Outlaw's Top 20

Here are the rankings as I expect them to look at the END of the season:

Texas
Penn State
Florida
Oklahoma State
Notre Dame
Alabama
Southern Cal
Georgia Tech
Ole Miss
Ohio State
Boise State
Florida State
LSU
Virginia Tech
Oklahoma
Pitt
Oregon
TCU
Vanderbilt
Kansas

Here is the list of who I think the best teams are at the start of the season (before the politics and cupcake schedules take over):

Florida
Texas
Ole Miss
Alabama
Oklahoma State
Southern Cal
Georgia Tech
LSU
Ohio State
Florida State
Penn State
Oklahoma
Vanderbilt
Boise State
Georgia
Michigan St
Oregon
Pitt
BYU
Arkansas
Virginia Tech

It has to start with Florida. Not just because I love to watch the Gators, or because SEC football is the best, but because Florida will start the season as everybody’s #1 team. They return 2-deep on defense, and most of their offense. This from a squad that quieted almighty Oklahoma in last year’s national championship game. Mr. Tebow will be a senior this time around, and has speed and more speed around him. The Gators will score points, but they will not give up very many. If given some snaps, John Brantley will show that he has one of the best arms in the country and could turn out to be a better pro prospect than #15. Florida’s schedule is very favorable in 09. They don’t play Ole Miss or Alabama, unless one of those teams wins the West and makes it to Atlanta. At LSU (10/10) appears to be the toughest challenge, while Georgia will be good, and South Carolina and Vanderbilt will not roll over. Their only real non conference game is FSU, and not only are they better than the Noles, but they get them in the Swamp on Thanksgiving Saturday. I don’t know if the Gators can win their 3rd national championship in 4 years, but they certainly should be in the conversation, at least into December.

Texas is my pick at #2. Colt McCoy may win the Heisman this season and prevent Tebow or Sam Bradford from joining the ranks (Archie Griffin) of those with more than one statue on their mantle. Save for a miracle game by Texas Tech in Lubbock last year, it would have been the Longhorns facing the Gators for the BCS title. Oh well, I look for the Horns to make up for that oh so close miss last season. The challenge will be that the Big 12 South is probably the toughest real estate in the land this season (if not, the SEC West would wear that crown). Oklahoma State has all their firepower back, the Sooners are always tough under Stoops, and have the reigning Heisman calling signals, AND Texas Tech will again be a tough out (but not for the Longhorns this time).

I would love for Texas and Florida to play for the title. Colt McCoy is my pick to win the Heisman, although I would be proud for T2 to win his 2nd. Texas has the tougher regular season slate, but Florida would face a nastier foe in the SEC championship than UT would in the Big12 title game. Obviously either team could slip up in conference play and not even make it to their SEC/12 game, or could get upset in that game. The other teams I think may wind up in the BCS Championship game are: Southern Cal (big shocker huh?), Oklahoma or OK State (whoever wins the 12 South), the SEC West champ (Ala, Ark, LSU or Ole Miss), assuming they only have one loss. The winner of the Ohio State vs Penn State game could also make it to the BCS Championship, but most college football fans would hate to see that sort of travesty (Lil 11) happen again. The ACC is a conference I watch a lot, and had something like 10 bowl teams last year. None of the 10 good teams were elite. The days of the Noles dominating, or even the hated Canes seem like such a long time ago…Virginia Tech is getting a lot of love, but I just don’t see them in a serious Top 10 conversation and I really don’t think they will win the conference. More on that later.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC)
They are the top dogs. They have not always been, and may not always be, as these things tend to be cyclical. They are right now however, and with the TV money that will be pouring in over the next few years, the SEC teams will have all the advantages that cash and exposure can buy…There is a passion when the geographies collide down south, that I don’t think is matched anywhere else. Sure there are some great rivalries up north and out west, but the week to week emotion that the citizens/fan bases bring in the SEC is why I can’t get enough of it.

East:
Florida is the heavy favorite, and since they are my #1 pic nationally, enough already said about Urban Cryer’s bunch. Last year Georgia was projected to win it all, but had some early injuries and were certainly a little over rated (no matter who the skill position stars are, if you have freshman Oline do not put them #1). I love Mark Richt (my Noles have never been the same since he left), but his team is not near as deep as Florida. The Dawgs have one of the nastiest schedules in the nation this season (along with FSU and Miami), as they open AT Oklahoma State, host South Carolina, AT Arkansas, Arizona State and LSU to open the season! A gauntlet! They will compete, but I will not be shocked if they fall behind South Carolina, Kentucky or Vanderbilt for 2nd in the East. Notice I did not include Tennessee?  Lame Kiffin sure knows how to generate publicity. To his credit he has assembled a terrific staff, starting with his father Monte. The Vols don’t have the personnel to make a run at Florida, but hey, that’s why the play the games right? My whacky pick for #2 in the East is Vanderbilt. They won a bowl last year for the first time since I got married, and return 17 starters. Bobby Johnson can coach! Truth be told, I think there is a lot of parity after the Gators. A lot of it comes down to scheduling – which two teams do they play from the West? This logic kind of counters my like of Vandy, as they have Ole Miss and LSU from the west (ouch). Georgia has LSU and AT Arky, so not much easier (especially since Arkansas will be MUCH better this season). Tennessee has Auburn and Alabama, and again, like Arky, the war beagles will be dangerous this time. In fact, the West is much stronger than the East, with the exception of the Gators…but I digress. Kentucky has sure improved under Rich Brooks, but the SEC is just too harsh for the mediocre, which is what the Cats really are.
WEST:
Wow, what a wild wild west it should be. Ole Miss, Alabama and LSU get all the love from the experts, but I see Arkansas really having something to say as well. Ole Miss got white hot last year and has most of their key players back. The problem is that they will have the fall camp taped for a reality show (bad idea) and they will not sneak up on anybody this time. Jevan Snead is awesome, and they very well may win the West, especially if they beat the Tide on Oct 10th. LSU has as much talent as anybody, but I’m still not sold on Les Miles as the real deal. They ALWAYS lose games they shouldn’t. Alabama jumped back into the spotlight in 08, running the regular season table. They even had the momentum against Florida mid way in the 3rd, in the SEC game. But they folded and then laid an egg against Utah in the Sugar. Nick Saban will again have them coached up. Auburn dumped Tommy Tuberville for Gene Chizic. Expect the program to decline, but have some shootouts, as Gus brings his high power offense to the Plains. Mississippi State may improve under Dan Mullen, but they will just get crushed in the mighty West this year.

So, I think the 10/10 matchup in Oxford will determine the West winner. Arkansas will put up a lot of points and might spoil it for either of the remaining 3, but their schedule is just too daunting for them to pull it off. Personally, I’m rooting for Ole Miss to meet the Gators in Atlanta…

Florida
Vanderbilt
Georgia
Tennessee
Kentucky
South Carolina

Ole Miss
Alabama
Arkansas
LSU
Auburn
Miss State

The ACC is up next...