10. Texas Longhorns - This year the Longhorns will find out if Colt McCoy just had a sophomore slump, or if he really has regressed in his development. Texas has no lack of talent on offense or defense, but it does have some holes to fill from departures. Their offensive line returns 4 of 5 and Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley are back to catch balls for McCoy.

A lot of Texas’ success lies directly on McCoy’s back. He has to protect the ball a bit better than last year and not try to carry the entire load of the team. The weak point in the Longhorns’ defense is their secondary. Fans are excited for new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and they’ll get to see his revamped secondary at work when they play pass happy teams like UTEP, Rice, and Arkansas early on. Those are all games they should win, so it should get the young secondary some much needed practice before the tough slate of Colorado, Oklahoma, and Missouri hit in a row.

9. Clemson Tigers - I don’t think there is much doubt, that on paper, the Clemson Tigers are the best team in the ACC. They have two solid running backs, James Davis and CJ Spiller, two returning wide receivers, Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham, and the best quarterback in the ACC Cullen Harper. If the Tigers can get some blocking from their guys up front, this could be one of the most dangerous offenses in the country.

On defense they return 7 starters, with their entire secondary returning. Up front Ricky Sapp, Dorell Scott, and Rashaad Jackson anchor a defensive line and don’t forget about true freshman Da’Quan Bowers who has been turning heads at fall practice. We will see what the Tigers are made up of early when they play Alabama in Atlanta. After that, they really do not have a tough game until the end of September, early October with Maryland and Wake Forest. Wins there and there could be smooth sailing to the ACC Title game.

8. Auburn Tigers - This is a team that I think should be getting a lot more hype, but since Georgia, Florida, and LSU are media darlings, Auburn is flying a bit under the radar. They implemented the spread offense back in the bowl game with offensive coordinator Tony Franklin being the brains of it. Kodi Burns and Chris Todd will be fighting for the quarterback job with Brad Lester back as running back. Their line returns all five starters.

New defensive coordinator, Paul Rhodes, has experience defending spread offensive from his days at Pittsburgh, but now he has more talented players to run his schemes. Rhodes has a good core of 8 returning starters to build off of. The only place they are a little inexperienced is the defensive line. The Tigers schedule starts out slow, but the game against LSU on September 20th could go a long way in deciding who represents the SEC West in the title game. A game to keep an eye on is October 23rd at Morgantown. The Tigers hope that Paul Rhodes’ defense can shut down the WVU spread like he did with Pitt last season.

7. West Virginia Mountaineers - New coach Bill Stewart will have the same general philosophy as the old coach who I will not name. Pat White returns for his senior season, but it will be Noel Devine that lines up behind him, not Steve Slaton like in years past. The Mountaineers have 4 returning starters on the offensive line which should help make holes for their speedy backs.

On defense there are quite a few holes to fill as they only return 4 starters, but two of those starters, Mortty Ivy and Reed Williams were among the top tacklers for the Mountaineers last season. The Mountaineers are riding the high of another BCS bowl win. They hope to erase the heartache of the Pitt loss and start a new chapter under Bill Stewart. They have two tough non-conference games at Colorado and back home against Auburn. If they get past those I know they will be looking forward to revenge at Pittsburgh November 28th. The following week could be for the Big East title as they host South Florida.

6. Missouri Tigers - If you have been keeping track, this is the 3rd team named the Tigers in the rankings 6-10. The Missouri Tigers are led by Heisman Candidate Chase Daniel. Daniel mastered an offense that scored 39.9 points per game, threw for 314 ypg, and overall had 490 yards per game. They were ranked in the top ten in each category. Returning at wide out is the speedy Jeremy Maclin who had over 1000 yards receiving. Their offensive line is nothing to blink at either as tough Ryan Madison and Kurtis Gregory return to anchor it.

The Tigers’ defense wasn’t bad at all last year either, but if I were to nit pick, they do need to improve a bit on the pass defense. That shouldn’t be hard with 4 returning starters in the secondary and I guess the passing stats can be a little misleading since most teams were playing from behind against Missouri. The Tigers open up against Illinois, a team they should be able to handle. But keep an eye out in October when they play both Texas and Colorado. They end up the year in Kansas City against Kansas. If all goes well for Missouri fans they will be back in Kansas City the following week for the Big 12 title game.

[ITB Preseason 11-15]
[ITB Preseason 16-20]
[ITB Preseason 21-25]

15. Brigham Young Cougars - BYU is the best Non-BCS team and I fully expect them to be playing in a BCS Bowl game in January. Their schedule is set up perfectly for it, with only a struggling UCLA and Washington in their non-conference schedule. The Cougars averaged 30 points per game and 442 yards per game in 2007. Bad news for their opponents is that BYU returns 8 starters on offense, including their quarterback Max Hall. Hall threw for over 3800 yards last year with 26 touchdowns while running back Harvey Unga ran for over 1200 with 13 touchdowns.

However on defense, BYU only returns 3 starters from a core that only gave up 18.5 points per game and 97 yards on the ground per game. If head coach Bronco Mendenhall can find quality players on defense, there is a legitimate chance that BYU can go 12-0. If they don’t go 12-0, they should still win at least 10 games. Entering the season BYU is on a 10 game winning streak, and a 16 game conference winning streak. The team’s motto this year is “quest for perfection”, and the Cougars definately have a chance to reach it.

14. Texas Tech Red Raiders - Every year I get fooled by Texas Tech. They start out the year ripping through their opponents, but then when they have to play a tough Big 12 team, they get stomped. Last year however, the Red Raiders did beat Oklahoma, which might show they are getting over the hump of losing to top tier teams. This team is stacked offensively. Quarterback Graham Harrell threw for 5700 yards and 48 touchdowns; most of them to sophomore Michael Crabtree who caught 22 of those touchdown passes for 1960 yards.

On defense they return 8 starters, which is great news for Tech fans. In my opinion, if they do not allow opponents to score over 24 points, there is no reason why this team cannot challenge for the Big 12 South Title. I think the Red Raiders should breeze through their first seven games (again) with maybe one speed bump along the way. But it will be the games at Kansas and home against Texas in consecutive weeks which will define the character of this team. Two wins there and it is all set for a November 22nd match up with Oklahoma for a chance to go to the Big 12 Title game.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies - The $100,000 question for the Hokies is, who will start at quarterback? From everything I have been reading, that question still does not have an answer. Both Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor have been inconsistent in camp, so it looks as if the Hokies will start the season with a two-quarterback system. With Glennon, I believe Tech needs to have a better running game, and the two fighting for the running back position now that Ore has been kicked off the team are Jahre Cheeseman and Kenny Lewis, Jr. Taylor can be the answer to all the Hokie prayers if he develops some consistency. He has the athletic ability to put fear in opponsing defense since players of the last name Vick.

