Power Ranking the Top 50 College Football Programs for 2012

It seems like just yesterday that everyone was sitting around, analyzing spring ball, talking about the upcoming 2011 season and debating about topics like Alabama’s quarterback battle, Oklahoma’s legitimacy and Boise State’s national title hopes.

And now, here we are, just a few weeks away from watching LSU and Alabama battle it out in the BCS championship game down in New Orleans on Jan. 9.

Time truly flies.

Before we know it, it'll be spring time once again, and we'll be getting all geared up for the upcoming 2012 season.

Since we still don't know the decisions of many of the big-name underclassmen players who have the option of returning to school or jumping to the NFL, it's still a little too early to be forecasting and predicting who the top teams will be for next season.

But it's never too early to get a jump start, so here's a look at the 50 most powerful programs for the 2012 season.

Honorable Mention

Central Florida Knights

Connecticut Huskies

Fresno State Bulldogs

Kentucky Wildcats

Northwestern Wildcats

Penn State Nittany Lions

Pittsburgh Panthers

Purdue Boilermakers

SMU Mustangs

Syracuse Orange

Vanderbilt Commodores

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Washington State Cougars

Wyoming Cowboys

50. Utah Utes

Utah’s first season in the Pac-12 was both an adventure and a disappointment, as the Utes ended up finishing just 7-5.

Still, with the type of talent that Kyle Whittingham’s squad has coming back in 2012, you would have to expect Utah to make a stronger run in the South division next season.

If QB Jordan Wynn can get back to full health, and if RB John White IV can replicate the success he had this season, as he rushed for over 1,400 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, the Utes should have one of the top offenses in the Pac-12 next year.

Yes, the losses of tackles Tony Bergstrom and John Cullen are tough blows, but with the entire interior of the offensive line set to return, they can be overcome.

On defense, big nose tackle Star Lotulelei certainly lived up to his name this season, as he developed into one of the premier defenders in the Pac-12, and now that he’s opted to forgo the NFL, he’ll be the anchor of what should be a stingy Utah defense.

In the end, Utah’s success will largely depend on the play of QB Jordan Wynn, who has shown flashes of promise throughout his career but just hasn’t been able to put it all together yet.

The Utes won’t be able to overcome USC in the South division, but a run at a nine-win season is a definite possibility.

49. South Florida Bulls

After going 8-5 and winning a bowl game in Skip Holtz's first season at South Florida, the Bulls were expected to take the next step in 2011, but that just didn't happen, as they struggled to a disappointing 5-7 season.

After starting off 4-0, the Bulls took a nosedive once Big East play started and finished the season on a 1-7 swoon. However, five of those losses were by six points or less.

If South Florida can figure out a way to win close games against conference foes, there's no reason that the Bulls shouldn't be able to compete for a Big East crown next season, with the type of talent they have coming back.

It starts with QB B.J. Daniels, one of the most naturally gifted, yet also one of the most inconsistent signal-callers in the country.

Daniels will have one last chance to fulfill his potential in 2012, and he'll be the key to South Florida's success.

On defense, the Bulls return six of their top eight tacklers, including defensive end Ryne Giddins, linebackers Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore and safety Jon Lejiste, who are all developing into difference-making defenders.

The defense should be good enough to have South Florida in the running for a Big East title, but Holtz has to learn from his mistakes this season and teach his team how to close out games if they want to finally reach the top of the conference.

48. Mississippi State Bulldogs

6-6 isn’t the record that Mississippi State fans were hoping for in 2011, but if you look at the type of teams the Bulldogs lost to this year, and realize that five of them—Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU and South Carolina—were ranked in the Top 15 at some point this season, you can at least understand it.

Head coach Dan Mullen has made it very clear that he’s committed to the job he’s doing in Starkville, and if you look at the foundation for success that Mullen’s installing down there, you can see that this should be a team on the rise in the next few years.

No, no one’s going to expect the Bulldogs to contend with the likes of Alabama, Arkansas or LSU in the SEC West in 2012, but if QB Tyler Russell can take the proper steps during the offseason, Mississippi State’s offense has the chance to scare a whole lot of opponents next year.

Losing RB Vick Ballard hurts, but his successor, LaDarius Perkins, is loaded with potential.

The Russell-Perkins backfield pairing has the chance to be dangerous, and with all three of the team’s top receivers—Arceto Clark, Chad Bumphis and Chris Smith—set to return, the offense should be able to find a happy pass-run balance.

On defense, DT Fletcher Cox and CB Johnathan Banks could both be headed off to the NFL, but the cupboard won’t be completely bare.

DT Josh Boyd, LB Cameron Lawrence and CB Corey Broomfield are all capable of leading their respective level of the defense.

When it comes right down to it, the player that will really be the catalyst for this team's success next season will be QB Tyler Russell.

Russell has the perfect skill set to flourish in Mullen’s spread offense, he’s just got to show that he can be consistent for a full season.

If he can do that, Mississippi State should definitely improve on its 6-6 record from this year.

47. Cincinnati Bearcats

Munchie Legaux may not be the most conventional name you’re ever going to hear, but it’s a name that Big East fans are going to get to know very well next season.

Cincinnati’s dual-threat quarterback took advantage of starter Zach Collaros’ injury this year and got to get a few reps under his belt as a sophomore, and that will definitely benefit him when he takes over for Collaros full-time next season.

Legaux won’t have RB Isaiah Pead as a safety valve anymore, but he will have the team’s two top returning receivers—Anthony McClung and Kenbrell Thompkins—to throw to.

On defense, the departure of DT Derek Wolfe leaves a big hole, but the return of Dan Giordano and Walter Stewart will help balance out the defensive line.

The second year of the Butch Jones era went a lot smoother than the first one, as the Bearcats won nine games and a share of the Big East championship.

If Legaux plays well as a full-time starter, Cincinnati should be right back in the same position again in 2012. 

