible

[KantoSooner]

natureboy, I guess if your only quibble with me is on my opinion of nebs offensive hopes and KSU's potential progress, we should get married. My ex-wife disagreed with me on more than that.
I don't see a lot of improvement on their offense due to: I don't believe in Zac and don't see him having many weapons. I will grant you that some improvement will likely happen, in essence because their team had little offense at all. Will it be enough? I doubt it.
KSU? Well you got me on that. Mostly a Snyder vote, I suppose. I simply can't believe that no one will emerge out of the North and find it hard to believe that only a mono-dimensional Nebraska exists north of Stillwater.

So, I'll grant you your points, and still find it speculative that Nebs and UT play in the B12 CC.

Have a good day, sorry to be so dam grumpy today. I'd kick a hole in the dry wall, but I already did that.

[NatureBoy]

No need to apologize, I just disagree on a few points.

Lee showed flashes of some very good QB play. He played the entire conference schedule with an elbow injury. Following the 33-0 win over Zona, he had surgery to repair his right elbow. I think it's likely that a lot of his struggles were a result of having a damaged right elbow. I don't know how accurate I could throw a football if I had a badly damaged tendon in my elbow, but that's just me.

And KSU...bleh. Snyder has had 3 consecutive bad seasons as KSUs HC. People forget that he was practically ran out of town.

[badger]

We really have a lot to prove after what happened last season. No. 11 sounds about right.

[Leroy Lizard]

USC should be higher. I say #10.

[JLEW1818]

I'm sure they will be top 3 when the first poll comes out:P

[TexasLidig8r]

Number 6 is too high for us.

This past August when there was the usual, "we're gonna be undefeated" that was so prevalent on here, I raised questions about your offensive line.

Well, those questions are certainly present for Texas this next year. 3 starters gone and although they certainly were not the most talented by any stretch of the imagination (as in.. Ulitowski MIGHT be back up in the NFL but hopefully Tanner and Hall will get their degrees).. the cohesiveness that the offensive line requires to be elite is not there.. yet.

Questions at wide receiver and yes, quarterback are looming. We very well could lose 3 games next year.

Congress should pass legislation prohibiting VaTech from being ranked in the top 5 in any preseason poll.

Let's see Boise State play in consecutive weeks, sand aggy, UCLA OU, and Nebraska and see how they come through.

[badger]

Liddo, you have a good future quarterback in whats-his-face-that-came-in-for-colt-in-the-rose-bowl. However, he's no Colt, so I look forward to October for once :D

[TexasLidig8r]

Liddo, you have a good future quarterback in whats-his-face-that-came-in-for-colt-in-the-rose-bowl. However, he's no Colt, so I look forward to October for once :D


Yes ma'am. We also heard that when VY left.

[badger]

Yes ma'am. We also heard that when VY left.

The difference is we've actually seen this guy in action... and he failed miserably. Tough situation to walk into on a moment's notice, yes... but I see you signed Colt's younger brother this signing season. Insurance policy in case new guy doesn't pan out, hmm?

[JLEW1818]

Yes ma'am. We also heard that when VY left.

exactly. and each Vince and Colt, only won their conference once. both their last years in college.

pathetic

[goingoneight]

Is this guy serious? 11? Eleven? We're freakin' OKLAHOMA. Obviously, he didn't do a lick of homework. Gresh did not play at all and SAM may have played 7 quarters. From what I saw, Williams and Simmons shouldn't be hard to replace. If Williams was half as good as the news clippings, then Sam would have never been hurt and the SOONERS would be celebrating another Big XII CC and likely a MNC.

Potential pitfalls will be at Cincy and Fair Park - but as I said, we're freakin' OKLAHOMA and we expect to win 'em all.

For the off season, that one got me fired up.

BOOMER Freakin' SOONER

Trent can't block a whole blitz by himself.

[Leroyt]

The difference is we've actually seen this guy in action... and he failed miserably.

pathetic

This Thread came up when I googled hyperbole. I keed.:D

[goingoneight]

Here's some interesting things to note:

OU was barely ranked to start off the 2000 season. The swept the toughest schedule in the country and took home the BCS Championship trophy.

Georgia was everybody's runaway #1 preseason pick in 2008. They played in the Capitol One Bowl.

Players get hurt, schedules must be considered... we have a coaching staff that despite the Chicken Littles' impression, has proven to be able to adjust to normal adversity. I'd like to think getting some of our numbers back can only help overall depth and we can improve on 8-5 that could have easily been 12-1 with our starters healthy. But that's just me... I only use things like logic and facts.

I can see it like this barring no scary, flukish circumstances:

Utah State = W
FSU = W (Until I know FSU is back, I can't go against this home field advantage)
Air Force = W
Cincinnati = tossup (we'll see if they're still good without Brian Kelly, Dominique Goodwin or Madry Gilyard... mobile QB always tough to keep in check)
Iowa State = W (Nompton)
Colorado = W (I can't see Stoops not running it up on this hapless team in Norman after 2007)
Baylor = W
Okie Light = I'll be aggie-friendly and call this a tossup. They should be no worse than a few Tech teams that have beaten us in Lubbock in recent years. Stoolwater ain't always our friend.
A&M = possible high-scoring road game... does OUr offense have a championship-caliber drive in them?
Tech = W... team's being completely revamped by a retread coach, and it's in Norman. We'll see who's "jumping around" this year, won't we?

... and then there's that Cotton Bowl matchup. I know it comes weeks before the A&M game, but the same could be said for this one in a low-scoring game. Can we punch them in the mouth? Or will they bottle up OUr running game yet again and make us throw, throw, throw to a loss? Can we execute against a top-10 defense when we need to? How good will Texas be offensively?

I can certainly see 10 or more wins... going out and predicting 14-0 would be just a miracle run we could only hope for.

You truly... just... don't ... know, though.

[silverwheels]

We could finish anywhere from 7-5 again (not likely) to 12-0 (not likely, either). It's way too early to tell. I do think that it will be somewhat of a down year for the conference as a whole, though. The Big 12 champ could easily have 3 losses, looking at the contenders' schedules (which includes us). I could and probably will end up being wrong, but I don't see a BCS title contender come out of the conference this season.