1 Reason for Every BCS Team to Be Optimistic for 2013

Though many folks take a moment to look back when a New Year rolls into town, sometimes it’s just as important to look forward.

And what more important aspect of life to look to the future for inspiration than the lifeline that is college football?

The following slideshow celebrates positive thinking, therapy and New Years’ frivolity by boldly identifying one reason that every BCS team should be optimistic in 2013.

Regardless of how good, bad or in between each of these program’s 2012 campaign was, this multi-media extravaganza provides even the weariest fan cause to greet the new year with a big smile.

Happy 2013 to one and all, and good luck to all the teams mentioned herewith!

Very early returning starter data in this presentation comes via NationalChamps.net and recruiting rankings come from Rivals.com.

Alabama

Regardless of what happens in the BCS title game on Jan. 7, Alabama will return a projected eight starters in 2013 to a defense that ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring.

It's defense that has propelled the Tide to the top of the charts since 2008, and it's likely defense that will keep them in the championship mix in the seasons to come.

And that includes 2013.

Arizona

After finishing the season 8-5, including the first bowl win since 2008, Arizona can be optimistic about finally building momentum and coaching stability going into a new season.

The 2013 season holds more than a mere handful of hope for the Wildcats, and if they can improve a defense that finished this season ranked No. 105 in scoring, the sky may be the limit.

Arizona State

Even though the Sun Devils have Wisconsin and Notre Dame on their nonconference slate for 2013, it’s unlikely that they’ll face a four-game Pac-12 run as difficult as they did this season

Arizona State had consecutive games vs. No. 3 Oregon, vs. UCLA, at No. 11 Oregon State and at No. 19 USC that resulted in four straight losses in 2012.

The Fork Fearers can be at least cautiously optimistic that their 2013 league slate won’t be as fraught.

Arkansas

Though it’s easy to pinpoint the end of the bizarre John L. Smith era is the biggest reason for a positive outlook for Arkansas in 2013, we’ve got something more specific in mind.

Razorback fans should be optimistic about next season because they just hired a guy (Bret Bielema) who managed to win three consecutive Big Ten titles without one top 25-ranked recruiting class in the last four years.

In fact, Wisconsin’s only two classes that received a ranking over the last four years were the No. 43-ranked group in 2009 and the No. 40-ranked group from 2011.

This makes the Razorbacks' last four hauls of No. 16, No. 49, No. 24 and No. 33 from 2009 to 2012, respectively, look pretty sweet.

Auburn

The beleaguered fans of Auburn football should be oh so optimistic that the 2012 season is indeed over, the Gene Chizik era is done and that there is every reasonable chance that the Tigers will win more than three games in 2013.

It’s amazing what a year can do.

Baylor

Baylor should be hopeful in 2013 because it will finally get into the meat of the talent pool that has come from its huge improvements in recruiting.

The program that was basically off the recruiting charts for years hauled in the No. 39-ranked class in 2010 (technically the seniors in 2013), the No. 46-ranked group in 2011 and then the No. 44-ranked class of 2012.

Rivals.com currently has Baylor’s 2013 signing group ranked at a lofty No. 26.

Boston College

The Frank Spaziani era at Boston College leaked wins over its four-year shelf life in a way that proved slow and painful.

Spaziani went 8-5 in his inaugural campaign in 2009, and the air slowly went out of the proverbial tire with seven, four and then two wins per season from 2010 to 2012.

The dismissal of Spaziani and the hiring of Temple’s Steve Addazio gives BC fans the optimistic feeling that only a major leadership change can bring.

Cal

The singular reason Cal should be hopeful coming into 2013 is the fact that maybe it's hired a coach that can take advantage of the fact that the Golden Bears have built a formidable talent pool despite a recent drop-off in win output.

That’s right, Cal has recruited really well as the Jeff Tedford era wound down, and this puts incoming head man Sonny Dykes in a bit of an enviable position.

To illustrate, the Golden Bears hauled in the No. 11-ranked class of 2010 (technically the seniors in 2013), the No. 17-ranked group of 2011 and then the No. 23-rated class of 2012.

With these mildly shocking recruiting wins you have to wonder if Cal shouldn’t be one of the most optimistic programs in the Pac-12 in 2013.

Clemson

Waiting to explode at Clemson in 2013 is what just may be the most potent offensive trio in the BCS ranks.

Clemson’s already super-productive offense, a unit that ranked No. 6 in points in 2012, possibly brings back QB Tajh Boyd and WRs DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins in 2013 setting up an Oregon-type opportunity.

Boyd’s passer rating of 168.5 is No. 4 among FBS QBs in 2012, and Hopkins’ 16 receiving TDs rank No. 2 nationally this season.

Add in Watkins' explosive speed and you’ve got a yardage cocktail that may propel Clemson to the top of the charts in 2013.

Cincinnati

Though Butch Jones' departure for Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville’s surprising hire from Texas Tech are the most obvious headlines for Cincinnati in 2013, there’s more to make Bearcat fans optimistic in 2013.

