USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll: Team By Team Breakdown (Part II)

23. Wake Forest 9-4 203

All eyes in the ACC will be on junior quarterback Riley Skinner this year.  After completing his sophomore campaign with a completion percentage well over seventy percent, the highest in the nation, the Wake Forest fans will be expecting big things.  Lining up behind Skinner will also be ACC Rookie of the Year tailback Josh Adams.

Returning nine starters to the Demon Deacon’s defensive lineup will certainly help the offense stay on the field.  The line and linebacker positions appear to be in good hands, and the entire secondary from last year will be coming back to handle the pass coverage.

Prediction:  Getting their kicker back to full speed will be a key to Wake Forest’s win/loss column this year, considering two out their four 2007 losses were by less than three points.  The ACC will have some tough competition in 2008, so it will be up to the individual players to decide if they just want to win some games or go for another ACC title.  The circle game will be against Clemson on October 9.

24. Michigan 9-4 112

Michigan was talking title last preseason and QB Chad Henne was near the top of the Heisman watch.  It took all of four quarters against I-AA "powerhouse" Appalachian State to bring it all crashing down.

While Michigan was finally able to get their act together enough to win eight straight, it was obvious that we were witnessing the twilight of the Lloyd Carr era.  Michigan’s offense is pretty much made up of eleven kids that the fans in Ann Arbor have probably never heard of.  At least they can take solace in the fact that Rich Rodriguez will finally be bringing the program into the new millennium by implementing a spread offense.

The defense will be Michigan’s only saving grace.  The veteran squad will have to keep the opposition scoring down to give the young offense a chance to win a few games.

Prediction:  It’s probably a forgone conclusion that the Wolverine’s surprise win over Tim Tebow’s Gators in the Capital One Bowl is the lone reason for landing them in the 2008 preseason Top 25.  While Rich Rodriguez has downplayed expectations for this season, if the new offensive scheme doesn’t over-perform against a tough schedule, Michigan may not go bowling for the first time in thirty four years.

25. Fresno State 9-4 91

The Bulldogs of the West are the odds on favorite to win the WAC this year.  They return ten starters to the offensive squad, replacing only their center.  With plenty of talented weapons at his disposal, QB Tom Brandstater will have to use every one of them to navigate Fresno State through what will prove to be a grueling schedule.

The Bulldog defense will have more work to do, returning only six starters to the lineup.  The key will be to have the veterans get the younger players up to speed, at least enough to keep the more experienced offense on the field as much as possible. 

Prediction:  Fresno’s out of conference schedule will probably be too tough for the Bulldogs to go BCS bowling this year, but if head coach Pat Hill can keep his team fired up about their conference schedule, they could snag their first WAC championship since 1999.

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