College Football: 10 Under-the-Radar Teams That Can Make an Impact This Year
Through the first four weeks of the college football season, we have been treated with some dandies..
Boise State vs. Virginia Tech. Ohio State vs. Miami. Alabama vs. Arkansas.
All solid contests that have left a lasting impression on every college football fan across the nation.
But...
What about the other guys?
You know, the teams that don't' get much respect. (At least not yet).
No, I'm not talking about Boise State, I'm talking about the teams that can throw a serious wrench into the system that not many people are giving much credit towards
So who are those teams?....
10. Indiana
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Don't look now, but the Indiana Hoosiers are 3-0 for the first three games, scoring over 30 points in each contest.
Senior QB Ben Chappell is one of the more underrated QB's in the entire nation. He has a solid and, yet again, very underrated WR/TE crew to toss the ball around with.
Tandon Doss, DaMarlo Belcher, and Terrence Turner are not slouches. In fact, look for a couple of these guys to take some NFL snaps at some point in time.
Throw in Sophomore RB Darius Willis and the Hoosiers have one of the more explosive offenses in the entire country. In fact, they are the 10th ranked scoring offense in the entire country right now.
Can they challenge the Big 10's elite?
Good question. If Ohio State were to look past this team, they have enough skilled players to pull off the improbable upset in "The Shoe" if the Bucks take this talented and improving team lightly.
9. Mississippi State
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Dan Mullen, pictured here with former understudy Tim Tebow, share a solid moment together in last year's Florida vs. Mississippi State contest.
After all, it was Mullen who molded Tim into the player he became at Florida.
Now?
Dan Mullen is at Mississipi State, and fresh off of a solid win over Georgia and he has the Bulldog faithful looking for bowl game status...and maybe even more.
While the Bulldogs have yet to find their true trigger-man, the combination of Relf and Russell has been rather decent.
The offense hasn't been great, but it has shown signs, much less formations, that will make them successful going forward.
Where these Bulldogs wear their hat is on defense.
Without any true studs to know about, the full eleven contribute to the total success of the entire defense. Play for one, play for all.
With Florida and Alabama both on the schedule, these 'Dogs have a chance to create some serious waves in the SEC as they work their way up in the SEC pecking order.
Standing at 2-2 with a 1-2 record in the SEC, MSU has a supreme amount of upside to them that can cause some problems for others. Just ask Mark Richt and Georgia.
Even though they play 'Bama and Florida on the road, this is a team that nobody should take for granted in the SEC.
8. Mississippi
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Talk about a dreadful start to a season.
Nutt and company have withstood a painful loss to FCS Jacksonville State and constant SEC cellar dweller Vanderbilt all within one month of college football.
Don't forget, both losses were at home.
Ouch.
Now they have regrouped a bit with in-coming transfer Jeremiah Masoli and are looking to make some waves in the SEC.
The Fresno State win was much easier than many expected, and the ship might be getting righted somewhat.
With Kentucky on the tab next at home, and a much needed BYE week after that, the Rebels could be looking to make some runs at Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, and LSU when they are getting little to no respect.
This team has talent, just like every other SEC team, but they now have a huge chip on their shoulder looking to create a mess of the SEC.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Northwestern
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The little team that can.
Pictured here is head coach Pat Fitzgerald hugging his solid TE/HB/WR Drake Dunsmore.
Inserting new starting QB Dan Persa, the Wildcats haven't missed a beat from last year's surprising 8-5 team that barely lost to the upstart Auburn team in their bowl game match-up just last year.
While Auburn is getting a ton of press lately, the 'Cats that took them to the wall last year in the Outback, including OT, aren't getting much respect, if at all.
As normal, these purple 'Cats get little to no respect.
Average for the course, but as it stands, Northwestern is 4-0 heading into conference play and don't have to play Ohio State.
They also get Iowa the week before they play Ohio State and only get a single 'toughie' on the road in Big 10 play against Wisconsin to end the season.
The former MLB for the Wildcats is creating quite an unrecognizable storm in the Big 10 much like his 'Cats did back in '95 when he led Northwestern to an undefeated Big 10 season and a Rose Bowl berth.
After breaking his leg before the Rose Bowl game, he led the '96 Northwestern team to yet another solid season including another Big 10 Championship (tie) and Citrus Bowl berth.
The tough-minded Fitzgerald is still the only player to have won the Bednarik and Nagurski awards in back-to-back years.
He has instilled his team with that toughness and they fight to the very whistle of every game and every snap.
Look for these tough-minded 'Cats to make a run in the Big 10 and make it very interesting for Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio State.
6. Arkansas
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Don't count these 'Hogs out due to a fourth-quarter comeback from Alabama.
Obviously, as we all witnessed, the 'Backs have enough talent to make some noise in the SEC.
If the Hogs keep winning and beating solid teams, they'll creep back up into the top 10 where they belong.
With a solid schedule in front of them, there is not a game left that they cannot win.
Mallett is the best NFL prospect QB in the country, and they'll bang out some yards and action even while playing in the SEC.
They could end up being a one-loss SEC team without a chance to play for the SEC title and or National Title.
Sadly, a 24-20 loss at home could spell their doom while they could be one of the country's best.
