25 College Football Teams Who Improved the Most This Offseason

So, which teams will be better in 2012 than they were in 2011?

While there is a wide array of approaches to answering this provocative question, one way to gauge who will improve from one year to the next is the combination of returning players with experience. This methodology is even more important in a sport with a very fluid personnel situation such as college football.

The following slideshow ranks the top 25 teams that are due to show significant improvement in 2012, based solely on the fact that they will field a deeper, more experienced squad than they did in 2011.

Though experience is but a piece of the bigger puzzle that answers who will be among the dominant programs this coming season, it at least gives us a starting point regarding who will be moving in the right direction.

The numbers utilized here come via the very comprehensive NCAA Experience Charts whipped up by master statistical chef Phil Steele, who goes to extraordinary lengths to come up with what has to be considered one of the most in-depth analyses in the biz.

As a further note, I have used the rankings straight out of Steele's last two magazine editions which are slightly out of sync with the on-line version of his rankings.

25. Wyoming

According to Steele’s calculations, the Cowboys were ranked No. 89 nationally last season in overall experience and improved that number a full 42 places to No. 47 for 2012.

With 11 returning senior starters and an 8-5 record from 2011, Wyoming may be the team to beat in the Mountain West this season, especially since Boise State loses almost everyone and ranks No. 118 nationally in experience.

24. UCF

After going 11-3 and winning a C-USA title in 2010, the Knights dropped off the radar in 2011 by going 5-7 and sitting home during bowl season.

This dip in performance can be at least partially explained by a No. 76 national ranking in experience going into 2011, a number that improves to No. 33 coming into the 2012 season.

Most impressively, UCF returns 77 percent of their tackle producers from a unit that ranked No. 8 nationally in scoring defense.

23. UTEP

Coming into 2011, the Miners were young enough from a personnel standpoint to earn a dubious No. 113 national ranking in Phil Steele’s experience sweepstakes.

For 2012, UTEP improves to No. 68. That number may not foretell a conference or even division title, but it may mean that the Miners have a shot at going bowling.

22. Indiana

After screeching to a mortifying 1-11 record in 2011, you’ve got to figure that Indiana is on almost every conceivable “improvement” list.

The football Hoosiers scored a not-so-nice No. 103 experience ranking in 2011, and thankfully they rise 45 places to No. 58 for 2012.

Indiana may not be a huge player in the Big Ten, but at least second-year head man Kevin Wilson will have more to work with as he continues his revamp project in Bloomington.

21. Florida

The fact that the Gators ranked only No. 97 nationally (and No. 10 in the SEC) in experience points needs to be taken in consideration when analyzing Florida’s very un-Florida-like 7-6 performance last season.

For 2012, the Gators move up to the No. 51 slot nationally. When paired with the fact that Florida recruits top-15 classes year in and year out, that means that improvement should not only be hoped for, it should be expected.

20. USC

Before the preseason No. 1 bandwagon kicks off for the now-unsanctioned and free-to-play-in-the-postseason Trojans, please pause for this brief moment for perspective.

USC, according to Steele, ranked No. 102 in experience points coming into 2011 and improves to No. 55 for 2012.

Yes, it’s scary to realize that the team that went 10-2 last season and turned so many heads along the way has but one more reason to be wildly anticipating its upcoming gridiron campaign.

19. UNLV

In 2011, UNLV rode its No. 110 national experience ranking to a dismal 2-10 finish, meaning that a 49-slot improvement to No. 61 in 2012 ought to at least give Rebel fans something to chew on.

With all the issues UNLV had all over the field last season, it’s difficult to predict that they’ll make the postseason for the first time since 2000. However, still they ought to win more than two games.

18. Central Michigan

Going 3-9 for the past two seasons has effectively caused Central Michigan’s name to drop completely off the national radar.

Last year’s three-win campaign was built on a team that ranked No. 54 nationally in experience points, which makes you believe that perhaps Dan Enos could have done more in his second season at the helm.

