Preseason College Football Rankings 2012: Overrated Teams Bound to Disappoint
The spring game season is all over and now college football fans are left speculating for the entire summer before fall arrives.
Sure the preseason rankings are a bit comical to think about so far out, but not much is going to change. Now is a good time to start projecting teams that look good on paper, but will ultimately be a big disappointment—think Florida State from last year.
Here are three teams that are looking pretty now, but end up falling well short of expectations in the 2012 season.
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No. 12 Kansas State
The Wildcats are returning nine starters on defense, but are losing five on the offensive side of the ball. David Garrett was a huge play-maker on D, and a lot of pressure will be on Allen Chapman to fill the void. Can the JUCO transfer step up?
Pollsters are high on the Wildcats right now because of QB Collin Klein. There is no question he’ll put up big numbers in the Big 12, but will it be enough?
I can’t get over this stat from KSU in 2011: eight wins came by a touchdown or less.
Every advanced football metric suggests regression in 2012, and if Klein leads the Big 12 in carries for a second-straight year, he’ll end up getting hurt.
No. 15 Ohio State
The Buckeyes big problem in 2012 is going to be motivation.
Knowing they can’t go to a postseason game is going to be lingering in the back of their minds for the next year, and it’s going to weigh on the young team heavily.
Sure Urban Meyer is an incredible coach and is the main reason OSU is so highly touted in 2012, but you can’t mask the issues at quarterback. A year after finishing 115th in passing yards (127 yards), how much progress will Braxton Miller be able to make in one year?
With so many starters out of the picture, the growing pains will last well into the fall in Meyer’s first season in Columbus.
No. 21 Texas
I understand the defense is going to be incredible.
A year after finishing 11th in the nation in the best offensive conference in the nation, they are returning studs like DE Jackson Jeffcoat, CB’s Quandre and Carrington Byndom. There is no question the unit is going to be elite once again which is why Fox Sports has them ranked No. 8 in their preseason poll.
The problems reside on an offense that has never been the same since Colt McCoy left Austin.
David Ash is projected to be the starter, but is by no means guaranteed to finish the season there. His lack of decisiveness and interceptions are a red flag. Case McCoy is going to be breathing down his neck.
If Ash struggles in September with consecutive road games against Ole Miss and Oklahoma State, the QB controversy is going to be a big problem.
Malcolm Brown is going to be a terrific back, and will take some of the pressure off Ash. The receiving core is certainly prolific, but none of it matters without a strong QB play to get them the ball.
The other important factor is the loss of kicker Justin Tucker. He was incredibly clutch and it will be hard to replicate his success in 2012.
Texas is going to be better…but not by much.
Eric Ball's 2012 College Football Preseason Top 25
1. LSU
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. Florida State
5. Oklahoma
6. Clemson
7. Georgia
8. South Carolina
9. West Virginia
10. Nebraska
11. Oregon
12. Kansas State
13. Wisconsin
14. Arkansas
15. Ohio State
16. Stanford
17. Michigan
18. Virginia Tech
19. Michigan State
20. Notre Dame
21. Texas
22. TCU
23. Boise State
24. Oklahoma State
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