With Zach Luckett’s recent DUI, the recievers have to do a bit of shuffling too. On defense they have to replace most of their front seven. But with injuries that took place last year, many of those starting this year got some quality playing time. In the secondary they are led by self proclaimed Heisman Candidate Victor Harris who had 5 interceptions last season and will be an important part of the Hokie return game. Virginia Tech should win their first 3 games, setting up a tough one at Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are much improved and should put some pressure on the Hokies in the ACC Coastal Division.

12. Louisiana State Tigers - The defending BCS Champions have some holes to fill, but with strong past recruiting classes, the Tigers shouldn’t fall too far. The first hole is at quarterback where Jarrett Lee should begin season as the starter despite being held out of the last scrimmage due to back spasms. With Jacob Hester graduating, Keiland Williams, Charles Scott, and Richard Murphy will see time in the backfield. On a positive note, the Tigers return 4 of 5 starters on the offensive line.

On defense, LSU will be adjusting to a new coordinator that has to replace 7 starters. Ricky Jean-Francois, Tremaine Johnson, and Tyson Jackson all have played well in the fall and should help easy the pain from losing All American Glenn Dorsey. The Tigers start out at home in a much anticipated game against the FCS Champions Appalachian State. I don’t expect the Tigers to take them lightly. On September 20th, they open SEC play against Auburn which should be a great game. The inexperience Tigers must adapt quickly if they want to defend their SEC West title, because with their schedule, there is little room for growing pains.

11. Wisconsin Badgers - Every February when you check out the latest recruiting rankings, rarely do you see Wisconsin in the Top-20, but yet year after year they churn out quality teams in the Big Ten. This year will be no different for the Badgers who return 9 of 11 starters on offense led by running back PJ Hill Jr. Hill ran for 1200 yards last season and will benefit running behind an offensive line that is all back from 2007. No talk about their offense would not be complete without talking about tight end Travis Beckum who caught 75 balls for 982 yards and 6 touchdowns.

The only problem facing Bret Bielema and the Badgers offense is that they have five quarterbacks on the roster with a combined zero starts as a Badger. However, Allan Evridge, does have six starts under his belt while playing for Kansas State. On defense, the backfield must make up for lost time as many of them missed spring practice due to suspensions. Free safety Shane Carter had 7 interceptions last year and hopes to improve the Badger defense. Wisconsin starts out slow, but travels to California to play Fresno State the third game of the year. They have a tough three week stretch of Big Ten play going to Michigan, then home against Ohio State and Penn State, all in consecutive weeks. Running the table there would almost guarantee them at least a share of the Big Ten Championship.

[ITB Preseason 16-20]
[ITB Preseason 21-25]

I promised it on the podcast and this week I will deliver the In The Bleachers Preseason Top 25 for the 2008 season. My thought process is pretty simple on this one, I am not predicting the final standings, I am predicting the Top 25 based on how good they are right at this moment.

25. Fresno State Bulldogs - If not for their difficult schedule, most experts would be talking about Fresno State in the same breath as BYU as far as Non-BCS schools going to a BCS Bowl game. The Bulldogs return 10 starters on offense, including quarterback Tom Brandstater, who is one of the top senior quarterbacks in the nation. Brandstater is not flashy, but in 2007 he threw only 5 interceptions. Ryan Matthews returns as a sophomore after rushing for 866 yards and 14 touchdowns as a true freshman.

The weak spot for the Bulldogs will be their secondary which will be tested in their first game of the year against Rutgers and their talented wide receivers. Their front seven is also a bit unproven since they lost Marcus Riley and Tyler Clutts. With their first two games being at Rutgers, then back home against Wisconsin, we will find out a lot about the Bulldogs early.

24. Rutgers Scarlet Knights - I have already tooted the Scarlet Knights’ horn last week, as I think they are a team that should challenge for the Big East title. Many are writing off Rutgers all because Ray Rice is gone, but quarterback Mike Teel had a good season last year throwing for 3100 yards with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. To challenge for the Big East crown however, those numbers must all go up except for the interceptions. With two great receivers such as Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, I believe that is a good assumption.

Their weak point is obvious, they do not have a proven running back and they are a little suspect along the offensive line. Their defense returns 8 starters from a team that only gave up 170 yards through the air a game. The Knights start off the season with a bang as Fresno State and North Carolina come to town in the first two weeks. Two wins there and they should be 4-0 heading to Morgantown.

23. Wake Forest Demon Deacons - The strength for the Demon Deacons lies clearly on the defensive side of the ball. They return 9 starters from a team that only gave up 22 points per game and 109 yards on the ground. If this team is going to go places in 2008, it will be the defense that carries them. Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith are two to the top returning defenders. On offense, Riley Skinner is back. Skinner is talent but has to cut down on his interceptions. Josh Adams returns at running back after rushing for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2007.

The weak point for the Deacons is their offensive line and at wide receiver. There are as many as 10 players in the mix to start on the offensive line, but unfortunately for Wake, they don’t return a starter that started more than 8 games. Week 2 and 3 have them going up against Ole Miss and Florida State. Wins there and they should be undefeated when the take on Clemson at home a few weeks later.

22. Illinois Fighting Illini - The Illinois offense was ranked 5th nationally rushing the ball, but now with Rashard Mendenhall gone, they should take a step back. Saying that I expect Juice Williams to improve from last season and become a more consistant player. He turned the ball over a bit too much, but he has the athletic ability to become a supreme threat in the Big Ten. Arrelious Benn showed flashes of brilliance at both wide receiver and in the return game. On defense, the Illini are anchored by their defensive line and second team all Big Ten lineman Will Davis.

As much as he is a plus, Juice Williams unsteady play can be a huge minus if he starts turning the ball over. Half way through the season last year, there was a bit of a QB controversy between Juice and Eddie McGee. If they are going to be successful, the Illini must improve on 168 yards per game through the air. They open up the season with Missouri and then travel to Happy Valley for a prime time game on September 27th.

