No. 14: Wisconsin Badgers

The One Great Season College Football Countdown continues Tuesday. We'll be counting down the preseason Top 25 teams in 2010. Today's No. 14 is Wisconsin.

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Not normally known as an offensive juggernaut, Wisconsin returns 10 starters from a unit that scored 32 points a game last year.

The Badgers also rolled up 417 yards a game, thanks in large part to tailback and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year John Clay. He'll again be the workhorse for this stacked Badgers' offense. But quarterback Scott Tolzien returns, as does potential star wideout Nick Toon. Three offensive linemen—Gabe Carimi, Josh Oglesby, and John Moffitt—will be among the league's best.

And no Wisconsin preview is complete this fall without a mention of senior tight end Lance Kendricks, a former wideout who caught seven passes for 128 yards in Wisconsin's slightly surprising defeat of Miami in last winter's Champs Sports Bowl.

Defensively, the Badgers don't return as many starters as the offense does, but will have at least a few elite performers. End J.J. Watt is big, strong and fast and can be disruptive in opposing backfields, but someone else will need to assert himself on the line to free him up.

Along with Watt, linebacker Chris Borland will have to keep the pressure on rival quarterbacks or a thin secondary could give up some big plays.

Who's back? QB Scott Tolzien, RB John Clay, WR Nick Toon, LT Gabe Carimi, TE Lance Kendricks, DE J.J. Watt, LB Chris Borland

Who's gone? TE Garrett Graham, LB O'Brien Schofield, LB Javery McFadden, S Chris Maragos

Why they'll win: An experienced offense that will pile up the points as long as everyone stays healthy. Missing Penn State on the schedule this year helps Wisconsin in the hunt to win the Big Ten.

Why they'll lose: DBs Devin Smith and Jay Valai are X factors. If they don't meet the challenge and lead the secondary, Wisconsin's defense could be in trouble.

Get your tickets: vs. Arizona State (Sept. 18), vs. Ohio State (Oct. 16), at Iowa (Oct. 23)

Prediction: 10-2 (6-2, third place Big Ten)