Senior Rudy Carpenter returns for his fourth year as a starter and will benefit from Erickson’s four and five-receiver spread formations. Not only will Carpenter be able to get rid of the ball more quickly, but he will have plenty of targets to throw to including Mike Jones, Chris McGaha and Keegan Herring.
The loss of Robert James due to graduation hurts, but the Sun Devils have plenty of star power left, including defensive end Dexter Davis, who had 33 tackles and 10.5 sacks as a sophomore.
Arizona State will have plenty of obstacles along its way. In consecutive games, the Sun Devils will play Georgia at home, Cal and USC on the road, Oregon at home, and Oregon State on the road. If they can get through that stretch with only two losses, they should be in good shape.
13. Auburn Tigers (9-4, 5-3 in SEC West)
Tony Franklin’s new spread offense is the talk of the town at Auburn. After only having a few weeks to implement his offense before last year’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl, Auburn beat Clemson, 23-20. Franklin’s most important issue will be finding a quarterback to replace Brandon Cox. Once that is done, the offense will have plenty of playmakers at the QB’s disposal including a trio of running backs, Ben Tate, Brad Lester, and Mario Fannin.
Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is gone, but an athletic defense still remains. Defensive lineman Sen’Derrick Marks looks to be the next great, undersized player to come out of Auburn.
In addition to their difficult SEC schedule, Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville scheduled a game at West Virginia—a contest which will surely prove whether this team is a legitimate national contender this year.
14. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-6, 4-4 in SEC West)
Nick Saban-coached programs tend to show the most improvement in their second year. While at LSU, Saban’s Tigers lost to UAB in his first year, but were SEC and Sugar Bowl Champions by the next.
2008 may promise similar success for the Crimson Tide.
Led by senior co-captain Antoine Caldwell and Andre Smith, Alabama may boast one of the best offensive lines in all of college football. These potential All-Americans will serve the job of protecting John Parker Wilson and blocking for starting running back Terry Grant.
On defense, Justin Woodall, Rashad Johnson, and Javier Arenas make up a talented defensive backfield and former starting running back Jimmy Johns may emerge as a key player at linebacker.
Although the Crimson Tide have tough games against the cream of the crop in the ACC (Clemson) as well as Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU, Saban’s biggest goal of the season will be beating Auburn. Auburn has now beaten Alabama six times a row—including four times consecutively in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Even if Alabama doesn’t win the SEC West, beating Auburn will go a long way in restoring the Crimson Tide program to prominence.
15. Illinois Fighting Illini (9-4, 6-2 in Big Ten)
Illinois’ meteoric rise from a 2-10 team in 2006 to a Rose Bowl contender a year later has put head coach Ron Zook in the spotlight once again. Illinois returns without several of its leaders this year (J. Leman, Antonio Steele and Rashard Mendenhall), but Zook has reloaded with plenty of talent.
Brit Miller assumes Leman's role at middle linebacker. Expect to see plenty of Zook's prized recruit Martez Wilson at linebacker as well. Junior Vontae Davis has the potential to be a lockdown at the cornerback position.
On offense, Juice Williams will have to take an increased leadership position with the departure of Mendenhall, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Williams will rely on talented sophomore receiver Arrelious Benn, but other playmakers must step up if the Illini look to make the next step and win a Big Ten title.
16. Kansas Jayhawks (12-1, 7-1 in Big 12 North, 2008 Orange Bowl Champions)
Was last year sign of change for the Kansas Jayhawks or merely the result of an easy schedule? This year will be a good indicator of where this program is going as Kansas plays games at South Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri. Both tackles as well as the starting running back and receiver are gone, but junior quarterback Todd Reesing is back with plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal. If the Kansas defensive secondary is able to stop anyone, the Jayhawks will contend for another Big 12 North title.
17. BYU Cougars (11-2, 8-0 in Mountain West, 2007 Mountain West Champions)
Could BYU be this year’s Hawaii? Arguably the best mid-major this fall, the Cougars return with junior Max Hall, sophomore Harvey Unga and the majority of a defense that yielded only 16 points a game in conference play last year.
18. Virginia Tech (11-3, 7-1 in ACC Coastal, 2007 ACC Champions)
Virginia Tech will be without most of its playmakers from last year, but there is still promise in Blacksburg in 2008. Senior quarterback Sean Glennon returns with a firm grip on the starting position and improved decision-making skills. Virginia Tech may have to throw the ball more with Glennon as starting running back Branden Ore was suspended from the team and his backup Kenny Lewis hurt his knee during the spring.
19. Tennessee Volunteers (10-4, 6-2 in SEC East)
For the first time in years, Tennessee may be weak at defensive line. Regardless, the Vols will be backed up by a strong secondary, which includes standout sophomore Eric Berry. On offense, the biggest question is how Jonathan Crompton steps in for departed senior quarterback Erik Ainge. Fortunately for Crompton, he can rely heavily on senior running back Arian Foster—one of the most underrated at his position in the country.
20. South Florida Bulls (9-4, 4-3 in Big East)
Despite rising to the #2 spot in the AP Poll, the Bulls ended the 2007 season on a disappointing note. This year, 16 returning starters (including 10 on offense) and a consistent Matt Grothe should bode well for the Bulls. Defensive end George Selvie (14.5 sacks last year) may hold the title of Best Defensive Player You Haven’t Heard of (yet).
21. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-4, 4-4 in Big 12 South)
Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree will put up incredible numbers once again but will the defense show up against the best competition? The Red Raiders’ schedule is relatively easy but they’ll have to play Kansas and Oklahoma—two of the best offenses in the country—as well as Texas.
22. Oregon State Beavers (9-4, 6-3 in Pac-10)
The Oregon State Beavers are quietly solidifying themselves as a mainstay in Pac-10 football. With the most wins over a two-year period (19) in the 111-year history of the Oregon State football program, Mike Riley’s program seeks to continue that momentum in 2008.
Former All-American Sammie Stroughter returns to the team after missing virtually the entire 2007 season, but the highlight will be the defense, which led the nation against the run, ranked fourth in sacks, sixth in turnovers and eighth in overall defense.
23. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4, 4-4 in Big Ten)
Penn State was destined for a rebound year last season, but it never quite formulated. This year, the departure of Anthony Morelli may signify a new era in Happy Valley. With a new spread offense and a young, athletic quarterback (Daryll Clark) leading the way, Penn State’s archaic offense has modernized. Experienced receivers Deon Butler, Derrick Williams, and Jordan Norwood will help the conversion process.
The offense will need to be clicking on all cylinders because the defense will be without its star linebacker Sean Lee due to him tearing his ACL in spring practice.
24. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-4, 5-3 in ACC Atlantic)
After losing a few close games last year, Wake Forest seems like a team poised to make a return to the Orange Bowl in 2009. Junior quarterback Riley Skinner is finally healthy, though he will be without his most dependable target Kenneth Moore. On defense, nine starters return including cornerback Alphonso Smith, who had 8 interceptions and 3 touchdowns last year.
25. Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-5, 4-4 in SEC West)
Sylvester Croom looks to improve on Mississippi State’s impressive 8-5 (4-4 in SEC) record a year ago. With eight defensive starters returning next year from one of the stingiest defenses in the SEC, Croom’s team will be able to keep games close, but much of the fate of this program will rely on the development of quarterback Wesley Carroll. Without a passing game, opposing defenses will key on junior running back Anthony Dixon, a 1,000-yard rusher last year.
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