21. South Florida Bulls - On October 13, 2007, the South Florida Bulls were riding high with a 6-0 record and a top 3 ranking in the BCS standings. It all came crashing down after that as they lost their next 3 games. Matt Grothe will be back for his junior year to quarterback the Bulls. Grothe is both the Bulls’ leading passer and rusher, and I expect him to carry the lions’ share again this season. All American George Selvie is back to wreck havoc on opposing quarterbacks and on the other side of the ball the offensive line should be a strong point.

Their defense lost two extremely good cornerbacks and filling those holes will be no easy task. It also should be interesting to see if the Bulls can still be aggressive with their front seven with inexperience cornerbacks. The Bulls should be 5-0 once again when they open Big East play at home against a talented Pittsburgh Panther team. If they get past them they should be smooth sailing until November 15th against Rutgers.

In Part One of this series, I explained why I thought Rutgers, Mississippi, and Michigan State were three teams who could be a bit of a surprise this season in their conference. In Part two, I will tell you which teams from the Pac 10, ACC, and Big 12 have the potential to jump up and bite the power teams.

Tar Heel fans have Huge expectations for Little

If you listened to the ACC Preview Podcast, this next team will be of no surprise to you, but I feel the North Carolina Tar Heels have a chance to make some waves in the ACC Coastal Division.

Part of the reason for picking the Tar Heels is because the Coastal Division is so wide open; Virginia Tech has been noted as the preseason favorite, but the gap between them and the rest of the Coastal is not big at all. This will be Butch Davis’ second year on the sidelines, and he began making his mark on this team before his first season started getting a really good recruiting class to come into Chapel Hill.

Greg Little moved from WR to RB for the last few games and rushed for almost 300 yards in those last few games. He combines speed with power which are making Tar Heel fans excited about his play. Hakeen Nicks and Brandon Tate anchor a wide receiver core that returning starter at QB TJ Yates should enjoy throwing the ball to.

On defense, the strength lies in the defensive line with Marvin Austin, EJ Wilson, Cam Thomas, and Tydreke Powell. The defensive backfield has all four starters back led by 2007 ACC Rookie of the Year Deunta Williams, but at linebacker they are breaking in some new starters and are a little short in depth.

Their schedule is manageable with a few tough early games at Rutgers then back home to play Virginia Tech. If they can win both of those games, we could be talking about them playing in the ACC title game. The Tar Heels do luck out because they do not play Clemson nor Wake Forest in the regular season.

Hawkins is the QB because of his talent, not his name

Head Coach Dan Hawkins took the Colorado Buffaloes back to a bowl game in only his second year at the helm, but now that he has added a bit more speed to the line up, Colorado has a chance to go much higher in the Big 12 North.

You will be hard pressed to find anyone who will pick anyone other than Missouri or even Kansas to win the Big 12 North, but I feel that Colorado is a bit of a wild card team. Returning for his sophomore year, coaches’ son Cody Hawkins will be under center running the no-huddle offense. Demetrius Sumler is the leading returning rusher, but I would suspect that the nation’s #1 running back recruit from last season, Darrell Scott, will push for carries early, and have the job for himself by the end of the season.

The Buffaloes started two true freshman last year at offensive line, and overall looking at their two-deep on offense, it is filled with sophomores and juniors. Scott McKnight who caught 2 TD passes in the first scrimmage and Patrick Williams, 61 yards receiving in the scrimmage, are two returning WR with experience, but most are excited for Josh Smith who had 71 yards receiving in the first scrimmage.

On defense the line looks to be the strong suit with three seniors there. They must improve however on their pass defense, where the Buffs’ ranked 103rd in the nation giving up 261 yards in the air per game. Daniel Dykes and Ryan Walters anchor the safety positions, where freshman Anthony Wright is fighting for a spot on the corner.

Schedule wise, it is brutal for the Buffaloes. September 18th, West Virginia comes to Boulder; then in successive weeks they play Florida State (in Jacksonville), home against Texas, and at Kansas. With no Oklahoma on the schedule, uf they can pull off a split in those 4 games mentioned previous, it could be considered a moral victory. They close the year at Nebraska which could be a preview of the Big 12 North Championship game for the 2009 season.

Tuitama’s good play could save Stoops’ job

My final pick is a team that can really light up scoreboards through the air, now if they can just find a complimentary running attack and some defense, they could be dangerous in 2008. In 2007 Willie Tuitama threw for almost 3700 yards with 28 touchdowns, but the Arizona Wildcats could only muster 5 wins in Mike Stoop’s 4th year as head coach.

This year Tuitama is a senior and his coach Mike Stoops could be out after this year if they do not win a bowl game. Leading receiver Mike Thomas who caught 83 balls for over 1000 yards and 11 touchdowns is back as well as 9 other returning starters on offense. Tight end Rob Gronkowski is a serious threat over the middle and can stretch defenses with his speed. All in all, he is a match-up nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.

As I mentioned previous, the Wildcats lack a rushing attack. Last year they were 114th in the country, only gaining 76 yards per game on the ground. Nicolas Grigsby looks to be the starter, but questions have arouse about him being an every down back, so don’t be surprised if Junior College transfer Nick Booth who is more of a power runner gets some time in the backfield also.

On defense the Wildcats return only three starters, one of them is senior Nate Ness who had 5 interceptions in 2007, but is suffering from a concussion which has limited his reps in fall practice. Sophomore defensive end Brooks Reed has been having a good fall camp and is someone that Arizona will look at to put some pressure on the quarterback.

Looking at their first 6 games, there is no reason that the Wildcats should be any worse than 4-2, and if they can pull out a victory against UCLA they could actually start the season 6-0 and solidify themselves not only a bowl game, but in the top half of the Pac 10. If Mike Stoops can get the defense clicking and establish a rushing game, I really think that Arizona will be a team to reckon with in the Pac 10, especially with the huge gap in talent between USC and the rest of the conference.


