College Football: 50 Burning Questions for the Remainder of the Season
There are only six weeks left in the college football season, and while the landscape is forming, many unknowns still remain.
Conferences are up for grabs, and futures hang in the balance. It's what makes November football all the more interesting.
You've got questions—we've got answers.
Here are our 50 burning questions for the remainder of the 2010 college football season.
50. Who's a Better Running QB, Denard Robinson or Cam Newton?
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Six months ago, no one really cared about the answer to this question, but now it decides who's the best dual-threat quarterback in the nation.
Early in the season it was Robinson, with 258 yards against Notre Dame, 129 yards off five carries against Bowling Green and 217 yards against Indiana.
But Newton has taken the spotlight recently. At 6'6" and 250 lbs. he's got six inches and 50 pounds on Robinson, making him all the more difficult to bring down.
For his size, he's extremely athletic, proving it against LSU's stout defense with 217 yards and a pair of scores. After that game, there's no question Newton's the best running quarterback in the nation.
49. Who's the Best Player in the Nation Not Being Mentioned in Heisman Talk?
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Heisman talk has been dominated by Cam Newton recently, with Boise State's Kellen Moore and Oregon's LaMichael James tugging at his coattails.
They're followed by the third tier of guys like Denard Robinson, Terrelle Pryor, Justin Blackmon and Matt Barkley, but there are some people being left out of this equation.
Stanford's Andrew Luck has been red-hot all year; we rank him as the No. 2 quarterback heading into Week 9.
He's one of the best players in the country, yet you don't hear much about him unless you're talking NFL draft.
48. Will Urban Meyer Retire After This Season?
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It's a question we asked ourselves after last season when Meyer's heart problems first surfaced.
Head coach is one of the most stressful jobs you can imagine, and it's only worse when you're losing, especially when the media and fanbase expect greatness.
After Florida lost to Mississippi State, Meyer admitted that the Gators just aren't a very good football team right now.
But we still don't think he's going to jump ship after the year; it's not exactly the way you'd want to go out.
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47. Has Michigan Been Good Enough for Rich Rodriguez to Keep His Job?
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Coming into the season practically every college football fan in the country was aware that it was put up or shut up time for Rich Rodriguez at Michigan.
Some were even suggesting that a loss to UConn on opening weekend would be the end. But with five straight wins to open the season, things were looking up.
But was it just an illusion? Besides Notre Dame, who's not doing very well this year, Michigan didn't really play anyone in those first five games, and it's showed in losses to Michigan State and Iowa.
With Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State still to go, Michigan could be looking at 7-5 by season's end, and that's just not going to save Rodriguez's job.
46. Which Coaches Are on the Hot Seat?
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Now that we've mentioned Rich Rodriguez, the discussion has to open to the general forum.
Most fans are familiar with the usual suspects—Paul Wulff at Washington State, Dan Hawkins at Colorado, Dennis Erickson at Arizona State and Mike Sherman at Texas A&M—but we'll take it a step further.
No one wants to mention Mark Richt on this list, and you don't want to forget the ever-present Les Miles at LSU.
Richt has had a great career at Georgia, but the Bulldogs wanted more this season. Instead they got less, much less. You can't start 1-4 in a year when fans want an SEC championship and feel too good about your job safety.
45. Will Boise State Finally Make It to the BCS Title Game?
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Boise State came into the year ranked third, and that had us wondering if this might finally be the year the Broncos get to play in the big one.
But the reality is that with their weak schedule, any undefeated team from a major conference will get the nod over Boise at the end of the year.
The Broncos' best chance is for either Oregon or Auburn to lose and then hope a one-loss team from the SEC, Big 12 or Big Ten doesn't win a conference championship.
Assuming Boise wins out, we still don't see them in the national championship game.
44. Is Kellen Moore the Best Quarterback in the Country?
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Sticking with Boise State for a moment, let's talk about Kellen Moore.
Now, calling him the best quarterback in the country might be taking it a step too far. We'd take Cam Newton or Andrew Luck over him if we had the choice, but as far as consistency goes, he's your man.
There isn't a more efficient passer in the nation right now. With a quarterback rating of 188.3, Moore is miles ahead of the pack. He's completing nearly 70 percent of his passes, with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
We hold off on calling him the best for one reason: Would he be the same if he didn't play for a mid-major? That's the question people will always ask.
43. Is Mark Ingram the Best RB in the Country?
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Last year Mark Ingram was the best running back in the country. Some might argue in favor of Toby Gerhart, but the Heisman speaks for itself.
But 2010 is a different year and a different story. After missing the first two games of the season with a sore knee, Ingram got off to a hot start upon his return.
After rushing for 151 and a 157 yards against Duke and Arkansas respectively, Ingram has really faded.
