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There's a new No. 1 in the third edition of the 2013 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25. Ohio State jumps two-time defending national champion Alabama for the top spot.
The NFL draft is over, giving college football coaches around the country another reminder of the star players they'll be missing this fall.
Spring practice has finished at most college campuses, and coaches will head into the summer knowing their teams' strengths and weaknesses.
There's a new No. 1 in the third edition of the 2013 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25. Ohio State, which went 12-0 in coach Urban Meyer's first season, jumps two-time defending national champion Alabama for the top spot. I'm not saying the Buckeyes are a better football team than the Crimson Tide; I'm saying Ohio State has an easier path to an undefeated record this coming season.
Also moving up: Oregon, Louisville, South Carolina and Michigan.
Moving down: Stanford, Texas A&M, Florida and LSU.
Say hello to USC and Wisconsin. Say goodbye to Oregon State and Vanderbilt.
[h=3]1. Ohio State Buckeyes[/h] Previous rank: 3
In case you haven't noticed, Urban Meyer still hasn't lost a game as Ohio State's coach. Now, here's the scary part for the rest of the Big Ten: the Buckeyes might be more talented and face a much easier schedule in 2013 than they did last season, when they went 12-0 in Meyer's first season at OSU. Yes, the Buckeyes have to replace most of their front seven on defense, but Meyer and his staff have recruited very well to rebuild that side of the ball. Sophomore defensive ends Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington look like future stars; they combined for seven sacks in OSU's spring game. Michael Bennett and Tommy Schutt emerged as potential difference-makers on the interior defensive line, and Curtis Grant and Joshua Perry look like they might be able to help at linebacker. Quarterback Braxton Miller's work with passing guru George Whitfield also seems to be paying off; he completed 16 of 25 passes for 217 yards in the spring game. Another perfect season isn't out of the question for OSU in 2013. It doesn't play Nebraska or Michigan State during the regular season and gets Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State at home. Sure, the Buckeyes might have to defeat an SEC opponent to win a BCS National Championship, but Meyer already has proved he's capable of doing it.
[h=3]2. Alabama Crimson Tide[/h] Previous rank: 1
After winning back-to-back BCS titles, Alabama probably brings back the most talented team and most accomplished coaching staff in the country. But the Crimson Tide can't win a BCS national title every season, can they? They must replace three starters on their offensive line and replace a couple of key guys on defense, including nose tackle Jesse Williams and safety Robert Lester. Coach Nick Saban was happy with his first-team offensive line, which included new center Ryan Kelly, right tackle Austin Shepherd and left guard Arie Kouandjio, during spring practice. On defense, end Jeoffrey Pagan and nose guard Brandon Ivory emerged as new starters. Alabama's offense is going to be more explosive with quarterback AJ McCarron, tailback T.J. Yeldon and receivers Christion Jones and Amari Cooper coming back. Its defense is always one of the country's best units with coordinator Kirby Smart running the show. If the Tide can survive their first two games -- against Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta on Aug. 31 and at Texas A&M in the SEC opener on Sept. 14 -- they will have another good chance at running the table.
[h=3]6. Texas A&M Aggies[/h] Previous rank: 4
Sure, SEC opponents might be more prepared to slow down Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel in his second season in the league. But shouldn't Johnny Football be more prepared to run the Aggies' spread offense in his second year as a starter, too? With perhaps the country's deepest stable of running backs and receiver Mike Evans coming back, the Aggies aren't going to have problems scoring points this coming season. Freshman receiver Ja'Quay Williams and tight end Cameron Clear also look like they'll be able to help right away. There wasn't much of a transition this spring after offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left to become Texas Tech's new coach. But defensive coordinator Mark Snyder has to replace seven starters, including star linebacker Sean Porter and defensive lineman Damontre Moore. Junior college transfer Tommy Sanders should take over Porter's spot, and Snyder hopes Julien Obioha, Brandon Alexander and Tyrell Taylor can emerge as consistent pass-rushers.
[h=3]7. Georgia Bulldogs[/h] Previous rank: 6
See if you've heard this one before: Georgia's season might ultimately be decided by its first two games. The Bulldogs open the season Aug. 31 at Clemson and then play South Carolina in their SEC opener at Sanford Stadium on Sept. 7 (they play LSU at home on Sept. 28). In 2011, UGA lost its first two games against Boise State and South Carolina before rallying to win its next 10 games en route to a 10-4 record. Last season, UGA started the season with a softer schedule and won its first five games before finishing 12-2. Georgia's offense might have to be very explosive out of the gate in 2013, as defensive coordinator Todd Grantham tries to rebuild a defense that lost nine starters, including star linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Jenkins, sophomore safety Josh Harvey-Clemons and freshman safety Tray Matthews gave Grantham some hope coming out of spring practice. Quarterback Aaron Murray came back for his senior season, along with sophomore tailbacks Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. UGA scored a school-record 529 points last season and might be just as explosive this coming season.