Indeed, regardless of which teams actually make up the football portion of the Big East conference next season, 2013 will be the final year the league enjoys BCS-AQ status.

And this means that this is the last time that the Big East champ will have a direct path to the Orange Bowl.

For programs like Cincinnati, which has not made future plans to hook up with the ACC as have Pitt, Syracuse and Louisville, this is an even bigger deal.

Colorado

Colorado is a program that hasn’t posted a winning record since 2005 and has only won four games in the last two seasons.

These cold-hard facts make optimism a rare commodity for Buffalo football fans, but with a new coach and a great history, you’ve got to figure that hope lives somewhere beneath the ugly surface in Boulder.

Colorado should be excited about 2013. In new head man Mike MacIntyre, they’ve got a coach who has just come off successfully turning the ship at a program that has historically struggled epically.

In three seasons, MacIntyre took a San Jose State team that had only had one winning record in a dozen year to a double-digit win total, the first bowl berth since 2006 and the first AP poll ranking since 1990.

Connecticut

Frankly speaking, UConn is one of the more difficult programs to pinpoint a real feeling of optimism for moving forward.

But, and despite the very real sting of back-to-back 5-7 seasons under coach Paul Pasqualoni, there is indeed reason for hope for Husky enthusiasts.

UConn’s defense ranked No. 49 in 2011 and gave up 24.3 points per game, and it’s a very positive indicator indeed this number improved to a No. 22 ranking in 2012 when the Huskies allowed foes only 19.8 points per game.

Though this may seem insignificant given the two five-win seasons, UConn was in the mix in all of its seven losses in 2012 with the exception of the Syracuse game.

Continued improvement or even the status quo on defense and a big leap on offense could mean big things (or at least better things) for the Huskies in 2013.

Duke

The Blue Devils finished their 2012 campaign just two red-zone fumbles short of winning their first bowl game since 1961. Despite the traumatic ending, Duke football fans should eagerly look forward to 2013.

One specific reason for optimism at Duke is the return of DB Ross Cockrell, who was a hidden gem in a defense that really struggled in 2012.

Indeed, if guys like Cockrell, who finished the season tied for No. 9 nationally in interceptions with five, can continue to step up and make even small strides in improving Duke’s defense, the Blue Devils could be just a mere 12 games away from that first bowl win in forever.

Florida

Despite losing a big chunk of its anemic offense, Florida can be optimistic coming into 2013 because from a talent pool standpoint, its cup continues to overfloweth.

Indeed, the 2013 Gators will be built upon the rock solid foundation of the No. 9-ranked recruiting class of 2010 (technically the seniors), the No. 13-ranked group from 2011 and then the No. 18-ranked haul from a year ago.

If Florida fans need more fuel to flame their excitement, how about the upcoming class of 2013, which is currently ranked No. 3 by Rivals.com?

Florida State

Though dropping games to NC State and Florida certainly didn’t help the ‘Noles' lofty aims to return to the BCS title game this season, the other big determent was a schedule that Phil Steele ranked No. 70 in terms of difficulty in his 2012 preseason magazine.

The slate, which included two FCS foes and a weak ACC, meant that even at only one loss FSU would be at the bottom of the BCS rankings in terms of teams with similar records with more difficult schedules.

Coming into 2013, ‘Noles fans can be cautiously optimistic due to a set of opponents that while not necessarily a murderers' row will be gauged stiffer overall than was the 2012 edition.

Nonconference foes are a good Nevada program, Idaho and FCS Wofford, and to help further, the Florida game will be a road affair.

After that, FSU can hope that the ACC can prove far more competitive from top to bottom, taking the ‘Noles out of the position of requiring perfection to reach the national title game.

Georgia

The reason for a positive outlook on 2013 for Georgia comes down to a name we’re likely to hear a lot more about out on a national level; incoming sophomore RB Todd Gurley.

With 1,260 yards and 16 TDs, Gurley wasn’t only the top freshman rusher in college football in 2012, he also ranked No. 25 nationally in rushing yards and No. 13 in TDs among all FBS rushers.

Gurley could be huge star and potential Heisman candidate in 2013.

Georgia Tech

With most of the offensive firepower graduating and a stockpile of defensive woes to address in the offseason, Georgia Tech is another program that is difficult to gauge in terms of optimism.

But hidden beneath a scoring defense that ranked No. 79 nationally in 2012 is incoming senior OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, who blazed his way to coaches All-ACC honorable mention recognition this season.

Attaochu racked up 68 tackles, 12 of those tackles for a loss, 10 sacks and one forced fumble this season making 2013 ooze with potential.

Indiana

Before 2012, the last time Indiana beat two Big Ten foes in one season was back in 2007 when the Hoosiers went 7-6 and enjoyed three league wins.

Back-to-back victories over Illinois and Indiana this season and near misses vs. Navy (31-30), Ohio State (52-49), Michigan State (31-27) and Ball State (41-39) are sure signs that Indiana should find its way even further up the charts in 2013.