1. Georgia (22) 1,438
2. Southern California (14) 1,430
3. Ohio State (14) 1,392
4. Oklahoma (3) 1,329
5. Florida (5) 1,293
6. LSU (3) 1,163
7. Missouri 1,143
8. West Virginia 1,008
9. Clemson 999
10. Texas 979
11. Auburn 888
12. Wisconsin 747
13. Kansas 714
14. Texas Tech 644
15. Virginia Tech 568
16. Arizona State 560
17. Brigham Young 547
18. Tennessee 506
19. Illinois 422
20. Oregon 399
21. South Florida 350
22. Penn State 313
23. Wake Forest 203
24. Michigan 112
25. Fresno State 91


Others receiving votes

Alabama (7-6) 83; South Carolina (6-6) 64; Utah (9-4) 60; Florida State (7-6) 53; Rutgers (8-5) 53; Boston College (11-3) 47; California (7-6) 41; Pittsburgh (5-7) 34; Boise State (10-3) 25; Oregon State (9-4) 23; Nebraska (5-7) 17; Cincinnati (10-3) 13; Virginia (9-4) 12; Connecticut (9-4) 9; Michigan State (7-6) 9; Mississippi State (8-5) 6; Kentucky (8-5) 5; Notre Dame (3-9) 5; TCU (8-5) 5; Maryland (6-7) 4; North Carolina (4-8) 3; Texas A&M (7-6) 3; UCLA (6-7) 3; Central Florida (10-4) 2; Georgia Tech (7-6) 2; Louisville (6-6) 2; Arizona (5-7) 1; Colorado (6-7) 1; Oklahoma State (7-6) 1; Tulsa (10-4) 1.


By Conference
Big 10 - 5
Big 12 - 5
SEC - 5
ACC - 3
Pac 10 - 3
Big East - 2
Mountain West - 1
Western Athletic - 1

The biggest surprise to me is seeing Michigan ranked. Also it looks like the coaches didn’t follow the media and ranked Georgia over Florida. More thoughts to come later. Did I ever mention how much I hate preseason polls?

To be honest, the ACC was in my opinion, the worst BCS conference in the country. This year they might overtake the Big East, but that’s as far up as they will go unless teams like Florida State and Miami come back to national prominence. Here is how the media predicts the 2008 season with first place votes in parentheses.


Atlantic Division
1. Clemson (59) 383
2. Wake Forest (5) 304
3. Florida State (1) 265
4. Boston College 154
5. Maryland 147
6. NC State 112



Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech (58) 383
2. North Carolina (4) 288
3. Miami (1) 253
4. Georgia Tech (1) 195
5. Virginia (1) 161
6. Duke 85


ACC Championship Game Winner: Clemson (51 votes)

I can’t really argue with either choice for the Atlantic and Coast Division champions. If I am going to nit pick a little, I cant see Georgia Tech finishing 4th in the Coastal Division, I see them at 5th. Other than that, I agree with the media’s assessment.

There’s Ohio State and USC. Georgia traveling to the desert to take on Arizona State. And who can forget about the always competitive Red River Rivalry that has long crowned not only the Big XII champion, but given one team a shot at the National Championship?

It’s no secret that these are the kinds of games fans and analysts are already salivating over as we find ourselves a little more than a month away from the start of the 2008 college football season. Yet beyond the hoopla and buildup of these monumental out-of-conference contests and long-circled conference showdowns, the road to a national championship is forged through the weekly grind of conference games against seemingly lower competition. Known to many as “trap” or even “landmine” games, these are the contests that go under the radar every year, and are frequently overlooked as fans and media members make their preseason predictions. Yet perhaps now more than ever, as the twelfth game format transforms the landscape of scheduling, these games have the chance (some may even argue the propensity) to rock-the-boat of title hopefuls and throw the entire BCS race upside down.

We of course saw this on numerous occasions last season. From South Florida’s unlikely early season run being deflated against what many considered a down Rutgers team to West Virginia’s infamous collapse against a mediocre Pitt club in the Backyard Brawl, 2007 was filled with an any-given-Saturday conference mentality that seemed to reshuffle the Top 10 on a nightly basis. Even eventual National Champion LSU was not immune, losing to a pair of 8-5 teams in Arkansas and Kentucky which many people expected them to beat.

So what does 2008 hold in store? If you’re asking me I’d tell you likely more of that same, although perhaps not with the same frequency we saw in 2007. Nevertheless, here are seven under-the-radar games which could present unforeseen problems for this year’s national title contenders, and possibly affect the race to get to the BCS National Championship Game.

Florida at Miami (September 6^th)- It’s not that Randy Shannon is going to have Miami in the Top 15 this year. Frankly, I have serious reservations about the Hurricanes even achieving bowl eligibility this season. Yet for all the challenges Miami should face in 2008 (see: quarterback play) the Hurricanes supposedly remain not only one of the most talented teams in the country, but one of only a few teams with the defensive speed to be able to matchup with Urban Meyer’s scheme. If Shannon can get the Hurricanes to play to win (that is to say play some offense) and Miami can get even a little better offensive line and quarterback play, than this should be a much closer matchup than many people might have originally thought.

Georgia at Kentucky (November 8^th)- Your classic “sandwich game,” Georgia could very well find itself #1 in the nation if Mark Richt’s team can get past Florida in the preceding week. Yet with an SEC finale against what figures to be a title contending Auburn team on the 15^th the Bulldogs could be susceptible to looking past coach Rich Brooks’ Kentucky Wildcats, who may analysts feel could challenge Vanderbilt for last place in the SEC East this year. Kentucky’s offense will likely take a step back from 2007 with the loss of QB Andre Woodson, RB Rafeal Little, and pass catchers Keenan Burton and Jacob Tamme, but with eight returning starters on a defense which held Georgia to a season low 99 passing yards last season the Wildcats have more than enough talent and confidence to give Matt Staford and company fits.

Ohio State at Michigan State (October 18^th)- Everyone wants to talk about Ohio State’s early season showdown with Southern California- and rightly so. Yet the expectation has been that if the Buckeyes can get past the Trojans on September 13^th than it’ll be smooth sailing for the scarlet and red until the season finale against Michigan. Personally, I think that notion is worth a “not so fast my friend.” If any Big 10 team has the capability to stun Ohio State it’ll be the Spartans, who will have the benefit of getting the Buckeyes coming into East Lansing a week before Ohio State’s Homecoming showdown with Penn State. Remember that Michigan State hung around with the Buckeyes last season, eventually falling 24-17 despite being an 18 point underdog on the road. With the bruising Javon Ringer back at running back and a full year under QB Brian Hoyer’s belt expect a more explosive Spartan offense with the ability to stick with Ohio State once again in 2008.

