5 College Football Teams That'll Be a Lot Better Than You Think Next Season

With the 2011 college football season now officially in the books, it's time to begin looking ahead to September and the start of the 2012 season.

2012 is shaping up to be a very interesting season, and hopefully it'll be one that's filled with more on-the-field excitement instead of off-the-field scandals and controversy.

The big names like LSU, Alabama, USC, Oregon, Oklahoma and Florida State are likely going to dominate the top of the preseason polls once again this summer, but here's a look at five under-the-radar teams that could make a lot of noise in 2012.

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 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.

On defense, Andrew Wilson and Zaviar Gooden, one of the best linebacker duos in the country, will lead a unit that could certainly surprise some people next season.

While a few growing pains are to be expected as the Tigers get accustomed to their new home,  Gary Pinkel's definitely got the type of squad that could knock off a few of the SEC's big boys in 2012.

Yes, their 8-5 record was a bit disappointing this past 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.

Utah Utes

USC and Oregon are going to dominate the preseason Pac-12 conversation throughout the spring and the summer, but one team that you better not overlook is Utah.

Sure, Utah’s first season in the Pac-12 was a disappointment, as the Utes ended up finishing just 7-5 in the regular season before knocking off Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl.  But with the type of talent that Kyle Whittingham’s squad has coming back in 2012, you would have to expect Utah to make a much 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 conference 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 in 2011, as he developed into one of the premier defenders in the Pac-12.  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.

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 next year.

Jeff Tedford has been recruiting well on both sides of the ball these past few years, and with another highly touted class ready to come to Berkeley in 2012, California is definitely going to have enough depth to compete for a runner-up finish behind Oregon in the Pac-12 North in 2012.

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 yes, his teams never played up to their potential, but if there was one thing that Davis could do right, it was 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 with DT Sylvester Williams, DE Kareem Martin and LB Kevin Reddick all returning, 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 is at his disposal.

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 to work with, comprised of Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter.

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.

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

Dooley knows he needs to start winning some more games if he wants to satisfy the fan base, and he'll have a great opportunity to get things back on track in 2012.

Other Teams to Watch

BYU Cougars

Iowa State Cyclones

Marshall Thundering Herd

Michigan State Spartans

Oregon State Beavers

South Florida Bulls

Toledo Rockets

Virginia Cavaliers

Washington Huskies