46. Miami Hurricanes

Al Golden's first season at Miami obviously didn't start off the way he had hoped, as the Nevin Shapiro scandal put the Hurricanes in the headlines for all the wrong reasons right before the season got underway.

Golden did the best he could, trying to keep his team focused and navigate his players through the stormy scandalous waters, but in the end, Miami finished just 6-6.

After the season ended, a plethora of Miami underclassmen prospects decided to enter the NFL draft, including star RB Lamar Miller, WR Tommy Streeter, OG Brandon Washington, DE Olivier Vernon and DT Marcus Forston.

Miller is obviously the toughest loss, but it was also the one that was the most expected.

Golden has a plan in place, though, and he's not the type of coach who will make any excuses.

So even though Miami likely won't contend for a conference championship after experiencing so many early defections, you better believe that the Hurricanes are going to play hard and play to win in 2012, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Golden's team overachieve next season.

45. Houston Cougars

Bye-Bye Case Keenum.

Bye-Bye Kevin Sumlin.

Bye-Bye hopes of another double-digit win season.

Houston went on a magic carpet ride in 2011, as the Cougars rolled to a 12-0 record and a No. 6 national ranking, behind the play of record-setting quarterback Case Keenum.

But the carpet got a heavy dose of gravity and reality when the Cougars came crashing back down to earth against Southern Miss in the Conference-USA championship game—a loss that likely cost them a spot in a BCS bowl game.

Now, without Keenum, Coach Sumlin, who bolted for Texas A&M, and All-American receiver Patrick Edwards, it seems that it’s going to be hard for Houston to get back up in the air again.

Sure, there’s still talent there, and if RB Charles Sims can step up and handle a larger role, the offense should still be dangerous.

But a hangover-type of season is to be expected in 2012.

44. North Carolina Tar Heels

Larry Fedora has to be happy with the type of situation he's walking into at North Carolina.

Sure, former coach Butch Davis couldn't keep his players out of trouble, and sure, his teams never played up to their potential, but if there's one thing that Davis could do right, it's recruit, and you can see that in the stockpile of talent that the Tar Heels now have.

Davis brought in a few gems during his time in Chapel Hill, and one of those big recruits, RB Giovani Bernard, looks like he's about to ascend to true star status in 2012.

Bernard isn't the only player on the North Carolina offense that should be in store for a big season either. QB Bryn Renner didn't get a ton of publicity this season, but he still showed some solid skills in his first year as a starter, and he'll have a great target to throw to in WR Erik Highsmith next year.

On defense, it hurts to lose seniors like DE Quinton Coples and LB Zach Brown, who will both be first-round picks in the 2012 NFL draft. But if DT Sylvester Williams, DE Donte Paige-Moss and LB Kevin Reddick all return, the defensive front seven should still remain stout.

It will be interesting to see what Fedora will be able to do with all of the talent that's at his disposal.

43. Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Tommy Tuberville era at Texas Tech hasn’t exactly gotten off to a rousing start, as the Red Raiders have gone just 13-12 in Tuberville’s first two seasons.

Besides a big win over Oklahoma, there wasn't a lot for Texas Tech fans to get excited about in 2011.

The former Auburn coach knows that his third season in Lubbock will be a make-or-break type of year, and luckily for him, he’ll have the type of personnel to really help him put together a strong campaign.

It starts with the return of RB Eric Stephens, who missed seven games with an injury in 2011.

Getting Stephens going will really help out an offense that relied too much on QB Seth Doege last season.

Doege is a solid player, but he’s not the type of player who can get you where you need to go all by himself.

With Stephens back, it should help ease some of the pressure on Doege, which should help balance out the offense and in turn create more opportunities for the Red Raiders to win games in 2012.

42. Arizona State Sun Devils

New Arizona State coach Todd Graham has done a great job of making himself one of the new coaching villains of college football with the way he handled his exodus from Pittsburgh, but Graham will have the chance to right his wrongs if he can find success out in the desert next season.

The nomadic coach will have two great offensive weapons at his disposal in QB Brock Osweiler and RB Cameron Marshall, but he'll also have some work to do on the defensive side of the ball, where the Sun Devils ranked 90th nationally in 2011.

If Arizona State can improve on defense, Osweiler should help Arizona State put up enough points to have the team floating near the top of the Pac-12 South division in 2012.

41. Louisville Cardinals

Louisville fans knew that QB Teddy Bridgewater had the chance to be good, but most of them probably didn't think he would be so good, so quickly.

Bridgewater came in and became an instant impact player for the Cardinals this season, as he led Louisville to within a win of an outright Big East championship.

Coach Charlie Strong has done a great job, turning around a program that suffered through some hard times under Steve Kragthorpe, and he's now got an emerging star signal-caller to build his team around.

40. Texas A&M Aggies

The Mike Sherman era at Texas A&M turned out to be a bust, but Sherman did have some success on the recruiting trail, and new coach Kevin Sumlin will have some quality talent to work with in College Station in 2012. The offensive trio of QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Cyrus Gray and WR Jeff Fuller will be moving on to the NFL, but the Aggies will likely be welcoming in one of the most talented quarterback recruits in the country if Matt Davis stays committed to the school.

It will be interesting to see how the Aggies will fare in their first season in the SEC next year, but the defense should have enough strength and speed, with players like linebackers Sean Porter and Damontre Moore and defensive end Spencer Nealy, to handle the faster and stronger offenses they’ll face in their new conference.

39. BYU Cougars

The Jake Heaps era at BYU didn’t exactly unfold as expected, as the one-time 5-star recruit only lasted two years before transferring to Kansas, but the Cougars may have actually found a legitimately better option at quarterback in Riley Nelson, who took over for Heaps midway through the season.

Nelson completed 61 percent of his passes and hit 16 touchdown strikes this year, and he should fare even better in 2012.

