College Football 2011: Power Ranking Every Program Heading Into 2011

What better time is there to look ahead than right now?

The 2010 college football season only just ended as Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers reigned supreme over the Oregon Ducks, so now it's time to look forward to the 2011 season. 

Various top 25 previews have popped up here and there, but it's time to give the smaller schools some love. Well, maybe recognition instead of love because a lot of them are pretty far down in the rankings.

From worst to best, read on to find out where your school stands going into the 2011 college football season. 

As always, be sure to leave a comment or two and tell me where you agree or disagree. I'm sure there will be a lot of the latter as this was pretty much the best way to anger fans of 119 different schools who all feel that their respective team should be higher up. 

Enjoy looking at the first complete rankings for the upcoming season of this sport we all know and love. 

120. Memphis Tigers

After going 1-11 in 2010 with their sole win against Middle Tennessee State, this team doesn’t have the offense or the defense necessary to do any better than finishing in the cellar yet again. 

119. New Mexico Lobos

After beating Wyoming in the midst of 11 losses, the Lobos are still in the hunt for 5-star offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, but one offensive lineman won’t be able to single-handedly turn around this rather inept team.

118. Buffalo Bulls

The Bulls actually shut out Rhode Island to open the season and then won one more game, but a loss to Akron to finish the season with a seven-game losing streak proves that this team is far from ascending the college football ladder by even the tiniest amount of rungs. 

117. San Jose State Spartans

The Spartans could only defeat Southern Utah in 2010, but with quarterback Jordan La Secla graduating, that one win may be a difficult thing to accomplish again. 

116. Akron Zips

Akron beat Buffalo last season, but as you can see from these rankings, that’s not much of an accomplishment. Now the run-based offense is losing starting running back Alex Allen and may find it difficult to avoid slipping farther towards the bottom of the pack. 

115. Eastern Michigan Eagles

Somehow, the Eagles managed to win two games, one against Buffalo and one in overtime against Ball State, but they’ll have to find someone other than Dwayne Priest to score the ball in 2011 as the running back will be moving on from college life. 

114. New Mexico State Aggies

This team was just six points away from a winless season as they won each of their two games by two points. Instead they came out of 2010 with a pair of wins and some hope for the next season. That hope will be proven false as the Aggies can’t score or stop other teams at all. 

113. UNLV Running Rebels

Head coach Bobby Hauk is going to try to improve this team in his second season with the program, but the two wins against New Mexico and Wyoming may prove to be too high of a bar for him to have his team jump over. 

112. Colorado State Rams

The three wins were nice in 2010 but none were against quality opponents, and the 44-0 shutout loss against Wyoming to close the season proves that these Rams are charging in the wrong direction. One good sign is that quarterback Pete Thomas was just a freshman last year and showed some potential. 

111. Bowling Green Falcons

Matt Schilz will be a sophomore at quarterback for the Falcons in 2010 and should be able to improve on his dreadful freshman campaign. It’s hard to do worse than eight touchdowns and 14 interceptions, although the wins against Marshall and Central Michigan were nice bright spots during a dismal season.

110. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

A lot of the Hilltoppers' games were close in 2010, but they only got two wins. The program boasts a strong running game and running back Bobby Rainey will be back for his senior season. Expecting more than two wins may be giving Western Kentucky too big of a hill to climb though.

109. Vanderbilt Commodores

New head coach James Franklin is going to try to turn around this SEC bottom-feeder, but we could be in store for a third-consecutive 2-10 season. Not many positions have strong players and the quarterback spot is up for grabs.

108. Louisana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

Mark Hudspeth was imported from Mississippi State to direct the football team, but this passing offense is going to have to make up for a lot of other holes on the team. One certainty is that talented tight end Ladarius Green will produce.

107. Florida Atlantic Owls

The Owls are appropriately named, as many of their players will leave you wondering “whooo whooo whooo” they are. A fairly decent defense boosted them to a 4-8 record and a similar level of success should follow in 2011. 

106. Central Michigan Chippewas

After going 3-9 with no quality wins (Hampton, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan), things aren’t looking up for the Chippewas. Defense was their calling card in 2010, but the loss of their defensive line coach to Syracuse will hurt. 

105. Wyoming Cowboys

After going 3-9 in 2010, junior Austyn Carta-Samuels, the team’s starting quarterback, used a text message to tell head coach Dave Christensen that he was leaving Wyoming. Now the Cowboys will have to rely even more on 2010’s 86th ranked scoring defense. Good luck with that.

104. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

With freshman quarterback Kolton Browning calling the shots, the Warhawks managed to win five of their 12 games in 2010. In their penultimate game, Browning threw five touchdown passes and showed off the potential that won him the job. Expect some improvement for this team in 2011.

103. Kansas Jayhawks

Much like their 3-9 2010, the Jayhawks 2011 football season is going to leave them pining for the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant during basketball season. It will be head coach Turner Gill’s second season, but it won’t go much better. 

102. Ball State Cardinals

Stan Parish is gone as head coach of Ball State after a 4-8 campaign in 2010 and Pete Lembo will replace him. Ball State has the second-best recruiting class in its conference and should see a slight improvement over last year.

101. Tulane Green Wave

The Green Wave swept over Rutgers, Rice and UTEP on the way to a 4-8 record in 2010. That’s only going to get a bit better now that quarterback Ryan Griffin has a year under his belt. 

100. North Texas Mean Green

It’s tough to take solace in any loss during a 3-9 season, but the Mean Green should be encouraged by a close 49-41 loss to Kansas State during their last game. Running back Lance Dunbar will be back for his senior season after running for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. 

99. Rice Owls

The Owls went 4-8 last season as they beat UAB, East Carolina, Houston and North Texas. They had the No. 52 scoring offense in the nation and that figures to get better as they don’t lose any key skill position players. 

