AP Top 25 College Football Teams That Are Starting New Quarterbacks

If you hadn’t heard, the AP preseason poll was released this Saturday, and so far the rankings have been widely criticized and debated. We’ll have to wait for the season to play out to see how wrong or right the media was with their assessment.

What we do know is that the media ranked nine teams in the top 25 that are currently in the process of breaking in new quarterbacks.

Alabama showed last season that you don’t need an experienced quarterback to win a national championship, but for a lot of teams, it can prove to be a struggle trying to adapt to a new offensive triggerman.

Here are the nine teams from the AP Top 25 that will have to get acclimated to a new voice calling the signals in 2010.

No. 4 Florida Gators

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GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 22: John Brantley #12 of the Florida Gators celebrates after throwing a touchdown against the Citadel Bulldogs during the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 22, 2008 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/G

Junior John Brantley will attempt to replace Gator legend Tim Tebow this year. It won’t be easy trying to fill Tebow’s shoes, but Brantley is a capable enough passer to get the job done.

In spot duty in 2009, Brantley threw for seven TDs and had a completion percentage of 75 percent.

No. 4 Texas Longhorns

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AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 26: Quarterback Garrett Gilbert #3 of the Texas Longhorns throws against the UTEP Miners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 26, 2009 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

New Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert got an early taste of what college football was all about when he got roughed up in the national championship game at hands of Alabama’s defense. Luckily for the sophomore, not every opponent he faces in 2010 will be quite so ferocious.

Gilbert should be thankful of that since it’s certainly not going to be easy trying to live up to his predecessor Colt McCoy.

No. 11 Oregon Ducks

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PASADENA, CA. - OCTOBER 10: Kyle Bosworth #54 of the UCLA Bruins hits Nate Costa #7 the Oregon Ducks on October 10, 2009 at the Rosebowl in Pasadena, California. The Ducks defeated the Bruins 24-10 (Photo by Jacob De golish/Getty Images)

The dismissal of Jeremiah Masoli has left a whole at the Oregon quarterback position that must be filled. The battle for the job is between senior Nate Costa and sophomore Darron Thomas.

Both offer different skills and the race is still even. The favorite should become much clearer over the next week leading up to the opener on September 4th.

No. 15 Pitt Panthers

Pittsburgh native Tino Sunseri beat out Pat Bostick in camp for the right to replace Bill Stull as the Panthers quarterback this season.

The redshirt sophomore was 10 for 17 for 114 yards and two TDs during the 2009 season.

No. 19 Penn State Nittany Lions

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STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 12: Quarterback Kevin Newsome #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions jogs on the field against the Syracuse Orangemen during the second half at Beaver Stadium September 12, 2009 in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 2

The Nittany Lions have yet to select an official starting quarterback for the 2010 season. Darryll Clark is gone and it’s imperative that he be replaced by an equally mobile and proficient successor.

Sophomores Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin are the two top options, but it’s freshman Robert Bolden who could have more upside than any other QB on the roster.

No. 22 Auburn Tigers

Cam Newton joined on to run the Tigers offense this season after a year in junior college following his dismissal from Florida. The former blue chip recruit is 6‘6", 250 lbs and has the type of physical makeup you don’t come across very often.

Newton has the chance to be a very dangerous weapon this season in Gus Malzahn’s offensive system.

No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs

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ATLANTA - NOVEMBER 28: Backup quarterback Aaron Murray #11 of the Georgia Bulldogs against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 28, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Aaron Murray takes over a Georgia offense that returns all ten starters for the 2010 season. Murray might only be 6‘1", but he demonstrated during his career at Plant High School that he has elite quarterback traits.

The redshirt freshman will have one of the best rushing attacks, one of the best offensive lines, and one of the best receivers in the nation in A.J. Green to rely on if he gets in any trouble.

No. 24 Oregon State Beavers

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LAS VEGAS - DECEMBER 22: Quarterback Ryan Katz #12 of the Oregon State Beavers scrambles away from Vic So'oto #37 of the Brigham Young University Cougars during the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Coug

After Lyle Moveao was denied a sixth year of eligibility and Peter Lalich was dismissed from the team, the Oregon State quarterbacking job turned into a mystery that desperately needed to be solved.

Ryan Katz will handle the duties in 2010. The sophomore completed 14 passes for 232 yards and a TD last season.

No. 25 West Virginia Mountaineers

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Geno Smith #12 of the West Virginia Mountaineers drops back to pass against the Florida State Seminoles during the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl on January 1, 2010 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville,

Geno Smith takes over for one-year starter Jarrett Brown this season after missing most of the action this spring with a broken bone in his foot. The sophomore may have missed some crucial development time, but he has the talent to make up for it.

Smith gained some valuable experience filling in for an injured Brown in a victory over Marshall as well as a loss in the Gator Bowl to Florida State.

He should be a dynamic player in West Virginia's offensive attack.