Ranking

Key Returning Players

Unanswered Questions

Key Games

1. Oregon: Return their entire OL, top RBs, all conference QB, and 9 defensive starters

Jeremiah Masoli QB, Lamichael James RB, DJ Davis WR, Casey Matthews LB.

Will Masoli be eligible to play after his recent legal issues? Ducks defense gave up a lot of big plays/rushing yards, can it improve this year?

9/11 at Tenn    10/30 at USC         12/4 at OSU

2: Bama: Return their Heisman RB Ingram, starting QB, starting WRs, bulk of their vaunted OL. Defense needs to be rebuilt but Bama is loaded with blue chip talent that Saban has been accumulating.

Mark Ingram RB, Julio Jones WR, Greg McElroy QB, Dont'a Hightower LB, James Carpenter OT,

Can Bama replace 8 defensive starters.? Can Greg McElroy became more than a game manager? Can Julio Jones rebound from pedestrian 2^nd year?

9/11 Penn State

10/2 UF

11/6 LSU

3: Ohio State: Best QB in the Big Ten with Terrelle Pryor along with best set of skill personnel. Offensive line returns 4 starters. Defense needs to find more playmakers

Terrelle Pryor QB,  Devier Posey WR, Dan Herron RB, Michael Brewster OC,  Cameron Heyward DE, Chmidi Chweka CB

Can Pryor take the next step at QB to be the elite QB everyone expects? Can the defense line be rebuilt?

9/11 Miami, FL 10/16 at Wisc  11/20 at Iowa

4. Boise State: Team is absolutely loaded for an undefeated season. Star QB,  skill personnel all return. 10 starters on defense are back. This is their chance to get to the title game

QB Kellen Moore, Austin Pettis WR, James Avery RB,  Ryan Winterwyck DE,

Can they replace lock down CB Kyle Wilson? Will the pressure of being a preseason number 5 get to the Bronocs?

9/6 Va Tech (in DC)

9/25 Oregon State

5. Virginia Tech: Loaded offensive squad should be the favorite in the ACC. Defensive backfield needs 3 new starters.

Tyrod Taylor QB, Ryan Williams RB, Beau Warren OC, Rashad Carmichael CB,

Can they overcome a very difficult early game with Boise? Can they rebuild a defense stung by the loss of DE Worilds to the NFL?

9/6 BSU (in DC)

11/4 Ga Tech

11/20 at Miami, FL

6. Iowa: The bulk of the best defense in the Big Ten returns. Offense should be improved with returning starters at QB, RB, and WR.

Ricky Stanzi QB, Brandon Wegher, Adrian Clayborn DE, Christian Bullard DT,

Can the offensive line be rebuilt around one starter? Can replacements at LB be found?  Can the offense make more big plays?

9/18 at Arizona

10/2 Penn State

11/20 Ohio State

7. Georgia Tech: Return their QB, bulk of offensive line. Skill with option attack will only continue as  personnel becomes more familiar. Defense needs to be retooled/rebuilt by Al Groh

Josh Nesbitt QB, Anthony Allen RB, Sean Bedford OC,

Can the Jackets defense possibly improve without Derrick Morgan? Can the big plays  at WR continue without Demarius Thomas?

11/4 at Va Tech

11/13 Miami FL

11/27 at UGA

8. TCU: TCU will be tough again with a defense loaded with starters. QB returns along with 7 other starters, 3 all conference OL return

QB Andy Dalton, Marshall NewHouse OL, Wayne Daniels DT, Tank Carder LB, Jimmy Young WR

Can they replace the pass rush provided by Jerry Hughes? Can  Andy Dalton provide more plays from the QB position?

9/4 Oregon State

??? Utah

??? BYU

9. Wisconsin: Return their whole offensive live and young RBs along with QB. Very young defense.

QB Scott Tolzien, RB John Clay, Gabe Carimi OL, Chris Borland LB,

Can Wisconsin take advantage of a loaded home schedule? Can the offense play at the level expected to allow a very young defense to develop?

9/25 Arizona State

10/16 Ohio State

10/23 Iowa

10. Texas: UT must replace key playmakers on offense and defense. Garrett Gilbert takes over a very young offense.

QB Garrett Gilbert,  Marquise Goodwin WR, David Snow OL, DE Alex Okafor, LB Keenan Robinson, DB Chykie Brown

Who is going to step up on defense to make the big plays? Can UT find any kind of RB running game? Gilbert's uneven title game leaves QB position in question?

9/25 UCLA

10/2 OU in Dallas

10/16 at NU

11. Oklahoma: Landry Jones tries to build off bowl game performance into next season. OU returns defensive stars but need to find new starters at DT,LB, CB.

QB Landry Jones, WR Ryan Broyles, RB Demarco Murray, OL Stephen Good, DE Jeremy Beal, LB Travis Lewis, DB Quinton Carter

Can OU avoid the injury plague that destroyed their season? Can OU field a stable competent OL? Can Demarkus McFarland seize the title of next great OU DT?

9/11 FSU

9/25 at Cinci

10/2 UT in Dallas

12. Florida: Massive turnover on both sides of the ball. Blue chip talent has been stockpiled by very inexperienced

QB John Brantley, Jeff Demps RB, Carl Johnson OL, Will Hill DB, CB Janoris Jenkins

With Tebow gone, can the Gators find a real RB running game? Can the offense under Brantley with a new passing game excel with new WRS/TEs? Will Urban Meyer make it through a season?

