2012 Preseason College Football Rankings: Where Do Alabama and LSU Rank?

The 2012 BCS national champion Alabama Crimson Tide will see a number of their biggest stars playing on Sundays next year.

The final AP poll of the 2011 season saw the Tide take over the No. 1 spot with LSU, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Arkansas rounding out the top five.

The Tigers will graduate both their starting quarterbacks and will lose some of their great talent to the NFL as well.

Oklahoma State, which just finished its best season ever, will lose its top two playmakers on offense as well as their best defensive player.

Oregon will lose the best player it has ever had, and Arkansas will lose a good portion of their talented passing attack.

So which, if any, of these teams will earn a top five ranking for next season?

5. Michigan Wolverines

Brady Hoke's first season in Ann Arbor was a huge a success. Not only did he find a way to use Denard Robinson, but the Wolverine defense was a legitimate force.

He'll return a number of key players for 2012 and will have the force of a BCS bowl win at his back. Plus, the pollsters have to be excited to see Michigan relevant again.

They'll open next season with a neutral site battle against the No. 2 team.

4. Oregon Ducks

Chip Kelly loses LaMichael James, but that just means sensational freshman De'Anthony Thomas will actually see the rock more next season. 

QB Darron Thomas, RB Kenjon Barner and WR Josh Huff all return as well.

On the heels of their Rose Bowl over Wisconsin they will still earn a heavy dose of respect from voters.

3. LSU Tigers

The runners-up won't lose as much talent as Alabama, but graduating two senior quarterbacks isn't easy and they could lose their top wide receiver as well.

They got away with dominant defensive play and a running game this year, but they'll likely start either inexperienced sophomore transfer Zach Mettenberger, freshman Stephen Rivers or incoming freshman Gunner Kiel.

That all adds up to them relying heavily on their run game again next season and that is why the team that beat in 2011 gets the nod over them in 2012.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

There is no substitute for experience and what we saw from A.J. McCarron last night was something nobody expected.

The sophomore quarterback had a completely different look and feel to him and it wound up earning him offensive MVP honors.

At 6'4", 205 pounds, McCarron has great size and showed more athleticism than anybody knew he had. Even though the Tide are expected to lose Trent Richardson to the draft, they can fully expect McCarron to be much more of a force in 2012.

Add in the potential No. 1 recruiting class in the country - which includes two five-star receivers - and this offense will be back with power.

As for replacing their defensive standouts heading for Sunday, they'll work some of their in-house players up, but also have a five-star safety, Landon Collins, joining a talented set of cornerback commits.

They could also see Robert Lester return and that would be a huge boost to the defending champs.

Either way, they're going to be a team with great talent again next season.

1. USC Trojans

The bowl ban is over and they are returning some of the most ridiculously talented players in the country.

Matt Barkley will be playing for the Heisman, a potential No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL draft and a shot at a national championship.

Returning with him is running back Curtis McNeal and, more importantly, receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. 

The Barkley to Woods and Lee connection combined for 184 receptions, over 2,300 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns.

Their defense will be tough once again and they'll get some help from recruiting class.

Expect this team to be out for vengeance in 2012 with Matt Barkley leading the charge with sword in hand.