Perhaps the Kevin Wilson hire after the 2010 season really will be what Indiana so needed for its football program.

Illinois

At 2-10, only four BCS teams finished at or worse than the level the Illini achieved in 2012; a dismal fact that makes optimism even harder to find at Illinois moving forward.

Indeed, when you finish one season with nine consecutive losses, it’s difficult to feel good coming into the next.

But all ugliness aside, it’s important to note that the Illini were a fairly young team in Tim Beckman’s first season. To illustrate this claim, Illinois came into the year ranked No. 64 nationally in returning starters.

So, Illinois can look forward to a more experienced squad in 2013, and they can also hope that Tim Beckman can turn the tide in year two as he did at Toledo when he took a 5-7 team and improved to 8-5.

Iowa

Another team that finished 2012 with a thud, Iowa dropped six straight to finish 4-8, marking the Hawkeyes' worst showing since going 3-9 in Kirk Ferentz’s second season back in 2000.

One of the few bright spots for Iowa in 2012 was a defense that ranked No. 34 nationally in scoring, a feat that seemed even more terrific when you throw in the fact that its scoring offense ranked a dismal No. 113.

Hidden in this stat highlight is the play of LB Anthony Hitchens, who finished the season ranked No. 23 in total tackles with 124 and also racked up 5.5 tackles for a loss and a single sack.

Hitchens and the Iowa D have to give Hawkeyes fans hope that even a slight improvement offensively will bring forth the return of the wins.

Iowa State

Did you know that Iowa State owned the third-best scoring defense in the Big 12 in 2012?

That’s right; the Cyclones were second only to Kansas State and TCU in terms of point stoppage and gave up only 23.3 points per game this season vs. the Wildcats' mark of 21.1 points per game and the Frogs' 23.1.

What’s even more remarkable is that Iowa State came into the season with only five defensive starters from 2011, meaning that Cyclone fans can be optimistic about having a defense that can keep them in games in 2013.

Kansas

With a singular win vs. an FCS team in 2012, Kansas fans will no doubt hang on to any positive bit of news and hope with all their might.

The singular bit of goodness the Jayhawks can enjoy is that their No. 1 rusher from this season, James Sims, who will be a senior in 2013, will be back on campus and fresh off a campaign that sprung forth 1,013 yards and nine scores.

This is a big deal for an offense that ranked No. 117 nationally in passing yards vs. No. 23 in rushing.

Kansas State

With Kansas State, a sense of optimism is tied to one simple factor, and that essential element is coach Bill Snyder.

To illustrate, the Wildcats won nine total games in the five years prior to Snyder taking over at K-State for the first time in 1989. After a few necessary ramp-up seasons, the Wildcats hit double digits seven times from 1995 to 2003.

When Snyder retired and was out of the picture from 2006 to 2008, K-State went 17-20, and since his return in 2009, it's gone 34-16.

As long as Snyder is back in 2013, K-State has a great reason to be very hopeful. This is the case regardless of who returns with him, recruiting numbers and the relative strength of the rest of the field.

Kentucky

Given the fact that no team has walked away with the national title since 2007 that finished the season ranked below number No. 15 nationally in rushing defense, it’s safe to say that great defense wins championships.

And the reason that Kentucky should be optimistic in 2013 and onwards is that it's hired one of the best defensive coaches in the country in Mark Stoops.

In 2010, Stoops took over a Florida State defense that ranked No. 94 nationally in scoring in 2009 and slowly improved it to a No. 20 mark in 2010, a No. 4 ranking in 2011 and the No. 6 spot in 2012.

This could well be one of the great hires of the offseason.

LSU

Regardless of what becomes of LSU’s haphazard offense during the offseason, early indicators point to as many as 10 starters returning on defense for the Tigers in 2013.

This one fact should provide a huge boost of optimism for LSU, a team that hasn’t dropped below double-digit wins since 2009 and subsequently hasn’t finished lower than No. 11 nationally in scoring defense.

Louisville

The return of QB Teddy Bridgewater to campus at Louisville for his junior campaign ought to have Cardinal fans oh so excited about their prospects in 2013.

Bridgewater went 267-of-387 (69 percent) for 3,452 yards, 25 TDs and only seven picks during the regular season, and his QB rating of 161.6 ranks No. 7 in the FBS.

With a huge set of returners defensively to bolster his case, Bridgewater could easily find himself on the Heisman fringe.

Maryland

After winning a mere six games over the first two seasons of the Randy Edsall era at Maryland, the Terrapins can be optimistic that based on the current slow-growth trend that a return to bowl eligibility is literally just around the corner.

And you have to figure that the six-win mark will be more obtainable in the ACC in 2013 than it will in the Big Ten in 2014.

Miami (Fla.)

The other story behind the story of the Hurricanes' 7-5 overall finish in 2012 and their 5-3 mark in league play is the fact Miami was one of the least experienced teams in the FBS coming into this season.