10/2 at Bama

10/9 LSU

11/27 at FSU

13. Penn State: returns offensive line and skill position players. Defense will need to replace some key playmakers at DT and LB.

RB Stephon Green, LB Sean Lee, OC Stefan Wisnieski, Derek Moye WR,

Can Penn State find a QB to replace Clark? Can Sean Lee come back from knee injury to lead the defense? Can Penn State play better against quality teams?

9/11 at Bama

10/2 at Iowa

11/13 at OSU

14. Miami, FL: Return their starting QB and WR corps. Must rebuild their OL. Defense returns bulk of their front four.

QB Jacory Harris, RB Graig Cooper, Leonard Hankerson WR, Allen Bailey DE, Marcus Fortson DT

Can Jacory take the next step to be an elite QB every down? Can Miami play every game at a high level?

9/11 at Ohio State

11/13 at GaTech

11/20 Va Tech

15. North Carolina: Returning their QB, best WR, and best defensive playmakers

QB TJ Yates, WR Greg Little, DT Marvin Austin, LB Quan Sturdivant.

UNC has perhaps the best talent in the ACC when is Butch Davis going to win a title?

9/4 LSU in Atlanta

9/18 Ga Tech

10/23 at Miami

11/13 Va Tech

16. Oregon State: Missing their QB but return RB and WR talent. Defense has playmakers returning

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, WR James Rodgers, Stephen Paea DT, Keith Pankey OLB,

Offense is ready to compete for Pac 10 can they find a QB?  Can the LB trio leave up to their great potential? Can former UVA QB Peter Lalich salvage his career?

9/4 TCU (Dallas)

9/25 at BSU

11/20 USC

11/27 at Stanford

17.  Pittsburgh: Dion Lewis provides the running attack, Jonathan Baldwin provides the receiving threat. Greg Romeus leads the defense.

Dion Lewis RB, Jonathan Baldwin WR, Greg Romeus DE, Tom Decicco DB,

Can Pitt find a QB to replace Stull to take the pressure off Lewis? Can Pitt replace key senior losses at DT, LB?

9/23 Miami Fl

10/9 Notre Dame

??? Cincinnati

18. LSU: Less Miles really needs to beat Bama or UF this year. LSU returns their QB , but young talent must step at WR, RB, and DT

QB Jordan Jefferson, QB Russell Shephard, WR Terrance Toliver, CB Patrick Peterson,

Is Jefferson really the answer at QB? How can LSU use Shephard more effectively? Who is going to step up at LB/DT? Finally is Less in trouble with another  8-5 type year?

9/4 UNC (Atlanta

9/25 WVU

10/9 at UF

11/6 Bama

19. FSU: Depth at QB, returning depth at  WR/RB. New DC Mark Stoops must rebuild defense and find new CBs.

QB EJ Manuel, Jermaine Thomas RB, QB Christian Ponder,

Who is the starting QB? Manuel looked great in relief of Ponder. Can Mark Stoops repair an awful FSU defense from last year?

9/11 at OU

10/9 at Miami,FL

11/6 UNC

11/27 Florida

20. Nebraska: Won the Big 12 North with very little offense. Return a number of defensive player as well as key RBs.

DT Jared Click, Roy Helu RB, Niles Paul WR, Pierre Allen DE

Does Pellini have NU all the way back? Can NU find a QB to provide some consistent offense?

9/18 at UW

10/7 at KSU

10/16 Texas

10/23 at OSU

21. Cincinnati: Lost their coach and got completely smashed in their bowl game. Return talent at QB and on offense. Defensive issues are everywhere.

QB Zach Collaros, WR Armon Binns, Ben Guidugli TE,  DT Derek Wolfe

How much was Kelly responsible for the Bearcats success? Defense lost 9 starters and was a mess last year, can it rebound with so many new starters?

9/16 at NC State

9/23 OU

??? Pitt

22. Cal: Disappointing season last year, but talent returns at RB, QB,

RB Shane Vereen, QB Kevin Riley, Anthony Miller TE, DE Cameron Jordan

Can Cal ever get over the hump and beat USC/Oregon? Can Riley provide the best QB play for Cal since Aaron Rodgers?

9/11 Colorado

10/16 at USC

10/30 at Oregon St

11/13 Oregon

23. Houston: Huge start to season but disappointing losses. Defensive issues hindering program from reaching next level

QB Casey Keenum, WR James Cleveland, WR Tyron Carrier

Are there any key player on defense, can Houston find some? Can Houston finish their season

9/18 UCLA

??? East Carolina

??? Texas Tech

24. Utah: Return key skill position players along with their QB Jordan Wynn, along with veteran OL. Defense needs to be rebuilt

Jordan Wynn QB, Eddie Wide RB, Sealver Siliga DT, Zane Taylor OL

Can Jordan Wynn take his game to the next level needed by the Utah spread attack? Can Utah beat TCU to retake the MWC crown?

9/2 Pitt

11/13 ND

??? BYU

??? TCU

25. USC: Why is USC so low? February NCAA Infraction Meeting. You never know how a team will react to sanctions. Also, huge drop in coaching experience in Lane Kiffin for Carroll. Also, USC lost a lot of talent at WR, RB, OL, and Secondary.

QB Matt Barkley, Allen Bradford RB, Ronald Johnson WR, Chris Galippo LB,

Can the USC defense rebound with a new secondary and losses up front? Who will step up at WR with the loss of Damian Williams? Who is going to the feature RB?

10/9 at Stanford

10/23 at Oregon St

10/30 Oregon

11/27 ND