98. UTEP Miners

The Miners finished their season slightly below .500 after getting blown out in the New Mexico Bowl by BYU, 52-24. This is a classic case of programs heading in opposite directions as the Miners will now have to play without key senior Trevor Vittatoe. Don’t expect to see the orange uniforms back in another bowl game. 

97. Ohio Bobcats

The Bobcats went 8-5, ending their season with a 48-21 loss to Troy in the New Orleans Bowl. But now, their entire offense will need to be revamped following the departure of dual-threat quarterback Boo Jackson.

96. Duke Blue Devils

The Blue Devils beat Navy and Virginia towards the end of the season and then finished up with a bunch of close losses. Somehow, it appears as though Duke football is actually headed in the right direction. I hope you were sitting down when you read that. 

95. Utah State Aggies

The Aggies won four games, including a great win over their fellow Utahans from BYU. Quarterback Diondre Borel will be graduating and leaving the school, but there is a good bit of talent around him, at least for a team around this level in the rankings. 

94. Marshall Thundering Herd

The Thundering Herd finished 5-7 in 2010 and won four of their last five games, proving that they are indeed headed in the right direction. The defense is what this team relies on, finishing 74th in scoring defense, and after adding a 4-star linebacker, it’s only getting better.

93. UAB Blazers

The Blazers went 4-8 last season, which included upset wins over both Southern Miss and Troy. Their 24th-ranked passing offense was led by Bryan Ellis, who will be a senior in 2011. Ellis threw 11 touchdown passes in his last three games and appears to be headed for a very good under-the-radar season. 

92. Kent State Golden Flashes

Ohio State assistant coach Darrell Hazell will take over as the head coach of the Golden Flashes, who went 5-7 in 2010 thanks to a good defense. Kent State only had 17 seniors on their roster, so they should still be fine as not all of them contributed.

91. Arkansas State Red Wolves

Hugh Freeze was promoted to head coach of the previously 4-8 Red Wolves, and he’ll look to improve the team in 2011. The team had a very good offense last season and that shouldn’t change going into next year. 

90. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The perennial cellar-dweller in the ACC only beat Vanderbilt, Duke and Presbyterian in 2010, but they did have a freshman quarterback calling the signals. Tanner Price had a pretty bad season and didn’t throw a single touchdown pass in any of his last four games, so while I would normally say that freshmen quarterbacks get better, I’m not sure he is in fact improving. 

89. Idaho Vandals

Idaho football was in the news recently as speculation abounded about whether or not it was Vandals' head coach Robb Akey who voted for TCU at No. 1 in the season-ending coaches’ poll. That might be the most publicity the team gets until the end of the 2011 season as another 6-7 season may be in store for the school.

88. Washington State Cougars

The Cougars may have only gone 2-10 last season, but they performed admirably in each of their last three games. A win against Oregon State was sandwiched between seven-point losses to California and Washington. The offense revolves around quarterback Jeff Tuel, who will be back for his junior season. 

87. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

None of Louisiana Tech’s five wins were against very good teams, but most of their losses weren’t too bad either. They managed to score 20 points against Boise State, only lost by 18 to Nevada and so on. The recruiting class is pretty decent, and the Bulldogs aren’t losing too much talent so they should do just about the same.

86. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

The Blue Raiders’ 2010 campaign ended on a sour note when they fell to Miami (Ohio) in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. It’s a shame they didn’t capitalize on that bowl bid because they most likely won’t be returning to the postseason in the near future. The offense ran through quarterback Dwight Dasher, but he was a senior in 2010 and won’t be on the team in 2011.  

85. Indiana Hoosiers

After Kevin Wilson was let go from his post at Oklahoma, he was hired as the head coach at Indiana. He’ll have a chance to improve upon 2010’s 5-7 record. He’ll have a chance to start over with Edward Wright-Baker making his first start at quarterback in 2011. 

84. Toledo Rockets

The Rockets went 8-5 and finished their season off by losing a close contest to Florida International in the Little Caesar’s Bowl thanks to a last-second field goal. Their season was not a fluke, as we’ll see in 2011. 

83. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The Scarlet Knights’ 2010 season was filled with up and downs. The roller coaster started out up high with four wins in the first six games, including a marquee victory against the BCS-bound Connecticut Huskies. But then they lost six straight at the end of the year and signed a fairly good recruiting class to replace the seniors. Next year will be better, but a bowl may be a bit of the stretch.

82. Florida International Golden Panthers

The Golden Panthers finished 7-6 after stunning Toledo with a game-winning field goal in the Little Caesars Bowl. This is one of the more underrated teams in the country and should be back, especially if the momentum carries over into 2011. The reason for the low ranking is the fact that they play in the Sun Belt Conference and get a bunch of easy wins.

81. Virginia Cavaliers

The Cavaliers thought they got a big win when they took down Miami (FL) at a time when the Hurricanes were still ranked, but Miami slipped and the win lost its luster. There wasn’t much shine on any other part of Virginia’s season and there won’t be 2011 either thanks to the loss of senior quarterback Marc Verica. 

80. Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky went 6-7 and displayed some tantalizing signs of potential in 2010, but they’ll fall way back this next season. Mike Hartline is gone. Randall Cobb is gone. Derrick Locke is gone. Ouch. 

79. Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State appeared to be a program on the upswing after beating Texas in Austin and losing to Nebraska by just a failed extra point. Unfortunately for the Cyclones, the recruiting class coming in to replace quarterback Austen Arnaud and the seniors isn’t too great, and they still lost seven games in 2010. But there is hope at least in 2011. 

78. UCLA Bruins

The Bruins hoped to turn things around in 2010, but instead went 4-8. Now they’ll have to deal with the losses of two vital defensive players, Rahim Moore and Akeem Ayers, and hope that their 86th-ranked scoring defense doesn’t get even worse.