Southern California at Arizona (October 25^th)- A perennial contender when it comes to the National Title, Southern California has dominated the Pacific-10 conference under headman Pete Carrol, who is 76-14 through seven seasons at USC. Arizona meanwhile has struggled under Mike Soops, who has failed to get his team past the 6-6 hump in his four seasons in Tucson. Sounds like a sure-thing, right? Maybe, but USC has slipped up against mid to low level Pac-10 teams the past two seasons and Arizona looks to be much better offensively this year. The Trojans had to stage a second half comeback to overcome the Wildcats in a 20-13 win last season, but with 10 returning starters on offense and another year in Sonny Dykes’ system I think the Wildcats will have the ability to hang around late in the game this year. Keep in mind that Stoops’ 2006 team dashed Cal’s National Title hopes in 2006 with a late season win. Can lightning strike twice?

Texas Tech at Oklahoma (November 15^th)- Seldom is there a more important game for Oklahoma than the annual Red River Rivalry with the University of Texas, but looking into 2008 the late November matchup with Texas Tech may present the more important contest in the Sooners’ presumed run at a National Title. Not that Bob Stoops will have his team looking past the Red Raiders, who stunned then 3^rd ranked Oklahoma in Lubbock last year. Still, not everyone is buying into Texas Tech, which despite returning a loaded offense still has yet to breakthrough and capture a Big XII title until headman Mike Leach. Yet with three starters lost from a secondary that gave up 420 passing yards to Tech in last year’s game, I look for the Sooner defense to struggle even more so against Graham Harrell and company in 2008, possibly opening the door for a late season upset opportunity.   

Clemson at Duke (November 15^th)- Now that the initial shock has worn off from seeing “Duke” and a “National Championship” in the same post, let’s discuss this one. Some may scoff at the notion of Clemson as a realistic National Title contender, but then again who realistically thought Boston College would be in position to vie for the BCS Title before a late season collapse last year?  There isn’t much precedence for Duke to beat an ACC team (much less the most talented ACC team) but that fact alone gives the Blue Devils and new Head Coach David Cutcliffe the ability to sneak up on the Tigers, who will be coming off what could be an energy depleting road game at Florida State. Duke has better talent than most people around the country realize, and with seventeen returning starters more than enough experience to start wining games right away. If the team can catch on to Cutcliffe’s scheme and coaching style, the Blue Devils should be in a position to surprise at least one unlucky ACC team in 2008.

BYU at TCU (October 16^th)- I’d be lying if I said that hearing the national media types assess BYU’s schedule this year hasn’t caused me the occasional chuckle. Sure, matchups against Washington and UCLA are huge, but putting the Huskies or Bruins on a pedestal above the likes of TCU or Utah seems almost laughable. Texas Christian is coming off of a somewhat disappointing season, but the Horned Frogs return fifteen total starters from a team which finished the year strong last year. QB Andy Dalton should be better, and despite the loss of both starting defensive ends the Horned Frogs should be stout on defense as usual. Gary Patterson coached teams tend to play with a chip on their shoulder, and having been dethroned from the top of the conference the past two seasons they’ll be primed to pull out all the stops against the Cougars.  

Aside from covering college football for Inthebleachers.net, Adam Nettina works as the Mid-American Conference analysts for the brand-spankin’ new CollegeFootballNews.com blog team, and the host of the weekly college football themed Under Center Show. You can read his weekly column at CollegeFootballNews.com.

We are a little over a week into summer, the 4th of July is at the end of the week, and now is a great time to go to the beach. But for college football fans, July is a horrible month. Unless your team shows up in the police blotter, or gets a verbal commitment from an upcoming senior, this month is a slow crawl towards the start of fall camp.

Johnson wants to make it 6 years of bowling

If it isn’t already in your RSS Feeds, July is a great month to head over to Saturday Soundoffs. Eric, who has joined the ITB staff, has started his two-a-days which are excellent. Yesterday he took a look at Colorado State and North Dakota State.

Former Navy coach and new Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson has his hands full this year with the Yellow Jackets. Johnson will be installing a new offense, but is stuck with the talent left from Chan Gailey. Under Johnson, Navy went to five straight bowl games, but it looks as if his personal run will end this year…or will it.

As Adam and I talked about in the last episode of the In The Bleachers Podcast, we both think that BYU has a chance to crash the BCS Bowl party this year. The Mountain West Conference Connection has found some predictions that has said that BYU or Utah could end up in the top 5. BYU with their schedule and number of returning starters could finish in the top 5 after winning every game this year, but I think Utah has a little shot of finishing in the top 25, but will not finish in the top 5.

JayPa’s bocce outfit

USC is quickly piling up the blue chip recruits once again this year, and with the ongoing Reggie Bush investigation, there are plenty of rumors of possible violations by the Trojans. Over at the Barking Carnival TaylorTRoom looks at the history of college football recruiting cheating which he breaks into four parts.

Recruiting and Happy Valley are not mixing right now. If you are like me and a member of BWI’s Lions’ Den, you probably have noticed that there have been a lot of bickering and fighting over losing recruits to Rutgers and Pitt in the past few weeks. There is one person that is still the #1 lightning rod for the fans to pick on, Jay Paterno. Jay has been spending a lot of time blogging for Presidential hopeful Barack Obama, and word has gotten out that he played in a celebrity bocce tournament. Maybe if the younger Paterno spent more time on the recruiting trail or developing quarterbacks than playing with balls, he wouldn’t get such grief.

Kate doesn’t need coffee to make her hot

July also brings out my favorite…the preseason football polls. I have no problem with people voicing their opinions on who they think are the top 25 teams, but there should be no “official” polls till after the 3rd or 4th week of the season. On the Bleacher Report John Lynch takes a stab at his Top 25 preseason poll. As you can tell by some of the comments, they are not too happy who he has in it. My favorite argument is how certain fans always think their team(s) is overlooked or disrespected. Calm down people, let them play a game first before you flip out.

It has been a rainy end of June here in Pittsburgh, but it is nothing compared to what is going on in the Midwest. Head over to Mizzourah and find out how you can help people who have been victimized by the floods.

Finally, the Heisman Pundit is back with an improved, updated, new-looking site. He’s great as always, and I have an email in to him to come on the In The Bleachers Podcast (hopefully Wednesday) to talk about the Heisman hopefuls for 2008. While we are waiting check out his new article asking; Is it really that important to have a quarterback who is an elite NFL-prospect in your program?

Note: This is part of our ongoing “FCS Week” feature here at ITB. Continue to check back this week for more news and analysis from around the Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA.)

For fans of college football’s top teams, this is usually the time of year when we obsess about preseason rankings, compulsively assess the situation of our teams’ conference rivals, and often completely forget to worry about that small state or private school down the road that was given a half million dollar check to essentially be blown out in a warm-up performance. Yet for the fans of those schools, and for the fans of Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) schools everywhere across the country, the prospect of such a game presents the challenge of the lifetime, and a chance to rise from relative obscurity to national prominence for at least one Saturday afternoon. Last year we were given a crash course in just what an inter-subdivision upset could mean, with Corey Lynch’s blocked field goal against Michigan serving as the iconic image of the season. While this year’s matchups may not present the kind of earth-shattering implications as Appalachian State’s upset of Michigan did, beginning on August 28th dozens of these FCS teams will be chasing that same dream, and trying to play the role of David against their respective Goliath’s. Over the next week we’ll be counting down the Top 10 most likely FCS over FBS upsets of 2008, as well as discussing the trends of these upsets and just what it takes for these smaller programs to take down even proven FBS winners. Keep in mind this list is just an assessment of the FCS teams with the best chances to take down certain FBS teams; meaning, among other things, that there could be more or less upsets than the ten I have listed here. Today we’re looking at my tenth through eighth most likely upsets for 2008, and starting at a very familiar place…

#10: Appalachian State at LSU (August 30^th)

Louisiana State University is fresh off of a National Championship in which the Tigers won the SEC and pounded Ohio State 38-24 to take the title of the number one team in America. Surely such a team would be unstoppable against a lowly FCS team, wouldn’t it? The answer is probably a very solid “of course,” but when discussing Appalachian State one almost needs to throw all of last season’s accolades out the window. So let’s start with what we know. LSU has a quarterback “situation” after Les Miles finally booted oft-troubled quarterback Ryan Perrilloux from the team this spring, with redshirt freshmen Jarrett Lee and former Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch in the mix for the starting job come August 30^th. The Tigers return thirteen starters overall but do lose some key players to the NFL, most notably Outland trophy winner Glenn Dorsey at DT, leading rusher Jacob Hester at RB, and top tacklers Craig Steltz and Ali Highsmith on the defense. Starting quarterback Matt Flynn also departs, as does wide receiver Early Doucet and both starting cornerbacks. While LSU certainly has the talent to eventually replace these players (with the possible exception of Dorsey) it won’t be easy, and despite a fairly light slate in September it’s not unreasonable to expect the Tigers to go through some growing pains, especially on defense.  It’ll be interesting to see if this lack of championship experience at critical positions like quarterback and safety effects the way Les Miles runs his team. We all know he’s a gambler in every sense of the word, but without his most trusted offensive and defensive tools the Tigers may not find the kind of returns they expected on their early season gambles.

By now every college football fan in America is acquainted with the Appalachian State Mountaineers, and thankfully no longer on account of the Boone, North Carolina school’s reputation for being “hot, hot, hot.” I could go on documenting the 2007 Mountaineer season in detail but frankly it boils down to this; upset Michigan, make it to the playoffs, win a third straight FCS National Championship game. The fact that ASU lost conference games to Wofford and Georgia Southern almost seems irrelevant, but it does prove one thing, and that is that the Mountaineers are by no means invincible. While the offense was the top ranked in the country last season (averaging 488 yards per game) the Mountaineers only return five starters for ‘08 and must find a way to replace a 1000-yard rusher in Kevin Richardson, their three top reeivers (including second round draft choice Dextor Jackson), as well as three All-American offensive lineman. This is an extremely tall order and although Appalachian State remains one of the most talented teams in the FCS it is unlikely that they’ll be able to come out with the same explosiveness that they did against Michigan last season. Things look a little clearer on the defensive side of the ball as Appalachian State returns seven starters including all three linebackers in Jacque Roman, DJ Smith, and Pierre Banks. Nevertheless, there are still questions surrounding the defense, which finished the year a ho-hum 70^th in the country while allowing 380 yards per game. ASU loses all four starting members of the secondary including All-American and NFL-bound safety Corey Lynch, who was the cornerstone upon which ASU’s championship defenses had been built. The fact that three of those starters were three-year starters cannot be overlooked, and despite an infusion of young talent this group looks impossible to replace and likely will struggle against a very good LSU receiving corps. Even with the secondary concerns this is still a talented team led by what some are calling a legitimate Heisman trophy contender in QB Armanti Edwards, and as always they are very well coached and well schemed in the spread offense which gave Michigan’s supposedly more talented defense fits last year. With the entire front seven back on the defensive side of the football they should improve against the run, which will be critical if they’re to stifle an LSU running game which could lean heavily on Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday. Jerry Moore refuses to let this team get complacent and while they’re not going to sneak up on LSU like they did Michigan, they certainly have no shortage of self-confidence.

I know what you’re thinking; lightning couldn’t possibly strike twice, could it? In all honesty it likely won’t, as even a quarterback depleted LSU presents considerable problems for an Appalachian State team which figures to compete for a fourth consecutive National Championship. Nevermind this SEC speed fallacy everyone keeps talking about, the real difference between LSU and Michigan will be attitude and outlook. Simply put nobody is going to underestimate the Mountaineers after last year, and playing under the lights in a nationally televised contest like this could be a much bigger issue for a more inexperienced ASU team. Despite the fact that LSU’s quarterback position remains uncertain, the Tiger’s have talent and depth at all the skill positions and matchup considerably well against the Mountaineer secondary. Armanti Edwards is going to look good against virtually anyone, but it will be interesting to see how he does without the majority of his supporting cast from last year’s upset, particularly his top-three pass catchers. By the same token it will be interesting to see how the LSU quarterback, whether it be Lee or Hatch, comes out against ASU’s defense, and whether or not LSU plays a more conservative brand of offense. This should be a competitive game and although this LSU team is not nearly as vulnerable as Michigan was last year the Mountaineers have proven they don’t back down to anyone and that’s why I give Coach Moore and his squad at least a fighting chance against the defending FBS National Champions.

