Post-Spring Ranking of Every College Football Team

Spring practice has ended, meaning it's not too long until the start of the college football season, the best time of the year.

Many assess their favorite teams based on who is returning and who has left the program. However, it is vital to also look at recent history, coaching changes and, of course, the schedule.

These are not my predictions (though I do project each team's regular-season records) because the season is still a few months away. But here are my updated post-spring rankings for every FBS team.

Note: Feel free to debate where your team should be ranked at the moment, where they should be when the preseason polls come out in August and where they will end up at the end of the year. These rankings are leaning on where they will end up in January as opposed to where I believe they will start out in August. 

124. Buffalo

The Bulls have not been impressive under Jeff Quinn for the last two seasons, going 5-19, 3-13 in the MAC.

If they honestly expect to go bowling for the second time in school history, they will have to win several games as the underdog.

Georgia could destroy them in the opener, and MAC juggernauts Northern Illinois, Ohio and Toledo are  on the slate as well.

Even games against Miami of Ohio, Western Michigan and Kent State will be tough.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 1-11

123. Massachusetts

The Minutemen have not been relevant on the national scene in football or basketball since John Calipari led his squad to the Final Four in 1996.

No longer an FCS program, they play 12 opponents from the FBS and have no games in which they will be favored, other than perhaps Akron and Buffalo.

Poor Charley Molner will have his hands full in the MAC and figures to be overmatched against  Vanderbilt and Michigan in non-conference games.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

122. Texas-San Antonio

An average BCS team could run the table with the Roadrunners schedule, but this newly welcomed FBS squad is ways away from becoming a legitimate threat.

Still, there are four games against FCS competition and we should see them pick up at least four wins.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

121. Tulane

When your scoring offense ranks 105th in the country, fixing it become imperative if you plan to improve your record from a season ago.

Tulane was only 97th in total offense as well and the 2012 schedule is daunting.

Ole Miss and Rutgers come to New Orleans in September, and Conference USA competition will not get much (if at all) easier. Tulane will have a solid chance to defeat UTEP, UAB and Memphis, but that is about it.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

120. Memphis

Justin Fuente was productive as an offensive coordinator for TCU, but his Tigers do not have half the talent that the Horned Frogs had.

Perhaps in time Memphis can get back to winning five or six games a year, but it will likely take a few years.

Tennessee-Martin, Tulane, Rice and Middle Tennessee could be winnable games, although the Tigers have been one of the nation's most inconsistent teams in recent years.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

119. Akron

Terry Bowden takes over a Zips squad that has gone 1-11 for two straight seasons. Improvement will not be easy to come by.

Morgan State (FCS) is an easy choice for their lone victory again, but the Zips should get by Massachusetts in their second-to-last game.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

118. Florida Atlantic

Carl Pelini takes over for these Owls, who had a forgettable 2011 season. They went 1-11 and finished last in the nation in total offense (248 yards per game and second to last in scoring offense (12.92 points per game).

The schedule is fairly soft despite the presence of Alabama and Georgia.

Wagner, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Monroe and South Alabama should all be close games. I look for the Owls to win at least two or three of those games, since those teams are all a bit soft.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

117. UNLV

The Rebels have been rather disappointing under Bobby Hauck, who saw so much success at the FCS level with Montana.

Through two seasons, the Rebels are 4-21, 3-12 in the Mountain West, which is flat-out horrendous. But this team does not completely lack talent, although reaching a bowl game would be outrageous to expect.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-10

116. New Mexico

The Lobos have gone 1-11 for three straight seasons, and this season will be led by former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie.

What in the world will happen next?

New Mexico has 13 games on its schedule and should have a chance to win a handful of them.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-10

115. Idaho

The Vandals did manage to go 6-7 two seasons ago, but the Kibbie Dome has not been rocking lately (if ever).

FCS power Eastern Washington in the opener will be tough, and Texas State and Texas-San Antonio are not exactly cakewalks.

Throwing them a bone, the Vandals are capable of winning at least a few.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

114. Texas State

These Bobcats look a little better than the Charlotte Bobcats, but Texas State is still one of the few new kids on the block.

Houston and Texas Tech could give them a rude awakening to start the season, but more winnable games against Stephen F. Austin, New Mexico and Idaho come next.

Closing out the season with Texas-San Antonio and New Mexico should ensure Texas State of a few wins, which should be good enough to avoid being labeled as the worst team in America.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

113. South Alabama

USA, USA!

I am actually talking about the University of South Alabama, and the Jaguars have the schedule to catch some people by surprise.

Games against UTSA, Nicholls State, Louisiana-Monroe and Middle Tennessee are all winnable, and there are a few more in which we could see an upset or two.  

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

112. Eastern Michigan

Ron English is coming off a six-win season after going 2-22 in the previous two seasons.

Ypsilanti has not been kind to English and his program, but the Eagles have found a way to slowly avoid being the doormat of the MAC.

If only the schedule was not mission impossible, maybe we could see them go bowling.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

111. UAB

Garrick McGee might be asked whether he is the leading candidate to replace John L. Smith as the head coach at Arkansas toward the end of next season, but his Blazers can only hope that he leads them back to relevancy (solid offense, brutal defense).

South Carolina and Ohio State could crush them into oblivion in non-conference play, but look for this basement dweller out of C-USA to win a few games (SE Louisiana, Memphis).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

110. UTEP

Most are simply unaware that the Miners went 5-7 one season ago, but ranking 104th in total defense is not exactly good news.

Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Wisconsin are essentially a murderers' row in non-conference play, and C-USA is a solid non-BCS conference that has proven it can put up some points.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

109. Ball State

Pete Lembo was an unknown before leading Ball State to a 6-6 finish last season. But its schedule last season was conducive to immediate success.

This season, however, Clemson may hang 70 on them in the second game of the year and a trip to Bloomington against the Hoosiers won't be easy. Throw in South Florida and Army, and this non-conference slate is almost unfair.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

108. Rice

David Bailiff has coached five seasons at Rice and is 23-38, but he has appeared in just one bowl game.

Like Owl fans, I too am waiting for Rice to get back into a bowl game. The program has only appeared in two since 1961!

UCLA and Kansas may not be enjoyable to start off the season, but Rice should be able to rack up a few victories despite having seven games on the road.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

107. New Mexico State

The poor Aggies are coming off a fairly respectable 4-9 campaign, but it was helpful that their schedule was not overly difficult.

Ohio, Louisiana Tech, Auburn and BYU should be locks to give them a licking, but this is an improved team despite its projected record.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

106. Louisiana-Monroe

The Warhawks were beaten up by Florida State, Iowa and TCU last season by a combined score of 117-34.

Well, with both Arkansas and Auburn on the schedule, it does not get a whole lot better this season. Those two SEC squads could easily total 100 points, and the competition figures to be fierce in the Sun Belt Conference.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

105. Temple

I picked the Owls to play in the MAC title game a season ago and they fell just short.

With the loss of several key players and a move to the Big East, the expectations for this season are far more modest. The Owls will be lucky to pick up more than a couple of wins.

The Big East is a competitive conference and a clear step up from the MAC. Plus, the loss of running back Bernard Pierce will hurt, despite the return of Matt Brown, another capable back.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-9

104. North Texas

Lance Dunbar carried the North Texas offense, averaging 92 yards a game, but it certainly was not enough.

The Mean Green fell a bit short of reaching a bowl game out of the Sun Belt, going 5-7, and this year's schedule does not have nearly as many cakewalks as it did last season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

103. Kansas

Some BCS team always finishes with a brutal record. This year, all signs point to Lawrence again.

The Jayhawks' struggles led to the hiring of Charlie Weis and he has since brought in several of his former Notre Dame recruits, such as Dayne Crist, who will be his starting quarterback.

But that doesn't figure to be enough to make Kansas competitive this season in the ever-tough Big 12.

Who will KU defeat in the conference schedule?

Outside of a victory against perhaps Northern Illinois in non-conference play, no other game looks like a win except the first two (against South Dakota State and Rice).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

102. Middle Tennessee

The Blue Raiders have appeared in five bowl games in their history, including three in the last six years.

But coming off a 2-10 season in 2011, coach Rick Stockstill’s job could be in jeopardy if his team doesn't make it back to another bowl game this season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

101. Colorado State

The Rams have not been relevant in the Mountain West as their defense has ranked among the nation’s worst. They gave up an average of 31.25 points per game, ranking 91st last season.

Even with eight starters back on defense, all will not be too enjoyable in Fort Collins.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

100. Miami of Ohio

The connection of Zac Dysert to Nick Harwell will be fun to follow, but the rest of the offense was pitiful one season ago.

Averaging 21.33 points per game (103rd in the nation) is tough in a conference such as the MAC where elite teams score points with ease.

Even with eight starters returning, it will take a lot to become a threat in the MAC, although we did see them go from 1-11 to 10-4 in 2009-2010.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 2-10

99. Wyoming

The Cowboys out of Laramie have an expected 13 starters returning with quarterback Bret Smith receiving most of the hype.

The question remains as to whether or not they will make or become any sort of a threat in the Mountain West.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

98. Central Michigan

Dan Enos is hoping for some improvement to finally land in the postseason, but the 92nd ranked offense from one season ago can only improve so much.

Plus, Michigan State and Iowa could lower the expectations if they do not come away fully healthy from those games.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

97. Troy

The Trojans closed their season out by losing by a total of 54 points and Larry Blakeney has been their guy since 1991!

That is currently the longest active streak of seasons together among all FBS schools, but his time may be coming to an end if they cannot return to relevancy form.

Going from an eight and nine win team to a three win squad is not good news, and the schedule does not do too many favors for them in 2012.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

96. Kent State

The Golden Flashers still have Roosvelet Nix, who is now entering his junior campaign. I still find it amazing that he became the first and thus far only MAC player to win Freshman and MAC Defensive Player of the Year two seasons ago.

Kent State was 49th in scoring defense, but the offense was brutal. Finishing 114th scoring 17 PPG makes it tough to book a trip to the postseason.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

95. Indiana

The Hoosiers just saw their basketball team grab the attention of America, so why not the football team?

Well, their basketball program is one of the greatest in the history of the sport, that is not the case for football. Kevin Wilson hopes he can pick up his first Big Ten victory in his second season.

One step at a time IU can improve, but this is far from one of the better teams in the Big Ten.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

94. Western Kentucky

The Hilltoppers went 7-5 and yet they failed to appear in a bowl game since they are still an unknown to most of college football.