[h=3]8. South Carolina Gamecocks[/h] Previous rank: 10
With quarterback Connor Shaw recovering from offseason foot surgery, Dylan Thompson took all of the snaps with the No. 1 offense during spring practice. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier seems to have enough confidence in both of them to go with another quarterback rotation this coming season. At least Spurrier has identified a couple of possible replacements for his departed star players: sophomore Mike Davis looks like the heir apparent to tailback Marcus Lattimore and sophomore Shaq Roland emerged as a big-play receiver after Ace Sanders left early for the NFL draft. The Gamecocks also are going to be very young on defense; they must replace all three linebackers and two defensive backs. Linebacker Cedrick Cooper and safety T.J. Gurley are expected back from knee injuries before the start of preseason camp.
[h=3]11. Florida Gators[/h] Previous rank: 7
Florida's defense -- ranked fifth best among FBS schools last season -- carried it to an 11-2 record in 2012. The Gators remained a work in progress on offense, averaging only 26.5 points and ranking 118th in passing with 146.3 yards per game. Coach Will Muschamp can't be too encouraged by his offense's progress during spring practice. The Gators had so many injured offensive linemen that they all but had to cancel their spring game; five incoming freshmen join 10 scholarship linemen this spring. While quarterback Jeff Driskel made some strides under offensive coordinator Brent Pease in 2012, he still hasn't taken complete ownership of the offense. There's also a dearth of receivers at UF; Muschamp plans to have cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy play both offense and defense this coming season. With so many defensive stars like tackle Sharrif Floyd, safety Matt Elam and linebackers Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins moving on to the NFL, can UF's defense carry the load again in 2013?
[h=3]16. LSU Tigers[/h] Previous rank: 13
Under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who spent part of last season with the Baltimore Ravens, the Tigers anticipate throwing the ball down the field more often. That will be a welcome change at LSU, which ranked 94th nationally in passing last season with 200.5 yards per game. Senior Zach Mettenberger has a strong arm and should be better in his second season as a starter. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns in the spring game. He has a couple of big-play weapons in receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, and the Tigers bring back another deep stable of running backs in Jeremy Hill, Alfred Blue and Terrence Magee, who has moved back from receiver. The key for LSU in 2013 will be rebuilding its defense, but there's still plenty of talent on that side of the ball, if not nearly as much depth.
Read More Here...
The NFL draft is over, giving college football coaches around the country another reminder of the star players they'll be missing this fall.
Spring practice has finished at most college campuses, and coaches will head into the summer knowing their teams' strengths and weaknesses.
There's a new No. 1 in the third edition of the 2013 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25. Ohio State, which went 12-0 in coach Urban Meyer's first season, jumps two-time defending national champion Alabama for the top spot. I'm not saying the Buckeyes are a better football team than the Crimson Tide; I'm saying Ohio State has an easier path to an undefeated record this coming season.
Also moving up: Oregon, Louisville, South Carolina and Michigan.
Moving down: Stanford, Texas A&M, Florida and LSU.
Say hello to USC and Wisconsin. Say goodbye to Oregon State and Vanderbilt.
[h=3]1. Ohio State Buckeyes[/h] Previous rank: 3
In case you haven't noticed, Urban Meyer still hasn't lost a game as Ohio State's coach. Now, here's the scary part for the rest of the Big Ten: the Buckeyes might be more talented and face a much easier schedule in 2013 than they did last season, when they went 12-0 in Meyer's first season at OSU. Yes, the Buckeyes have to replace most of their front seven on defense, but Meyer and his staff have recruited very well to rebuild that side of the ball. Sophomore defensive ends Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington look like future stars; they combined for seven sacks in OSU's spring game. Michael Bennett and Tommy Schutt emerged as potential difference-makers on the interior defensive line, and Curtis Grant and Joshua Perry look like they might be able to help at linebacker. Quarterback Braxton Miller's work with passing guru George Whitfield also seems to be paying off; he completed 16 of 25 passes for 217 yards in the spring game. Another perfect season isn't out of the question for OSU in 2013. It doesn't play Nebraska or Michigan State during the regular season and gets Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State at home. Sure, the Buckeyes might have to defeat an SEC opponent to win a BCS National Championship, but Meyer already has proved he's capable of doing it.
