Preseason Top 25 according to ESPN CFB Live

[Townhallsavoy]

 
The Preseason Top 25 according to the "experts."

1. Oklahoma Sooners
With nine starters back on offense including quarterback Landry Jones and AP First-Team All-American receiver Ryan Broyles, simply put, the Sooners are loaded on that side of the ball. Last season, Jones led the Big 12 in passing yards (4,278) and touchdown passes (38). He also holds seven school records. Speaking of school records, Broyles owns 10 Oklahoma receiving marks, setting nine of them last season. With seven starters returning on defense including linebacker Travis Lewis, the Sooners are the early favorite to win not only the Big 12 title but the BCS championship, as well.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Even with the departure of quarterback Greg McElroy, 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram, receiver Julio Jones and defensive lineman Marcell Dareus, the Crimson Tide should contend for the national championship once again. Junior running back Trent Richardson returns, which is key since Bama will be breaking in a new quarterback in either third-year sophomore A.J. McCarron or redshirt freshman Phillip Sims. Nine starters are back on defense including linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Mark Barron.

3. Oregon Ducks
Seven offensive starters are back for the Ducks including quarterback Darron Thomas and Heisman finalist running back LaMichael James. That backfield duo served as the key cog to the Oregon offensive machine that led the bowl subdivision in scoring, averaging 47 points per game last season. The defense loses six starters, among them First-Team All-Pac-10 linebacker Casey Matthews. However, the Ducks should have enough to contend for their third straight conference title in the new Pac-12.

4. LSU Tigers
With nine starters returning on offense and seven on defense, the Tigers look poised for another run at the SEC and national championships. Senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson returns for his third full season as the starter. He’ll need to be more productive than last year when he passed for 1,411 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. To help Jefferson infuse life into an offense that finished 11th in the 12-team SEC, LSU hired former Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe as its new offensive coordinator. Even with the loss of Thorpe Award-winning cornerback Patrick Peterson, the LSU defense should still give opposing offenses nightmares.

5. Boise State Broncos
The Broncos' offense and defense each have seven starters returning and none bigger than quarterback and 2010 Heisman Trophy finalist Kellen Moore. With the departure of offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin (Texas) and dynamic receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young, the senior will be relied upon even more to keep the offense in sync. Senior running back Doug Martin, who rushed for 1,260 yards and 12 TDs last season, also returns. Boise State is making the jump from the WAC to the Mountain West this season.

The rest of the top 25:

6. Florida State
7. Stanford
8. South Carolina
9. Oklahoma State
10. Ohio State
11. Texas A&M
12. Arkansas
13. Nebraska
14. Wisconsin
15. TCU
16. Michigan State
17. Notre Dame
18. Florida
19. Virginia Tech
20. Texas
21. Mississippi State
22. Auburn
23. Missouri
24. West Virginia
25. Arizona State

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/18792/oklahoma-tops-cfb-live-preseason-poll

[The Prowler]

Here's my Preseason Top 25 (SEC only)
5. LSU
8. SPuat
11. USCe
14. Arkansas
19. Florida
20. Auburn
22. MSU

[djsimp]

My opinion is bama is way too high. I would def put then in the top 15 but top 5 is stupid. I think bama will be good but those losses will be tougher than expected.

If Auburn is able to escape the injury bug, I do think we will do better than expected, but I do think around 20 is bout right.

[The Prowler]

bama - "Lost just about their entire offense, has a 120lb QB coming in to throw Shotput Pass to...Maze, Hanks and another couple receivers.  Trent is the man at RB (we'll see if he lasts 4 games without somesort of a injury), his backups...well they can run (but so can I).  SPuat's LB corp? Bigger some NFL teams and probably as talented as a few.  SPuat's DBs? Tall, one has straight-line speed, Menzie will be a 1st Round pick next year (provided he doesn't get hurt, of course).  The offense will be worse than the '09 one, as will the Defense (8-4/9-3).  McBrodie or Sims will lose a couple games by themselves.