77. Miami (Ohio) Redhawks

The Redhawks improved nine wins from 2009 to 2010, going from 1-11 to 10-4. They even beat Middle Tennessee 31-24 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl to end the season. I can guarantee that they won’t improve again, instead they’ll slip down a bit in the wins column, rendering the 2010 season as somewhat of a fluke. 

76. East Carolina Pirates

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BLACKSBURG, VA - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Dominique Davis #4 of the East Carolina Pirates runs with the ball against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

The Pirates ended their 6-7 2010 campaign with a bitter taste in their mouth, getting shelled by the Maryland Terrapins 51-20 in the Military Bowl. The Pirates still have one of the better offenses in all of college football and should be able to put up a lot of points once more in 2011 behind the arm of Dominique Davis, who may be the best quarterback you’ve never heard of thanks to his 37 touchdown passes and nine touchdown runs last season. 

75. Fresno State Bulldogs

Fresno State finished the 2010 season 8-5 after getting crushed in their bowl game. Senior quarterback Ryan Colburn played in his last game when Northern Illinois beat the Bulldogs 40-17 in the Humanitarian Bowl. With top wideout Jamel Hamler leaving for the NFL, Fresno State may have trouble making another bowl game in 2011. 

74. Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Golden Gophers only finished 3-9, but the end of their season shows that they’re officially headed in the right direction. Minnesota took down Illinois and Iowa by a combined seven points in the school’s last two games and would love for that winning streak to carry over into 2011. 

73. Mississippi Rebels

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BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 20: Brandon Bolden #34 of the Ole Miss Rebels against the Louisiana State University Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

A season that started out with a double overtime loss to Jacksonville State finished with a 4-8 record, but the Rebels played close games at the end of the season. More importantly, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli will be gone and a new quarterback will have to become acquainted with the offense to lead them to bigger and better things in this upcoming season.

72. Colorado Buffaloes

The Buffaloes finished 5-7, but the season was not quite devoid of quality wins. Colorado beat Georgia at the beginning of the year and then stampeded over Kansas State 44-36 at the end. New head coach Jon Embree takes over a team headed in the right direction.

71. SMU Mustangs

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Kyle Padron #2 of the SMU Mustangs runs the ball against the Army Black Knights during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on December 30, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez

The Mustangs are a very balanced team, both in terms of play and record. A second-consecutive 7-7 season is a strong possibility for SMU despite the loss of stud receiver Aldrick Robinson. The Mustangs would love to get the foul smell of a close, hard-fought 16-14 loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl with a strong start to 2011. 

70. Western Michigan Broncos

Western Michigan was probably the best 6-6 team that didn’t score a bowl invite in 2010. They won their last three games thanks to the 27th-ranked scoring offense and 52nd-ranked scoring defense. The incoming freshmen are not very good, but the number of seniors on the 2010 squad was small. Three of the departing seniors were offensive lineman, so they will need to be replaced quickly. 

69. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

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ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Brandon Boykin #2 of the Georgia Bulldogs tackles Orwin Smith #17 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Yellow Jackets finished the season with losses to arch-rival Georgia and then Air Force in the Independence Bowl, finishing with a losing record. Georgia Tech will always be able to run the ball with their triple-option offense, but they may not be able to score without Josh Nesbitt. When the quarterback went down with a season-ending injury, the Yellow Jackets lost their sting, giving us a sneak preview of what 2011 may be like.

68. Troy Trojans

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 18: Members of the Troy University Trojans celebrate after defeating the Ohio University Bobcats 48-21 during the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on December 18, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo

The Trojans finished 8-5 and won the New Orleans Bowl 48-21 against Ohio. Troy’s offense will always be dynamic, but the loss of Jerrel Jernigan is going to hurt. They struggled against good teams in 2010, but the offense can usually score enough points to compete with most teams. 

67. Purdue Boilermakers

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SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 04: Robert Marve #9 of the Purdue Boilermakers turns to roll out against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 4, 2010 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defated Purdue 23-12. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel

The Boilermakers struggled to a 4-8 record during a season decimated by injuries. The most notable return will be the one by quarterback Robert Marve. But Purdue will have to overcome the loss of Ryan Kerrigan, one of the best and most active defensive ends in the entire country, a sure first-round pick in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft. 

66. Army Black Knights

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PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 11: Quarterback Trent Steelman #8 of the Army Black Knights runs with the ball during the game against the Navy Midshipmen on December 11, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Midshipmen won 31-17. (Ph

Army’s 2010 season ended on a high note when it beat SMU 16-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl. But the Black Knights finished just 7-6 and rely too heavily upon quarterback Trent Steelman to move the ball. Last season may have been as good as it gets in the near future for Army. 

65. Northwestern Wildcats

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EVANSTON, IL - OCTOBER 23: Dan Persa #7 of the Northwestern Wildcats looks for a receiver against the Michigan State Spartans at Ryan Field on October 23, 2010 in Evanston, Illinois. Michigan State defeated Northwestern 35-27. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Ge

After junior quarterback Dan Persa went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Wildcats failed to win any of their final three games, including a 45-38 shootout against Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl. With Persa back, Northwestern has a chance to become bowl eligible once more. 

64. Cincinnati Bearcats

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 04: Zach Collaros #12 of the Cincinnati Bearcats throws the ball during the Big East Conference game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Nippert Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pittsburgh won 28-10. (Photo by A

Zach Collaros has one last chance to prove that his 2009 replacement of Tony Pike was no fluke. To do that, he’ll need to cut back on the mistakes that he made way too often during 2010’s 4-8 season. The offense and the defense are both talented enough for the Bearcats to compete in the Big East, but that will require a huge jump in wins. 