He's been held below 100 yards rushing in four games straight, averaging more than four yards a carry only once over that stretch. Even with a good showing against Tennessee, it's become all too clear this just isn't the same player we watched a year ago.
42. Who's the Top Freshman in the Country?
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When we think of the best freshman, most of us immediately turn to the 2010 recruiting class and then pick out a couple of running backs: Marcus Lattimore at South Carolina and Michael Dyer at Auburn.
But redshirt freshmen shouldn't be excluded from the conversation either, and that makes this one a very easy choice.
No one can deny how good Nebraska's Taylor Martinez has been this season. He's rushed for 870 yards and 12 touchdowns in seven games, and last week against Oklahoma State he showed just how good he can be throwing as well.
Martinez hadn't thrown for over 150 yards in any of his previous games but exploded for 323 yards and five touchdowns in the Cornhuskers' 51-41 win.
41. Is It Too Early to Call Notre Dame's Hiring of Brian Kelly a Mistake?
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When Notre Dame hired Brian Kelly, fans were rightfully excited, but the expectations in South Bend were far too grand—nothing new for the Irish faithful.
Observers expected this team to instantly click on offense the way Cincinnati had under Kelly in 2009 and quickly rise up the college rankings.
But at 4-4, it clearly hasn't happened yet. Calling Kelly's hiring a mistake is going too far though. You simply can't judge a coach on a half-year sample or even a one-year sample.
Installing a completely new system and then recruiting the personnel for that system takes time. Kelly has done a great job at bringing in talent for 2011, and as painful as it may seem, fans have to be patient and give him a chance.
40. Is the SEC Still the Best Conference in College Football?
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For years the SEC has been king, but after this season we might need to to put a new conference on the throne.
The SEC still has the most ranked teams of any conference in the country, with Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Mississippi State, Arkansas and South Carolina.
But the Big 12 is right behind it at five, with Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor. The Big Ten also has Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa.
You wouldn't want to forget Oregon out in the Pac-10 either. Many people have the Ducks winning it all this year.
39. Will This Be the Final Season for Joe Paterno?
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We've been talking about this one for years now, but the discussion has really gained traction this season with Penn State sitting at 4-3 and Paterno turning 84 in December. You might have to believe this is really it.
It's tough to imagine anyone besides Paterno on the Nittany Lions sidelines, but he's basically in a Bobby Bowden situation at this point. The rest of the staff picks up the slack, and Paterno is more of a figurehead than anything.
You'd hate to see his tenure end the way Bowden's did, and while that would never happen after this season, it might happen after next season. Penn State could be in for an even bumpier ride then.
38. Which First-Year Coach Has Done the Best Job This Season?
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From Paterno to the other end of the spectrum—the rookie head coaches. First-year guys have had a lot of success in 2010, but none more than the guy who's been running the show as an offensive coordinator for years.
Jimbo Fisher.
Besides an ugly loss to Oklahoma on the road, Fisher has FSU playing its best football in years. With five games left on the schedule, the Seminoles should be favored in every remaining regular season contest.
Florida State is ranked 16th in the country, and the only thing standing in its way for the ACC Championship is likely a matchup with the winner of the Virginia Tech-Miami game.
37. Will This Year's Iron Bowl Determine Who Plays in the BCS Title Game?
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The Iron Bowl is always a great college football matchup, but this year's contest between Auburn and Alabama should have more implications than any Iron Bowl in years.
Auburn shouldn't lose before the Tigers face Alabama in the season finale, meaning it would likely enter the contest as the No. 1 team in the country.
Alabama's road is tougher, with LSU and Mississippi State, but assuming it wins those two games, the Crimson Tide could enter the contest as the No. 2 or No. 3 team in the country.
Only one of them would go on to the SEC Championship, and if either were to win, it would certainly be off to the national championship game. If things play out the way we predict them, Auburn and Alabama will essentially be playing for a championship on November 26.
36. Is Missouri for Real?
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Missouri is one of seven undefeated teams ranked in the Top 25, a place no one would have predicted the Tigers to be in before the season.
The win over top-ranked Oklahoma was huge and even more impressive than the 36-27 final score indicates.
The Tigers defense is playing about as well as anyone in the country at this point, ranking fourth in the nation in points allowed at just over 13 a game. If you wanted a single reason why Missouri is doing so well, that's it.
Nebraska is up next, and winning at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is no easy task. That game should tell you everything you need to know about the Tigers. If they win, you can bet they won't lose a game in the regular season.
35. Will Michigan State Go Undefeated?
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You can put Michigan State in the same category as Missouri. The Spartans are undefeated and ranked fifth in the nation. How many of you saw that one coming? Even Spartans fans would be lying if they told you they did.
