West Virginia Mountaineers No. 12 in CBS Preseason Football Poll

The first 2012 college preseason football poll is here.  CBS's Brett McMurphy has listed his Top 25 for 2012 and the West Virginia Mountaineers are No. 12.

With nine offensive returners, on a team that registered 70 points against Clemson in this year's Orange Bowl, one has to wonder if McMurphy has underrated WVU.

The 2012 Mountaineers look to be better than the 2011 version four a couple of reasons.

One, for Dana Holgorsen, 2011 was his first year as head coach.  With a year under his belt, and a year for his players to digest his system, things should go smoother in 2012.

Two, the Mountaineers, who finished 10-3 in 2011, return quarterback Geno Smith and wide receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey.  It's hard to imagine any team in the country having a better passing game than what these three are likely to bring to Morgantown next season.

With nine offensive starters and seven defensive starters returning, WVU might be deserve a loftier ranking than McMurphy has given them.

His Top 10 includes LSU, USC, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Baylor and Michigan.  TCU sits one spot ahead of the Mountaineers at No. 11.

At this time, it's still up in the air as to which conference WVU will play in next season, the Big East or the Big 12.

In the latest chapter of the ongoing dispute between WVU and the Big East, ESPN has reported that a Rhode Island judge has ordered the two to enter mediation, starting Feb. 9.