63. Oregon State Beavers

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CORVALLIS, OR - DECEMBER 04: Jacquizz Rodgers #1 of the Oregon State Beavers runs the ball against the Oregon Ducks during the 114th Civil War on December 4, 2010 at the Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Oregon State only won five games in a tough Pac-10 and now they have to deal with the loss of Stephen Paea. It’s tough to imagine one player making such a difference, but that’s what Paea did. It will be tough for Oregon State to get back into a bowl game without Paea and Jacquizz Rodgers. 

62. Southern Miss Golden Eagles

The Golden Eagles finished 8-5 and their season ended with a 31-28 loss to Louisville in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl. Southern Miss boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the country, and their quarterback could soon be mentioned among the nation’s best.  Austin Davis will be a senior and has thrown 53 touchdowns to just 16 interceptions in his three years as the starting quarterback. 

61. Temple Owls

The best set of Owls yet, the ones from Temple went 8-4 in 2010, giving new head coach Steve Addazio a great starting point. It will be tough to improve from that record, but the stellar defense of Temple will do their best.  The only problem is that a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball will be leaving and the recruiting hasn’t exactly gone so hot. 

60. Nevada Wolf Pack

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 09: Richard Matthews #15 of the Nevada Wolf Pack runs for a touchdown against Boston College during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park on January 9, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Wolf Pack went 13-1 in 2010, including a shocking upset of the previously-undefeated Boise State Broncos. So they should be much higher than No. 62, right? Wrong. Vai Taua and Colin Kaepernick are both leaving which immediately plunges Nevada into a rebuilding season. 

59. Kansas State Wildcats

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BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 20: Wide receiver Chris Harper #3 of the Kansas State Wildcats makes a pass reception as safety Ray Polk #26 of the Colorado Buffaloes defends at Folsom Field on November 20, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado defeated Kansas Stat

Billy Cosh was supposed to be the replacement for quarterback Carson Coffman, but he’s transferring away from Kansas State. Now the Wildcats have to find a new quarterback and a running back capable of replacing the incredibly talented Daniel Thomas. In other words, another 7-6 season may be a stretch. 

58. Arizona Wildcats

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TUCSON, AZ - DECEMBER 02: Quarterback Nick Foles #8 of the Arizona Wildcats throws a pass against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the college football game at Arizona Stadium on December 2, 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Wildcat

The Wildcats went 7-6, capping off the season with a disappointing 36-10 loss to Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl. Things are going to get better as Nick Foles gets more playing time at quarterback and scores points, while the talented defense keeps doing what it does best. 

57. Syracuse Orange

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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Ryan Nassib #12 of the Syracuse Orange looks to pass against the Kansas State Wildcats during the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 30, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty

The Orange finished off an impressive eight-win season by beating Kansas State 36-34 at Yankee Stadium in the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl. Unfortunately for Syracuse, that success may be difficult to maintain in 2011 because their 17th-ranked scoring defense had 15 seniors playing. 

56. Louisville Cardinals

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LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 20: Jeremy Wright #28 of the Louisville Cardinals runs with the ball during the Big East Conference game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Phot

The Cardinals outlasted Southern Miss 31-28 in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl at the finish of a 7-6 2010 campaign. With a top-20 recruiting class, they’ll have a chance at seeing the same type of success. But the loss of quarterback Adam Froman and running back Bilal Powell will make any sort of improvement tough. 

55. Illinois Fighting Illini

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CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 20: Nathan Scheelhaase #2 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs pursued by Brian Arnfelt #91 of the Northwestern Wilcats during a game played at Wrigley Field on November 20, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Illinois defeated Northwestern 48-2

Illinois fans are going to have the pleasure of watching Mikel Leshoure run again, but it will be in the NFL after he entered his name into the NFL Draft pool. That’s going to leave a gaping void in the offense. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (yes, I spelled that right on my first try) is going to have to shoulder more of a load in both the running and passing game to make a repeat of 2010’s 7-6 season a possibility. 

54. Clemson Tigers

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CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 31: Tajh Boyd #10 of the Clemson Tigers drops back to pass against the USF Bulls during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 31, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

After falling to the South Florida Bulls in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, the Clemson Tigers slipped below .500 to 6-7. Without Kyle Parker and Da’Quan Bowers on the roster in 2011, that may be just about how the Tigers finish this upcoming season. 

53. California Golden Bears

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BERKELEY, CA - NOVEMBER 20: Members of the California Golden Bears marching band run on to the field for their game against the Stanford Cardinal at California Memorial Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Imag

Running back Shane Vereen and quarterback Kevin Riley won’t be back for an offense that needs to score more points. California only won five games in a tough Pac-10, but they showed a lot of potential late in the year. Losing by two points to the Oregon Ducks and holding the quick Oregon offense to just 15 is incredible. 

52. Northern Illinois Huskies

Northern Illinois ran its way to an 11-3 record and a 40-17 win over Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl, but they lose a key component of the offense. Running back Chad Spann will have moved on from the Huskies, and his 22 touchdowns on the ground are going to be incredibly difficult to replace. Fortunately for the Huskies, quarterback Chandler Harnish and most of the 14th-ranked scoring defense will be back. 

51. Boston College Eagles

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 09: Chase Rettig #7 of Boston College in action against the Nevada Wolf Pack in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park on January 9, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Eagles won seven games and only lost by seven points to Nevada in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, but they weren’t exactly buoyed by a high-flying offense. That needs to change if they’re going to improve, and it should now that Chase Rettig has a year under his belt. 

50. Washington Huskies

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SEATTLE - OCTOBER 30: Running back Chris Polk #1 of the Washington Huskies rushes against the Stanford Cardinal on October 30, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Stanford won 41-0. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Washington proved that it could play with the elite teams in the country when it beat Nebraska 19-7 in the Holiday Bowl. The problem now is that Jake Locker will no longer be calling the signals, and Locker was the clear nucleus of the team. There’s too much talent at Washington for the Huskies to slip back down into the depths of the college football rankings, but they don’t belong at the top without Locker. 