After a shaky start to the season, the Cougars managed to go 9-3 in their first year of independence, and they could have even bigger things planned for 2012.

38. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech started off the 2011 season as hot as anybody, as the Yellow Jackets rolled up six wins to start the year, but a 2-4 finish to the season left fans disappointed, and it kept the team out of the ACC championship game.

Sure, the upset of Clemson was nice, but the butt-kicking from Georgia to end the regular season sure wasn't.

Paul Johnson's triple-option offense seems to be in good hands with QB Tevin Washington, who made some big strides in his first year as a starter, and the defense should be vastly improved in 2012 with seven of the top eight tacklers set to return.

It will be interesting to see if WR Stephen Hill, who averaged a whopping 30 yards per catch in 2011, decides to turn pro or not after the end of the season, but the real player to watch next year will be Washington.

The speedy junior is the catalyst for Georgia Tech's offensive success, and if he can get a little more help from RB Orwin Smith next season, the Yellow Jackets should be able to sting a few top-notch ACC opponents in 2012.

37. Tennessee Volunteers

5-7 seasons won’t cut it for very long at a place like Tennessee, and coach Derek Dooley knows he needs an improvement in his third season.

Luckily for Dooley, he’ll have his starting quarterback Tyler Bray healthy and ready to go in 2012.

Not only will Dooley have one of the SEC’s top quarterbacks returning, he’ll also have one of the most promising receiver duos in the country, comprised of Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter, to work with.

The Vols may still be a few years away from seriously contending in the SEC again, but the Bray-Rogers-Hunter passing trio is going to cause a lot of headaches for opponents next season.

The Vols will also have LB A.J. Johnson and S Prentiss Waggner, two of the most underrated defenders in the country, back to lead what should be one of the stronger defenses in the SEC in 2012.

36. California Golden Bears

I’ve always been of the philosophy that you can build a team around a strong offensive trio, comprised of a quarterback, running back and wide receiver, and I really feel confident that QB Zach Maynard, RB Isi Sofele and WR Keenan Allen can lead Cal back to relevancy in 2012.

Maynard had his fair share of struggles in his first year as a starter this season, but Sofele and Allen both showed glimpses of their enormous potential in 2011.

If all three players perform like they’re capable of next season, the Golden Bears will definitely be an under-the-radar team to keep an eye on.

35. Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State shocked the college football world by knocking off Oklahoma State late in the season, an upset which cost the Cowboys a shot at the national title.

Now, the Cyclones will be looking to build on the momentum they've accumulated this year, as they shoot for big things in 2012.

It may be too premature to say Iowa State is capable of pulling off a Kansas State-esque run next year, but Paul Rhoads' squad will definitely return some intriguing talent on both offense and defense.

Quarterback Jared Barnett, running back James White, wide receiver Josh Lenz and linebackers Jake Knott and A.J. Klein are all names that fans better get familiar with.

34. Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Coach Larry Fedora and QB Austin Davis may both be leaving Southern Miss, but you know who’s not leaving the Golden Eagles?

WR Tracy Lampley, LB Jamie Collins, DT Khyri Thornton, RB Jamal Woodyard, WR Dominique Sullivan and S Jacorious Cotton.

Get my drift?

Yup, Southern Miss is still loaded with talent for next year, and there's no reason the team shouldn't be able to put together a strong conference title defense in 2012. 

33. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

It feels like we’ve been waiting for Rutgers to have that breakthrough season basically every year of Greg Schiano’s coaching tenure.

Sure, the Knights posted 11 wins in 2006, but they’ve never been able to win that elusive Big East championship during Schiano’s 11-year reign over the program.

Could 2012 finally be the year they do it?

The Knights harvested a ton of young, promising talent this season, and they’ll be returning a bunch of key pieces next year.

WR Mohamed Sanu, who could be tempted by the NFL, is Rutgers’ top overall player, but even if Sanu decides to bolt for the pros, the Knights will still have the right ingredients to put together a conference contender next season.

32. Florida Gators

Will Muschamp's "angry face" is something we saw a lot of in 2011.

Muschamp's first year on the job at Florida didn't exactly go as well as he had hoped, as the Gators stumbled through a 6-6 campaign.

That lousy record didn't exactly win the first-year coach a ton of supporters within the Florida fan base, but Muschamp will have the opportunity to please the Gainesville faithful if he can right the ship in 2012.

Drastic improvement won't come easy, especially since Florida is set to lose quarterback John Brantley and speedy playmakers Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey, but it's on the defensive side of the ball where Muschamp can actually get excited about.

Linebackers Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins, defensive tackles Dominique Easley and Shariff Floyd and hybrid end Ronald Powell will be the leaders of what should be one of the most dominating defensive front sevens in the country next year.

We know Florida will be able to stop teams in 2011, but the question is, can the Gators score enough to climb back up to the top of the SEC East?

We'll see how they fare with a new offensive sheriff in town.

31. Washington Huskies

Don't be shocked if you hear the words Keith Price and Heisman Trophy in the same sentence at some point during the 2012 season. The Washington quarterback may not rack up enough wins to actually take home the trophy, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him put up the type of spectacular campaign that garners him a lot of buzz next season.

Let's just say, Steve Sarkisian's got a good one to work with. I'll leave it at that.

What Sarkisian will also have is a lot of unfulfilled expectations going into 2012.

The former USC offensive coordinator has talked a good game while he's been in Seattle, but a combined record of just 19-18 hasn't exactly backed up his mouth. 

We know the Huskies are going to lose their two top receivers, Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar, and they're likely going to lose star running back Chris Polk early to the NFL. But Sarkisian's got the type of quarterback who he can mold into a star, and it will be interesting to see if he can do better with Keith Price than he did with Jake Locker.

30. Texas Longhorns

They say everything's bigger in Texas, and that might actually be true, because the past two seasons in Austin have felt like big disappointments. After a decade full of double-digit win seasons and BCS bowl appearances, the Longhorns have now become just another also-ran in the Big 12.

