USA Today Coaches Poll: Will Top 25 Teams Finish Higher or Lower?
The 2010 USA Today Coaches Poll was released Friday and features the usual staple of prestigious programs near the top.
Although the preseason rankings aren't necessarily an indication of what is to come, they do provide plenty of opportunity for discussion.
The majority of the top-25 teams are likely to remain in the rankings throughout the season, but the positioning is certain to fluctuate. A handful of powerhouse teams including LSU, Georgia and Penn State could find themselves booted from the rankings by early October.
Meanwhile, borderline top-25 teams like Utah and Auburn look to continue to move towards the top.
Here's a look at how the rankings could shake up as the season progresses:
No. 24: West Virginia (Tied With Utah)
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As long as Noel Devine stays healthy, West Virginia will have a chance to compete with anyone on the schedule. That's good news for head coach Bill Stewart, who could use a nine-win season to ensure his job security.
Like several teams ranked in the USA Today preseason poll, West Virginia has questions at the quarterback position. Highly-touted Geno Smith assumes his role in as a starter for the Mountaineers' spread attack.
Despite returning nine starters on defense, West Virginia has a difficult schedule in 2010. Non-conference road games at West Virginia and LSU and conference trips to Connecticut and Pittsburgh makes three or four losses a possibility.
Is a four-loss Big East team good enough to stay in the top 25?
Outlook: Lower
No. 24: Utah (Tied With West Virginia)
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TCU gets most of the love in the Mountain West, but Utah can play and should be a mainstay in the top-25 throughout this season.
It starts with a win over No. 14 Pitt in the season opener in Salt Lake City.
The deciding factor will be how the Utes fare in back-to-back weeks in early November.
TCU visits Salt Lake City in what could boil down to an unofficial conference championship game. A win over the Horned Frogs would catapult Utah into the national spotlight heading into the Nov. 13 meeting with Notre Dame.
Utah doesn't have as many weapons as many top 25 teams, but there is plenty of potential to move up in the polls.
Outlook: Higher
No. 23: Auburn
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The Tigers have plenty to be excited about heading into this season and could challenge for supremacy in the SEC West.
The offense features plenty of weapons and showed an ability to light up the scoreboard last season. The biggest question for the Tigers is on the defensive side of the ball. The unit struggled last season and has been dealing with injury problems in the secondary all summer.
The biggest reason to bet on a rise in the polls for Auburn is one of the nation's most favorable schedules.
Auburn hosts SEC West contenders LSU and Arkansas and enjoys plenty of home cookin' before a November 26 showdown at Alabama
Outlook: Higher
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 22: Oregon State
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There's plenty to like about Mike Riley's team, but the schedule could be a problem and eventually lead to the Beavers' exit from the top 25.
Aside from the season opener against TCU in Dallas, Oregon State journeys to Boise State and Arizona early in the season.
That means three potential losses with trips to UCLA and Stanford yet to come.
Outlook: Lower
No. 21: Georgia
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It's time for Mark Richt to get things turned around in Athens.
The Bulldogs believe they have finally found a quarterback in Aaron Murray, who should help A.J. Green return to top form.
As usual, there is plenty of talent but continuity could be an issue in Georgia.
The Bulldogs could easily be out of the rankings by late September after a trip to South Carolina and a difficult home game against Arkansas.
Outlook: Lower
No. 20: Florida State
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The Seminoles are poised for an offensive explosion this season, with Christian Ponder and Bert Reed leading the way.
FSU returns 10 starters on offense and should be able to excel in the run game and through the air. The defense should be better than last season, when it ranked dead last in the ACC in total defense.
Florida State could vault up the rankings with a win at Oklahoma on September 11.
Outlook: Higher
No. 19: Arkansas
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All eyes are on Ryan Mallett, who boasts one of the strongest arms in college football.
Arkansas has depth at receiver and running back, and should be in for a huge offensive output if the offensive line plays well.
The defense was inconsistent last season and finished last in the SEC against the pass. Three starters return from the secondary, which may or may not be a good thing.
The Razorbacks have a manageable schedule, but could suffer losses to Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M early in the season before finishing strong.
Outlook: Higher
No. 18: North Carolina
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North Carolina has five legitimate NFL players on a loaded defense, but the offense is filled with uncertainty.
The Heels finished last season ranked 108 in total offense last season and could have a quarterback controversy on their hands if T.J. Yates doesn't show improvement.