49. Iowa Hawkeyes

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TEMPE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Runningback Marcus Coker #34 of the Missouri Tigers runs with the football against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the Insight Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Hawkeyes won eight games in 2010, including a 27-24 victory over Missouri in the Insight Bowl. However, the three straight losses at the end of Big Ten play do not bode well for the 2011 season, especially when you consider the fact that they’ll be missing Adam Robinson, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Ricky Stanzi on offense. 

48. Hawaii Warriors

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HONOLULU - SEPTEMBER 2: Quarterback Bryant Moniz #17 of the University of Hawaii Warriors makes a pass against the University of Southern California Trojans during first half action at Aloha Stadium September 2, 2010 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Kent N

Hawaii’s ridiculous passing offense, the best in the country, put up the 10th most points in the nation and won 10 games in 2010 despite losing to Tulsa in the Hawaii Bowl. Quarterback Bryant Moniz will be back, but he’ll be protected by four new starters on the offensive line. His three top receivers all graduated as well and the defense lost five starters. 2011 could see Hawaii experience a bit of a decline. 

47. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech possesses another great passing offense, one that led them to eight wins and a victory over Northwestern in the TicketCity Bowl. All but seven starters will return for the Red Raiders, but one of those graduating is quarterback Taylor Potts. Seth Doege will have some rather large shoes to fill when he takes over the offense. 

46. South Florida Bulls

One of the Big East’s surprise teams, the Bulls fought their way to an 8-5 season that culminated in a 31-26 win over Clemson in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. South Florida even came within three points of beating Connecticut, the eventual Big East champions.

This may be as good as it gets for South Florida though as the Bulls only return five starters on offense and six on defense.  While the Bulls were ranked No. 22 in scoring defense, the loss of all but Cory Grissom on the defensive line will push that number way higher in 2011. 

45. Michigan Wolverines

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COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Denard Robinson #16 of the Michigan Wolverines drops back to pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Denard Robinson ran and passed his way to a 5-0 start, but then Big Ten play started and the Wolverines finished just 7-6, including a 52-14 loss to Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl. Even though the Wolverines return 18 of 22 starters, we could be in for a similar story. Michigan just isn’t good enough on defense to let even their elite offense stay in the game, even with Brady Hoke as the new head coach.  

44. Navy Midshipmen

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PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 11: Punt returner Josh Jackson #14 of the Army Black Knights fumbles the ball during a game against the Navy Midshipmen on December 11, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Midshipmen won 31-17. (Photo

Navy’s triple-option offense ran to a 9-4 season that finished in a 34-14 loss to San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl. Now, they will struggle to achieve similar results without quarterback and leader Ricky Dobbs. Dobbs’ 27 total touchdowns are going to be incredibly difficult to replace as the triple-option is a tough offense for any quarterback to learn. 

43. North Carolina Tar Heels

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - OCTOBER 10: Ryan Houston #32 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates with teammate Dwight Jones #83 after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Kenan Stadium on October 10, 2009 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (

The Tar Heels earned an 8-5 record and a double-overtime victory against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl despite the year-long suspension of Marvin Austin.  Now we’ll see if they can do as well without starting quarterback T.J. Yates. It will be a difficult season for North Carolina. 

42. Miami (Florida) Hurricanes

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EL PASO, TX - DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Jacory Harris #12 of the Miami Hurricanes throws against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Hyundai Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl on December 30, 2010 in El Paso, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Brandon Harris and Allen Bailey are going to be tough for the defense to replace, but if Jacory Harris can improve and live up to the lofty expectations, Miami may actually have a good season and become somewhat relevant again. The Hurricanes struggled to a 7-6 record and a loss to Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl in 2010. Similar results should be expected. 

41. Connecticut Huskies

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Robbie Frey #44 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts after his 95-yard kick return for a touchdown in the third quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2

Going from playing in the Fiesta Bowl to the No. 43 ranking has to be tough for the Connecticut Huskies. But what else do you expect when you lose your starting quarterback, Zach Frazer, and your best player, running back Jordan Todman? Nine returning starters on defense will help, but there are no BCS bowl games in the near future for this squad. 

40. Houston Cougars

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PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Case Keenum #7 of the Houston Cougars at the game against the UCLA Bruins in the second quarter at the Rose Bowl on September 18, 2010 in Pasadena, California. UCLA won 31-13. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

You can throw out all the numbers from 2010. I’m not even going to mention a single one here. The only thing that matters is that Case Keenum is back from his season-ending injury. Remember that Keenum was talked about as a dark-horse candidate going into 2010. With three starting receivers returning and eight starters on a quickly improving defense, this team should be much better than last season.

39. Central Florida Knights

Central Florida finished the season ranked No. 25 with an 11-3 record and a victory over Georgia in the Liberty Bowl. But then the Knights lost their defensive coordinators and seven starters on the defensive side of the ball. So much for having the eighth-best scoring defense again in 2011. 

38. Air Force Falcons

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LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 18: Quarterback Tim Jefferson Jr. #7 of the Air Force Falcons hands the ball off during a game against the UNLV Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium November 18, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Air Force won 35-20. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Ima

The Falcons are losing 11 starters between the defense and the offense, so it may be unrealistic to expect a repeat of 2010’s 9-4 record. Air Force, last year, played well throughout and finished the year with a 14-7 win over Georgia Tech in the Independence Bowl. Part of the challenge will be preparing the new starters on offense to run the triple-option effectively, but they will finish the year strong. 

37. Pittsburgh Panthers

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 04: Tino Sunseri #12 of the Pittsburgh Panthers throws the ball during the Big East Conference game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pittsburgh won 28-10. (Photo by An

The Panthers went 8-5, finishing the year off with a great win over Kentucky in the Compass Bowl. But without Dion Lewis and Jonathan Baldwin (who I maintain is the best receiver nobody knew about during the 2010 season), it’s going to be a struggle to be quite as successful. 