It's a good thing ESPN decided to invest hundreds of millions in the floundering program at the perfect time, right?

The Longhorn Network might turn out to be just as good of an investment by the worldwide leader as this was or this was.

OK, OK, sure we all have our fun picking on Texas now, because for years, the Longhorns were so brash and arrogant. But I will say this, Texas still has a whole bunch of talent on its roster.

Sure, Mack Brown has no idea how to use it, but maybe Major Applewhite will get good old Mack off the fundraising trail long enough to show him how to coach again.

If he can do that, the Longhorns have the type of players to have a big bounce-back year in 2012.

Running Back Malcolm Brown has the chance to develop into an elite running back, wide receivers Mike Davis and Jaxon Shipley are both intriguing talents, and if Texas can get consistent enough play at the quarterback position, the offense should improve immensely next season.

It's the defense that's the question mark, though.

The top three tacklers on the team—linebackers Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho and safety Blake Gideon—will all be gone, as will defensive tackle Kheeston Randall.

That means the Longhorns will have to rely on the edge-rushing duo of Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat, who combined for 12 sacks and 27 tackles for loss in 2012, to lead the way on defense.

If Okafor and Jeffcoat produce as expected, and if the Longhorns can find a quarterback who can at least throw the ball over 15 yards with some type of consistency, Mack Brown might just be able to save his reputation in 2012.

29. North Carolina State Wolfpack

When I first saw Mike Glennon competing in one of those ESPNU high school recruiting skills challenges a few years ago, I thought to myself, wow, this guy may be just a head attached to a skinny 6'6" long neck, but boy does he have an arm to sling it.

Now that Glennon's added a little weight to his frame, and now that he's been given the opportunity by Tom O'Brien to show off that big arm, he's definitely started to catch peoples' attention.

Sure, the Wolfpack would have probably won a few more games if Russell Wilson had come back to Raleigh for his senior year, but now that Glennon has a full season under his belt, it will really improve the Wolfpack's outlook for 2012.

Glennon will be one of the featured players on North Carolina State's offense next season, but linebacker Terrell Manning and safety Earl Wolff will be making plenty of noise on the defensive side of the ball as well.

All I have to say is, Clemson and Florida State better not overlook the Wolfpack next year.

Tom O'Brien had to take a lot of heat for choosing Glennon over Wilson, but the decision could finally pay off in a big way in 2012.

28. Ohio State Buckeyes

If you don't happen to be one of those far too overly optimistic people who thinks that Urban Meyer is just going to walk into Columbus, snap his fingers and turn Ohio State back into a dominant program overnight, don't worry, you're not alone.

I share the sentiment.

Sure, Urban Meyer's a great college coach, and he's a terrific fit to help restore credibility to a tarnished program like Ohio State (we'll overlook the player arrest record at Florida), but was I the only one who watched the Buckeyes this year and thought, hmm, where's the speed?

Yes, there's still some top-notch talent at Ohio State, but I'm not so sure that it's exactly the right fit for Meyer's spread system.

2012 is definitely going to be a transition year for the Buckeyes in a lot of different ways, and I think a reasonable goal would be to reach the eight-win plateau.

For Ohio State, next season isn't about victories as much as it's about improving all season long and growing more comfortable in the new schemes and systems.

27. Baylor Bears

Not often does a team lose two of the best offensive players in the history of the school and get better, especially if one of those players happens to be the savior of the program and one of the most exciting and explosive players in the history of college football. Just because Baylor is going to lose Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III and highly productive and blazing fast wide receiver Kendall Wright, though, that doesn't mean that the sky will start falling on Waco.

Sure, it's hard to see Baylor improving on the nine-win season the Bears had this year, but remember, coach Art Briles has recruited very well during his time at Baylor.

Oh yeah, and he just so happens to have another potential offensive star in RB Lache Seastrunk, waiting in the shadows, ready to suit up in 2012.

Even without RG3 and Kendall Wright, the Bears should still have enough talent to hang around in the Big 12 race next season.

26. Auburn Tigers

Auburn's title defense, if you could even call it that, didn't exactly go as planned, as the Tigers didn't do much defending of anything in 2011, as they finished ranked 79th nationally in total defense this year.

Yes, we knew the losses of QB Cam Newton and DT Nick Fairley were going to be tough to deal with, but from the very first sluggish game against Utah State, you could tell that this Auburn team wasn't even close to the one we saw win a national title last season.

The offense was dull and the defense was bad, but the good news is, those past few highly rated recruiting classes should pay dividends next season.

This year, Auburn was young and inexperienced in all of the wrong places (offensive line and practically everywhere on defense), and the Tigers should be much more equipped to handle life in the SEC next season.

There are still question marks surrounding this team, though, mainly centered around the quarterback position, the departure of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and the recent suspension of star running back Michael Dyer.

Coach Gene Chizik will certainly have some problems to solve this offseason, but if he can patch up a few holes, the Tigers have what it takes to be factors in the SEC West once again in 2012.

25. Iowa Hawkeyes

Hopefully, suspended RB Marcus Coker can get back in the good graces of the Iowa coaching staff and not follow the same path as Adam Robinson, because Coker has the chance to be one of the top offensive stars in the Big Ten next season. The 6’0’’, 230-pound powerhouse ran for 1,384 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this year, and he and quarterback James Vandenberg are quite a backfield tandem. 

With Vandenberg and Coker leading the way, the Hawkeyes should be able to put this year's disappointing 7-5 campaign in the rear view mirror in 2012.

24. Virginia Cavaliers

I'll say it now, beware of Perry Jones!

Jones has the chance to be one of the top running backs in the country in 2012, and he's already played a huge part in Virginia's resurgence.

Head coach Mike London is doing some great work with the Virginia program, and the players there have obviously bought into his philosophy.