#9: Wofford at South Carolina (September 6^th)

Is this the year Steve Spurrier finally gets the Gamecocks to the top of the SEC East standings? Upon first inspection it very may well be, as South Carolina returns seventeen total starters including ten on the defensive side of the ball from a team that went 6-6. But it seems like you never can tell with Spurrier and SC and despite an infusion of talent in the program they’ve still had their ups and downs during his tenure. Case in point the offense, which has failed to eclipse 24 points per game during Spurrier’s three years here, largely due to inconsistent quarterback play. While the good news for 2008 is that presumed starter Chris Smelley has experience (six starts in two years) the bad news is that he’s been inconsistent and doesn’t have the mobility Spurrier would prefer. SC’s other options may be limited however, as highly touted redshirt freshmen Stephen Garcia’s legal troubles have continued and he was suspended for the spring, while last year’s third string QB Tommy Beecher has struggled with accuracy and interceptions in limited duty. The fact that Smelley and Beecher combined for a mind-boggling eight picks in the spring game is cause for concern, especially considering the team lost its top offensive playmaker (RB Corey Boyd) to the NFL. Fortunately the defense returns virtually intact, but questionable performances against Louisiana-Lafayette (252 rush yards), LSU (290 rush yards), and Arkansas (541 rush yards) last year underscore potential matchup difficulties against run-based offenses. South Carolina has been a streaky team over the past few seasons and while they haven’t lost to an FCS school under Spurrier they did barely survive a 27-20 scare against Wofford in a 2006 season which was Spurrier’s best here.

Wofford is actually the fourth smallest school in Division I but you wouldn’t have known it by the way their football team played last year. The Terriers, who won the Southern Conference championship in 2007, have been something of a minor power in the FCS under head coach Mike Ayers, who has been named conference coach of the year four times since 2000.  Wofford runs an old-school meets new-school wingbone offense along the lines of what Paul Johnson ran at Navy, with the South Carolina school typically among the FCS leader’s in rushing yard per game (second in the country at 309 ypg in 2007.) Last season was a landmark year for the Terriers, who went 9-4 with wins over FCS heavyweights Appalachian State and Montana before losing in the quarterfinals of the playoffs to Richmond. While they don’t return a majority of starters from offense or defense from last year’s team (10 full time returning starters) they do get back 43 letterwinners and six “nonstaters” who started at least two games. While Wofford loses its top rusher from last year there is a precedence of plugging in pieces to the offense as the team has had to replace its top rusher four of the last five seasons. Likewise, even though Wofford will have to break in a new quarterback in 2008 they won’t exactly be going with a bright-eyed freshmen, as senior Ben Widmyer, who actually started against NC State last season, will have the inside track to win the job in the fall. He’ll be pushed by a talented group of young players, including Navy transfer and option protégée Robby Davis. Even with the losses to graduation this remains a potent and well coached offense, and because of the uniqueness of its scheme and ability to “plug and chug” it has the potential to give South Carolina problems.

I admit this pick may be going out on a limb (especially when you consider Wofford’s last win against the Gamecocks came in 1917) but I swear that until South Carolina and Spurrier can establish some constancy at the quarterback position this team is going to be schizophrenic. Yes South Carolina is an SEC program which returns 17 starters and yes they managed wins against Kentucky and Georgia last season, but the reality of the situation is that they’ve been slow starters under Spurrier and their run defense has been mediocre. Spurrier and his team barely survived a Wofford upset bid in 2006 where Wofford came within a 4^th and five conversion of tying the game at 27. Instead the Terriers fell 27-20 but they proved they could compete with South Carolina. This year Wofford gets two weeks to prepare for this game and because of their unique offense and the fact that South Carolina will be coming off a tough home game against Georgia I give the Terriers and their 1,350 student enrollment a fighting chance against Spurrier’s Gamecocks, making this my ninth most likely upset of 2008.

#8 Delaware at Maryland (August 30^th)

Maryland is one of those teams that is tough to get a read on. Ralph Friedgen did an absolutely amazing job here between 2001-2003 as he lead the Terps to three consecutive 10-win seasons including an ACC championship in 2001 and two impressive bowl wins in 2002 and 2003. Yet they’ve been streaky the past four seasons, finishing 5-6 in 2004 and 2005, 9-4 in 2006, and 6-7 last season. Much of this has been due to offensive inconsistency and mediocre quarterback play, which seems ironic considering both the legacy of Maryland quarterbacks of the past and the offensive background of Friedgen (hmm, remind you of another Maryland football team?) The starter on opening day is anyone’s guess, as three quarterbacks once again will take the battle into camp to see who will lead the Terps for at least the start of 2008. Remember that this was a team which was up and down in 2007, finishing the regular season off 6-6 before losing a tight game in the Emerald Bowl to Oregon State. They had their moments of dominance in wins over then 8^th ranked Boston College and 10^th ranked Rutgers, but they also lost to a mediocre North Carolina team and looked just o.k. against Villanova and Florida International. This year the Terps return eight starters on offense including four on the line, which to be fair dealt with a number of injuries last season. In addition to this they get five starters back on defense including middle linebacker Dave Philistin, an absolute beast who should be on track for all-conference honors. Nevertheless, the Terps have questions in the secondary with the loss of three starters, and will have to answer them in a hurry against what is traditionally one of the best passing attacks in the FCS. Talent wise the Terps are better than people give them credit for, but just like South Carolina their offense will only go so far as their up-to-now inconsistent quarterback play will take them, especially with the loss of their top two running backs from last season.

Delaware is coming off yet another successful season under head coach KC Keeler in which the Blue Hens went 11-4 and made it all the way to the National Title game before falling to Appalachian State. Offensively UD was among the Nation’s very best in 2007, finishing sixth in the country at 460 yards per contest. They do lose an outstanding quarterback in Joe Flacco to the NFL but they get another potential NFL prospect via transfer Rob Schoenhoft, who spent last year as the backup for Ohio State. Schoenhoft is a former four-star quarterback out of high school who happens to be a perfect fit for Coach Keeler’s offense with his 6’6 frame and strong arm, and should adapt well with a veteran cast of pass catchers around him (including former Pitt transfer and NFL prospect Robbie Agnone at TE.) While UD does have to replace three offensive lineman there is a tradition of developing solid O-lines here and I don’t see any reason for that not to continue in 2008. A talented group of running backs waits in the wings; including Wisconsin transfer Jerry Butler, who sat out 2007 with a leg injury. Defensively Delaware should be much improved, as nine starters return to a defense which ranked 50^th in the nation last year, including former Notre Dame DE Ronald Talley. In case you haven’t gotten the picture by now, this is a team and a program which thrives off of getting FBS transfers.  