36. West Virginia Mountaineers

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ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 28: Geno Smith #12 of the West Virginia Mountineers warms up during the Champs Sports Bowl against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Ge

The Mountaineers won nine games and made it to the Champs Sports Bowl in 2010 thanks to a stifling defense that allowed just 13.5 points per game, the third-lowest average in the country. But now, they only return four starters from that defensive squad and will be hard-pressed to perform as well. Geno Smith and Tavon Austin will also have to work extra hard to make up for the loss of Noel Devine on the offense. Fortunately, the Mountaineers got used to not having an Devine inspiration during his injury-plauged season. 

35. Tennessee Volunteers

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COLUMBIA, SC - OCTOBER 30: Tyler Bray #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Volunteers fought their way to a .500 record before losing to North Carolina in double overtime at the Music City Bowl. With seven starters returning on both sides of the ball, the Vols will have a good chance to improve on last season’s late success. Tyler Bray showed that he has a lot of potential as a signal-caller and will get better as he gains more experience.

34. Penn State Nittany Lions

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 1: Quarterback Matt McGloin #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions passes against the Florida Gators January 1, 2010 in the 25th Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Penn State had one of the more disappointing seasons in the country as they finished just 7-6 with a loss to Florida in the Outback Bowl. While Joe Paterno will be back, running back Evan Royster will not. That means that either Matt McGloin or Rob Bolden will need to pick it up at the quarterback position to avoid slipping even further down in the rankings. 

33. Baylor Bears

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AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 8: Quarterback Robert Griffin #10 of the Baylor Bears passes the bal downfield during the game against the Texas Longhorns on November 8, 2008 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. Texas won 45-21. (Photo by B

After a disappointing 7-6 season which saw the Bears lose to Illinois 38-14 in the Texas Bowl, a de facto home game, it’s becoming harder and harder for me to justify keeping Baylor this far up in the rankings. They do after all return just five starters on defense. The reason for the lofty spot is Robert Griffin III. He’s too talented to let this team perform poorly. 

32. Utah Utes

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SAN DIEGO - NOVEMBER 20: Quarterback Jordan Wynn #3 of the Utah Utes throws a pass against the San Deigo State Aztecs at Qualcomm Stadium on November 20, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Between the offense and defense, the Utes return just 12 starters from 2010’s 10-3 team that lost to Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata will both be missing from the offense, but quarterback Jordan Wynn will be back, stronger than ever. Utah will be nowhere near a 10-win caliber team in 2011, but they’ll still be playing in a decent bowl game. 

31. Maryland Terrapins

The Terrapins sent head coach Ralph Friedgen out in style with a 51-20 win over East Carolina in the Military Bowl to earn the team’s ninth win of the season. Now Randy Edsall must lead a Maryland team that returns just seven players on both offense and defense. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, standout wide receiver and return ace Torrey Smith is not one of those players. 

30. Arizona State Sun Devils

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TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 13: Quarterback Steven Threet #14 of the Arizona State Sun Devils throws a pass against the Stanford Cardinal at Sun Devil Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The Sun Devils only won six games in 2010 and failed to secure an invite to even the worst of the myriad bowl games, but that should change in 2011. All 11 starters are returning on offense and another nine will remain in the defensive starting lineup. Steven Threet, Arizona State’s quarterback, will have benefited from a year of learning the offense and will carry the Sun Devils along with him. 

29. San Diego State Aztecs

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SAN DIEGO - NOVEMBER 20: Running back Ronnie Hillman #13 of the San Deigo State Aztecs carries the ball on a five yard touchdown run in the second quarter against the Utah Utes at Qualcomm Stadium on November 20, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by

New head coach Rocky Long takes over a squad that went 9-4 last season, finishing with a 21-point shellacking of Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Aztecs return seven players that made the 2010 All-MWC Team, including Ronnie Hillman. Hillman is a good bet to match his 1,532 yards and 17 touchdowns from 2010 while running behind an offensive line that returns four starters. 

28. Nebraska Cornhuskers

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 04: Quarterback Taylor Martinez #3 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers drops back to pass against the Oklahoma Sooners during the Big 12 Championship at Cowboys Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/

As talented as Taylor Martinez is, I’m not sure that he can lead his team to anything better than the 10-win season they had in 2010. Now, Martinez will not only have to make sure his head is screwed on straight, but he will also have to overcome the loss of Niles Paul, Roy Helu and three members of the offensive line. The vaunted defense will take a hit as well, specifically in the secondary. Washington beat this team in the Holiday Bowl and it could very well be the beginning of a slide down the rankings. 

27. BYU Cougars

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FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 16: Quarterback Jake Heaps #9 of the Brigham Young University Cougars throws a pass against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington

The Cougars finished off 2010 in a very strong fashion, winning six of their last eight games with the sole losses coming against TCU and Utah (by one point). The final game was a 52-24 blowout of UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl. Now the Cougars return 10 starters on offense.

26. North Carolina State Wolf Pack

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ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 28: Russell Wilson #16 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack rushes with the ball during the Champs Sports Bowl against the West Virginia Mountineers at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo b

When the dust cleared after North Carolina State’s 23-7 win over West Virginia in the Champ Sports Bowl, it revealed a sparkling 9-4 record. We should expect something similar from this Wolf Pack squad that returns eight starters on each side of the ball.  

25. Florida Gators

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 1: Quarterback Trey Burton #8 of the Florida Gators rushes upfield against the Penn State Nittany Lions January 1, 2010 in the 25th Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Trey Burton can do it all and John Brantley has yet to play up to his potential, but the Florida Gators still aren’t ready to ascend back up into the ranks of the truly elite teams. New head coach Will Muschamp will have the difficult task of replacing six lost starters on defense and improving upon last season’s eight wins in a tough SEC.