Their superstar Bobby Rainey is now gone and they have to lean on a cast of members to get back into that bowl conversation.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

93. Oregon State

Mike Riley is not on the hot seat according to some due to turning the program around into a relevant one, but they have since been anything but in recent memory.

Wisconsin and BYU will likely ruin their postseason chances before November rolls along, but who can the Beavers beat in the Pac-12?

This team has not lost everything but they certainly are one of the easier teams to prepare for in the Pac-12 as of late.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

92. Kentucky

The SEC truly is a gauntlet and the Wildcats under Joker Phillips will have their hands full once again.

It will be a grind and anything more than two wins in the SEC would have to be considered a magical run.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

91. Ole Miss

Oxford is beautiful, but if only the football team was half as gorgeous as their campus was. Houston Nutt is gone and avoiding the basement of the West will be tough to avoid.

LSU, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn are tough and let us not forget about Mississippi State or Texas A&M either.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

90. San Jose State

The move to the Mountain West for the 2013 will be interesting, but even in the WAC they have not had a ton of recent success.

Coming off a 5-7 season and losing 8 starters from the team, look for more of the same with UTSA, Texas State, Idaho and New Mexico State on the slate.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

89. Duke

Outside of the Big East, this is considered the worst BCS conference of them all and being in the basement is awful. These Dukies need to be more productive on both sides of the ball.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

88. Boston College

Montel Harris was dismissed in the offseason and the offense now has some question marks at arguably every level.

The defense loses their leader in Luke Kuechly and we know it will be tough to find a replacement for his production.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

87. East Carolina

The Pirates have had some major issues on the defensive side of the ball as they were ranked 97th in scoring defense (32 PPG).

Improvements will be made but they will need a signature win over South Carolina or North Carolina to have a serious chance of going bowling (seven wins gives them a shot).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

86. Florida International

The Panthers offense struggled with T.Y. Hilton carrying the squad and now what?

They were brutal against Marshall in the bowl game and Mario Cristobal has gone just 24-38 through five seasons now (18-20 in Sun Belt).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

85. Fresno State

Despite losing their successful head coach Pat Hill and top receiver (Jalen Saunders to Oklahoma), Derek Carr and Robbie Rouse return.

The two should be quite the backfield duo, and it gives Fresno a shot in the Mountain West.

The cupcake schedule outside of facing Oregon and Boise State will be intriguing, but don’t be shocked if this team goes bowling despite of the holes.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

84. Hawaii

The Warriors should be decent next season, but posting a decent record in the Mountain West isn’t the best of achievements.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

83. Syracuse

The defense for the Orange will miss Chandler Jones because of how versatile he was, but the Big East is slowly improving with Louisville, Cincinnati and Rutgers all improving.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

82. Minnesota

The Gophers should be able to start out 4-0 which would be more wins than all of last season for Jerry Kill.

However, the Big Ten slate is much tougher and there may not be a team they can beat since the Hoosiers are not on the 2012 docket.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

81. Bowling Green

The Falcons actually have a favorable schedule as the season wears on, but they were consistently bad for the past two seasons.

Nothing too much looks like it will change even with 17 starters returning.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

80. Connecticut

The Big East has Temple to perhaps beat up on, but the Huskies have not made an impact outside of their Big East title and BCS trip to Glendale two seasons ago.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

79. Western Michigan

Alex Carder to Jordan White was a duo that kept on balling last season and they needed every connection between the two since the defense was horrid (28 PPG allowed, 78th).

Carder is back for his senior season while the former fifth year senior in White was drafted by the Jets (Rd 7, Pick 244).

So, look for nearly the same amount of points although the defense still has that lack of foot speed up front.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 3-9

78. San Diego State

Ronnie Hillman decided to enter the NFL Draft despite being just a redshirt sophomore. He did go bonkers in his freshman season, so he was drafted by the Denver Broncos (Rd 3, Pick 67).

Ryan Lindley at quarterback will be the bigger loss and now the offense may struggle to keep up with the oppisition.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

77. Arizona

The Wildcats have Rich Rodriguez as their new head coach, but they are a tad bit desperate to win right away. The defense has 5 starters returning from a squad that allowed 35 PPG (107th).

 Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

76. Air Force

It is almost never a good sign when you lost your top two offensive studs.

Tim Jefferson and Asher Clark have carried the Falcons for the past few seasons, but Air Force should be able to stay somewhat relevant in the Mountain West without them.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

75. Navy

The Midshipmen are losing a bit on offense, but their defense should be improved and the schedule sets them up perfectly for a bowl game.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

74. Central Florida

Remember when the Knights knocked off AJ Green, Aarn Murray and the Georgia Bulldogs in the Liberty Bowl two seasons ago?

Wait, that wasn’t a dream?

Well, those classic days in which the Knights were faster and more talented than everybody are long gone and this team has been lacking true leaders for the past few seasons now.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

73. Maryland

The Terps upset the Canes last season on national television and many were excited or dissatisfied with their uniforms.

Well, they did not win another ACC game for the rest of the season and it was one hell of an albatross for Randy Edsall and his Terps in his first season as the coach (2-10).

Sure, they should be improved and will double their win total, but another year of being home for the holidays is not what the doctor ordered in College Park.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

72. Utah State

The Aggies really lost half a dozen of games last season in which they could have perhaps had won in their sleep.

If only Jeff Anderson could close out games with the fabulous trio of Robert Turbin, Michael Williams and Kerwynn Williams at his disposal, because they were fun to watch.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

71. Army

The Black Knights will rely heavily on Trent Steelman and Raymond Maples to carry this offense.