Making matters worse, playmaker Greg Little could face eligibility issues depending on the outcome of the NCAA's investigation into improper benefits he allgededly received.
If North Carolina comes out on top in the ACC Coastal, it won't be easy.
Outlook: Lower
No. 17: Georgia Tech
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Josh Nesbitt can sure run, but he really can't throw.
Barring an unexpected improvement by the senior quarterback and the emergence of a replacement for Demaryius Thomas, the Yellow Jackets could struggle this season.
The defensive lost Derrick Morgan, and Morgan Burnett and could struggle under first-year coordinator Al Groh's new 3-4 scheme.
Georgia Tech probably doesn't have enough talent to stay in the top-20 throughout the season.
Outlook: Lower
No. 16: LSU
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Like his fellow SEC colleague Mark Richt, Les Miles needs to win big this season to make sure he has a job next season.
A variety of events have fueled the sudden turn towards mediocrity in Baton Rouge, but there is still plenty of talent.
The Tigers offense needs to show consistency for the first time in over two years, which could be easier said than done.
LSU's defense is good enough to carry the team to an SEC title. That might simply be too much to ask.
Outlook: Lower
No. 15: Pittsburgh
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Everything looks great for Pitt, except for the quarterback position.
Bill Stull wasn't perfect, but he managed to limit his mistake and take advantage of the talent around him to produce last season.
Tino Sunseri steps in for Stull, which means the Panthers will lean on Heisman hopeful Dion Lewis even more than usual early in the season.
The Panthers could lose the opener to Utah and face difficult challenges against Miami, UConn, and South Florida before closing out the season against West Virginia and Cincinnati.
Despite having the preseason offensive and defensive Player of the Year in the Big East, the Panthers could suffer four or even five losses this season.
Outlook: Lower
No. 14: Penn State
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Joe Paterno has his work cut out for him this season in Happy Valley.
Along with facing a difficult schedule, the Lions don't have an established quarterback and don't know exactly what to expect from the offensive line with Quinn Barham moving to left tackle.
Evan Royster and Stephfon Green are dynamic playmakers and Penn State's defense should be good enough to make things interesting, but an awful special teams unit needs to improve from last year.
The Lions will likely have to do all the little things to survive a challenging schedule.
In the end, there are just too many questions to expect Penn State to remain in the top-15 for long.
Outlook: Lower
No. 13: Miami
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If not for one of college football's most daunting schedules, Miami would be a lock for a top-10 ranking as the season progresses.
It could still happen, but it won't be easy.
There are plenty of opportunities for Jacory Harris and friends to show the pollsters they belong, starting with a showdown in Columbus on September 11.
Miami boasts an impressive collection of talent on both sides of the ball, but will need a truly dominant performance from the inconsistent Harris to retain a lofty spot in the rankings throughout a challenging season.
Outlook: Steady
No. 12: Wisconsin
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Of all the teams unhappy with their position in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll, Wisconsin has the biggest gripe.
Despite returning almost all starters on offense, including Heisman candidate John Clay, Wisconsin is ranked outside of the top-10.
In one way or another, the BCS race will go through Wisconsin this season. Games against Ohio State and Iowa could propel the Badgers into the national picture.
Outlook: Higher
No. 11: Oregon
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Despite the loss of Jeremiah Masoli, a tumultuous offseason won't be enough to derail the Ducks in 2010.
Dynamic LaMichael James returns and there is speed and depth on both sides of the ball for Chip Kelly's team.
Of course, the big question is at quarterback. The Ducks could use senior Nate Costa or look to go younger. Either way, it's not likely the offense will suffer.
The schedule isn't overwhelming and could be kind enough to propel Oregon into the top-10 for the duration of the season.
Outlook: Higher
No. 10: Iowa
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Iowa success last season has sprouted hope for the Rose Bowl this season.
As always, it won't be easy for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes.
The schedule features plenty of tough challenges, including an early trip to the desert to face Arizona. The conference slate includes home games against Big Ten powers Wisconsin, Penn State, and Ohio State.
Although the team returns most of the top players including Adrian Clayborn and Ricky Stanzi, there are questions on the offensive line and at linebacker.
If the Hawkeyes find a way to replace Bryan Bulaga, Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, expectations could be met and even exceeded this season.
Outlook: Higher
No. 9: Nebraska
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Anyone who watched Nebraska last year knowns that an anemic offense was the only thing preventing the Huskers from a spot in the BCS.
