College Football: 5 Most Overrated and Underrated Teams of 2012

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Perception matters in college football, but that perception certainly doesn't always meet reality. 

Some teams seem to get unappreciated since they don't play in the right conference or just don't have a big-enough name.

Others benefit too much from playing in a AQ conference or from preseason hype.

So, who are the most over- and underrated teams in the FBS? Read on.

Underrated: Louisiana Tech

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Louisiana Tech's only loss is to the team that just took out the former No. 1 team in the country.

And Texas A&M sure had its hands full with the Bulldogs.

I'd love to see La Tech take on a big-time team in a bowl game. This high-powered offense would give a team like Nebraska or Louisville quite a run for its money.

Too bad that won't happen.

Overrated: Michigan

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Michigan has not beaten a team currently ranked in the Top 25. The Wolverines' best win is against Northwestern, of all teams.

Northwestern!

Alabama and Nebraska both beat the Wolverines handily and Notre Dame beat them in a close game.

So, why are they ranked in the Top 25 again?

Underrated: Rutgers

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The Scarlet Knights got a lot of flak for losing to a MAC team, but let's take a closer look. 

Kent State isn't your typical MAC team after all. Rutgers is a perfect 6-0 in conference and has only one loss all year. 

I'd be wary of playing Rutgers in a BCS bowl. They just might catch a good team by surprise.

Overrated: USC

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Matt Barkley and USC were the runaway picks to take the Heisman and the national championship before the season began.

Boy were we wrong.

The Trojans are the highest-ranked three-loss team in the BCS rankings. However, the only ranked team USC has beaten all year is No. 25 Washington.

It seems that the Trojans are still benefiting from their preseason hype.

Underrated: Louisville

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Louisville took quite a tumble after picking up its first loss this week. The Cardinals fell from No. 9 to No. 19 after a loss at Syracuse.

Meanwhile, Alabama picked up its first loss and dropped from No. 1 to No. 4.

I know that the Big East is a weak conference, but does a single loss really put Louisville suddenly behind so many teams?

Overrated: Nebraska

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Nebraska has beaten only one team currently ranked in the Top 25 and that's Michigan. UCLA got a close win over the Huskers and Ohio State humbled them.

Let's face it: The B1G is uncharacteristically weak this year, and Nebraska seems to benefit in the rankings.

Underrated: Ohio State

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Ohio State is the one unbeaten team nobody is talking about.

True, the Buckeyes are banned from the postseason this year. However, Ohio State sits at No. 6 in the AP behind one-loss teams Alabama and Georgia.

Besides, Ohio State would be the runaway winner in the B1G if it was eligible to win the conference.

Overrated: Georgia

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Mark Richt and Georgia seem to be back to their winning ways, but No. 5 seems a bit too high to me.

After all, the Bulldogs haven't faced the top teams in the SEC West, namely Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M. Besides, Georgia got beat badly 35-7 by South Carolina earlier this season.

Their one victory over a ranked team is against Florida. That's it.

I'm just not sure how all of that justifies a Top-5 ranking.

Underrated: Clemson

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Clemson is certainly getting some love at No. 11, but the Tigers should be getting a whole lot more.

After all, the Tigers have the No. 6 scoring offense, the No. 33 scoring defense and only one loss to No. 10 Florida State.

I know that voters are leery of trusting Clemson again after their late-season meltdown last season, but still...

Overrated: Alabama

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I'm not saying that Alabama doesn't necessarily deserve its current ranking. What I am saying is that for much of the season, people have placed the Crimson Tide on a pedestal that they haven't deserved.

Most notably, South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said that Alabama could beat NFL teams.

The last two weeks, the Crimson Tide have shown that while they are an exceptional college football team, they are also mere mortals. Texas A&M, hardly an NFL team, found a way to take them out his week.

There's no doubt that Alabama is a top-notch team, but we won't see them playing in the Super Bowl anytime soon.