[GH2001]

bama - "Lost just about their entire offense, has a 120lb QB coming in to throw Shotput Pass to...Maze, Hanks and another couple receivers.  Trent is the man at RB (we'll see if he lasts 4 games without somesort of a injury), his backups...well they can run (but so can I).  SPuat's LB corp? Bigger some NFL teams and probably as talented as a few.  SPuat's DBs? Tall, one has straight-line speed, Menzie will be a 1st Round pick next year (provided he doesn't get hurt, of course).  The offense will be worse than the '09 one, as will the Defense (8-4/9-3).  McBrodie or Sims will lose a couple games by themselves.

Thats what I was thinking too. Same issues as us but somehow they'll win the National Title. Not saying they CAN'T but you cant paint two different pictures from the same situations.

[djsimp]

Thats what I was thinking too. Same issues as us but somehow they'll win the National Title. Not saying they CAN'T but you cant paint two different pictures from the same situations.

You forget they have the all powerful Lord Sabynz.

[AUChizad]

Thats what I was thinking too. Same issues as us but somehow they'll win the National Title. Not saying they CAN'T but you cant paint two different pictures from the same situations.

Reminds me of last year when the media compared our QB situation with UF's. Brantley was set to be an improvement over Tebow, while Cam was going to be a complete bust.

We saw how that turned out.

[AUTiger1]

I think bama is too high and I would swap Oklahoma with LSU.  I seriously think that LSU is going to win it all.  Miles might surprise me and they lay an egg or two, but I kinda doubt it.  Especially if he lets Kragthorpe do his thing.

If bama's young players step up and catch on almost immediately, they will be good, if they don't, they will have a loss or two due to growing pains.

[JR4AU]

Reminds me of last year when the media compared our QB situation with UF's. Brantley was set to be an improvement over Tebow, while Cam was going to be a complete bust.

We saw how that turned out.

Only cuz we paid so well.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

Only cuz we paid so well.

When you are buying players it is not how much you spend, but how wise you are with your budget.  We have learned from our mistakes of giving money to injury prone wimps like Chaz Ramsey and now only buy top shelf talent that has shown it's resourcefulness by searching for top discounts on personal electronics.

[No Huddle]

LSU is scary.

[Saniflush]

LSU is scary.

Agreed but they have some pretty big games away.

[djsimp]

I haven't looked at other teams depth charts but isn't every team in the SEC West starting new QB's for 2011? Alsi, I think all but three in the East are as well.

[No Huddle]

Should be a fun year. Could UGA win the East?

[The Prowler]

Should be a fun year. Could UGA win the East?

Nope, USCe will.

[GH2001]

Should be a fun year. Could UGA win the East?

Yeah, if all the other teams forfeit.

[jmar]

Nope, USCe will.
[/quote
]Wisconsin and TCU lost 11 or 12 players each.

I think Okie should be the favorite but would love to see Ok. State take 'em out...or even A&M.
The PAC whatever is probably not able to handle Oregon yet.

I also like LSU's O-line. If they can throw enough to offer some balance I like their chances. I don't hear much noise about the RBs though. Arky has more D and I don't see many teams out-scoring them, including Bama. I think they take Alabama down.

Georgia should finish 2nd in the east to So. Car.

They don't think much of Clemson, UCONN, NC State and where is Miami? They always get overblown.

And couldn't Alabama play at least a #10 Penn State to crank up the dominance talk?

[No Huddle]

It would make me happy to see UGA lose 12 games. I hate their fans with a passion.

[djsimp]

It would make me happy to see UGA lose 12 games. I hate their fans with a passion.

GH agrees.

[GH2001]

GH agrees.

I concur. Most fickle, whiney assed fans in the conference. I'd like to slap their woulda, coulda, shoulda asses into oblivion. Nobody EVER beats them, they beat themselves.

We lost 59-3 but if Murray hadn't thrown that ONE interception, it woulda been our game I swear!! Damn refs!