It will be interesting to see if anything has changed this season.
Even with the loss of Ndamukong Suh, the Huskers are loaded on defense. Jared Crick and Pierre Allen will anchor one of the nation's best units.
It's difficult to justify putting a team with uncertainty at the quarterback position inside the top-10, but the Huskers could hold steady in this spot throughout the season.
Outlook: Steady
No. 8: Oklahoma
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The Sooners have talent all over the place but still need to prove they can protect the quartback and pave holes for the running game.
Oklahoma's schedule is interesting, including a trip to a hostile environment in Cincinnati to face the Bearcats and conference road games against Missouri and Texas A&M.
The Sooners are one of the sexiest picks to contend for a national title this season. That doesn't mean it will happen.
Outlook: Lower
No. 7: TCU
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The Horned Frogs are absolutely stacked and should get plenty of exposure this season.
It might sound crazy, but the high preseason ranking makes TCU an outside favorite to contend for the National Championship. A win over Oregon State to open the season could be the start of an undefeated season.
The schedule features only two difficult conference games: a home game against BYU and a trip to Salt Lake City to beat Utah.
If the Horned Frogs survive those games and avoid an upset at the hands of Baylor, and undefeated season is a strong possibility.
Outlook: Higher
No. 6: Virginia Tech
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Quietly, the Hokies are in the thick of things as the season grows nearer.
A win over Boise State on September 6 would be a fantastic start to the season and could be enough to keep the Hokies in the top-10 all year long, even if the team suffers a loss or two in what should be an improved ACC.
Tyrod Taylor's continued improvement will be crucial in determining if Virginia Tech finishes the season in the top-five or the top-15 at the end of the season.
Outlook: Higher
No. 5: Boise State
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This is where things start to get really interesting.
The biggest factor in determining whether Boise State moves up or down in the rankings as the season progresses is probably the season opener against Virginia Tech.
The Broncos have a difficult non-conference schedule and will also be challenged by Wyoming and Oregon State.
Although its difficult to pick against a team returning all but one starter on both sides of the ball, Ryan Williams makes it a little bit easier.
Ultimately, if Virginia Tech goes higher with a win in the season opener, Boise State must go lower.
Outlook: Lower
No. 4: Texas
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Texas has talent but needs to replace key players all over the field. To be honest, they shouldn't be ranked in the top five.
However, there is little doubt that the talent will gel. The non-conference schedule is a walk in the park, and Garrett Gilbert should have the offense rolling by the time conference play begins.
In the end, Texas could easily be headed right back to the National Championship game.
Outlook: Higher
No. 3: Florida
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The Gators are another surprising top-five team that will be more deserving for this ranking at the end of the season than they are now.
Florida has a bunch of questions, not limited to John Brantley's ability to replace Tim Tebow. Brandon Spikes, Aaron Hernandez and Joe Hayden are no longer around to make Urban Meyer's job easier.
The Gators schedule features a heavyweight bout with Alabama and a host of difficult yet winnable games.
Florida will be tested against the likes of South Florida and Kentucky leading up to the October 2 trip to Tuscaloosa, which should make for an interesting matchup. The Gators' lone loss this season could come at the hands of the Crimson Tide, but it might be too much to expect a young team to get through the season with only one blemish on the record.
Outlook: Lower
No. 2: Ohio State
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Ohio State's fate lies in the outcome of three games this season.
It starts with an early season showdown against Miami, which brings a prolific offense into the 'Shoe. Ohio State will need to put points on the board to keep up the 'Canes.
A trip to Madison on October 16 will mark with first pivotal Big Ten battle of the season, with the winner likely to solidify a top-five spot in the early edition of the BCS standings.
The Buckeyes head to Iowa on November 20 for what could amount to a Big Ten Championship game.
If Ohio State wins two out of those three contests, it's difficult to imagine them outside of the BCS picture at season's end.
Outlook: Steady
No. 1: Alabama
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There's nowhere for the Tide to go but down.
That's doesn't mean it will happen.
Anyway you look at it, Alabama is in the driver's seat. Nick Saban's team has talent across the board and a fairly easy schedule.
The Tide will need to avoid losses at Arkansas or in Death Valley at the hands of LSU. Difficult home games include meetings with Florida and Auburn.
Alabama should have an edge against all opponents this season. Even if the Tide don't remain undefeated, they should roll into the BCS.
Outlook: Steady
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