Enos’ fate may be sealed in 2012, when he will lead the third-most-experienced team onto the field and will have fewer excuses if the losing trend persists.

It’s a squad that brings back a whopping 86 percent of its yardage earners from 2011, along with 73 percent of its tackle producers.

17. West Virginia

Another scary member of our list, the 10-3 Mountaineers from a year ago—you know, the ones that destroyed Clemson in the Orange Bowl—rank No. 7 nationally in experience levels coming into 2012.

In 2011 West Virginia was ranked No. 58 nationally, so we’re looking at a 51-slot improvement coming into 2012’s Big 12 debut.

Even more unsettling for Big 12 defenses is the fact that West Virginia returns a jaw-dropping 92 percent of its yard earners from last season, a year when they ranked No. 13 nationally in scoring offense.

16. Eastern Michigan

In case you didn’t have your finger on the pulse of the MAC last season, Eastern Michigan posted their best season since 1995 by virtue of going 6-6.

The EMU Eagles ranked No. 63 in experience in 2011, a number that rises dramatically to No. 6 in 2012, meaning that head coach Ron English may have a shot at leading his program to its first bowl appearance since 1987.

15. Louisiana Tech

The Bulldogs should be the hands-down favorite to capture the truncated WAC in 2012, and they’ll sport a No. 11 national experience ranking to beef up their bid to get ‘er done.

La. Tech ranked No. 74 nationally in experience coming into 2011, when they went 8-5 and won a conference crown, which makes 2012’s 63-slot improvement look pretty sweet.

14. Iowa State

Iowa State’s 2011 campaign will long be remembered for the Cyclones' unbelievable double-overtime triumph over No. 2 Oklahoma State. That feat gets even more impressive when you realize that Iowa State ranked No. 104 nationally in experience when the season kicked off.

For 2012, Paul Rhoads and company improve a full 66 slots to No. 38 in experience, but any progress will be somewhat tempered by a schedule that is, as always, stacked to the gills.

13. Florida Atlantic

Carl Pelini takes over for the legendary Howard Schnellenberger at FAU with a squad that improves on its No. 111 national ranking in experience to a No. 42 mention in 2012.

FAU’s only statistical glimpse of glory from their 1-11 campaign in 2011 came from a D that outperformed a dismal offensive showing. That strength is somewhat hopeful moving forward, as the Owls return 75 percent of their tackle producers.

12. Fresno State

Fresno State moves from the dying WAC to the heavy-breathing MWC with a 70-slot improvement in national experience rankings since last season.

The Bulldogs' No. 112 from 2011 improves to No. 43. That level of experience could prove to be a huge advantage for incoming coach Tim DeRuyter in what may be a wide-open MWC.

11. North Carolina

Though the Tar Heels won’t be participating in the postseason in 2012, they will hit the field with the No. 40-ranked squad in terms of experience.

The 2011 Carolina team garnered a No. 109 ranking in experience from Phil Steele and friends, meaning that the Tar Heels improve full 69 slots for 2012.

10. Tennessee

Looking for just one more reason that Derek Dooley should be expected to post a winning season at Tennessee in 2012?

Well, Dooley welcomes back the No. 1-most-experienced team in the SEC. They're No. 2 the entire nation, which is a 71-slot improvement from their No. 73 national ranking in 2011.

Even though the Vols went just 5-7 in 2011, Phil Steele’s calculations show that they return 80 percent of their yardage producers and 76 percent of their tackle earners from last year.

And don’t forget that, according to Rivals.com, Tennessee’s 2012 squad is built on the No. 10 recruiting class of 2009, the No. 9 group from 2010, the No. 13 class of 2011 and the No. 17 group from 2012.

9. Utah

The Utes' historic move upwards to the Pac-12 for the 2011 season ended with a 4-5 in-conference record which included a 3-1 run in November.

Utah’s foray into BCS ball started with a No. 88 national experience ranking, a number that improves by 74 for 2012, with a lofty No. 14 national ranking and a No. 1 rating in the conference.

