College Football 2011: 16 Most Exciting Teams in the Country

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Does your team have the juice?

You know what I mean. Does your team have that special player you can't take your eyes off because you just never know what might happen when he touches the ball?

Oregon's LaMichael James is that type of player; so is Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles.

It could also come from the type of offense your team runs, or maybe because it has a shutdown defense that flies around the field and lays down some serious hits.

Whatever it is, not every team has the juice.

Read on and you'll learn who the 16 most exciting teams are for 2011.

16. Brigham Young

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For BYU, it all starts with quarterback Jake Heaps.

It took Heaps a few games last year to get settled in, but he finished strong—13 touchdowns in the final five games.

Heaps is a big reason why many feel BYU could be a surprise team this season.

The Cougars' first season as an independent could result in a banner season.

15. Texas A&M

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This time last year, most Texas A&M fans knew very little about Ryan Tannehill.

Now he's the face of the program because of how he performed in relief of Jerrod Johnson in the final six games of the season.

Tannehill finished 2010 with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions as the Aggies went 5-1 with him as a starter.

Bruising running back Cyrus Gray provides the offensive balance that Mike Sherman demands. Gray rushed for 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

14. Virginia Tech

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There might be some uneasy feelings among Virginia Tech's fans as they go into this season without Tyrod Taylor at quarterback.

For those fans who went to the spring game, they quickly realized Frank Beamer has another stud at the position in the heralded Logan Thomas.

Helping to take the pressure off Thomas is one of the deepest groups of receivers in the ACC.

Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale are both seniors and the top two returners. Next up are Marcus Davis and Dyrell Roberts.

It also helps that David Wilson is returning in the backfield, and his workload should increase considerably over last year's 113 carries.

13. Wisconsin

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Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema was already expecting to give Big Ten foes a steady dose of Montee Ball and James White out of the backfield.

With the addition of former North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson, the Badgers add one of the nation's best dual-threat options.

Wilson hasn't won the job yet, but most outsiders feel he'll earn the starting spot.

Wilson instantly upgrades Wisconsin's excitement factor by at least 40 percent.

12. Missouri

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Even with Blaine Gabbert leaving early for the NFL, Missouri returns one of the nation's best offenses.

If James Franklin develops into the quarterback Gary Pinkel believes he can be, the Tigers may actually compete with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M for the Big 12 title.

Franklin will rely on T.J. Moe to be his possession receiver, while tight end Michael Egnew is a big target defenses struggle to cover.

Once again, the Tigers will be a tough team to beat in Columbia.

11. Arkansas

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So what if Arkansas doesn't have Ryan Mallett throwing the ball this fall?

With Tyler Wilson at quarterback and Bobby Petrino running the show, the Razorbacks are going to score points in bunches again.

Wilson has four of the SEC's best receivers—Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Cobi Hamilton and Greg Childs—at his disposal.

Adams is the top returner after pulling down 50 passes for 813 yards, while Childs had 46 for 659 before going down with an injury. Wright had 42 catches for 788 yards, and Hamilton added 32 for 630.

To balance things out is tailback Knile Davis, who rushed for 1,322 yards.

10. Tulsa

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Before you start mumbling to yourself, "Is this guy crazy?" take a closer look at Tulsa.

The Golden Hurricane averaged 41.4 points a game last season and have a talent in quarterback G.J. Kinne.

He threw for 3,650 yards and 31 touchdowns. He had four or more touchdown passes in three games last year and played a key role in Tulsa's upset win at Notre Dame.

Kinne will also tuck the ball away and make some big plays with his feet.

Tulsa is also a legitimate Conference USA contender.

9. Hawaii

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For about a decade now, Hawaii has loved to air it out and throw up as many points as possible.

Of course, the Warriors defense has also been porous during this stretch.

Right now it's Bryant Moniz's turn to be the gunslinger for Hawaii. Moniz completed 65 percent of his passes for more than 5,000 yards last season. He also had 39 touchdowns.

8. West Virginia

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Until the failed three-year run with Jeff Mullen as the offensive coordinator, West Virginia's offense was ranked annually as one of the more exciting units in the nation.

Now with offensive mastermind Dana Holgorsen taking over the play-calling in Morgantown, the locals are talking big things.

With quarterback Geno Smith back and some new schemes, the Mountaineers could put up some crazy statistics like Holgorsen did with Oklahoma State last year.

WVU also has a slew of speedy receivers, including Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey.

7. Boise State

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Boise State's offense is a thing of beauty.

Kellen Moore's accuracy and the perfection with which the Broncos execute is why opposing coaches flock to Idaho to chat with Chris Petersen.

The only downfall this season is Boise doesn't have the same firepower that it had last year at wide receiver.

What also makes Boise so much fun to watch is the stout defense, which is led by defensive tackle Billy Winn.

6. Stanford

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Name someone on Stanford's roster not named Andrew Luck.

If you aren't a Stanford fan, you'd be lucky to name three.

Well, Luck is a special talent, and because of his throwing and running ability, he becomes the main attraction every time the Cardinal play.

Luck is a Heisman favorite, and that makes him marketable and worth the time to watch Stanford play when you can.

5. Oklahoma

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Oklahoma just might be the most well-rounded team in the nation. Not that exciting, heh?

Take a closer look and you'll see some of the most explosive talent in the game, starting with quarterback Landry Jones.

Jones threw for 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns, as the Sooners had one of the more prolific offenses in the nation.

What makes Oklahoma even more fun to watch are the Sooners' two dynamic receivers—Ryan Broyles and Kenny Stills.

Oklahoma's defense is equally impressive. Led by All-American Travis Lewis, the Sooners defense can take over a game.

4. Alabama

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When you think of exciting teams, you normally look at the offense.

With Trent Richardson running the ball, Alabama has plenty to get excited about.

However, when you think of the Crimson Tide, what should get you pumped up is that hard-hitting defense.

That's right: Mark Barron, Dont'a Hightower, Robert Lester, Courtney Upshaw and so on are what make Alabama one of the most exciting teams this fall.

3. Michigan

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The offense may not be the same under Brady Hoke as it was under Rich Rodriguez, but with Denard Robinson at quarterback the Wolverines won't be lacking for excitement.

Robinson is the prototypical player who can make a big play happen at any time...even when hope seems lost.

The explosive offense gets the fans fired up, but Michigan hopes to improve on offense this year so Robinson's exploits actually lead to more wins.

2. Oklahoma State

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It's hard to imagine that Oklahoma State's offensive performance won't slip a bit without Dana Holgorsen calling the plays.

However, don't be surprised if the Cowboys execute with near perfection all season, as they have one of the most complete offenses in the nation.

Brandon Weeden should come close to his 2010 numbers, which included 4,277 yards, 34 touchdowns and 67 percent completions.

Weeden's top target Justin Blackmon is back, and the offensive line is one of the best in the Big 12.

The offensive line is also top-notch, so the only weakness at this point is finding an adequate replacement for running back Kendall Hunter.

1. Oregon

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While Chip Kelly's offense hasn't fared so well in back-to-back BCS bowl games, the talent and system are the most exciting combination in the game today.

The Ducks must fill some holes on the offensive line, but with Kelly calling the plays and Darron Thomas leading the offense, the Ducks are going to have one of the country's best offenses again.

Thomas gets more than enough help with Heisman favorite LaMichael James running the ball. James rushed for 1,731 yards and 21 touchdowns last year.

The excitement for this team is accentuated by the fact it opens against LSU.