Army led the nation in rushing last season and they should only improve upon their 346 yard per game average. The defense may have let the squad down on a few occasions and the schedule should certainly test them all season long.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

70. Marshall

Doc Holliday was impressive getting the Thundering Herd to a bowl game and capping it off with a victory, which put them at 7-6.

Aaron Dobson is a fine receiver that has dazzled us with his one-handed grabs for scores, and we should see more of the same in 2012.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

69. Wake Forest

Jim Grobe did one hell of a job to get his squad to the postseason, but the conference does not look good for 2012.

Tanner Price loses his stud in Chris Givens, but he is an underrated pocket passer. The real issues will be facing the likes of Florida State, Virginia, Clemson, NC State and Notre Dame (Vanderbilt too).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

68. Iowa State

Paul Rhoades would love to get his squad back into the postseason, but the Big 12 is arguably the second most talented conference in America heading into the 2012 season.

There are way too many tough games for them to just expect another seven or eight win season. In fact, anything more than five wins would be quite the miracle.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 4-8

67. Illinois

Ron Zook is a goner and former Toledo head coach Tim Beckman will now be relied upon to take them back to national relevancy.

It was just in 2007 where we saw the Illini appear in the Rose Bowl, but it may take a lot of magic to appear for one of those prestigious bowls to occur let alone a New Year’s Day game for the immediate future.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

66. Colorado

If Paul Richardson would have avoided a season-ending injury, the Buffaloes would be a popular pick to reach a bowl game.

Instead, the offense will really have to work hard for everything they earn and the defense will have more pressure to slow down the powerful offenses in the Pac-12.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

65. Northern Illinois

The Huskies open the season against Iowa at Soldier Field and that should be a solid game in which we will find out how far they can go in the MAC without their superstar quarterback, Chandler Harnish.

Even without the duel-threat we know NIU will run the ball and play solid, disciplined football.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-3

64. Arizona State

The Sun Devils under Todd Graham should eventually be explosive offensively, but there will be struggles with some young receivers and lineman still developing.

The defense loses some star power although that may help to start off young, inexperienced and fresh.

The schedule is not soft in the competitive Pac-12 so anything more than six wins should be considered a huge success.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

63. Nevada

Chris Ault is still coaching up the boys from Reno and finding ways to win despite a lack of NFL talent.

Playing in the Mountain West will not be too tough for this squad, so expect the typical eight win season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

62. Purdue

Dan Hope has the Boilermakers prepped and ready to go in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are not a factor in their division in terms of playing for a championship, and outside of the Badgers there are question marks.

Purdue has the schedule to catch your attention, but they need more explosive plays in their passing game (83rd, 195 YPG).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

61. Washington State

The Cougars are now coached by the pirate loving, offensive juggernaut of a coach in Mike Leach. Marquess Wilson is an elite All-American caliber of a receiver and we should be expecting at least a near postseason trip in year number one.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

60. Southern Miss

The Golden Eagles not only lose their head coach in Larry Fedora, but the loss of quarterback  Austin Davis will be tough for this team to overcome as well.

C-USA should be able to upset the champs a few times, but the overall depth should help them at least reach the postseason once again.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-5

59. Pittsburgh

The Panthers start yet another new era with Paul Chryst as Todd Graham has recently left.

Pitt has 13 starters returning, but they are still a long ways away from becoming serious contenders with teams such as Louisville, Cincinnati and Rutgers ahead of the pack.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

58. Miami FL

The Canes have been projected to go from anywhere from an ACC dark horse to a basement dweller. With major issues offensively, anything more than six wins would be a bit of a reach.

The Memphis transfer at quarterback could be interesting (Ryan Williams), but there are so many young backs and receivers that will be relied heavily upon.  

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

57. Houston

The Cougars are losing nearly the entire team so it seems. Record-setting quarterback Case Keenum is gone and so is all of his receivers.

Kevin Sumlin took the job at Texas A&M, and quite a few studs on defense are gone as well.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

56. Baylor

Robert Griffin III stole the show last season in college football.

His ability to steal the national spotlight in his two primetime games (TCU, Oklahoma) was a once in a lifetime experience and now Art Briles' spread offense must be able to attempt to pick up right where they left off.

The talent level isn’t going to improve defensively and we know the offense should take a step or two back, which ultimately will put them right around .500.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

55. Vanderbilt

The Commodores were a great team to root for last season since they ended up playing in a respectable bowl game (Liberty).

However, the defense really was the difference as they even came close to upsetting a few teams last season (Arkansas, Georgia).

The schedule is a bit tougher with Missouri added to the slate, but they will still be right there with a decent chance to appear in another bowl.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

54. North Carolina

Larry Fedora is destined to take the Tar Heels to a relevant bowl game in the coming years, but he loses quite a bit on the defensive side of the ball.

The ACC is still down a bit so although they have just 13 starters back, I would look for UNC to quietly have a decent season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

53. Toledo

Matt Campbell has now become the new head coach and he is also the current youngest one in the entire FBS (32).

Losing Eric Page hurts a bit since these Rockets had the capability of putting up a boatload of yards and numbers.

Now, they will need to find a way to remain a threat offensively and the defense might need a few more stops against the likes of Arizona, Cincinnati and Northern Illinois.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

52. Cal

The Bears and Jeff Tedford have seen a lot of success through the years, but never have they appeared in a BCS bowl.

This is clearly not the season for that to happen, but this could be near the end of a run for the soon to be 11th year head coach.

The talent has not been lacking, but the offensive line had issues in pass protection and the team did not put together much production in the fourth quarters down the stretch (lost three of final six).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

51. Tulsa

The Golden Hurricane had a respectable 8-5 season one year ago, but they would have enjoyed the season more had they closed out Brigham Young in their bowl game.

A disastrous finish, this team has 13 starters back in a conference that is losing quite a bit of star power. They will be up there all season with a tremendous backfield, but it might be tough to run the table or ultimately win C-USA.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

50. Arkansas State

The Red Wolves return the No. 10 total offensive yardage player in the country. Quarterback Ryan Aplin averaged 321 YPG and he was one of the elite one man wrecking crews in the country.

Although they faltered in the GoDaddy.com Bowl to Northern Illinois, I would look for them to return to the postseason with 9 returnees back.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

49. South Florida

The Bulls have been on the cusp many times before to only let us down. B.J. Daniels is now in his senior season and the hope is Skip Holtz can put together a push towards a Big East crown.

However, the schedule is not too enjoyable with non-conference games against Florida State and Miami. They will lose a few Big East games in the process as well, which should be expected this time around.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

48. UCLA

The Bruins may upset an opponent down the road under Jim Mora Jr and despite returning 14 starters, the struggles should continue for now.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

47. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders should sneak into a bowl next season, but they will not do it with ease. Seth Doege is a legit Big 12 passer, but the defense more times than not has let the team down.

In fact, there were only three other defenses that allowed more points per game (117th, 39 PPG).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 6-6

46. Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights have the schedule to really challenge for a Big East crown, but we should learn a lot from Kyle Flood’s squad right away in September.

Going on the road to South Florida and Arkansas should teach us how far their recruiting and depth overall has gone.

They have some nice momentum after knocking off Iowa State in their bowl game, but that does not necessarily mean they will win the Big East.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

45. Louisiana-Lafayette

Road trips to Stillwater and Gainesville these days can be disastrous, but the Ragin’ Cajuns have an offense that could seriously threaten both teams.

The Gators have the makings of shutting down this juggernaut of a Sun Belt offense, but the rest of the competition does not have the arsenal to keep up with Lousiana-Lafayette.

Their defense may give up some yards and points, but they will be a fun team to watch for the few times they are on television.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

44. Texas A&M

The Aggies move to the SEC which will clearly be an interesting move since the schedule is a gauntlet and then some. There are essentially zero games in which they will not have to sweat it out until the very end.

We know their defense is solid, but can the offense under Kevin Sumlin move the ball against these legit SEC defenses after losing their stud in Ryan Tannehill?

In time, there is an excellent chance they reach nine or ten wins but heading into the 2012 season there are a ton of question marks.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 5-7

43. Northwestern

Northwestern should be an interesting team to follow in 2012, like always. The schedule could allow them to start out 5-0 before losing a few in a row with a tough Big Ten slate.

Dan Persa is gone and Kain Colter will take over in attempt to give the program their first bowl victory since 1949!

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

42. Virginia

Mike London had a fine season even though his squad put together a poor effort in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against Auburn where they had major meltdowns on special teams.

The Wahoos were solid all season even upsetting Florida State along the way, but the offense sputtered too much to upset Virginia Tech towards the end of the season (ACC title play-in game).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

41. Mississippi State

Their 10/13 matchup at home against Tennessee will be the game of the year to watch because it could give the Bulldogs an opportunity to start out 6-1 heading into their road test against Alabama.

Pull off a home victory over the Vols and they will not only be a mortal lock to appear in a bowl game, but they could perhaps finish in the top three or four of the West.

Many are picking them to finish sixth ahead of only Ole Miss and that seems to be a mistake in my book.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

40. Missouri

Mizzou should not be too intimidated heading into the SEC with Gary Pinkel as their head coach.

However, they did not have the healthiest of springs with James Franklin getting dinged up (shoulder) and running back Henry Josey still not close to 100 percent (ACL, MCL).

They will fight and upset a team down the road, but it will be tough if they cannot get Georgia in their home and SEC opener since it only gets tougher down the road (at SC, Bama, at UF, at Tenn, at A&M).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

39. Ohio

The Bobcats will be led by Tyler Tettleton next season and these MAC favorites should pick up double digit victories with the schedule they have.

Outside of Penn State in the opener and Marshall on the road, the Bobcats should be solid favorites in arguably every game heading into a potential MAC title.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-2

38. Penn State

The Nittany Lions schedule was fairly soft a season ago until November rolled along and it doesn’t pick up steam until the end of October this season.

Still, the offense will need to become much more consistent for Big Ten teams to respect their passing game.

If not, Silas Redd will struggle to find wiggle room in the backfield and this offense will pick up right where they left off against Houston in their bowl shellacking.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 7-5

37. Cincinnati

Butch Jones is doing one hell of a job for the Bearcats and it shouldn’t matter which SEC school they beat in their bowl game, ten wins is fabulous.

They are winning the battle in the trenches and their playmakers have been impressive albeit both are gone heading into the 2012 season (QB Callarros, RB Pead were stars). Still, there is solid enough depth to succeed in the Big East.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

36. Louisiana Tech

The Bulldogs proved against TCU (Poinsettia Bowl) that they could hang with some of the better competition in the nation.