Yes, if you look back at Phil Steele’s preseason magazine the Hurricanes ranked No. 123 nationally in Steele’s comprehensive experience ratings, which make both 2012 and 2013 look even better.

If nothing else, what was a solid product this season should show palpable improvement in 2013 due to invaluable on-the-job training.

Michigan

Coming into the 2012 campaign, the entire college football nation was abuzz about the defending champion Crimson Tide squaring off with a much-improved and highly ranked Michigan team in Arlington, Texas.

Though the Wolverines 2013 opener won’t garner much national ballyhoo, Michigan can be optimistic about a schedule that won’t be quite as taxing.

Replacing Alabama on neutral ground in the opener is Central Michigan at home, and the balance of nonconference games come vs. Akron, at UConn and, as a bonus, the Wolverines get Notre Dame at home in Ann Arbor.

Ohio State is also a home game in 2013, and other than the Buckeyes, Michigan draws Indiana and Penn State from the Leaders division.

Michigan State

If you’re wondering how a Michigan State offense that scored 31 points per game in 2011 became the unit that barely managed 20 points per game in 2012, think personnel turnover.

Yes, the Spartans returned a mere four offensive starters from 2011 into 2012, which goes a long way in explaining how the 11-3 record soured to 7-6 this season.

As far as a huge reason for optimism at State in 2013, how about early indicators that point to a whopping 10 returning starters on O and then eight to a defense that ranked No. 9 nationally in scoring?

Minnesota

Flying somewhere way under the national radar is the fact that Jerry Kill is slowly improving the football fortunes of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Kill led Minnesota to a 3-9 record in his inaugural campaign in 2011 and improved this mark to 6-7 in 2012, including falling just a turnover short of the first bowl victory since beating Alabama in the 2004 Music City Bowl.

The reason for loads of hope for Minnesota in 2013 is that Jerry Kill has been stellar in year three of his last two coaching posts, which represented similar rebuilding projects.

To illustrate, Kill led FCS Southern Illinois to 1-10 and 4-8 finishes in his first two years on the job before hitting a 10-2 mark in 2003 that led to subsequent 10-2, 9-4, 9-4 and 12-2 seasons through 2007 that all included playoff runs.

Next up was his work at Northern Illinois, where he went 6-7 and 7-6 in 2008-09 before leading the Huskies to a 10-3 mark in 2010.

Mississippi

Ole Miss is one of those lucky programs that experienced a jolt of momentum in 2012 due to an out-of-the-box coaching hire after a disappointing 2011.

Indeed, what can be better than watching a guy succeed who parlayed a single 10-2 season as the head man at Arkansas State into landing the Ole Miss job?

Yes, it’s pretty sweet when you quantify this statement by pointing that Freeze led Ole Miss to three SEC wins and a bowl berth this year for the first time since 2009.

The Rebels can be very optimistic that their program looks to be moving deliciously in the right direction.

Mississippi State

Beyond the respectable 8-4 finish in 2012 that included losses to No. 1 Alabama, No. 16 Texas A&M, No. 7 LSU and unranked Ole Miss, the Bulldogs actually have an even more exciting reason to be hopeful coming into 2013.

Yes, the Bulldogs achieved a very significant mark this season with wins over Auburn and Arkansas.

If you’re asking yourself what the big deal is, these two victories represent the first time MSU has beaten SEC West opponents other than Ole Miss in the Dan Mullen era.

That’s a fact that gives Bulldogs everywhere something to hang their hats on.

Missouri

It’s probably no coincidence that Missouri’s worst product since 2004 occurred during its inaugural campaign in the SEC.

Yes, where the Aggies shockingly flourished in their move from the Big 12, the Tigers floundered.

This all makes pinpointing the ultimate reason for optimism moving forward a bit fraught, but what may cause Missouri the most comfort moving forward is the 2013 schedule.

Yes, where the Tigers had FBS nonconference Syracuse and Arizona State this season, they’ll face Toledo and Indiana in 2013.

From the West division, Missouri won’t have to face Alabama next year. Other than a repeat game vs. Texas A&M (this time at home in Columbia), the Tigers have drawn Ole Miss, which is certainly the lesser of a bunch of evils.

Another bonus is the fact that Florida and Tennessee are both home games in 2013.

Perhaps this isn’t reason for cheering in the streets, but the minor tweak in scheduling could make a return to bowl eligibility more realistic.

Nebraska

The huge factor that held Nebraska back from its first-ever Big Ten title and the first BCS run since 2001-02 was a rushing D that skidded to a No. 96 rank nationally.

With only five starters projected back on defense for 2013, the good news for the Huskers, in a very ironic way, is that starting over might be better than trying to fix a unit that allowed 539 yards of rushing in an ugly Big Ten title game.

North Carolina

Amid the negative connotations of a bowl-banned season, it’s important to give UNC props for getting to eight wins in 2012.