Yes, the Cavs will lose some big-time players on defense like CB Chase Minnifield, DT Matt Conrath and DE Cam Johnson, but this team has the type of returning pieces to make a lot of noise in the ACC next year.

23. Wisconsin Badgers

Even though Wisconsin suffered two consecutive heartbreaking losses to Michigan State and Ohio State in the middle of the season, this was still another banner year for Bret Bielema's Badgers, as they took home another Big Ten championship and made it back to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.

A third straight Big Ten title could be asking a lot, though, as the Wisconsin offense is set to lose most of its key pieces from this past year—QB Russell Wilson, RB Montee Ball, WR Nick Toon and possibly C Peter Konz.

Next season, the Badgers will have to rely on their defense, led by linebackers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland, but a drop-off is to be expected after losing so much offensive firepower.

Still, with James White running behind a strong offensive line, Wisconsin shouldn't fall too far down the Big Ten ladder.

22. Missouri Tigers

Missouri will make the transition to the SEC next season, and that will definitely be one of the most interesting storylines to watch in 2012. However, it's not as if the Tigers are exactly floating into the treacherous SEC waters without paddles.

Dual-threat quarterback James Franklin has the look of a future star, and if RB Henry Josey returns to full strength after tearing his knee up late in the season, the Missouri offense will definitely have the weapons to test the defenses they'll see in the SEC.

Sure, a few growing pains are to be expected, but the Tigers could definitely surprise some people in 2012.

Yes, their 8-5 record was a bit disappointing this year, but if you look at the type of schedule they played, a slate that included eight teams that were ranked in the BCS Top 25 at some point this season, you'll see that the Tigers were a much stronger team than their record actually indicated.

21. Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State will be breaking in a new quarterback for the first time in what seems like forever, as long-time starter Kirk Cousins’ eligibility runs out after the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2.

Even with a new signal-caller under center, the Spartans should still have what it takes to stay in the hunt for a Big Ten title in 2012.

Michigan State’s defense was one of the scariest units in college football this season, and with defensive ends William Gholston and Marcus Rush, linebackers Denicos Allen, Max Bullough and Chris Norman and cornerback Johnny Adams all set to return, the Spartans should once again have a strong defensive unit in 2012, especially if star defensive tackle Jerel Worthy decides to forgo the NFL draft.

The running back duo of Le’Veon Bell and Edwin Baker will have to step up and produce at a higher rate next season, but if Bell and Baker are up to the task, don’t be surprised if you end up seeing the Spartans back in the Big Ten championship game once again next year.

20. Stanford Cardinal

It's never easy to replace a star quarterback, especially one that's considered to be one of the greatest quarterback prospects of all time, but that's exactly what Stanford coach David Shaw will have to do in 2012, as the Cardinal try to handle life after Andrew Luck.

Jim Harbaugh assembled enough pieces during his time in Palo Alto for the Cardinal to stay near the top of the Pac-12 conference next year, but losing Luck, along with star offensive linemen like David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin won't bode well for the Stanford offense in 2012.

Yes, the linebacker duo of Chase Thomas and Shayne Skov will be one of the best in the country, but no matter how good they are, Stanford's not going to be able to put the same type of points up on the board next season that the Cardinal did when Luck was under center these past three years.

19. West Virginia Mountaineers

It may be Big 12 or bust at this point for West Virginia, but no matter what conference the Mountaineers end up in next season, whether it's the Big 12 or back in the Big East, you can bet that theire offense is going to be lighting up scoreboards all season long.

QB Geno Smith has been trying to learn all of the different nuances of Dana Holgorsens's offensive system this season, and once Smith figures it all out over the offseason, he's going to be one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country in 2012.

With explosive skill-position players like running back Dustin Garrison and receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey back surrounding him, Smith will have all the help he needs to tear up defenses next year.

The West Virginia defense is going to need a little sparkle next season, as consistent veterans such as DE Bruce Irvin, DT Julian Miller, LB Najee Goode and CB Keith Tandy are all set to depart, but the offense may just be too good for it to even matter.

18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

"This is the year!"

Every summer, we hear the same thing from the mainstream media and Notre Dame fans.

"Oh, this is the year when Notre Dame becomes Notre Dame again, you watch."

OK, we get it already.

Year after year, we listen to all of the preseason hoopla and then watch as the Irish fail to meet unrealistic expectations, just as they did once again in 2011.

If you go into a season with 17 returning starters, a Top-20 national ranking and a pretty manageable schedule, you're not supposed to go 8-4, but that's just what Brian Kelly's squad did this year.

Now Kelly will have to deal with the mounting pressure in South Bend, as this will truly be a make-or-break year for him and his staff.

It starts with making a quarterback decision between Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix.

Kelly can't afford to guess wrong again and watch as his team gets off to another slow start.

We know the Irish will have the talent needed to win games in 2012, with guys like RB Cierre Wood, LB Manti Te'o, WR Theo Riddick and DE Aaron Lynch, but now, they have to go out next year and show that they've got the heart of a champion, instead of just talking about it.

Kelly's been bringing in the big recruits during his time at Notre Dame, but so did his predecessor, Charlie Weis.

Now it's time for the coach to win with "his guys" because eight-win seasons will only last you so long in South Bend.

17. Florida State Seminoles

The bloom came off Jimbo Fisher’s rose in the coach’s second season in Tallahassee, as Fisher was unable to replicate the success he had in his rookie season in 2010.

Fisher's squad entered the year with a Top-Five national ranking, but the Seminoles quickly faded from the national spotlight after an early season loss to Oklahoma.

An 8-4 campaign left Florida State fans wanting more, but more is exactly what they should get in 2012.

QB E.J. Manuel now has a full season as a starter under his belt, and with the type of defensive talent the Seminoles have coming back, Florida State should once again have one of the best defenses in the country.