5. Nevada
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Pictured here is one the most spectacular athletes in the entire nation.
Colin Kaepernick has roamed around the college football sidelines for quite some time. As a red-shirt freshman, he took over the helm of the Nevada Wolfpack back in 2007
While Nevada has been good to 'almost' great, they fit into the picture here because they play in the same WAC conference as Boise State.
However, you can't dismiss the beating they put on the California team that played Arizona to the wire, can you?
With the legs of Colin, and his solid skills of play-making, they have enough guys around him to upset the apple-cart in Boise come Nov. 26.
After pounding California and now BYU, the strong push will be that Nevada not only expands upon their new-found Top 25 status, but to roll into Boise undefeated.
With only their conference play left, it is highly probable that they do and add the all-important 'quality' opponent rating to Boise State late in the season.
As long as Nevada keeps winning and rising up the charts, the better for Boise.
Who would have thought that an in-conference team may well pose the Broncos their best and most important competition of the entire season?
A single loss in conference play by Nevada could prove to be the biggest problem for Boise State before the season is over.
Then again...if Nevada were to beat Boise State... What about Nevada?
4. Oklahoma State
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Returning all but eight starters after a disastrous year in which the 'Pokes were to contend for Big 12 supremacy, most had Oklahoma State finishing at or near the basement of the Big 12 South.
Fast forward four weeks, and the 'Pokes have one of the most explosive offenses in the entire nation.
In fact, QB Brandon Weeden is third in the country in passing yards per game.
In fact, Kendall Hunter is third in the country in rushing yards per game.
In fact, Justin Blackmon is first in the country in receiving yards per game.
WOW!
After those statistics, It should be as no surprise that Oklahoma State is leading the nation is offensive yards per game. Even ahead of the incredible output thus far from Oregon.
While the opposition has been 'healthy' to reward the 'Pokes in Washington State, Troy, and Tulsa, the 'Pokes have been good enough to take advantage of their partners.
Now for the real question.
Can the 'Pokes play defense?
Or for that matter, does it really matter anyway?
With Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma all on the schedule, these 'Pokes have obviously shown enough offensive firepower to scare each and every one of these schools and throw a wrench into the Big 12 pool.
With Nebraska and Oklahoma traveling to Stillwater, the explosive Cowboys have a couple of opportunities to set the college football landscape on its ear.
Will they?
3. Michigan State
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Kirk Cousins and company are rolling it up in Spartan-land.
With the power run game of Baker and Bell, the 'not so little' green men are chewing up yards on the ground in healthy chunks.
Toss in a comfortable and accurate Cousins, and 'Sparty' is looking good.
Really good.
With the No. 21 offense in the nation, Sparty is getting well overlooked for their pure diversity.
After four games this season, they are averaging 21st best in total offense.
Good? Sure, However, it is their diversity that really sticks out.
231.50 yards rushing per game.
233.25 yard passing per game.
Talk about balance.
Talk about tough to beat.'
Yet another tough team to think about in the rough-and-tumble Big 10 this year.
A team with a ton of talent, and enough of it to actually win the title in the Big 10.
2. Auburn
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Pictured here is Cameron Newton.
Without any doubt, this kid has arrived. A flash from the JUCO ranks is playing at a level well beyond his knowledge of the Tiger system.
Not too hard to compare...but is Cam as good or better than Terrelle Pryor?
Both sitting at a strapping 6'6" and somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 lbs. Both have been electric this year with Terrelle holding the title of best 6'4" or better QB in the country.
It is getting closer by every week.
And Cameron may well hold the bigger upside when all is said and done.
Either way you shall choose, Cam is the man in Auburn, Ala.
Like his counterpart in Pryor, Cam can simply take over a game and win it for the home team. That includes future match-ups with Arkansas, and @ Alabama.
Time to bring back the Iron Bowl as the biggest game in all of college football.
It very well could happen this year as the Auburn Tigers and Crimson Tide could be set for a head on collision course in November for all the marbles in the SEC West.
Maybe I rated these Tigers high, but they are a scary bunch with a nasty attitude on defense that combines with a winning attitude from Newton.
They'll be a tough bunch to beat by anybody. We've already seen his will to win against the odds. That type of attitude will only grow in confidence and ability.
1. Stanford
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Does anybody want to play these guys right now?
While Alabama is physical, these guys may be their equal.
In the first four weeks of the season, I'm not sure that any team has pounded out a more physical approach to football than Stanford.
Can Andrew Luck chuck it around? Undoubtedly.
Can his underrated WR corps catch it?
You bet. They are all over 6'2" and all weigh over 200 pounds. THE most physical WR crew in the country.
They are also able to catch and run with it as well. Owusu, Whalen, and Fleener are tough...and then some.
Can the underrated Stanford RB corps be less appreciated?
Not sure. But it is possible after losing All-American, and Heisman Trophy nominee Toby Gerhart.
These guys will get their engines tested in back-to-back games against what is supposed to be better and quicker talent than they have in Oregon and USC.
If anything, we know that Stanford will take it straight at these teams just like they did last year in dominating wins against both teams.
Get after 'em coach, you have the toughest and best team in the Pac 10.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