And if you look at the Tar Heels' three losses, you begin to see how near North Carolina came to hitting double digits for the first time since Mack Brown’s final season in 1997.

Other than the 18-point loss to Georgia Tech, the Tar Heels lost to Wake Forest by one, (28-27) fell to Louisville by five (39-34) and got nipped by three at Duke (33-30).

When you combine the success of this season, the new coaching staff gaining traction and the lift of the postseason ban, North Carolina has one of the best cases of optimism driven by momentum of any team on our list.

NC State

After achieving three consecutive bowl-eligible seasons Tom O’Brien’s dismissal from NC State was one of the most surprising of the nearly 30 coaching moves that have occurred thus far.

What’s clear from the move is that NC State wants to take eight-win seasons and the overwhelming sense of “almost” and transform its program to double-digit outputs and a feeling of “we’ve arrived.”

And that leads to the optimism that only a major coaching change can bring. In the case of the Wolfpack, it means Dave Doeren, who has enjoyed a hugely successful run at Northern Illinois.

Doeren led the Huskies to a 23-4 mark over two seasons that included two MAC titles. Even though he won’t be on the sidelines, he’s the coach who got Northern Illinois all the way to an unlikely berth into the Orange Bowl.

NC State fans should be wildly optimistic that Doeren can pull off a similar sort of coup for their program.

Notre Dame

While many folks are yapping about how Notre Dame didn’t play anyone in 2012, it’s intriguing to think back to the beginning of the season when wizards like Phil Steele had the Irish’s slate rated No. 1 in terms of strength of schedule.

Yes, while the Irish faced a three-game run vs. Pitt, Boston College and Wake Forest, they also played a solid Michigan team, walloped a good Miami (Fla.) team, outlasted a top-ranked Stanford squad, beat Oklahoma in Norman and bested USC on the road.

Though not necessarily a full-blown SEC schedule, this was still some pretty stiff competition.

For 2013, Notre Dame can be optimistic not only that they’ve finally returned to the national championship but that its path moving forward will seemingly be decidedly easier.

To illustrate, Oklahoma comes to South Bend in 2013 as does USC, the Hurricanes are off the table and Temple, Arizona State (in Arlington, Texas) and Air Force make things look even better.

Northwestern

Part of the story behind the story of Northwestern’s 9-3 finish in 2012 and its 5-3 mark in Big Ten play is a rushing offense that ranks No. 15 in yards versus a passing attack that ranks No. 112.

And the guy leading the team in rushing yards in 2012, Venric Mark, will return in 2013 fresh off a 1,310-yard performance that earned him the No. 22 in slot in rushing yards the FBS ranks.

Mark’s return in 2013 should give the Wildcats a huge rush of optimism and overall warm feelings.

Oklahoma

After four seasons of an on-and-off-again relationship with Landry Jones, the Oklahoma fanbase will at last bid farewell to their longtime QB after the Cotton Bowl.

And whether the end of the Jones era marks the beginning of the Blake Bell epoch or the Sooners decide to go another way in filling their QB opening, many Sooner fans will be enthusiastic regarding the change.

Though Jones had his bright moments at Oklahoma, his QB rating never crept above the 147 mark—meaning though he was solid, he was never a stellar producer.

Perhaps a change at this position will provide a recharge for the Sooners in 2013.

Oklahoma State

Another program that can at least partially account for a downturn in wins in 2012 vs. 2011 by looking at experience levels, the Cowboys were a very young team this season.

Phil Steele had Oklahoma State rated No. 89 nationally and No. 9 in the Big 12 in terms of experience in his blockbuster preseason magazine, which makes its 7-5 record and seventh consecutive bowl-eligible season all the more impressive.

Cowboy fans can be hugely optimistic that in 2013 their team will be more battle-tested for what should prove to be another wild Big 12 race.

Ohio State

After getting all dressed up in a 12-0 caliber suit but really having no place to go, Ohio State’s optimism in 2013 has to be all about the lifting of the postseason ban.

Indeed, it’s difficult to imagine a program with more enthusiasm and good feelings going into 2013 than the Buckeyes.

Oregon

After losing QB Darron Thomas unexpectedly to the NFL draft after the 2011 season, one of the big question marks for Oregon in 2012 was who could possibly replace Thomas under center.

Luckily for the Ducks, freshman Marcus Mariota was waiting in the wings and up for the task of leading the dangerous Oregon O.

Mariota went 218-of-312 (69.9 percent) for 2,511 yards, 30 passing TDs and only six picks, earning him a passer rating of 165.4—which is currently No. 5 in the FBS.

Mariota’s freshman passer rating and completion percentage topple Thomas’ output in 2011 as a junior, when he finished with a 158.66 rating and was 62.2 percent accurate as a thrower.

Oregon fans have got to be fired up that Mariota will be the man moving forward.

Oregon State

After going 5-7 in 2012 and then suffering an ugly 3-9 finish in 2011, not many prognosticators had the Beavers finishing the regular season with nine wins and ranked No. 13 in the final BCS standings.