I think the perception out there right now is that Delaware will be in a rebuilding year with the loss of a quarterback like Flacco and a runner like Omar Cuff. I don’t totally disagree with that notion but you have to remember that KC Keeler is very good at getting his teams fired up to play FBS opponents and that the Blue Hens remain one of the most talented squads in the FCS. Delaware put up 581 yards of total offense in a win at bowl-bound Navy last year and typically bring a large number of fans to mid-Atlantic contests (Maryland, in contrast, does not usually draw well for OOC games.) While Maryland does return eight starters on offense they have been a traditional slow-starter under Friedgen and haven’t shown great offensive production early in the year. I’m not sold on any of the quarterbacks here and even though they do get Josh Portis back he hasn’t taken a “live-fire” snap since 2005 and he’ll have to do against a Delaware defense which returns nine starters. Maryland’s heavy losses in the secondary are the most concerning aspects of this game as the Blue Hens return three starting wide receivers and a legitimate NFL prospect in the tight end Robbie Agnone. If the Blue Hens can protect Shoenhoft up front then he may very well be the next Flacco as he has the size, arm strength, and accuracy to play on the next level. Because of Keeler’s track record and the overall talent on Delaware’s roster I give them a good chance against the Terrapins, who will likely struggle out of the blocks offensively with continued questions at the quarterback and running back positions.

Check back tomorrow for my seventh through fifth most likely upsets!

No matter how good your are, there is usually someone out there who is better. That is however, unless your name is Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, or maybe even Tim Tebow. The world of College Football is no different than any other sport. Recruiting is year round and no matter how safe you think your job is, there is some young cocky freshman that think he can come in and take your job.

Looking through some of the teams this year, I have found some quarterbacks who might be looking over their shoulder this year at either a young freshman, or even a transfer that has to sit out this year.

Fans have Mallett not Dick on their mind

For the last two seasons, the Arkansas Razorbacks relied on the running back tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to carry their offense. They went even as far as to line up McFadden at quarterback in the Wildhog formation and let him run the offense. With new coach Bobby Petrino, he will bring a passing attack to Arkansas which should put more pressure on Casey Dick to get the job done. Dick was never a polished passer throwing for 1700 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 2007, and I think he will be a little over his head in Petrino’s system.

Casey Dick has been the brunt of a lot of jokes and criticisms from Razorback fans. In 2006 he split time with Mitch Mustain, and when Mustain transferred after the season, he was the full time starter in 2007. Casey is a senior this year, and the person directly behind him in the depth chart is his brother Nathan. No, Nathan is not going to take his job, but Razorback fans are already drooling for the 2009 season when Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett becomes eligible. When the Razorbacks struggle, and they will this year, Dick will once again hear the boo birds from the hometown fans which will not make his job any easier.

When I attended the 2006 Orange Bowl between Penn State and Florida State, I thought I saw a glimpse of the future for Seminoles fan with the way Drew Weatherford played. At that time he was a redshirt freshman and I thought he had the arm and the mobility to be a top notch college football quarterback. Combined in 2006 and 2007 he has thrown for 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while having his best completion percentage year his redshirt freshman year.

Now it is 3 seasons and a few injuries later and Weatherford is hoping to make it through the 2008 season as the starting quarterback. Drew is coming off a knee injury that had him miss the entire spring. He no longer has to worry about Xavier Lee, since he has transferred, but if Weatherford struggles the Seminoles could look to the future and play a younger quarterback. Fans are already wondering if Christian Ponder or incoming freshman E.J. Manuel should get reps.

I have been a big fan of Stephen McGee ever since he had that gutsy performance against the Longhorns back in 2005. He’s a polished runner of the option with good smarts and a decent arm. So why is he on this list? McGee was a big supporter of former Aggie coach Dennis Franchione and he made it pretty clear that he wasn’t happy when Franchione left. And why would he? He was the center piece of his offense.

McGee’s backing of Franchione could be his undoing

Now new head coach, Mike Sherman, comes to College Station and things could be different for McGee. After two solid seasons, his job was opened up and now could be in jeopardy. Sophomore Jerrod Johnson, a speedy big quarterback with a strong arm has been challenging McGee for the starting job. All signs right now point to McGee keeping the job, but don’t expect it to be set in stone. A slip up here or there and Johnson could see the field for good.

In my opinion, a two quarterback system is only good if the quarterbacks are of the same breed and similar skill set. If you have a guy who is a slasher like say Tyrod Taylor, and another who is a passer, like Sean Glennon, I don’t think it is good for your team. It is too easy for teams to predict what you are going to do as an offense when you have either quarterback in. But whoever is the #1 quarterback at Virginia Tech is not going to feel safe at all in that position.

Last season, Glennon lost his job to Taylor after his poor performance against LSU and expressed it to the media that he was not happy with Coach Beamer’s decision. He later won his job back and led the Hokies to an ACC Title and an Orange Bowl apperence. Many Hokie fans think that Glennon doesn’t have what it takes to win the big game in their minds. But he did win the ACC Title game against Boston College, and if not for a defensive breakdown in the last 4 minutes of the game, they would’ve beaten Boston College in the regular season also.

Tyrod reminds Tech fans of the past…of Michael Vick. They see the explosiveness and the creativity he brings to the field since he can make plays with his feet. But in the Orange Bowl he looked lost and it wasn’t his fault. Quarterbacks need to get in a rhythm and by swapping the two in and out, that does not allow them to get in a rhythm in the offense. But I have a feeling that we will be seeing both of them play this year, and I can promise you that both will be out there afraid of making mistakes and getting pulled.

I saved the most surprising candidate for last. In 2007 this quarterback led his team within 14 points of a BCS National Title, and most pundits (myself included) thought that coming into the 2007 season that Todd Boeckman was going to be the weak link on the Buckeye offense. Not only was he not the weakest link, Boeckman was one of the most effiecnt passers in all of the NCAA for a good portion of the season but struggled down the stretch throwing 6 interceptions to only 2 touchdowns in his last three games against Illinois, Michigan, and LSU.

I suspect Boeckman will bounce back, but there is a huge shadow lurking behind him. It is the shadow of the #1 recruit in the nation Terrelle Pryor. Buckeye fans are already licking their chops at the mere thought of Pryor taking the field. Many know that Pryor still needs to polish his passing game, but won’t hesitate to wonder and possibly call for him if Boeckman struggles. Plus, it has already been speculated that Pryor will see some time ala Tim Tebow and his freshman year. So if he does well, that will only help his case to get on the field earlier.

The Buckeyes have a lot of talent returning and fans are expecting another Big Ten title and possibly a 3rd straight shot at a BCS title, but will it be Boeckman behind center at the end of the year? I would bet so…but you never know.