[h=3]2. Alabama Crimson Tide[/h] Previous rank: 1
After winning back-to-back BCS titles, Alabama probably brings back the most talented team and most accomplished coaching staff in the country. But the Crimson Tide can't win a BCS national title every season, can they? They must replace three starters on their offensive line and replace a couple of key guys on defense, including nose tackle Jesse Williams and safety Robert Lester. Coach Nick Saban was happy with his first-team offensive line, which included new center Ryan Kelly, right tackle Austin Shepherd and left guard Arie Kouandjio, during spring practice. On defense, end Jeoffrey Pagan and nose guard Brandon Ivory emerged as new starters. Alabama's offense is going to be more explosive with quarterback AJ McCarron, tailback T.J. Yeldon and receivers Christion Jones and Amari Cooper coming back. Its defense is always one of the country's best units with coordinator Kirby Smart running the show. If the Tide can survive their first two games -- against Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta on Aug. 31 and at Texas A&M in the SEC opener on Sept. 14 -- they will have another good chance at running the table.
[h=3]6. Texas A&M Aggies[/h] Previous rank: 4
Sure, SEC opponents might be more prepared to slow down Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel in his second season in the league. But shouldn't Johnny Football be more prepared to run the Aggies' spread offense in his second year as a starter, too? With perhaps the country's deepest stable of running backs and receiver Mike Evans coming back, the Aggies aren't going to have problems scoring points this coming season. Freshman receiver Ja'Quay Williams and tight end Cameron Clear also look like they'll be able to help right away. There wasn't much of a transition this spring after offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left to become Texas Tech's new coach. But defensive coordinator Mark Snyder has to replace seven starters, including star linebacker Sean Porter and defensive lineman Damontre Moore. Junior college transfer Tommy Sanders should take over Porter's spot, and Snyder hopes Julien Obioha, Brandon Alexander and Tyrell Taylor can emerge as consistent pass-rushers.
[h=3]7. Georgia Bulldogs[/h] Previous rank: 6
See if you've heard this one before: Georgia's season might ultimately be decided by its first two games. The Bulldogs open the season Aug. 31 at Clemson and then play South Carolina in their SEC opener at Sanford Stadium on Sept. 7 (they play LSU at home on Sept. 28). In 2011, UGA lost its first two games against Boise State and South Carolina before rallying to win its next 10 games en route to a 10-4 record. Last season, UGA started the season with a softer schedule and won its first five games before finishing 12-2. Georgia's offense might have to be very explosive out of the gate in 2013, as defensive coordinator Todd Grantham tries to rebuild a defense that lost nine starters, including star linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Jenkins, sophomore safety Josh Harvey-Clemons and freshman safety Tray Matthews gave Grantham some hope coming out of spring practice. Quarterback Aaron Murray came back for his senior season, along with sophomore tailbacks Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. UGA scored a school-record 529 points last season and might be just as explosive this coming season.
[h=3]8. South Carolina Gamecocks[/h] Previous rank: 10
With quarterback Connor Shaw recovering from offseason foot surgery, Dylan Thompson took all of the snaps with the No. 1 offense during spring practice. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier seems to have enough confidence in both of them to go with another quarterback rotation this coming season. At least Spurrier has identified a couple of possible replacements for his departed star players: sophomore Mike Davis looks like the heir apparent to tailback Marcus Lattimore and sophomore Shaq Roland emerged as a big-play receiver after Ace Sanders left early for the NFL draft. The Gamecocks also are going to be very young on defense; they must replace all three linebackers and two defensive backs. Linebacker Cedrick Cooper and safety T.J. Gurley are expected back from knee injuries before the start of preseason camp.
[h=3]11. Florida Gators[/h] Previous rank: 7
Florida's defense -- ranked fifth best among FBS schools last season -- carried it to an 11-2 record in 2012. The Gators remained a work in progress on offense, averaging only 26.5 points and ranking 118th in passing with 146.3 yards per game. Coach Will Muschamp can't be too encouraged by his offense's progress during spring practice. The Gators had so many injured offensive linemen that they all but had to cancel their spring game; five incoming freshmen join 10 scholarship linemen this spring. While quarterback Jeff Driskel made some strides under offensive coordinator Brent Pease in 2012, he still hasn't taken complete ownership of the offense. There's also a dearth of receivers at UF; Muschamp plans to have cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy play both offense and defense this coming season. With so many defensive stars like tackle Sharrif Floyd, safety Matt Elam and linebackers Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins moving on to the NFL, can UF's defense carry the load again in 2013?
Under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who spent part of last season with the Baltimore Ravens, the Tigers anticipate throwing the ball down the field more often. That will be a welcome change at LSU, which ranked 94th nationally in passing last season with 200.5 yards per game. Senior Zach Mettenberger has a strong arm and should be better in his second season as a starter. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns in the spring game. He has a couple of big-play weapons in receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, and the Tigers bring back another deep stable of running backs in Jeremy Hill, Alfred Blue and Terrence Magee, who has moved back from receiver. The key for LSU in 2013 will be rebuilding its defense, but there's still plenty of talent on that side of the ball, if not nearly as much depth.
Read More Here...