And even the final quarter skid vs. Texas in the Alamo Bowl can’t diminish what was and is a huge injection of much-needed momentum into the veins of the Oregon State football program.

Beavers everywhere must be jacked to be out of the cellar in 2012 and fired up about 2013.

Penn State

Beyond the fact that in 2013 Penn State will only have three years of its four-year postseason sentence left to serve, the Nittany Lions have optimism in terms of actual on-field play.

It’s remarkable that amid all the attrition made possible by sanctions and the drama surrounding the tragedy involving Penn State that the football product still managed eight wins and a second-place finish in the Leaders division.

What makes this all even more impressive is the fact that despite all the off-field issues, Bill O’Brien managed to do it with one of the youngest teams in the nation, a group Phil Steele gave a No. 98 ranking coming into the season.

And this experience deficiency was calculated before many players fled for safer shores.

Penn State fans should feel really good that regardless of a very young team and a program mired in unprecedented off-field sanctions, they are still moving in the right direction.

Pittsburgh

Even though recent reports indicate that junior DL Aaron Donald may be thinking of entering the NFL draft in 2013, as of now he’s set to return to campus next season.

This is a big deal for Pitt. Hidden underneath the layers of a 6-6 record, which included a loss to FCS Youngstown State in the opener, is a defense that played really well this season.

“How well?” you might ask.  Well, the Panthers finished the regular season ranked No. 21 nationally in scoring defense, No. 25 vs. the run and No. 24 against the pass.

One of the key cogs in Pitt’s defensive wheel this season has been Donald, who racked up 63 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 11 QB hurries.

His return for a senior season would be an immeasurable boost to the Panthers.

Purdue

The people of Purdue should be pumped up about the 2013 season due to the fact that their program landed Kent State’s Darrell Hazell.

If you need to be reminded about Hazell’s triumph, he took a Golden Flashes program that had never, ever hit double-digit wins to an 11-game win season in 2012.

This is a group which has never finished a season ranked in a major poll that managed to a No. 25 ranking in the elitist final BCS standings.

Want more proof that Hazell is a guy that could turn Purdue into a contender in the Big Ten Leaders division?

How about the fact that Hazell got Kent State to its first bowl game since the 1972 Tangerine Bowl, which is also the last year the Flashes won any type of championship hardware.

Rise up oh Purdue nation, your time has come.

Rutgers

With Rutgers grabbing a share of its first conference title in 2012 since winning the Middle Three in 1974, the Scarlet Knights should be a front-runner in the 2013 race regardless which other teams ultimately sign up to play.

What should keep Rutgers full of positive thoughts all the way through 2013 is the fact that it’s the final opportunity to win the Big East outright and shoot straight through to the Orange Bowl.

And this very concrete chance at glory and big money will diminish mightily when the Scarlet Knights hook up with the Big Ten in 2013 when Rutgers will be playing for the Rose Bowl.

South Carolina

Perhaps the player who has lived up to the hype surrounding his college signing more than any other in recent history, Jadeveon Clowney is a force.

South Carolina fans have to be fired up that Clowney, who racked up 50 tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks as a sophomore, will be back in action in 2013.

If Clowney played for Alabama, Notre Dame or USC, he’d be a Heisman front-runner. If the Gamecocks can win the SEC East, he well may be in New York City next December.

South Florida

After coming into the season with an experienced team that looked poised to capture a conference title and a shot at the Orange Bowl, USF’s 3-9 finish in 2012 was devastating.

This fact and the coaching change makes optimism a rare commodity for the football Bulls.

What is a somewhat decent variable coming into 2013 for USF is the fact that its schedule is at least marginally improved in terms of difficulty from 2012.

The major difference is that Florida State drops off the schedule completely, and though Miami (Fla.) remains and Michigan State jumps on board, the balance of the nonconference slate consists of FCS McNeese State and FAU.

The Bulls will also get Louisville and Cincinnati at home in 2013.  

Stanford

Though Stanford fans ought to be absolutely jacked that they are set to return nine starters to a defense that blazed a trail to a No. 13 ranking in scoring, there is an even more offensive reason for optimism.

Yes, even though RB Stepfan Taylor is moving on, the Cardinal seems to have settled on an excellent replacement for QB Andrew Luck in the young Kevin Hogan.

Hogan started in Stanford’s last five games—all wins—including consecutive victories over No. 11 Oregon State, No. 2 Oregon and then twice over a ranked UCLA team, including capturing the first Pac-12 title since 1999.

Hogan earned a QB rating of 152.2 in his five starts, which remarkably ranks him in the top 25 among FBS passers.

Stanford ought to be absolutely stoked about 2013.

Syracuse

Syracuse should be oh so optimistic coming into 2013, because in 2012 it cashed in on a relatively young program and hit eight wins and suffered three near-misses.

