Predicting the Top 10: End-of-the-Year Picks for Bowl Season

Throughout this article I will take a look at the upcoming season and give my predictions for what I believe the top 10 teams will look like when the college football bowl season rolls around.

1. Florida

The Gators are by far the best team in the country going into the season. The Gators have the best quarterback in the game with Tim Tebow, a dynamic defense and a fast offense with many different weapons.

Florida will have two major games against LSU in Death Valley and Georgia in October, where they will have to win both to keep their championship hopes alive. I see the Gators having a dominating season and a legitimate shot at another National Championship.

2. Texas

After their heartbreaking loss in Lubbock last year to Texas Tech, the Longhorns return hungry and determined for an even more successful season. Colt McCoy will once again lead the offense as he makes his push for a Heisman Trophy.

Texas has a very difficult schedule; one of their biggest games will take place when they travel to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State. All in all it should be a successful season for the Longhorns.

3. Oklahoma

The Sooners and coach Bob Stoops are set for another successful season. They have quarterback Sam Bradford, who could potentially be the first player selected in next year’s NFL Draft. The Sooners revolve around an aggressive passing attack that features numerous threats at the wide receiver position.

The game between Oklahoma and Texas in October should be unbelievable and may go down as the best game of the season. That game will decide which teams has a better shot at playing for the national title.

4. USC

The Trojans are entering this season with freshman quarterback Matt Barkley as their starter. Barkley will one day be a great player, but starting a true freshman can sometimes come back to haunt a team.

Barkley’s second game won’t be easy, as the Trojans will travel to the Horseshoe to take on Ohio State. If USC loses this game they still could have a shot at the championship, but it will make their Pac-10 games that much more important. Regardless, if Barkley plays well, he can put his team in contention for another trip to the Rose Bowl.

5. Ole Miss

When Houston Nutt came to Oxford, Mississippi fans were expecting big things from him. He has quickly lived up to those high expectations and has built a very strong team going into this season. Jevan Snead had a great first season at quarterback and he’s only getting better, Dexter McCluster is a wonderful flex position player who fits Nutt's crazy Wild-Rebel offensive scheme perfectly.

The Rebels don’t have an extremely difficult schedule facing all of their major matchups at home and, if they play up to their talent level, will find themselves in a great position come bowl time.

6. Boise St.

The only way the Broncos can finish the season ranked this high is by winning their first game at home against a strong Oregon Ducks team. It won’t be an easy task for Boise State, but if they can pull it off they could put themselves in the position to play in a major bowl game.

7. Oklahoma St.

Fans in Stillwater could not be more excited about their squad entering into this year’s season. After a highly successful campaign last year, the Cowboys return with their three highly skilled players on the offensive side of the ball.

With Zac Robinson at quarterback, Kendall “Spud” Hunter at running back and Dez Bryant at wide receiver, OKSU should be an offensive threat for any opposing defense. Their defense still will struggle at times, but has improved over the offseason and should find themselves playing at a higher level.

The Cowboys will have a great season, and laying in the extremely difficult Big 12 South should make for some exciting, high-octane ballgames.

8. Alabama

The Crimson Tide comes off a terrific season that saw them once atop the rankings. This year’s team will feature first-year starting quarterback Greg McElroy, who will be the key to this season’s success. If McElroy can play well, 'Bama will once again be a great team. Terrence “The Mountain” Cody is a mammoth of a player at the DT position and will anchor a strong D-line.

I look forward to their first game of the season against VT, as well as their trip to Oxford to take on the Rebels.

9. Ohio State

Terrelle Pryor, potentially the most exciting player in all of college football, is the game-breaker for the Buckeyes. If he continues to grow as a ballplayer, Ohio State could potentially be a top three team by the end of the year.

Outside of hosting USC at home and traveling to Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions, their schedule is favorable. Anything short of a Rose Bowl appearance will be a disappointment for Buckeye fans.

10. Georgia Tech

Call me crazy, but I think the Yellow Jackets have a legit shot at finishing the season ranked in the top 10. I think the Hokies' running back loss will hurt them in the ACC down the stretch and will give GT a chance to win the ACC.

Jonathan Dwyer is a straight-up stud and an unbelievable talent at the running back position who fits in perfectly with Paul Johnson’s flex-bone offensive scheme.

All eyes will be on quarterback Josh Nesbitt in October when the Hokies travel to GT.

Honorable Mention

11. Virginia Tech

12. Oregon

13. Penn State

14. LSU

15. TCU

Conference Predictions

ACC

   Atlantic- FSU

   Coastal- GT

Big East

   1. West Virginia

   2. Pittsburgh

Big 10

   1. OSU

   2. Penn St

Big 12

   North- Kansas

   South- Texas

Pac 10

   1. USC

   2. California, Oregon St. and Oregon all finishing 9-3

SEC

   East- Florida

   West- Ole Miss