Why is everyone ranking them so high? Don’t they have to replace almost all of their defense besides Taylor Mays? Not to mention their starting Quarterback? And then on top of that, they have to play at Ohio State, at Cal, at Oregon and at Notre Lame?

It seems to me that Southern Cal is getting a top 5 ranking on name alone, which is why preseason polls are such folly.

I’m flummoxed by California being so high. Yes, they’ve got some people talking about their RB, but I don’t recall them making much noise last season. True as well that they’re in the running with Oregon to dethrone USC at the top of the PAC10, but I’m not convinced. Perhaps they’re anticipated to peak this year and I’ve just missed hearing anything about them. Losses to a schizo Maryland team, a mediocre Arizona, a firm loss to OregonState and a near shutout to USC tells me their ranking is fishy. Dark horse top 10 if ever there was one.
I’d move Miss. and VT up above Cal, with OSU rounding out the Top 10. Cal can argue with the other doubtables of GT, Miami, Notre Dame, UNC, Iowa, NCSU, and Arkansas.

Other teams I’d move up: TCU, BYU, Oregon.

I’m still not sold on Georgia or LSU – I think they’re up there on name alone. I keep hearing LSU’s only weak spot last season was QB which started to solidify at the end of the season, but I’m still not convinced.

SELL SELL SELL

Penn St as likeable a team as it is just screams dissappointment to me. Lost all their WR’s, and a few key defensive players. I’m worried that they lose the versatility of last years offense and get bogged down. They wont be terrible but I smell 3-4 losses.

12-15 sounds about right for the ranking though so this rant may have been for nothing :)

My concern with Alabama is at the QB position. Greg McElroy started only his Senior year at Southlake Carroll, and has not played many snaps since being at Alabama. I’m sure their attack will be centered on the run game, utilizing deep threat Julio Jones on Play Action, but if they get in a situation where the run game is faltering and need to lean on McElroy’s arm things could get dicey.

I guess we will find out pretty early if he is able to handle the pressure. First game- In Atlanta, against Virginia Tech.

If Texas wins out they will be in. Very unlikely we will have 3 unbeaten teams this year. Florida has yet to have an unbeaten year ever.

…….is deserving of a Top-10 ranking. Two years ago, VaTech saw a very close, heavy rain loss to Boston College cost them their opportunity at the BCS Nat’l Championship game. Despite many’s claims to the contrary, an early season OOC loss (in this case to LSU) would not have kept them from the BCS NC game. In fact, that early season heavy competition might well have propelled them toward the NC game. While last season’s O-Line was not their strongest, they will be better developed. With 100 starts under their collective belts, they’ll be one of the country’s most experienced O-Lines. Games are won in the trenches.

If 10-win seasons is such a fabulous achievement, then VaTech is certainly accomplished. In the past 14 seasons, Beamer has had ten 10 (or more)-win seasons.

Their season opener, at neutral site Atlanta, against Alabama and the game at GaTech are their season deciders. The rest are quite winable