Other than an understandable 42-29 Week 2 loss to USC, the Orange’s losses this season were narrow defeats to Northwestern (42-41 in the opener), at Minnesota (17-10) and at Cincinnati (35-24).

And don’t forget that Syracuse closed out the season with a 45-26 beatdown of then-No. 9 Louisville, a 31-27 victory over SEC’s Missouri, a 38-20 win over Temple and then a 38-14 Pinstripe Bowl triumph vs. West Virginia.

Temple

Though a 4-7 finish marks the Owls' worst showing since going 4-8 in Al Golden’s second season in 2007, the 2012 campaign needs to be viewed through the perspective of Temple’s move from the MAC to the Big East.

What Temple has still got to feel good about is that it has one season remaining on its BCS AQ status time clock, which means that if the Owls can find a way to capture what’s always a wide-open Big East title, it’s BCS time.

That’s right, if Temple can hit nine or 10 wins in 2013 and claim its first title winning the MAC East in 2009, it’s not the road to the GoDaddy.com Bowl, it’s the Orange Bowl.

Wow.

Tennessee

What Tennessee can really look forward to in 2013 goes way beyond the coaching change and is all about the fact that the Volunteers continue to sit firmly atop one of the most underutilized talent pools in major college football.

Yes, despite the inconsistent on-field product, the 2013 Tennessee football team will be built squarely on a senior class that was ranked No. 9 when recruited in 2010, the No. 13-ranked group from 2011 and the No. 18-rated class of 2012.

Given the right staff, the Volunteers have the potential to become one of the biggest breakthrough teams of next season.

Texas

What bodes well for Texas in 2013, and what might keep Mack Brown wanting one more season on the sidelines in Austin, is the fact the Longhorns will be one of the most experienced squads in the BCS next season.

Texas is projected to return 10 offensive starters and nine on defense in 2013, meaning the Longhorns should have every chance of returning to the BCS.

Texas A&M

Though the one reason the Aggies will optimistic in 2013 is obviously the return of Heisman winner sophomore QB Johnny Manziel, there may be a more subtle and perhaps important cause for hope.

With most of the receiving corps from 2012 not back in 2013, Texas A&M has reason to feel good about an offensive line that should return everyone but center Patrick Lewis.

That is if tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews don’t get tempted by an early run to the NFL.

The simple truth is that Johnny Football didn’t get it done at A&M on his own, and the more of his supporting cast that returns, the better.

TCU

TCU finished its 2012 campaign 7-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play, which is a remarkable feat for a young squad that moved “up” from the Mountain West to the Big 12.

What the Horned Frogs have got to be fired up about for 2013 is a projected 10 returning starters to a D that was the statistical strength of the team this season.

TCU’s defense ranked No. 30 nationally in scoring, No. 11 vs. the run and No. 53 against the pass.

Texas Tech

Though the end of the 2012 season provided Red Raiders fans lots of heartburn and only a few fleeting smiles, 2013 is already being billed as the new era of good feelings in Lubbock.

What Tech can look forward to in the New Year is a fanbase that will finally unite behind new head coach and once on-field hero Kliff Kingsbury.

Regardless of any realistic logic as to how it will work, Red Raiders fans have finally rid themselves of the Tommy Tuberville era and its associated conspiracy theories regarding the ousting of their once-beloved pirate coach.

UCLA

Jim Mora, Jr. proved to be one of the best coaching hires between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and the solid proof of this triumph comes via an improvement from six wins to nine.

What stands firmly as both a reason for Mora’s success and a reason for optimism moving forward into 2013 is a talent pool that was hidden in the underperforming Rick Neuheisel era at UCLA.

The Bruins' last three recruiting classes rated No. 8, No. 45 and No. 13, respectively, from 2010-11, and their current haul is ranked a lofty No. 13 by Rivals.com.

All this means that 2013 and beyond is filled with concrete hope for UCLA, as ultimately it is talented athletes that drive the big win bus in college football.

USC

Even though 2012 fell far short of expectations at USC, 2013 is chock full of positive indicators and among the biggest plus is the return of super-stud WR Marqise Lee.

With 1,680 yards of receiving, 802 yards off kick returns and 106 rushing yards, Lee pumped out 2,588 yards as a sophomore, giving him the No. 3 rank in the FBS.

If the Trojans can shore up their defense and hit double digits in 2013, look for Lee to be a legit Heisman candidate.

Utah

With marks of 3-6 in league play during both of Utah’s first two seasons as a Pac-12 member, it’s difficult to determine where pessimism ends and optimism begins.

The one really concrete element of positive thinking for the Utes in 2013 and beyond is a recruiting effort that has slowly improved over the last several years.

Utah pulled in the No. 44-rated class of 2009, improved to a No. 32 group in 2010 (technically the seniors in 2012), dropped off a minor bit to a No. 37 rank in 2011 and then hauled in the No. 28-rated group in 2012.

As far as the class of 2013 goes, Rivals.com currently has it in at No. 31, which means things are right on track at Utah.

