Sorry I missed yesterday, it was my travel day coming back from the beach. So without further delay let's start up where we left off, countdown my preseason Top 25.
Today we have TEAMS #20-16.
#20 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4 last season)
Penn State is one of 4 Big Ten teams that I have in my Top 20 to start the season. The problem is that Ohio State seems to be in a class of their own in the conference leaving everyone else fighting for 2nd place. The defense will once again be the stronger of the 2 units this year even with star LB Sean lee out after tearing his ACL in the spring. Maurice Evans will create havoc, leading the defensive line which returns all 4 starters. The big question mark this year will be the play of the QB spot. Anthony Morelli is gone and now the coaching staff needs to decide the style of play they want. One option is Daryll Clark, who had more rushing yards then passing last season and brings back the Michael Robinson style offense that led them to the Orange Bowl in '05. Or JoePa and JayPa can keep the same type of offense as the past 2 years and hand over the reins to Pat Devlin who was a very heralded passer out of high school, but does not give the running dimension to the position. With Evan Royster winning the starting RB job in the spring and a bevy of talent at WR, if the Nits can get consistent play from the QB and the team can stay healthy and out of jail they could be at top of that second tier in the Big Ten this year.
#19 Brigham Young Cougars (11-2)
The Cougars are this years Utah, or Boise State or Hawaii, however you want to look at it. They are the best of the non-BCS conference teams. Teams like Fresno State and Utah may challenge for that title, but as of now it goes to BYU. The Cougars return 9 starters to an offense that averaged 30+ ppg last year and finished the season winning their last 10 games by an average of 15.3 ppg. The defense will be young, but if the offense puts up the numbers they are capable of they will be okay. The schedule will play a factor in them trying to go undefeated and into a BCS bowl. They play both Washington and UCLA from the Pac-10, but should be able to handle them but then they have their 2 toughest conference games (Utah and TCU) both on the road.
#18 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3)
The ACC should send the Big East a thank you card this time every year. Since Miami, BC and VT left the Big East and moved to the ACC (to help their football conference) Tech has been the only consistent team in the entire conference. The Hokies have won 10+ games each of the last 4 years, no other ACC team has won at least 8 games in that span. The Hokies will again be favored to win the Coastal Division in the ACC this year, but will have to do so with some young talent. True freshman RB Ryan Williams out of Manassas, VA will have to carry the heavy running duties that go with the VT offense. The top 2 runners from last season were Branden Ore (dismissed from team) and Kenny Lewis (injured expected to return by Oct.) combined for over 1,100 yards and 13 TD's on the ground. The defense lost a lot of its fire power, but this is Virginia Tech we are talking about they just reload on the defensive side of the ball. The Hokies miss Clemson on the ACC schedule this year which should set up a nice showdown between the 2 teams in Tampa for the ACC Championship game December 6th.
#17 South Florida Bulls (9-4)
The Bulls return 10 starters on offense from a team that was ranked at #2 in the country at one point last season. For USF the offense is based solely of the arms and feet of QB Matt Grothe. Grothe led the Bulls last year in rushing, while throwing for over 2,600 yards and 14 TDs. In the 4 loses of the Bulls last year though Grothe struggled, turning the ball over 10 times. The defense for the Bulls is anchored by DE George Selvie who had 31.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 14.5 sacks. The Bulls do have to replace Ben Moffit who did a little of everything (100+ tackles, 4 INT's) at MLB but it looks like Tyrone McKenzie, who led the Bulls with 121 tackles in '07 will just slide to the inside. USF gets Pitt and Rutgers at home this year, but has to travel to Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers to close the season. That is a good thing for USF fans, the Bulls have never lost in Morgantown and we all know how well the 'Eers play at home in December (13-9!!).
#16 Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-4)
The most explosive offense over the past 5 years FINALLY has a defense to go with it. Everyone knows what the Tech offense has been able to do over the past 5 years (averaged 38.3 ppg and 420.6 passing yards per game). This year that explosive offense returns 10 starters including QB Graham Harrell (5,705 yds, 48 TD's) and WR Michael Crabtree (134 rec, 22 TD's). The defense however actually will have some bite for the first time in years. The Red Raider defense returns 8 starters including their entire D-line form last year. TT does have a tough conference schedule facing Nebraska and Texas at home and traveling to Oklahoma and Kansas, but misses Missouri. If the defense mature and plays half way decent Tech will be good, if they play well, the Red Raiders could be playing in the Big XII Title game.
TOMORROW:
Teams #15-11
ONLY 19 DAYS UNTIL THE 1st SATURDAY OF THE SEASON!!!!
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