College Football Preview: Early Edition

The One Great Season crew is en route to Louisville to give you some boots-on-the-ground Kentucky Derby coverage the next two weeks, but I wanted to leave you with one non-horse piece before I spend all day traveling Wednesday.

Herewith, a quick-and-dirty OGS 2010 College Football preview. Enjoy.

Tide To Roll to Another National Championship

Top 10

1. Alabama: Defending champs could be as dangerous on offense as they were last season on defense.

2. Boise State: Twenty-one of 22 starters returning from a 14-0 team.

3. Ohio State: Loaded with talent once again, and Terrelle Pryor looks ready to be a complete quarterback.

4. Texas: By September, quarterback Garrett Gilbert will have had eight months to build off an impressive emergency appearance in the national title game.

5. Iowa: If the Hawkeyes can go a full season without losing a starting running back, they'll contend in an improving Big Ten.

6. Florida: Whether Urban Meyer is on the sideline, in the booth, or at home on a couch, the Gators will win the SEC East once again.

7. Nebraska: Despite the loss of one of the sport's most dominant defensive players in recent memory, Ndamukong Suh, Bo Pelini has the 'Huskers headed back to elite status.

8. Virginia Tech: Ryan Williams will carry the Hokies in an ACC that will be slightly better than mediocre once again.

9. Wisconsin: The burly Badgers looked impressive in beating speedy Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl, and Bret Bielema's squad appears capable of earning a BCS bid.

10. Oregon: The Ducks seemed a top-three lock until quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended, but LaMichael James will keep them screaming in Eugene.

Conference Champions

ACC: Virginia Tech

Big East: Pittsburgh

Big 10: Ohio State

Big 12: Texas

Mountain West: TCU

PAC-10: Oregon

SEC: Alabama

WAC: Boise State

Heisman Candidates

Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama: Sharing carries with Trent Richardson could hamper the reigning Heisman winner's bid to repeat.

Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh: I saw Lewis in person last year, and this youngster is legit. He'll run behind an experienced offensive line in 2010 and will be a candidate all season.

Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas: Mallett will post gaudy stats like Brian Brohm once did under offensive genius Bobby Petrino.

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State: All he does is put up sick numbers, and that trend will continue in 2010.

Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State: I saw him play twice in person last year, but it was the Rose Bowl we all saw on television in January that convinced me he's ready to sit at the grown-ups' table.

Top September Games

Sept. 6, Boise State at Virginia Tech: The Broncos will take their top-two or-three preseason ranking three time zones away to Virginia in their most important game of the year.

Sept. 11, Penn State at Alabama: Finally, a regular-season matchup between heavies from the Big 10 and SEC.

Sept. 11, Miami at Ohio State: Quarterbacks Jacory Harris and Terrelle Pryor lead their teams into an early season matchup of Heisman Trophy hopefuls.

Sept. 25, Oklahoma at Cincinnati: Likely top-20 teams will meet at Paul Brown Stadium. OU will try to return to greatness, while UC hopes to prove it can win without Brian Kelly.

Sept. 25, West Virginia at LSU: The SEC is certainly superior to the Big East, but I could see the Mountaineers stealing one in Death Valley.

BCS Preview

Rose Bowl: Iowa defeats Oregon

Fiesta Bowl: Boise State defeats Nebraska

Orange Bowl: Pittsburgh defeats Virginia Tech

Sugar Bowl: Texas defeats Florida

BCS Championship Game: Alabama defeats Ohio State

John P. Wise writes for One Great Season.

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