What this all means is that the Utes are in position to flourish in the Pac-12, and 2013 may very well be their breakthrough year.

Vanderbilt

If head coach James Franklin stays on at Vanderbilt in 2013, there is no reason to think that the Commodores' historic trend upward shouldn’t continue with an astonishing effect.

Vandy’s eight-win season in 2012 marks the best finish since the Commodores went 8-4 in 1982, and their win vs. NC State in the Music City Bowl takes them to their best finish in the history of a program that kicked off in 1890.

It’s intriguing that Franklin has yet to become the college coaching flavor of the month, but until he does, Vandy is in excellent position to be wildly optimistic about its football future.

Virginia

When considering the Cavaliers' drop from an 8-4 finish in 2011 to a 4-8 mark in 2012 don’t forget that in terms of returning starters, Virginia ranked No. 111 nationally and No. 11 in the ACC coming into the season.

Though the 2-6 mark in league play is hard to swallow no matter how you justify it, Virginia ought to be very positive moving into 2013 due to a team with loads more experience under a coach that may become the next big thing in BCS ball.

Virginia Tech

Though it's unknown as of now as to whether or not junior Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas will declare for the 2013 NFL draft, the truth is if he stays, Hokies fans will be stoked.

The Hokies were one of the least experienced teams coming into the 2012 season (Phil Steele had them at No. 103 in his preseason mag), and the play of Thomas went a long, long way in Virginia Tech reaching seven wins.

With 2,796 yards and 18 TDs through the air and an additional 524 yards and nine scores on the ground, Thomas was the Hokies' leading passer and rusher in 2012. Overall, he accounted for 68 percent of Virginia Tech’s total offensive output this season.

Thomas returning would provide the Hokies a huge sense of optimism, at least offensively, going into the 2013 season.

Wake Forest

After posting an uninspired 5-7 record in 2012, Wake Forest is another program where pinpointing optimism is challenging.

But the good news for the Demon Deacons is fairly apparent when you look back at their very low experience ratings coming into this year.

Wake rated No. 96 nationally and No. 10 in the ACC in terms of returning starters at the beginning of 2012, and Phil Steele’s more comprehensive experience ratings came in at No. 123.

Overall, the Demon Deacons were one of the greenest teams this season, which means if nothing else, they’ll be way more experienced and perhaps primed to return to bowl eligibility in 2013.

Washington

The Huskies were a young group in 2012, but still they managed to stay on the fringe of the BCS rankings until they were finally knocked out with a late loss to Washington State.

Among the many positive indicators for the 2013 season at Washington is the return of RB Bishop Sankey, who posted 1,439 yards and 16 TDs on a workhorse-like 289 carries as a sophomore this season.

Sankey’s big numbers made him the No. 17 back in the FBS in terms of yards and tied for No. 13 in TDs.

Husky fans should be jacked about Sankey’s junior campaign and the 2013 season.

Washington State

Though Washington State fans ought to be fired up about Mike Leach’s second season offensively speaking, one of the other concrete reasons for optimism is a defensive star in the making.

Strong safety Deone Bucannon was a stud during his junior season in 2012, posting four picks, 106 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, four broken-up passes and one forced fumble.

The Cougars defense struggled to a No. 101 national ranking in scoring this season, but if they can make even marginal improvements to their D to go along with what should be an explosive offense, they could make a serious run.

Guys like Deone Bucannon could be the difference-maker in this type of hopeful scenario.

West Virginia

The 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers had one of the biggest rises and most monumental midseason crashes in recent memory.

Indeed, what began with a blowout win over Clemson in the 2011-12 Orange Bowl and continued with five consecutive wins to kick off the 2012 campaign ended with a thud with five straight regular-season losses.

Gone was a Big 12 title, a Heisman campaign and all the momentum that made the Mountaineers seem like a contender.

Things got even worse when West Virginia came up short in the Pinstripe Bowl vs. old league foe Syracuse.

As far as blindly searching for nuggets of hope for 2013, it’s no easy task—especially since most of the offensive fire power is off to the NFL, leaving a defense that ranked No. 117 in scoring.

What bodes well for the Mountaineers in 2013 and onward are improvements in recruiting that are illustrated by WVU’s current Rivals.com ranking of No. 20 in terms of the signees due in January.

It’s definitely time to forget about 2012 and reload for 2013, and a great recruiting class might be just the ticket.

Wisconsin

After capturing a third consecutive Big Ten title with a very young team, the Badgers have to be hopeful about their prospects in 2013. This is true despite the fact that their coach suddenly flew the coop for the SEC.

What is absolutely delicious for Wisconsin in terms of next season is the return of its entire defensive line.

Yes, back on campus in 2013 are seniors David Gilbert, Beau Allen, Ethan Hemer and Pat Muldoon. This is no small thing for a D that ranked No. 19 nationally in scoring, No. 22 vs. the run and No. 23 against the pass.

If defense truly wins championships, look for the Badgers to be right back in the mix in 2013.