Notoriously Fast Starters: Don't Let These 10 CFB Teams Fool You in 2010

The start of the college football season always has a lot of teams that start very strong and finish the first month with three or four wins.

But that next month of the season is where the true top teams are separated from the average teams and the overrated bunch.

As we head into 2010, with the large amount of roster turnovers and the offseason chaos, it's tough to separate the true top teams from those who might not belong.

There are 10 teams in 2010 that should have a shot at a good or great record, but don't bet the farm that they will have success later on in the season.

Here are the teams with favorable early schedules which can give them an early shot of confidence, and why you shouldn't let these teams fool you.

Whether it's based on past history or if the team is not that good to begin with, it's very likely to see these teams get off to fast starts in 2010.

1. Michigan

First games of 2010: UConn, at Notre Dame, Massachusetts, Bowling Green

Projected Record: 3-1

Michigan football got off to a great start in 2009, going 4-0 after crashing and burning in 2008.

And its 2010 early schedule sets up well enough for it to have similar success.

But the problem after its big start was that Michigan only won one more game the rest of the way, which was against Delaware State.

It will hope to avoid a similar free fall in 2010 in what is a must-win season if Rich Rodriguez expects to keep his job in Ann Arbor.

However, the team most likely will not be as good as an early 3-1 or 4-0 record it might have when Big Ten play starts.

2. South Florida

First games of 2010: Stony Brook, at Florida, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic

Projected Record: 3-1

In the last few seasons, few teams have started hot and then fallen off the map as quickly as South Florida.

From 2007 to 2009, USF has started all its seasons 5-0, including big wins over Auburn, Kansas, and Florida State.

But in those seasons, it went 9-4 in 2007 and 8-5 in 2008 and 2009, and had in-conference records under .500 in those final two seasons.

New coach Skip Holtz will look to change all of that after coming over from East Carolina.

But USF will need to finish strong to continue to elevate its program, which it has not done in recent history.

And although they pulled upsets in the past, do not bet on the Bulls upsetting Florida in the Swamp. They will need to overcome that loss to get back to the nine-win level in 2010.

3. Connecticut

First games of 2010: at Michigan, Texas Southern, at Temple, Baylor

Projected Record: 3-1

UConn football has started to become a solid winner in the Big East, and it has started well in its previous three seasons.

But UConn has struggled in conference play the past two seasons, going only 3-4 each year after starting 2008 5-0 and 3-1 in 2009.

Randy Edsall's squad continues to improve from year to year and has started to become one of the better Big East teams.

For them to take the next step, the Huskies need to prove that their fast starts are not flukes.

If they cannot, they will remain a middle of the pack team in the Big East.

4. Ole Miss

First games of 2010: Jacksonville State, at Tulane, Vanderbilt, Fresno State

Projected Record: 4-0

After losing Jevan Snead and Dexter McCluster to the NFL, Houston Nutt will have some work to do to bring the Rebels football team back to a high level in 2010.

And a very weak opening schedule should prove favorable, with the potential to go 4-0.

One thing going against Ole Miss, which is what can make early success misleading, is road games at Alabama and LSU.

Don't expect Ole Miss to win either of those games, and that instantly turns 4-0 into 4-2, which suddenly doesn't look as appealing.

Nutt has been a good enough coach to take the Rebels to the Cotton Bowl in consecutive seasons, but even with a 4-0 start, that might be a difficult task this year.

5. Indiana

First games of 2010: Towson, at Western Kentucky, Akron

Projected Record: 3-0

Indiana football has never truly been special, but it belongs on this list because it has a schedule which sets up easily to start the season with three or four straight wins.

Like last year, Indiana and Michigan could meet with undefeated records.

But neither team did anything of note after that game, registering one combined Big Ten win the rest of the way, when Indiana defeated Illinois.

Bill Lynch may be on the hot seat in Bloomington, and he probably needs another bowl appearance to secure his job.

And even though they could be undefeated heading into Big Ten play, the Hoosiers may even be lucky and double their win total in 2010.

6. Michigan State

First games of 2010: Western Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Notre Dame, Northern Colorado

Projected Record: 4-0

Michigan State is one of those teams that, like South Florida, has a history of crashing and burning after getting off to great starts.

In 2007, for example, Sparty started 4-0, but finished the year at 7-6.

But they seem to be going in the right direction under Mark Dantonio, and 2010 could be their best team in years.

And even though they will not see Ohio State in 2010, it is unlikely that their potential 4-0 start will amount to outstanding success, with road games at Iowa and Penn State.

If MSU can be as good as many say it can be, the Spartans may just buck that trend.

7. Missouri

First games of 2010: Illinois, McNeese State, San Diego State, Miami (OH)

Projected Record: 4-0

Missouri football was pushed out of the BCS sadly in 2007, despite playing for the Big 12 title that season and again the following year.

But Mizzou struggled in 2009 without Jeremy Maclin and a change of QBs, though Blaine Gabbert was a very good player.

Now with the loss of linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, expect the Tigers to stay where they finished in 2009, even though they could start 4-0 and possibly 6-0 with Big 12 games against Colorado and Texas A&M.

But the Tigers did not do well against the talented teams last year and could very well struggle once again.

That will only happen if they cannot find an effective replacement for Weatherspoon, and fail to improve the defense.

8. California

First Games of 2010: UC Davis, Colorado, at Nevada

Projected Record: 3-0

The Jeff Tedford era at Cal can be personified in one phrase: strong starts, late season collapses.

Cal will have to replace Jahvid Best at RB, but Shane Vereen should be adequately capable of filling that role.

But as mentioned, the Tedford era in Berkeley has been the epitome of "crash and burn."

The prime example may be in 2007, where Cal started 5-0, but only won one more game in the regular season, barely escaping Washington State.

With past history in mind, it is very likely that 2010 could be another edition of the same story. Cal will need to have a strong finish soon to validate its high preseason billings.

9. Texas A&M

First games of 2010: Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana Tech, Florida International

Projected Record: 3-0

The Aggies should have a clear path to an undefeated start before a big game at Oklahoma State.

But that is about where the good news ends for Texas A&M in 2010, as it also faces Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, and are at Texas.

A&M started 2009 at 3-0, but finished the year at 6-7, a trend that could very well happen again in 2010.

Mike Sherman needs to find a way to bring A&M back to its old level, as the Aggies have had an underwhelming decade.

If he doesn't, which seems likely based on their conference schedule, he may find himself in the unemployment line.

But with a 3-0 start expected, it will be a tough challenge to prove that they can be one of the teams that continue to play well after such a start.

10. University of Southern California

First games of 2010: at Hawaii, Virginia, at Minnesota, at Washington State

Projected Record: 4-0

I know what you're thinking: USC burning out late in 2010? The Trojans did it a year ago, and could do it again in the first year of Lane Kiffin.

The biggest problem with USC has been that it lost games that it shouldn't have in the past several seasons.

Whether that is coaching or the players has yet to be seen.

But, with the added punishment from the NCAA and the restrictions on coaching and practices, it's very likely that the Trojans can slip again this season.

They have a very difficult October with games against Washington, at Stanford, and at home against Cal and Oregon.

Lane Kiffin has a lot of critics he wants to silence, but he has to prove that he can coach starting this season, and the potential for a struggle with all the turmoil in Los Angeles is pretty good.