If Manuel can take the next step as an offensive playmaker in 2012, Florida State will give Clemson a serious run in the ACC Atlantic division next season.

16. Boise State Broncos

You can't help but appreciate the work that coach Chris Petersen has done at Boise State, but Petersen is going to have the toughest coaching job of his career in 2012.

Not only do the Broncos lose the winningest quarterback in college football history, Kellen Moore, they also will wave goodbye to future NFL players like RB Doug Martin, OT Nate Potter, DT Billy Winn and S George Iloka.

They won't be starting from scratch, but Petersen's squad will definitely have some holes to fill and some rebuilding to do next season.

Still, Petersen is both a great coach and a great recruiter, and he's got the type of talent coming up through the ranks that will keep Boise State in contention to be a highly ranked team once again in 2012.

15. South Carolina Gamecocks

Marcus Lattimore's knee is going to be one of the most scrutinized body parts in college football next season.

We'll find out how healthy Lattimore truly is when he returns from the serious knee injury that robbed him of the second half of his sophomore season.

You have to give credit to South Carolina for not folding down the stretch, even though the Gamecocks had their starting quarterback flake out on them midway through the season and even though they had to watch as their main offensive weapon hobbled around on crutches.

Steve Spurrier's team may not have been able to make it back to Atlanta again this season, but they did win 10 games and beat the eventual East title winner, Georgia, on its home field.

Not bad.

For Spurrier's sake, hopefully, QB Connor Shaw can be a little more consistent and stable than Stephen Garcia was.

If he is, South Carolina will be right back in the East division hunt.

14. Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State won the "Where Did This Team Come From" award in 2011, but now, we'll have to see if the Wildcats can keep the momentum going into 2012.

Bill Snyder pulled off another remarkable coaching job this season, as he guided his team to 10 wins and a Top-10 national ranking, but Snyder doesn't deserve all of the credit.

QB Collin Klein was one of the breakout stars of the 2011 season, as he totaled 2,844 yards and scored 38 total touchdowns.

Klein will now have some Heisman buzz going into the offseason, and it will be interesting to see if the dual-threat junior signal-caller can build on the success he had in 2011 and keep the Wildcats in the spotlight next season.

13. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebrasks's first season in the Big Ten may not have been as successful as Cornhuskers fans were hoping for, but a 9-3 campaign is nothing to shake a stick at. The defense didn't come close to living up to the hype this year, but RB Rex Burkhead bailed the unit out by taking care of business on the offensive side of the ball.

Burkhead rushed for 1,268 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 2011, and he established himself as one of the top running backs to watch next season.

Burkhead and QB Taylor Martinez form one of the most dangerous rushing backfields in the country, and if Martinez can work on his passing in the offseason, Nebraska has the type of talent returning to make it to the Big Ten championship in 2012.

12. TCU Horned Frogs

If you ever feel the need to be impressed by something on a given day, then just go look at Gary Patterson's winning percentage at TCU over the past seven seasons.

Patterson's teams have won 11 or more games six out of the last seven years, and they managed to repeat the feat once again in 2011, even though they had to replace one of the most consistent and successful quarterbacks in college football history—Andy Dalton.

Dalton's replacement, Casey Pachall, may not have all the intangibles that his predecessor had, but he does look like he's more naturally gifted as a passer.

Pachall had one of the most impressive individual performances of the 2011 season when he torched Boise State's secondary and burnt up the Broncos' national title hopes on their home field back on Nov. 12.

The sophomore signal-caller will now be the centerpiece player for TCU, as the Horned Frogs get set to move to the Big 12 next season.

He won't be the only TCU player that will be looking to make a splash in the new conference, though.

Running Backs Ed Wesley and Waymon James, wide receivers Josh Boyce and Brandon Carter, defensive end Stansly Maponga and linebackers Kenny Cain and Tanner Brock will all be looking to earn All-Big 12 honors next season.

It certainly will be interesting to see if Patterson can keep his trend of double-digit winning seasons going against tougher competition.

11. Michigan Wolverines

I know Michigan fans aren't all that fond of former coach Rich Rodriguez, but remember, Rodriguez was the guy who brought in all of the talent that helped the Wolverines get to a BCS bowl this year.

Sure, Brady Hoke did his part, as he helped improve the defense, something Rodriguez could never do, but at least give Rich Rod a little credit for the success the Wolverines had this season.

QB Denard Robinson is the face of Michigan and he gets most of the credit for their success, but it was really that transformation of the defense from sieve into sturdy wall that made the biggest difference.

Oh, and sure, it helped that the Wolverines played exactly two ranked opponents the whole season, but hey, there's no need to rain on Michigan fans' parade.

With Denard Robinson going through his growing pains as a passer this year, and by growing pains I mean leading the Big Ten with 14 interceptions, hopefully Shoelace will now be ready to emerge as a true dual-threat signal-caller in 2012.

If Robinson can take the next step as a passer, and if the Michigan defense can replicate the success it had this year, the Wolverines will be serious contenders in the Big Ten race in 2012.

10. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia didn’t have the end to the season that the team was hoping for, as the Bulldogs ended up getting blown out by LSU in the SEC championship game, but the fact that they were able to notch 10 victories and win an SEC East division title helped to secure coach Mark Richt’s job.

Richt will now lead the Bulldogs into the 2012 season, and he’ll have plenty of talent to work with.

It starts with QB Aaron Murray, who will be one of the top players to watch in 2012.

Murray has all the skills and intangibles that you look for in a quarterback, and he’ll have the type of supporting cast, with guys like running back Isaiah Crowell and receivers Malcolm Mithcell and Tavarres King, to have the offense firing on all cylinders next season.

On defense, the Bulldogs have plenty of premier players like linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogeltree, safety Bacarri Rambo and defensive tackles Kwame Geathers and John Jenkins.

With Murray and Jones returning to lead the offense and defense, Georgia will enter 2012 as the favorite to win the SEC East again.

