Pac-10
No current college football program has held a stranglehold on their conference’s championship like the USC Trojans. The Trojans will be looking for their seventh straight Pac-10 title, and most pundits are pointing to their stiffest competition being the Arizona State Sun Devils. But my Pac-10 sleeper could very well beat both USC and Arizona State.
The Oregon Ducks will look to build off of a 56-21 thumping of South Florida in last season’s bowl game.
The new breed of Oregon quarterback is a dual-threat who’s equally as dangerous with his legs as he is with his arm, and probable starter Nate Costa fits the bill. Costa will be put in a position to succeed right away in Chip Kelly's spread option attack, and he has the tools to put up solid numbers.
The running game won't see much of a drop-off as former super-sub Jeremiah Johnson looks to blossom into a dynamite full-time player. He's the total package who does all the little things well and will be running behind a veteran offensive line.
Subs Andre Crenshaw and LeGarrette Blount will share backup duties, as the Ducks will utilize the talents of three different running styles.
The Ducks boast a dominating left side of the line that will be the focus of the offense’s running plays and quarterback’s rollouts. Junior tight end Ed Dickson and senior receiver Jaison Williams lead a group of young but talented receivers.
The Ducks lose little from Nick Aliotti’s ball-hawking unit, retaining all six of the players who earned all-conference recognition a year ago. Up front, ends Nick Reed and Will Tukuafu are talented pass rushers who can also defend the run.
The Jerome Boyd-led linebackers have a chance to be the best group in Eugene in years. The secondary, featuring Patrick Chung, Jairus Byrd, and Walter Thurmond, will be among the best in the West.
If the Ducks can pick up steam through their first few games, they will be a tough bunch to beat.
ACC
The anointed one this season in the ACC has been the Clemson Tigers, but the ACC Atlantic Division has another team that could give the Tigers a run for their money. My sleeper in the ACC is last season’s Atlantic Division Champs: the Boston College Eagles.
Jeff Jagodzinski’s squad has been mostly overlooked this offseason. Losing an all-everything quarterback to the NFL, as well as last season’s top two rushers, a top offensive lineman, and three second team All-ACC defensive players will make people overlook you. But a closer look at the Eagles reveals that the cupboard isn’t nearly as bare as first thought.
Stepping in for Matt Ryan will be fifth-year senior Chris Crane, who is surprisingly quick at 6’4” and 236 pounds, and who has a more than capable arm and two invaluable seasons as Ryan’s backup. The Eagles return three players that caught at least 50 passes from last season’s receiving corps.
Boston College is rarely lacking in big, physical linemen who hold up well at the point of attack. This season will be no different. A year after leading the ACC in sacks allowed, the Eagles will again be solid.
36 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete