Where Do the Nebraska Huskers Rank in 2012?

The 2012 college football season is fast approaching, and fans across the state of Nebraska are starting to wonder where their Huskers stack up against the rest of the teams in both the Big Ten and the rest of the country.

Nebraska has won at least nine games in each of the four seasons under head coach Bo Pelini. The Huskers have one of the toughest schedules in the country this season, but another nine-win season is not out of the picture.

Nebraska returns some key players on offense, including quarterback Taylor Martinez, running back Rex Burkhead, wide receiver Kenny Bell and guard Spencer Long.

The defense failed to reach expectations in 2011, but Nebraska has the talent to become a solid defensive unit in 2012. It will be up to the new defensive coordinator John Papuchis and new defensive-line coach Rick Kaczenski to motivate the Blackshirts.

The preseason rankings have Nebraska rated as high as No. 14 and as low as No. 27. The official college football rankings do not come out until early August.

Here is where many of the national magazines and websites have the Huskers ranked going into the 2012 season…

Athlon Sports Rankings

Nebraska No. 14

Every season, I purchase the Athlon Sports preseason football magazine. They always seem to be the magazine that ranks Nebraska the highest.

After reading through many of the preseason rankings, Athlon Sports looks like the most accurate. That is not just because Nebraska is rated No. 14 in their poll.

The top 10 in Athlon Sports magazine looks like the correct order. Almost every other preseason ranking has LSU as the No. 1 team in the country. I think USC should be the No. 1 team with the two SEC schools not far behind.

Nebraska is rated a little too high at No. 14.

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma
6. Ohio State
7. Michigan
8. Georgia
9. Florida State
10. South Carolina
11. Texas
12. West Virginia
13. Arkansas
14. NEBRASKA
15. Clemson
16. Virginia Tech
17. Wisconsin
18. Michigan State
19. Oklahoma State
20. Notre Dame
21. Stanford
22. TCU
23. Louisville
24. Boise State
25. Washington

SBNation.com Rankings

Nebraska No. 18

The SBNation preseason poll has the wrong top 10 but has Nebraska ranked in the correct spot.

I think Nebraska’s No. 18 ranking in this poll is about right. Nebraska is not ready to be a top-10 football team, but they do belong in the top 20.

The poll does look outdated with Georgia still ranked at No. 6. The Bulldogs have problems with suspensions and their best running back being dismissed from the team.

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma
6. Georgia
7. Michigan
8. Florida State
9. South Carolina
10. Arkansas
11. West Virginia
12. Wisconsin
13. Michigan State
14. TCU
15. Kansas State
16. Clemson
17. Virginia Tech
18. NEBRASKA
19. Stanford
20. Ohio State
21. Texas
22. Boise State
23. Oklahoma State
24. Notre Dame
25. Washington

Sports Illustrated Ranking

Nebraska No. 18

Sports Illustrated also has Nebraska ranked at No. 18.

Although I like USC as the top team in the country, the Sports Illustrated preseason poll is pretty accurate. It is one of the only preseason polls with Wisconsin ranked in the top 10. The Badgers will be good this year with running back Monte Ball leading the charge.

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma
6. Wisconsin
7. South Carolina
8. Georgia
9. West Virginia
10. Michigan State
11. TCU
12. Arkansas
13. Michigan
14. Stanford
15. Kansas State
16. Clemson
17. Florida State
18. NEBRASKA
19. Virginia Tech
20. Boise State
21. Texas
22. Auburn
23. Washington
24. Oklahoma State
25. Georgia Tech

Scout.com Rankings

Nebraska No. 22

The writers who put together the Scout.com preseason poll should stick to ranking college football recruits.

The Scout.com preseason poll is all over the board. They have Texas at No. 5, USC at No. 6, Utah at No. 13 and Nebraska at No. 22.

Texas is not a top-five team in 2012, and the Huskers belong in the top 20.

1. LSU
2. Oklahoma
3. Oregon
4. Alabama
5. Texas
6. USC
7. South Carolina
8. Georgia
9. Florida State
10. Wisconsin
11. Ohio State
12. Michigan
13. Utah
14. Louisville
15. Virginia Tech
16. Michigan State
17. Boise State
18. Arkansas
19. West Virginia
20. Oklahoma State
21. Auburn
22. NEBRASKA
23. Florida
24. North Carolina State
25. Rutgers

NationalChamps.net Rankings

Nebraska No. 22

The NationalChamps.net preseason poll almost got it right. Most of the teams seem to be in the correct order, but the website ranked Nebraska too low.

Another problem I have with this poll is that it is too top-heavy with teams from the SEC. Half of the teams in the top 10 are from the SEC. I know it is a good conference, but let’s be more realistic.

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. USC
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma
6. Georgia
7. Stanford
8. Arkansas
9. South Carolina
10. Oklahoma State
11. Florida State
12. West Virginia
13. Michigan
14. Clemson
15. TCU
16. Wisconsin
17. Michigan State
18. Kansas State
19. Texas
20. Virginia Tech
21. Ohio State
22. NEBRASKA
23. Auburn
24. Florida
25. Baylor

ESPN.com Rankings

Nebraska No. 25

The ESPN preseason poll is always way off. Usually their site is one of the first to release a preseason poll, which is one of the reasons why they fail to get it right year after year.

Nebraska is lucky to be ranked at No. 24 in the ESPN preseason poll, since ESPN usually understimates the Huskers.

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. Oregon
5. Georgia
6. Oklahoma
7. Florida State
8. West Virginia
9. Michigan
10. South Carolina
11. Michigan State
12. Stanford
13. Arkansas
14. TCU
15. Wisconsin
16. Clemson
17. Ohio State
18. Kansas State
19. Texas
20. Florida
21. Washington
22. Oklahoma State
23. Virginia Tech
24. NEBRASKA
25. Georgia Tech

About.com Rankings

Nebraska No. 27

I was surprised when I came across this poll.

First, I was surprised that About.com published a preseason college football poll, and then I was surprised to see that the Huskers were not in it.

I had to do some research on the site to find Nebraska ranked No. 27. There will be people who think this is the most accurate poll out of any on the list. They could be right, but I would not bet against the Huskers overachieving in 2012.

1. LSU
2. Oregon
3. Alabama
4. Michigan
5. Boise State
6. USC
7. Georgia
8. Stanford
9. Oklahoma
10. South Carolina
11. Florida State
12. Michigan State
13. Ohio State
14. Arkansas
15. Notre Dame
16. TCU
17. Wisconsin
18. Clemson
19. Kansas State
20. Texas
21. Louisville
22. Florida
23. Virginia Tech
24. Oklahoma State
25. Penn State

2012 Preseason Polls

Many people do not think the Huskers will be as good this year as they have been the last two seasons. I think the Huskers will surprise people this year.

Taylor Martinez can only get better in his third year as a starter. Rex Burkhead will show the country why he is one of the best running backs in the Big Ten, and the defense will excel under the new coaching staff.

When the USA Today preseason poll and the A.P. preseason poll are released, I believe Nebraska will be ranked somewhere near No. 20.

If Nebraska is able to get through their difficult schedule in 2012, the Huskers will have no problem climbing the rankings.

Husker fans must remember that it is not where you start in the rankings, but where you finish that matters the most.

Follow me on Twitter @HuskerMagic