9. Oklahoma Sooners

Tell me if you've heard this statement before, "Oklahoma failed to meet expectations this season."

Once again, Big Game Bob's Sooners went into the season with a ton of hype, as they were the preseason No. 1 team in both polls, and once again, they failed to live up to their big preseason expectations.

Yes, the Ryan Broyles injury was a big blow, but that came after the inexcusable, embarrassing home loss to Texas Tech, which knocked Oklahoma out of the national title hunt.

The fact that the Sooners packed it in before their biggest game of the season against in-state rival Oklahoma State and got their doors blown off by the Cowboys with the Big 12 title on the line doesn't exactly make you want to put a whole lot of faith and trust into this team for next season. 

But alas, at least the disappointing 2011 campaign will dim expectations for next year, and the Sooners won't have so much pressure to deal with during the offseason, which should be a good thing.

If QB Landry Jones makes the wise decision to return to school for his senior season, Oklahoma should once again have one of the top offenses in the country, even without the top receiver in school history—Ryan Broyles.

RB Dominique Whaley and WR Kenny Stills are both reliable offensive weapons, who can put pressure on a defense, and the Sooners will have plenty of depth at the offensive skill positions once again.

On defense, losing defensive ends Ronnell Lewis and Frank Alexander, linebacker Travis Lewis and cornerback Jamell Flemming hurts, but Aaron Colvin, Tony Jefferson, Tom Wort and Demontre Hurst will all be back to pick up the slack.

After the way the Sooners played this season, Oklahoma certainly won't be the top-ranked team going into 2012, but for a team that has had such a hard time living up to expectations in years past, that may actually be a good thing.

8. Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas may lose three very solid wide receivers—Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Greg Childs—after this season, but it’s about what the Razorbacks are returning in the backfield that’s most important.

RB Knile Davis was all set to take the SEC by storm once again as a junior this season, and solidify his status as one of college football’s elite running backs, but then, a preseason leg injury ended up sidelining him for the entire 2011 season.

If Davis returns to full health, it will be a huge help for QB Tyler Wilson, who was one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2011 season.

This year, Wilson stepped in for Ryan Mallett and flourished in Bobby Petrino’s offense, throwing for 3,422 yards and 22 touchdowns, and guiding Arkansas to a 10-win season.

The junior signal-caller will start hearing Heisman buzz surrounding his name this offseason, and he’ll have all of the pieces around him to have the Razorbacks in contention in the SEC West in 2012.

7. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State had one of the most dangerous and explosive offenses in the country this season, but the Cowboys are set to lose their two main offensive weapons—QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon—and you would have to expect the offense's eye-popping production will take a hit in 2012.

Even without Weeden and Blackmon, though, Oklahoma State’s offense should still be in pretty good shape with the return of Joseph Randle, one of the most talented running backs in the country.

Randle rushed for 1,193 yards and scored 25 touchdowns in 2011, and he should be able to best those numbers without a problem next season.

On defense, the Cowboys will undoubtedly have to improve on their 107th national ranking, but with 10 of the top 13 tacklers returning, including All-American cornerback Brodrick Brown, that shouldn’t be too difficult.

All in all, you have to appreciate the rise of the Oklahoma State program and the job that coach Mike Gundy’s done (admittedly with a little help from T. Boone Pickens’ wallet).

If Weeden’s successor Clint Chelf can come in, keep the offense going and stay steady throughout the season, there’s no reason the Cowboys shouldn’t be able to repeat as Big 12 champions in 2012.

6. Virginia Tech Hokies

Logan Thomas may not have been the "next Cam Newton" like some people said he would be, but Thomas certainly showed flashes of stardom in his first year as a starter.

The big, athletic redshirt sophomore signal-caller totaled over 3,200 yards of offense and scored 29 total touchdowns, as he led the Hokies to an 11-win season, an ACC Coastal division title and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.

Thomas certainly looks like he'll be in the Heisman discussion in 2012, but he may have a little competition from one of his own teammates. If the ACC's leading rusher David Wilson decides to return to Blacksburg for his senior season, he'll be right in the Heisman conversation with his backfield mate.

Thomas and Wilson would form one of the most explosive backfields in the country in 2012.

On defense, the Hokies are likely to lose star corner Jayron Hosley to the NFL after the season, but Bud Foster will still have a lot to work with, as young players such as defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins, defensive end J.R. Collins, linebacker Tariq Edwards, cornerback Kyle Fuller and safety Antone Exum all look ready to become impact players in 2012.

Whether Wilson returns or not, Virginia Tech will certainly be a force to be reckoned with once again next season.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama QB A.J. McCarron handled himself about as well as anyone could have hoped in his first year as a starter, as he completed 66 percent of his passes, threw only five interceptions and led Alabama to an 11-win season and a berth in the BCS championship game.

If Alabama wants to get back to the big game next season, though, the Tide are going to need McCarron to take a big leap forward and step up and become a true offensive leader.

RB Trent Richardson, the third-place finisher in this year’s Heisman voting, is likely headed to the NFL, which means the Tide will lose its offensive focal point.

With the way Nick Saban recruits, there will be plenty of talented up-and-coming skill-position players like running backs Eddie Lacy, Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart, and wide receivers Duron Carter and DeAndrew White, who will be ready to make their presence known in 2012.

Obviously, though, losing a weapon like Trent Richardson is a big blow.

The defense, which was ranked No. 1 nationally in almost every major statistical category this season, should once again be one of the strongest units in the country next year.

Still, when you lose senior players the caliber of NT Josh Chapman, LB Courtney Upshaw and S Mark Barron, and possibly lose, underclassmen like LB Dont’a Hightower, CB Dre Kirkpatrick and S Robert Lester early to the NFL, there will be big holes to fill, and there’s bound to be some growing pains.

Ultimately, Alabama’s success in 2012 will hinge on the maturity and development of QB A.J. McCarron.

If the sophomore signal-caller makes big strides and embraces his role as a leader, the Tide will be right back in the hunt in the SEC West next season.

4. Oregon Ducks

Losing an offensive difference-maker like RB LaMichael James, who has been one of college football’s most productive running backs for the past three seasons, is never easy. However, when you’ve got a budding superstar like De’Anthony Thomas waiting in the wings, ready to be unleashed, it certainly makes things a little easier.

James will likely take his talents to the NFL after the Rose Bowl but don’t expect coach Chip Kelly to be shedding too many tears.

Kelly knows that even without James, he’ll still have one of the most explosive backfields in the country in 2012, with the Black Mamba, QB Darron Thomas and RB Kenjon Barner.

Finding a go-to wide receiver will be a priority, but it’s not a huge need given the way Oregon can run the ball.

On defense, get to know all about defensive end Dion Jordan now, because he’s set to be one of the biggest defensive stars in college football in 2012.

Jordan will be the big showcase star on the Ducks’ defense, but it will be linebacker Michael Clay and safety John Boyett who will be the true “heart and soul” players.

After winning the conference championship and making it to a BCS bowl game in each of the first three years of Chip Kelly’s tenure, Oregon will now have to deal with being overshadowed in the Pac-12 during the offseason by Matt Barkley and USC.

Kelly won’t mind, though.

He’s the type of coach who doesn’t care if he’s a 40-point favorite or a 14-point underdog. He and his staff are simply going to go about their business and prepare the Ducks to dominate week in and week out.

And as if that 38-35 upset wasn't enough motivation, you can bet that the Ducks won't take too kindly to USC getting all of the preseason publicity in the Pac-12.

3. Clemson Tigers

QB Tajh Boyd and WR Sammy Watkins will both enter the 2012 season on the short list of favorites for the Heisman Trophy. The two certainly deserve the attention after they helped transform Clemson from a preseason unranked afterthought into an ACC champion this season.

The Tigers were a little too young and inexperienced to handle all of the pressure that was thrust upon them once they gained a Top-Five national ranking, but it’s that experience that will help them moving forward as they hope to make a run at a national title in 2012.

A lot of people weren’t too sure about Clemson coach Dabo Swinney early on in his tenure, but his infectious attitude has obviously rubbed off on his team.

In just his third full year at the helm, Swinney managed to take his team to a place that his predecessor, Tommy Bowden, never could—a BCS bowl game.

Swinney has done a terrific job on the recruiting trail while he’s been at Clemson, and that infusion of talent was fully evident this season.

Boyd and Watkins may get all of the publicity, but there are plenty of other emerging stars on Clemson such as running back Andre Ellington, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, tight end Dwayne Allen, linebackers Corico Hawkins and Jonathan Willard and safety Jonathan Meeks.

There will be holes to fill on the defensive line, with DT Brandon Thompson and DE Andre Branch both leaving, but the Clemson defense will once again be one of the fastest and most athletic in the country.

Clemson’s got the type of speed and star power on both sides of the ball that it takes to compete for a national title, and the Tigers should be able to handle the pressure of being a top-ranked team much better in 2012.

2. USC Trojans

Very few athletes get the opportunity to feel what it’s like to be the cover boy of college football, but now that quarterback Matt Barkley’s made his decision to return to USC, he’s going to get to experience what that rare feeling’s like, as he takes over for Andrew Luck and becomes the sport's biggest star.

Barkley could have opted to leave for the NFL and been a Top-10 pick in the 2012 draft, but all he had to do was take one look at the type of team the Trojans were bringing back to see that he had a great shot to make a run at a Heisman Trophy as well as a national championship next year.

OT Matt Kalil and DE Nick Perry may be departing for the NFL, but USC still has plenty of stars returning on both sides of the ball.

Running Back Curtis McNeal, wide receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, tight end Xavier Grimble, offensive tackle Kevin Graf and center Khaled Holmes form a solid nucleus on offense, with Woods being the big name of the bunch.

And then on defense, the Trojans will have a ton of impact players like defensive end Wes Horton, linebackers Hayes Pullard and Dion Bailey, cornerback Nickell Robey and safety T.J. McDonald, who will be the key players on what is shaping up to be a Top-10 caliber defense.

If Barkley can handle the pressure well, and if the Trojans embrace their championship expectations, this team has what it takes to make it all the way to Miami next season.

1. LSU Tigers

The thing that’s so scary about LSU is that when you look at the team’s depth chart, you start to realize just how young this group really is, especially on defense, and then, it hits you that if the Tigers don’t get complacent, they’ve got the chance to be right back in the same position that they’re in this year in 2012.

On defense, the Tigers will likely lose star cornerback Mo Claiborne, who is set to be a Top-10 pick in the 2012 NFL draft, but they’ll bring back possibly the two best defensive players in the country, DE Sam Montgomery and CB Tyrann Mathieu.

Montgomery and Mathieu will once again be joined by the likes of DT Michael Brockers, DE Barkevious Mingo, LB Kevin Minter and S Eric Reid, who all have the potential to develop into All-American caliber players in 2012.

On offense, the Tigers should be much better than they were this season, as long as either Zach Mettenberger or highly touted incoming freshman Gunner Kiel can handle the quarterback responsibilities.

The running back trio of Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Kenny Hilliard forms the deepest backfield in the country, and they should all have plenty of room to run behind an offensive line that returns tackles Chris Faulk and Alex Hurst and center P.J. Lonergan.

Add to that the wide receiver trio of Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham Jr. and Russell Shepard, and you can see how explosive the LSU offense should be next season.

The only thing that could keep this team from making another run at a national title is complacency, but LSU coach Les Miles seems to know exactly how to push all of his team's right buttons, and there’s no reason to think that he won’t have the Tigers ready to make another run at No. 1 in 2012.