My pre-season Top 10:
1. USC - Until someone proves otherwise, this is a no brainer.
2. Texas - Put a whoopin' on Michigan in the Rose Bowl last year.
3. LSU - Could breeze through the SEC West
4. Oklahoma - Lost a lot of players, but Peterson is going to be a stud
5. Tennessee - Possibly most balanced team in the nation
6. Iowa - I've heard it is illegal to not have OSU or Michigan as your top Big 10 team, but what the hell?
7. Virginia Tech - Call me crazy, but I think they are the pride of the loaded ACC
8. Ohio State - Just like OSU teams of old... great defense, questionable offense.
9. Louisville - The only good team in the Big East.
10. Miami - Just because I think I need two ACC teams in the top 10
Most Underrated Team - Auburn - it has been a while since they lost, but nobody is giving them a chance
Most Overrated Team - Michigan - bad defenses don't win championships. (Note to Trev Alberts - a team has to be "rated" to be overrated, thus Notre Dame is not eligible)
Darkhorse - Bowling Green - the Utah of '05?
Notre Dame prediction - (7-4):
I think this will be a fun year, regardless of what the final record is. Charlie Weis will have this offense clicking. With plenty of returning players, they should score a lot of points. The question marks are all on defense. The schedule is tough, as usual, but could be worse. USC and Tennessee are at home. Michigan is the only road game that should leave the Irish as heavy underdogs. I predict ND beats one of those three teams (probably not USC).
Top Heisman candidates:
1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma, RB
2. Reggie Bush, USC, RB
3. Matt Leinart, USC, QB
4. Vince Young, Texas, QB
5. Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green, QB
National Champion: USC - Again, until someone proves otherwise, I have no reason to believe they will lose to anyone. Let's hope I'm wrong!