24. Georgia Bulldogs

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ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Aaron Murray #11 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Despite the loss of the best wide receiver in the country, A.J. Green, the Bulldogs will improve drastically upon last year’s 6-7 record. Aaron Murray, just a freshman last year, is already one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and may even be a dark-horse Heisman candidate. On defense, the Bulldogs will miss Justin Houston, but the eight returning starters will be much better in year two of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s new defensive system.

23. Virginia Tech Hokies

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BLACKSBURG, VA - NOVEMBER 04: Wide receiver Jarrett Boykin #81 of the Virginia Tech Hokies runs against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Lane Stadium on November 4, 2010 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

After losing their first two games to Boise State and James Madison, the Hokies reeled off 10 straight victories before falling to Stanford 40-12 in the Orange Bowl. Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Williams will both be gone, putting the Hokies offense into somewhat of a tough situation. On defense, the loss of Rashad Carmichael will hurt as well. Getting back to 10 wins is going to be truly difficult. 

22. Arkansas Razorbacks

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Knile Davis #7 of the Arkansas Razorbacks runs the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty

After losing in heartbreaking fashion to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, the Razorbacks remained stuck at 10 wins in 2010. That’s not anything to be ashamed of, but it will be tough to match in 2011 without the strong arm of Ryan Mallett. Only six starters return on offense and seven on defense. Arkansas will not be as big a factor in the SEC this year as they were last year. 

21. Missouri Tigers

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COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 13: Receiver T.J. Moe #28 of the Missouri Tigers carries the ball as Tre Walker #50 of the Kansas State Wildcats defends during the game on November 13, 2010 at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie

When Blaine Gabbert declared that he would leave school early to enter in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Tigers took a step backwards, but it wasn’t a leap. Missouri still returns 9 starters on offense and six on defense, including five All-Big 12 members between the two. The Tigers were 10-2 going into the Insight Bowl, but a 27-24 loss to Iowa dropped them to 10-3. Missouri fans should expect a similar story to unfold in 2011. 

20. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

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SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 30: G.J. Kinne #4 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane throws a pass against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes at Notre Dame Stadium on October 30, 2010 in South Bend, Indiana. Tulsa defeated Notre Dame 28-27. (Photo by Jonathan Danie

The Golden Hurricane returns 19 starters, including All-Conference USA players G.J. Kinne, Damaris Johnson, Clint Anderson and Marco Nelson. Tulsa went 10-3 in 2010, getting the win total into double-digits with a 62-35 trouncing of Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl. That may be the floor for this team. Double-digit wins seem to be a lock.

19. Texas Longhorns

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AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 25: University of Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert #8 rushes during the first half against Texas A&M at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2010 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)

It’s hard to justify having Texas this high in the rankings, but as a fan, I just can’t help it. Garrett Gilbert showed none of the potential he was supposed to have during 2010 and needs to learn to throw the ball more than three yards past the line of scrimmage. The seven returning starters on each side of the ball will have to play with much more heart. This team has unlimited potential, especially with the best overall recruiting class, but it remains to be seen if this is just me being a homer. 

18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Michael Floyd #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against the Army Black Knights at Yankee Stadium on November 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

With yet another strong recruiting class, could this be the year that Notre Dame finally regains some of its relevancy as a national power? Maybe so after last season’s disappointing 8-5 campaign, which ended in a 33-17 victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the Sun Bowl. Michael Floyd is the best of the 19 returning starters. 

17. Southern California Trojans

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PASADENA, CA - DECEMBER 04: Quarterback Matt Barkley #7 of the USC Trojans drops back to pass against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at the Rose Bowl on December 4, 2010 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

The Trojans are the forgotten-about team because of the postseason sanctions, but Matt Barkley is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and should easily guide this team into the top 25. They won eight games in 2010 and return seven starters on each side of the ball. 

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Chris Relf #36 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs rushes against the Michigan Wolverines during the Gator Bowl at EverBank Field on January 1, 2011 in Jacksonville, Florida (Photo by Rick Dole/Getty Images)

It may not seem like it, but Chris Relf and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are quickly morphing into SEC contenders. The team won nine games in 2010, including a 52-14 blowout of Michigan in the Gator Bowl. Losing offensive tackle Derek Sherrod will hurt, but the talent at Mississippi State will overcome the hole left by the massive lineman. 

15. Wisconsin Badgers

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Wide receiver Nick Toon #1 of the Wisconsin Badgers lines up against the TCU Horned Frogs during the 97th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The Badgers finished the season ranked No. 5 after losing to the TCU Horned Frogs in the Rose Bowl and dropping to 11-2. The problem at this elite football school is that not too many players are returning. Only five starters on offense remain. Scott Tolzien, David Gilreath, Lance Kendricks, Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt are not among them. On defense, just six starters will be back.

Wisconsin is too good to drop from the top 20, but they will not be back in a BCS Bowl. 

14. Michigan State Spartans

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ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 01: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Michigan State Spartans warms up during the Capitol One Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Florida Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Spartans’ only two losses in 2010 came late in the season to Iowa and in the Capitol One Bowl against Alabama. There will be more than two losses in 2011 as Michigan State will be without its top two tacklers. Greg Jones, an All-American and the nation’s top tackler, and fellow linebacker Eric Gordon will both be gone, as will three other starters on defense. 

13. TCU Horned Frogs

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 6: Ed Wesley #34 of the TCU Horned Frogs cuts back during a game against the Utah Utes during the first half of an NCAA football game November 6, 2010 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Gett

TCU rattled off 13 straight wins in 2010, culminating in a 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Now they will return just five starters apiece on offense and defense. Both Andy Dalton and Jeremy Kerley will be missing from the Horned Frogs roster, but head coach Gary Patterson is a master at finding talent. It’ll be a new-look squad but TCU will be up there in 2011.

