College Football: My Preseason Top 25, Part 1

(Prediction: 12-0, Big Ten Crown, BCS National Title Game—Believe it)

2. Georgia (Athlon No. 5, Phil Steele No. 9, SI No. 1, ESPN No. 1)

Overview: Even though other writers may disagree, this was an easy pick for me. This team significantly heated up over the course of last year and looked like it deserved to be in the SEC championship game even though Tennessee beat them.

They won their last six games last year straight and by no less then ten points. These wins included four ranked teams. Their dominating victory over the (Rainbow) Warriors of Hawaii last January convinced many that they deserved a shot over LSU in the BCS championship game.

While I personally thought that that was a stretch, they looked solid. They return eight starters on offense and nine on defense, as well as the vast majority of their play makers .

Look to Knowshon Moreno and Matt Stafford to lead the Bulldogs to the Promised Land.

The receiving unit looked like the weakest link last year (lots of drops early on in the season), Mohamed Massaquoi (who himself had only one drop all season) will lead this receiving unit that returns few starters and could make or break an otherwise impressively strong team.  

Opponents: I don’t know if you heard, but Georgia has a tough schedule. Like Tennessee’s 1998 championship squad and LSU’s 2007 team, a tough schedule will make voters more forgiving and will harden a team and will help them play better in tough situations.

Look forward to a loss at LSU and a win at Florida at this years’ Cocktail Party. While Arizona State will play tough and try to steal a win from Georgia, I don’t think it will happen.

I also predict they will go to Atlanta and win the SEC this year and land a berth in this year’s championship game against Ohio State.

(Prediction: 12-1, SEC Crown, BCS National Title Game)

3. Oklahoma (Athlon No. 3, Phil Steele No. 3, SI No. 6, ESPN No. 3)

Overview: This is a tough looking team. First off, Sam Bradford was the most efficient passer in the game last year as a first-time starter. They return three of four defensive linemen, including the best two DTs in the game, DeMarcus Granger and Gerald McCoy.

In total, they return eight starters on offense and five on defense. Last year was another example of a tradition that has started in Norman: win 10 or 11 games and choke in January (they have lost four of five, the lone win being the only non-BCS appearance).

I feel the chip on the shoulder of this team gets bigger every year. Bob Stoops, who seems to have become underrated nationally as a coach, is excellent at player development and will finally bring home a large trophy.

Opponents:

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