The bottom line is that the Utes might be well positioned to make some serious waves in the Pac-12 in their second season of membership.

8. Army

So, will Army beat Navy in 2012 for the first time since 2001?

Well, a 77-slot improvement in experience rankings certainly won’t hurt the Black Knights in their bid to right the wrongs of a full decade of disappointment.

Army improves their No. 98 experience ranking in 2011 to No. 21 in 2012, a hope-generating stat that is bolstered by the fact that Navy ranks No. 85 nationally in the same category coming into the new season.

7. Kansas State

Perhaps the scariest team in our top 10, the Wildcats’ “improvement” in 2012 will be measured against the fact that they went 10-3 in 2011 and came in at No. 2 in the final Big 12 standings.

Kansas State won’t shock anyone this season, but don’t be surprised if they don’t give the big boys another run for their money. They take what was a No. 106 experience rating in 2011 and improve it 80 spots to No. 26 in 2012.

6. N.C. State

N.C. State managed to win eight games in a BCS conference in 2011, despite the fact that they ranked only No. 94 nationally in experience and No. 10 in the ACC.

These numbers improve substantially in 2012, to No. 13 in the nation (81 places better) and No. 2 in the conference. This makes you believe that perhaps the Wolfpack will be the team to beat in the Atlantic if Florida State slips up again.

5. Texas Tech

You’ve got to believe that any good news is a breath of fresh air for Red Raider nation. They suffered heartily last season, watching their beloved squad drop to a 20-year-low 5-7.

Texas Tech ranked No. 99 in experience coming 2011 and improves 82 slots to No. 17 nationally in 2012.

The Red Raiders return 13 senior starters from their injury-infested team from a year ago, and they welcome back 87 percent of their yard earners. That's real plus for a unit that ranked No. 22 nationally in scoring offense.

Tech may not win the Big 12, but they ought to be back on track for a bowl appearance.

4. Louisville

If you watched Louisville play last season, you had to be impressed with the scrappy play of Charlie Strong’s third football edition.

What’s even more impressive about Strong and the Cardinals’ 2011 efforts is the fact that they did it all (win a piece of the conference title and a bowl bid) with a squad that ranked No. 119 nationally in experience points.

Speed forward to 2012, and Louisville will play in a watered-down version of the Big East with the No. 36-ranked experience squad, an 83-place improvement.

All this adds up to the Cardinals having a very, very good shot at returning to the Orange Bowl in the final stanzas of the BCS as we know it.

3. Georgia Tech

Another team that was quiet despite winning eight full games in a BCS league, Georgia Tech’s 2011 squad over-performed, with a No. 114 experience ranking to the tune of an 8-5 finish.

For 2012, the Yellow Jackets have, via Mr. P. Steele, a No. 30 experience ranking that could put them in position to score their first ACC conference and divisional crowns since 2009.

2. Ole Miss

Another fanbase that must be scanning the college football landscape for any scrap of good news, Ole Miss looks to rebound from a disastrous 2-10 campaign that officially ended (with a huge thud) the Houston Nutt era in Oxford.

The good news for both Rebel fans and new coach Hugh Freeze is that Ole Miss takes its No. 107 experience rating from a year ago and magically transforms it into No. 20 for 2012.

The Rebels also earn the No. 2 slot in depth in the SEC. Though they may not win the West, they should at least allow Ole Miss fans to keep their suppers down while watching them play in 2012.

1. Ohio

Ohio University closed out the 2011 season just three points away from capturing their first MAC football crown since 1968. However, they still managed to capture the first-ever bowl win in program history by narrowly edging Utah State in a wild Potato Bowl.

The Bobcats' 10-4, MAC-East Division title team overachieved based on their incoming No. 115 experience rating last season. In 2012, they can look forward to a monumental, nation-leading, 103-slot improvement for 2012.

Yes, in what is the most experienced conference in the land in 2012, Ohio is the most improved and will field the 12th-most-experienced team when Bobcat football kicks off on Sept. 1 at Penn State.