Getting Texas A&M in the opener (neutral site) will be a great test and a serious BCS busting will occur if they manage to pull off the upset.

If not, they will still get two more cracks at the BCS competition in Virginia and Illinois. They won’t strike out albeit it is more likely they lose all three then run the table.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

35. Brigham Young

We will find out just how strong the Cougars are next season when they travel to Salt Lake and Boise in the first month of the season.

Riley Nelson has Cody Hoffman to throw to whenever he pleases, but the defense has the capability of becoming a strong unit.

Utah, Boise State, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech are the only road tests let alone games on the slate that can prevent them from a nine or ten win regular season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

34. Kansas State

Collin Klein and Bill Snyder hit all the right buttons last season and they nearly appeared in a BCS game. Last year was a season in which many expected them to lose five or more games and they went on to win ten games shockingly.

Klein set the FBS record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (27), and the 108^th passing offense should improve. However, the Big 12 is much tougher this season and the close victories they were able to pull out of their hats one season ago will go the other way in 2012.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

33. Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets should be interesting to watch in the ACC next season with 15 starters back, but this schedule quietly sets Paul Johnson’s crew up nicely.

Virginia Tech in the opener will be tough since it is in Blacksburg, but they avoid Florida State and have seven homes games. Only Clemson and Georgia should be favored to defeat them next season after the Hokies opener.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

32. Washington

Keith Price and the Huskies have the offense to hang with any team from the Pac-12, but the defense needs to step it up a few full notches.

It was atrocious and fairly embarrassing in the Alamo Bowl against Baylor.

It was such a disastrous season defensively that they fired the highest paid defensive coordinator in the nation (Nick Holt).

Improvements will be made with Justin Wilcox, but it will still be up to Price and company to outscore the opposition.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

31. SMU

The Mustangs bring in Garrett Gilbert as their starting quarterback and he could bring a ton of confidence to a team that has not been nationally relevant in seemingly forever.

Margus Hunt on defense is arguably the biggest freak in the country that is still a bit of an unknown, but he will be wreaking havoc on C-USA and BCS competition.

These BCS busters will knock off a few well-known teams and they should crack the rankings at some point during the season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-2

30. North Carolina State

Mike Glennon remains as one of the dark horses in the ACC because he has the arm to bring the Pack back into contention.

Going up against Tennessee in the opener will be one of the more underrated opening weekend games to start the season, but if they can manage to win that one they may just have a chance to compete with Florida State and Clemson.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

29. Louisville

No longer a lock to appear in the BCS due to the new rules (no automatic qualifiers), the Big East is still a recognizable conference. Whether they are respected or not is a completely different story though.

Teddy Bridgewater is a tremendous young talent that could lead the ‘Ville to an appearance in the BCS or at very worst into contention in the Big East.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

28. Oklahoma State

The high octane offense that we saw from one season ago was simply impressive. Mike Gundy had one hell of a time with his nasty trio of Brandon Weeden, Justin Blackmon and Joseph Randle.

Randle stays, but now Wes Lunt takes over at quarterback with several targets likely to become a factor in their passing game.

The defense should actually be improved on paper, although they will likely not lead the country in takeaways again.

Throw in a much tougher Big 12 conference and anything close to double digit wins before their bowl game should be considered a solid achievement.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

27. Florida

The Gators defense has the talent to knock off nearly any opponent on the slate, but their offense still has some issues.

A young, unproven quarterback is one thing, but the lack of receivers and backs from an experience standpoint adds up quickly.

The talent isn’t necessarily lacking, but this offense was an absolute mess last year. Muschamp can turn it around with the recruits he is piling up, but it will take some magic to expect to win the East.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

26. Iowa

Don’t look now but the Iowa Hawkeyes have seemingly lost every running back on the roster in recent memory and they have now become a spread offense with James Vanderberg at the helm.

There should not be any argument that the Hawkeyes truly have the easiest schedule in the entire Big Ten.

There will only be three games in which they go up against a ranked team (at Michigan State, at Michigan, Nebraska).

If they can get by the likes of Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota and Purdue then there is no reason why they cannot win at least eight.

The defense will be improved and Vanderberg is poised to become the best pure passer in the Big Ten.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

25. Notre Dame

I have gone out on a limb every few years to say this is the year where the Irish could play in a BCS bowl and although they did appear in two (‘06,’07), those games seem like decades ago.

The schedule is not impossible if you take out those four preseason top 15 teams in USC, Oklahoma, Michigan and Michigan State, but those could be four nightmare games.

Denard Robinson, Landry Jones and Matt Barkley! Well, at least Kirk Cousins is gone or else that would be disastrous, but the Spartans defense might be the best of those other three.

Brian Kelly needs to stick with a quarterback going into those games so there is more confidence, awareness and rhythm for his team.

The star players are there in Manti Te’o, Cierre Wood and Tyler Eiffert, but at the end of the day they are still lacking legit stars across the board to appear in a BCS bowl.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

24. Tennessee

Tyler Bray will be fun to watch throwing the pigskin around to his group of talented receivers. None is better than Da’Rick Rogers.

Rogers hauled in 9 TD one season ago from Bray, and assuming the signal-caller can stay healthy this is an eight win squad.

The Vols defense will be improved and the schedule sets them up nicely if they can avoid a rough start (NC State, UF, UGA all in September).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

23. Utah

The Utes are my dark horse to not only take America by surprise by knocking off potentially the top ranked team in America, but they should reach nine or ten wins when the seasons comes to a conclusion.

John White IV is a beast in the backfield and the defense is led by superstar defensive tackle Star Lotulelei.

Plus, the schedule is soft and if they were to knock off USC, the results will follow without Oregon or Stanford on the slate.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

22. TCU

Casey Pachall and this offense is loaded with playmakers, but their offensive line issues should draw a concern against the a defense like Texas.

Also, can they outscore the likes of Oklahoma and West Virginia if the defensive guru’s defense (Gary Patterson) does not live up to the yearly expectations?

They will still be respectable, but the Big 12 will find a way to squeak by the Horned Frogs in a few classic, thrilling games that come down to the wire ala Baylor-TCU last season.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

21. Virginia Tech

The Hokies may get a few cracks at the Seminoles next season, but they do have road games against Clemson and Miami FL.

Sure, the Hurricanes are far from being challengers in the ACC, but the Tigers will be tough towards the end of the season.

The Hokies defense will allow them to hang with anybody in the conference, but this offense has several question marks and even Frank Beamer will have a hard time putting them in the BCS title conversation.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-3

20. Clemson

Sammy Watkins potential suspension could cost these Tigers a shot at both a BCS berth and ACC title.

Tajh Boyd has other weapons, but nobody can demand the attention like Watkins can. Plus, this defense has some questions marks all over the field.

They have playmaker or two in the back seven, but their defensive line could struggle early on against Auburn and Florida State.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

19. Ohio State

Urban Meyer is going to put the Buckeyes back on the map in the near future.

Even without the eligibility to play in a Big Ten title or BCS bowl, Ohio State will be a national factor for every Big Ten team on their schedule.

Braxton Miller will go through a few growing pains in the primetime games, but this defense will take them a far way.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

18. Wisconsin

Bret Bielema has lost his leader in Russell Wilson, but Montee Ball did just go off like no other running back has ever gone off before.

The offensive line remains one of the best in the nation and the defense should be improved overall. The schedule is not too soft with games at Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue.

Plus, outside of home dates with Ohio State and Michigan this schedule sets them up nicely for another run towards a Big Ten title.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-3

17. Auburn

This team has the talent to win double digit games, but the schedule does not do too many favors playing in the West.

Arkansas, LSU and Alabama will all be tough games to win and Clemson in the opener is not a cake walk either (Atlanta, GA)

They even have to go to Mississippi State the following week which should tell us a lot about these Tigers.

The defense struggled a season ago, but their defensive line will be much improved and we know the offense should be balanced with more consistency.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

16. Stanford

The Cardinal without the trio of Andrew Luck, David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin will be tough to overcome in terms of becoming a BCS title contender.

However, they will still be able to run the football and the defense is physical enough to challenge everybody outside of USC and Oregon. Games in South Bend and Seattle against the Huskies will be tougher than some anticipate however.

David Shaw proved he was fine coach last season, but we will find out a lot about him in the near future without his All-American quarterback (solid to great line still).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 8-4

15. South Carolina

Call me crazy, but this is my current top ten team that I feel is the most likely to falter.

I may very well change my pick come August, but this schedule isn’t going to change overnight. Vanderbilt to start off the season will not be a cake walk and road dates with LSU, Florida and Clemson are brutal.

Georgia and Arkansas at home could be games in which they are slight underdogs/favorites depending on the momentum and health status of the team. Marcus Lattimore and Connor Shaw will have to carry this offense, but their defense up front will rank among the best in the country.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 9-3

14. Nebraska

Rex Burkhead enters his senior season and is only 1,223 rushing yards away from passing Ahman Green for second on the Huskers career rushing list.

He will need 2,123 to pass Mike Rozier’s nearly unbreakable record of 4,780 career rushing yards.

Those numbers are not important when you realize the Huskers are looking for a trip to Pasadena by winning the Big Ten title.

Their division is tough with both Michigan schools and a potential matchup with Wisconsin will not be easy either.

However, this schedule gives them a serious chance of winning this division. A classic rematch with the Buckeyes from last season’s thrilling finish will be intriguing, but the true money games (BCS) will be at home against Michigan and on the road against Michigan State.

A split there and a tiebreaker will be enforced, which can often be considered fluky and pure luck. If Taylor Martinez gets help in the passing game and can take care of the ball, this offense will be much tougher to stop. 

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

13. Michigan State

The Spartans defense can take them a far next season with 8 starters returning.

William Gholston is the popular choice to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year albeit not everybody loves the guy for his actions against Michigan’s Denard Robinson.

If Andrew Maxwell can build a solid rapport with all of the brand new receivers, they can come close to running the table.

Boise State may truly upset them in the opening weekend of college football, but that loss won’t be too shocking or depressing for Sparty nation.

Their first concern is a trip to Pasadena by winning their division and the whole season will be amped for games against Nebraska (home), Ohio State (home), Michigan (road) and Wisconsin (road).

They will more than likely need to win three of those games with a potential tiebreaker on the line.

Doubting one of the best coaching staffs in America is never a smart idea with the momentum they have heading into the season, but this schedule is once again unfriendly to the folks in East Lansing.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

12. Oklahoma

Landry Jones and the Sooners passing offense should be much improved compared to how they finished the season last year.