Beating Boise State is going to be the game that could keep them from going undefeated now that the Broncos are in the Mountain West Conference as well, at least until TCU leaves for the Big East in 2012.               

12. Texas A&M Aggies

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Texas A&M Aggies looks to throw a pass against the Louisiana State University Tigers during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Chris

Once Ryan Tannehill took over as the starting quarterback, the Aggies won six-straight games before losing to LSU in the Cotton Bowl. Tannehill should navigate the Aggies through a season of similar success in 2011, thanks to the fact that there are 10 returning starters on offense. Center Matt Allen will be the only missing piece. 

11. Auburn Tigers

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Michael Dyer #5 of the Auburn Tigers looks on against the Oregon Ducks during the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty

The defending national champions will most likely not repeat in 2011. The loss of Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and stud defensive tackle Nick Fairley will cripple those hopes. Auburn only returns four starters on each side of the ball, and it will be up to running back Michael Dyer to pick up the slack left behind by so many of his teammates. This will be a completely different team than it was in 2010. 

10. South Carolina Gamecocks

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ATLANTA - DECEMBER 4: Running back Marcus Lattimore #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks runs with the ball during the 2010 SEC Championship against the Auburn Tigers at Georgia Dome on December 4, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty I

The Gamecocks lost the Chick-fil-A Bowl to Florida State, but it’s hard to judge them based on that because Marcus Lattimore was knocked out of the game early. The offense will run through Lattimore in 2011, and the soon-to-be sophomore running back could be a Heisman candidate if he can carry his team to anything better than last season’s 9-5 record. 

9. Florida State Seminoles

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 01: Quarterback E.J. Manuel #3 of the Florida State Seminoles prepares to hand the ball off against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl on January 1, 2010 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jac

Florida State won 10 games last year, including a year-ending win against South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Now they add the nation’s second-best recruiting class and return eight starters on both offense and defense. The key loss will be quarterback Christian Ponder, but E.J. Manuel has proven to be a more than capable replacement. 

8. Ohio State Buckeyes

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks to pass against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin

The first thing to talk about is the suspension levied against Terrelle Pryor, Boom Herron, Devier Posey, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas. Those players will all miss the first five games (right now at least), but only the game against Michigan State will be tough without their services. Ohio State could still come out of that stretch undefeated. Another 12-1 season seems unlikely, but it could definitely happen. Ohio State is a football powerhouse that never seems to skip a beat. 

7. Boise State Broncos

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LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 22: Quarterback Kellen Moore #11 of the Boise State Broncos warms up before playing against the Utah Utes in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boise State Won 26-3. (Photo by Et

Moving to the Mountain West Conference shouldn’t prove to be too much of a problem for the Boise State Broncos. Now it will be TCU instead of Nevada that gives them the most trouble. Wide receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young will be gone, as will six other starters from 2010’s 12-1 squad, but Kellen Moore is more than talented enough to make up for the losses. 

6. Oregon Ducks

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: LaMichael James #21 of the Oregon Ducks runs down field against the Auburn Tigers during the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christia

We’ll know early on into the 2011 season if these Ducks are for real when they play LSU in the opening week. Oregon lost in the national championship game last season but they probably won’t be back after losing six players on defense that combined to make over 70 starts. Darron Thomas and LaMichael James are both back on offense, but even the fast-paced Ducks may not be able to completely make up for the problems on defense. 

5. Oklahoma State Cowboys

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STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Brandon Weeden #3 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys walks off the field after failing to make a first down against the Oklahoma Sooners at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Photo b

If you were looking for the surprise team in my rankings, this is it.  To justify this ranking, the Cowboys defense is going to have to improve and the five new starters will have to play extraordinarily well. But in the Big 12, you don’t win games with defense. Offense reigns supreme.

With Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden returning along with eight other starters, this is the best offense in the country. The only missing contributor is Kendall Hunter and as good as he was, the combination of Joseph Randle and Herschel Sims should help the offense avoid skipping a beat. 

4. LSU Tigers

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Running back Michael Ford #42 of the LSU Tigers runs the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Tigers finished off a great 2010 season by getting their 11th win in a 41-24 win over Texas A&M at the Cotton Bowl. The losses of Terrence Tolliver, Stevan Ridley, Drake Nevis and Patrick Peterson will hurt significantly, but this LSU squad is talented enough to fill in those holes. Michael Ford, for example, is a good enough running back that Ridley won’t be sorely missed. 

3. Stanford Cardinal

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MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 03: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal throws pass against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 3, 2011 in Miami, Florida. Stanford won 40-12. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty

The return of Andrew Luck should make all the difference. Without him, the Cardinal would have slipped out of the top 10, but now they have a chance to compete for the national title. New head coach David Shaw will have his work cut out for him as Stanford looks to improve upon 2010’s 12-1 record. With only five returning starters on offense and six on defense, that will be a tough task. 

2. Oklahoma Sooners

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Ryan Broyles #85 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks on against the Connecticut Huskies during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty I

The Sooners went 12-2 during 2010 and finished off their season with a 48-20 destruction of Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl. With the exception of DeMarco Murray, they return virtually every important starter. Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles should both enter into the Heisman discussion at various points throughout this season. Expect the Sooners to hover near the top of the rankings, if not at the very top, for the entire season. 

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

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BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 06: Trent Richardson #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide avoids a tackle by Stefoin Francois #23 of the Louisiana State University Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 6, 2010 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Gett

The Crimson Tide finished their 2010 season in dominant fashion with a 49-7 win over Michigan State in the Capitol One Bowl to earn their 10th win of the year. They’ll have to overcome the loss of Mark Ingram, Greg McElroy and Julio Jones among others, but Trent Richardson should be able to help with that. Plus, defense is Alabama’s calling card and Marcell Dareus is the only exiting starter. Alabama should be in the hunt for another national championship.