College Football: Most and Least Improved Teams Heading into Offseason

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A lot can happen between seasons in college football.

Thanks to the addition of elite recruits, the maturation of key players and/or the addition of a new coach, some teams become much more formidable.

However, the loss of key players to the NFL, the change of coaches and/or other problems can turn great teams into mediocre ones.

Such is the ebb and flow of college football.

So which teams are ready to rise while others seem doomed to fall? Read on.

Most Improved: Utah

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Utah's first season in the Pac-12 was rocky to be sure. The loss of Jordan Wynn to injury certainly didn't help.

Still, there's plenty of potential here. With Wynn healthy, Utah should be a competitor in the Pac-12 South.

Too bad USC is back off NCAA sanctions.

Least Improved: Oklahoma State

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I don't expect Oklahoma State to fall to the bottom of the Big 12. But with the loss of the best quarterback/wide receiver duo last season in Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon, the Cowboys aren't going to be the offensive juggernaut that they were this season.

That's not good with cross-state rival Oklahoma getting Landry Jones back.

Most Improved: Kansas

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No, I don't think that the Jayhawks will be in serious contention for the Big 12 title. Nor do I think that that Charlie Weis will be a "Bear" Bryant-like savior to this struggling program.

This is more of a reflection of how bad Kansas is right now. After all, the Jayhawks finished dead last in scoring defense and limped to a 2-10 record last season.

Simply put, any improvement is great.

Least Improved: Texas A&M

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It seems that Texas A&M is starting from scratch.

The Aggies don't have QB Ryan Tannehill, and they've put former head coach Mike Sherman out to pasture. They've left the shadow of Texas' influence in the Big 12, and they're proud to be part of the SEC West.

I'm not sure A&M understands what's about to hit it.

The Aggies are now in the same division as Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn and LSU. Three of those four teams have won a national title within the last five years, with Alabama winning two.

It's true they have former Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin at the helm, but he better be prepared for a tempest beyond his wildest dreams.

Most Improved: Texas

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The Longhorns didn't sit at home during the 2011 postseason like they had in 2010, but Texas was still a mere shadow of its former glory and its current potential.

But now that Texas' young QBs have had a year to mature, plus the fact that Mack Brown is still the head coach, you would have to think that Texas will be much better in 2012.

Right?

Least Improved: Boise State

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The Broncos had two golden opportunities over the last two seasons to just maybe break into the BCS National Championship Game. They had a top-notch QB in Kellen Moore and the right pieces on both offense and defense to make it happen.

Too bad the field-goal kickers weren't up for the challenge.

Boise State will have plenty of time to wonder what might have been had it beaten Nevada in 2010 and TCU in 2011. But the more pressing issue for the Broncos to figure out is how to replace Kellen Moore and others on this once senior-laden team.

Chris Petersen is one of the best coaches in the country, but he's certainly got his work cut out for him in what will almost certainly be a rebuilding year.

Most Improved: BYU

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This will sound odd to many teams, but in 2011 BYU was the most disappointing team to win 10 games.

The numbers 54 and 10 hold much of the key to why that is.

While the Cougars' former starting QB Jake Heaps has decided to try his luck at Kansas after losing his position to Riley Nelson, BYU's better off overall. A lot of the QB controversy that has mired BYU's last two seasons is now gone, and the Cougars return many of their key players on both offense and defense.

They may or may not win more games, but this should be a much better team overall.

Least Improved: Stanford

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After a great run at the top of college football, Stanford's luck has sadly run out.

That luck being QB Andrew Luck, who is likely the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

I'd feel better about Stanford's chances if head coach Jim Harbaugh was still here, but he's in a different part of California coaching the San Francisco 49ers. But Luck is one of those once-in-a-lifetime players, especially for a program like Stanford.

I bet many Cardinal fans were disappointed when Oregon head coach Chip Kelly didn't follow Harbaugh into the NFL this season, because fighting off the Ducks without Luck is going to be that much harder.

Most Improved: USC

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After two years of exile from the postseason, USC is ready to clench its iron fist on the Pac-12 once again.

This is particularly true since QB Matt Barkley has decided to make the NFL wait another year.

Last's year's squad was pretty scary despite being down a few scholarships and banned from winning the Pac-12 and playing in a bowl game. Now they're downright terrifying.

Least Improved: Baylor

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After producing a Heisman Trophy winner against all odds, Baylor's amazing run is just about to lose steam.

Mostly because said Heisman winner, Robert Griffin III, is off for the NFL.

Seeing Baylor's defense, or lack thereof, in the Alamo Bowl, it's clear that the only way the Bears were able to beat teams this last season was by outgunning them. Now they've lost their principal offensive weapon.

The Bears are going to have to work a miracle to keep from falling back into the Big 12's gutter.