Ryan Broyles is gone but Trey Mettoyer will look to fill the void alongside Kenny Stills and a slew of others.

Bob Stoops’ defense cannot perform as awful as they did in games against Baylor and Texas Tech, but it will be tough to win the Big 12 in my eyes.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 10-2

11. Michigan

This is the final collegiate season for Denard Robinson and the hope is that he carries the Maize and Blue to a Big Ten title.

Alabama in the opener will be extremely tough because it will be one of the best defense the Wolverines will have gone up against in several seasons.

Notre Dame will await them in South Bend, and trips to Lincoln and Columbus will not be easy either. However, the Wolverines defense is still underrated with one of the better linebacker corps in the country and their secondary is solid as well.

The passing offense really is the key since we know they will still be able to run the ball effectively.

Junior Hemmingway cannot bail out Robinson anymore, so it is up to this electrifying duel-threat quarterback to take them to Pasadena.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-2

10. Oregon

The Ducks will be flying again with De’Anthony Thomas, Kenjon Barner helping out whoever wins the starting job at quarterback.

This will be their best defensive team they have ever had under Chip Kelly (Nick Aliotti), which should give them an excellent chance against the Trojans (who I have them losing twice to at the moment).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-2

9. Alabama

The top offensive line in the nation will own teams at the line of scrimmage, but their defense is going to be nasty again under Nick Saban.

Michigan, Arkansas, LSU and a potential SEC title game may all be thrilling games to look out for. The SEC West will be a tight race similar to last season, but give me the Tide to find a way to win the tiebreaker.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-2

8. West Virginia

Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, Ivan McCartney and Stedman Bailey should be the most explosive passing offense (and overall arguably) in the country.

Who in the Big 12 can slow them down?

Their defense will be the only potential road block to prevent them running the table. Lastly, playing in a BCS bowl is realistic this season since they proved down the stretch last season that they have the stars aligned to make a solid run in their first season in the Big 12.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-1

7. Boise State

Chris Petersen has done it time after time, although the past two seasons have been rather disappointing with the way the season has finished.

Obliterating their conference is fun to watch, and taking on all BCS challengers is right there in terms of entertainment.

However, at some point they will need a new player to mold into a superstar next season.

Joe Southwick certainly fits the system offensively, but the underrated receivers that can stretch the field will be intriguing to watch against Michigan State in the opener.

The defense always reloads and it is just a matter of whether or not their special teams and red zone offense can get the job done.

If not, we should see a loss or two but this team is vastly underrated on account nobody believes they have the stars to knock off the Spartans and or run the table in the Mountain West.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 12-0

6. Arkansas

The Razorbacks offense should rank among the best in college football thanks to Tyler Wilson spinning it with the best of them. He loses a few playmakers, but he still has plenty of help barring the health of Knile Davis in the backfield.

Alonzo Highsmith is their star on defense and he is still recovering from a torn pectoral this offseason, but their stout defensive line can give them a legitimate chance of dethroning Alabama and or LSU (both games).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-1

5. Texas

The Longhorns have a defense coming back that has the capability of taking the Big 12 and the rest of America by storm.

The defensive line is ferocious and their secondary has the makings of becoming one of the best in the nation as well.

Will the passing game be ready to take that next step and will there be any issues in dividing up the carries with the running backs?

If any of those questions can get answered in time for their games against Oklahoma, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and TCU, then they have an excellent chance at becoming your dark horse BCS title contender.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-1

4. Florida State

Can Florida State finally live up to the preseason hype?

They were bit hard by the injury bug and lost three games in September, and many prognosticators threw them under the bus once again due to their typical overrating.

However, this defense will be better than last season with a few future Sunday stars both up front and back in the secondary. The key for them to run the table and or challenge for a BCS title is EJ Manuel and that offensive line.

Not only can it open up the running game with the plethora of backs they have (just like all the BCS contenders), but it will allow their passing game to shine.

The schedule isn’t too tough although a trip to Blacksburg on a Thursday and home dates against Clemson and Florida (ACC title too) will be a grind.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 12-1

3. Louisiana State

The Bayou Bengals defense could rank among the top two in the country again and the schedule will likely not be as brutal as it was last season.

Zach Mettenberger should help the passing offense out a bit, but we can always bank on Les Miles pulling out a few nailbiters.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 11-1

2. Georgia

Aaron Murray and the Georgia Bulldogs have a chance to take the landscape of college football despite some of their usual distractions and suspensions.

The defense is absolutely loaded with speed and explosiveness, and the offense has their star players back on offense.

They also have the easiest schedule among the SEC contenders, and avoiding the three heavyweight from the West should give them a great chance to run the table in the regular season (sneak by SC in Columbia).

Way Too Early Projected Record: 12-1

1. Southern California

The Trojans offense will be impressive with Matt Barkley throwing to two future NFL receivers in Marquis Lee and Robert Woods. Can they run the ball effectively?

Also, can their interior of the line step up in games against Utah, Washington and Oregon (twice)?

I love their chances of playing in a BCS bowl, just not necessarily as much as the BCS National Championship.

As the favorite to land the top spot in the preseason polls, USC does not have as much of a cakewalk as some are making it out to be. Still, at the moment they are the team to beat and their firepower is scary.

Way Too Early Projected Record: 13-0

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