The 10 Best (Well, The Opposite of Disappointing Anyway) Teams of 2010

As you know about the world of college football and reading stuff by this writer, we're happy to be "cheer-led" into our story.

Don't worry, it's not an A-Z of the best-looking cheerleaders (that's another column!), but instead it's about CFB's top 10 "opposite of disappointing" teams of 2010.

And you'll never guess-there isn't an opposite to disappointing! How miserable must this world be?
Anyway, you'll recognize some of the teams and maybe some of the lasses in short skirts. And that will be a bonus, people...

No. 10: Oregon Ducks

When the Oregon Ducks lost in Boise on the first Friday of the season, we didn't hold a lot of hope that the school with the best-looking cheerleaders (albeit not by much over Florida, USC, and many SEC co-eds) and many preseason lovers would win the Pac-10.

Boy, were we wrong. They made the Song Girls cry in Autzen, and also beat their biggest rival in the "Civil War" to win a trip to Pasadena on New Years Day.

This team may be for real, they may be not. But this Ducks team was certainly an exercise in redemption, and don't be stunned if LaGarrette Blount runs for 100 against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

No. 9: TCU Horned Frogs

We couldn't find a cheerleader so we decided to go with tens of thousands of them attending the TCU-Utah game for College Gameday. Oh, and the cheerleaders were fantastic (check out YouTube for details).

Before we digress any further, this team was incredible this year. The road win at Clemson particularly stood out. Wasn't all the talk meant to be about some team in Austin this year?

No. 8: Cincinnati Bearcats

Probably not the brightest thing to do as a Cincy cheerleader, standing in front of a bunch of couch-burning West Virginia fans, but at the end of the season who cared?

The Bearcats were 12-0, and won the Big East title in thrilling fashion in Pittsburgh.

Although Mr. Kelly is gone to coach the good people of Notre Dame, he made Cincy one of the best football stories of 2009. Them and the Cincinnati Bengals, who are doing pretty darned well themselves.

No. 7: Auburn Tigers

"War Tiger" wasn't meant to compete this year. "War Tiger" was meant to fire Gene Chizik this year.

But instead, one of the running jokes of the SEC suddenly became "War Eagle," beating Tennessee in Tennessee, nearly beating Alabama, and beating down Arkansas. Frankly, we expected a lot worse than 7-5.

Are the Tigers back? We hope so. Toilet paper away!!

No. 6: Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes didn't win the Big Ten this year, but they served notice. They destroyed Penn State in a "White Out" in Beaver Stadium and they played Ohio State "as close as it comes" in a "Red Out" in the Horseshoe.

They have good running backs for next year in Adam Robinson and Jewell Hampton and they are settled at quarterback.

This is a good, good football team.

No. 5: Arizona Wildcats

For a team that wasn't considered a factor in most games for the last 10 years, Mike Stoops' Arizona team sure turned the corner in 2009.

A second-place finish in the Pac-10 is not to be sniffed at, and remember—one of those losses came in heartbreaking fashion at home to Oregon.

And they got a ranking this year, too.

And for a moment, let's take a look at Arizona State. If things carry on like this, the Sun Devils will be living in the shadow of the boys from Tuscon for many years to come.

No. 4: Miami Hurricanes

It's silly to say how insanely happy the 'U' made us in 2009.

Although they were completely outclassed at Virginia Tech in the pouring rain, they played—and won—one of the games of the season against Florida State and also beat mighty Oklahoma.

They've recruited well, and this Hurricanes team is young. Expect this team to figure in the top five in the preseason polls for 2010.

No. 3: Nebraska Cornhuskers

We made some insanely stupid predictions about 2009, but one of them we got right was that Nebraska was going to be a contender for the Big XII North.

We didn't expect Texas to get the game of their lives. Lil' Red's Blackshirt back? You betcha!

No. 2: Temple Owls

If we told you in 2007 that that Temple Owls would, a) be going to a bowl at the end of the 2009 season and, b) be going to that bowl with a 9-3 record, you'd probably say to the bartender, "I'll have what he's having."

Well, it turned out that, a) we didn't say it or predict it and, b) it's true.

Should Penn State be nervous? Not yet, but the time may be coming.

No. 1: Stanford Cardinal

It's a bit back in the day, but here's the 2003 version of Stanford's most famous (band) cheerleader, the Tree.

The Tree was pretty darned happy this year, as Toby Gerhart and some darn good coaching made the Cardinal a Rose Bowl contender in 2009. And no, we didn't see them coming either.

The stunning victories over USC and Oregon took everybody by surprise. Things look good for 2010.