Kirk Cousins has been unbelievable at quarterback, and Edwin Baker and Le'Veon Bell make a pretty good argument as the best running back duo in the country. That's including Alabama's boys.
But unlike Missouri, who is coming off huge upset against Oklahoma, MSU barely escaped Northwestern.
The Spartans have a trip to Iowa next, but after that the remaining three games are pretty cut and dry, including Penn State—sorry Nittany Lions fans.
34. Which of the Undefeated Teams Will Lose First?
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Missouri and Michigan State are definitely the biggest surprises amongst the unbeatens, but all of the undefeated teams have tough tests going forward.
Missouri is at Nebraska, Michigan State is at Iowa, Oregon is at USC and Auburn is at Mississippi in Week 9.
TCU and Utah face each other, and Boise State hosts Hawaii for first place in the WAC in Week 10. Auburn has what should be an instant classic to close the season against Alabama.
Of all the unbeaten teams, Missouri and Michigan State have the roughest draws this week, and the good money is on one of those two teams losing first.
33. Has the Lane Kiffin Era at USC Gotten Off to a Successful Start?
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After the way Lane Kiffin left Tennessee and then inherited an NCAA scandal from Pete Carroll's regime, it's impossible to deny that USC has been under the microscope all season.
The Trojans can't compete in the postseason this year or next, so at the end of the day they're playing mostly for pride and recruiting this year.
That can weigh heavily on a team and mess with concentration and motivation, but Kiffin and his staff have handled themselves well.
USC is two last-second field goals away from being undefeated, and the offense that struggled in 2009 is ranked in the top 25 in passing, rushing and scoring.
32. Has Derek Dooley's First Season at Tennessee Been a Failure?
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Now that we've discussed Lane Kiffin, we'll take a look at his former stomping grounds and Tennessee's new head coach, Derek Dooley.
The first year coaching a team is always a challenging experience, but doing it in the SEC with a roster starved for talent is an entirely different thing; it's asking the impossible.
So while the Vols sit at 2-5, keep in mind that their five losses come against Oregon, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Alabama. No one expected Tennessee to survive that stretch unscathed.
Dooley has done a decent job recruiting, but the personnel is still very much lacking, and the 13 men on the field play against LSU was a sign that he doesn't have the attention of his players.
31. Who's Better, Justin Blackmon in 2010 or Michael Crabtree in 2007?
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Blackmon was just arrested for DUI, so he may be facing action by the school, but for now no suspensions or limitations have been issued.
He's having one of the best seasons in history for a wide receiver with 1,112 yards and 14 touchdowns through seven games. That's got us thinking back to Michael Crabtree in 2007, the last star receiver to put up those sort of numbers.
Crabtree finished the 2007 season with 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns; Blackmon is on pace for 1,906 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Through his first seven games in '07, Crabtree was at 1,244 yards and 17 touchdowns, cooling off a little in the back end of the year. For Blackmon to have a better year than Crabtree did, he'd have to play even better than he has in the remaining five games—a tough feat.
30. Is There Any Question the Wisconsin Backfield Belongs to John Clay?
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Clay looked to be in danger of losing his starting job to James White earlier in the year when the team went to a timeshare between the two and White began to outperform him.
But White has seen his ypc drop from 13.3 to 9.8, 6.2, 4.4 and then to 1.7 in his last five games. Meanwhile, Clay has seen his carries go from 15 to 17, 21, 21 and then 24 against Iowa.
He also has seven touchdowns in his last three games and was pivotal in helping the Badgers knock off Iowa last weekend.
With White leaving the Hawkeyes game with a leg injury in the second quarter, Clay took back his feature back role and ran with it.
29. Who Will Be the No. 1 Pick in the 2011 NFL Draft?
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Taking a further look into the future, let's talk about the 2011 NFL draft.
Like most years, talk at the top is dominated by quarterbacks, with three elite pro prospects highlighting the discussion. That would be Andrew Luck, Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett.
A group of defenders sits at the top of the draft boards as well, but we can safely assume none of them are going No. 1 overall.
Teams at the bottom of the NFL standings are almost always in need of quarterbacks, and Luck, Locker and Mallett are your go-to guys in that regard.
Mallett is on the outside looking in though. It's really between Locker and Luck, and there's no question that Luck has been the better quarterback this season. He's got prototypical NFL size and a great arm to go with it; he'll be the first pick on draft day.
28. Should Jake Locker Have Declared for the 2010 NFL Draft?
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Locker has been inconsistent this year and has really struggled with his accuracy in quite a few games.
He's still a great NFL prospect, and there's little question he will be selected high, but he could slip if he doesn't pick it up the rest of the year and blow away scouts in workouts. You can bet he won't throw at the combine.
So you have to ask yourself, would he have been better off going in the 2010 draft? It's not like Washington is presenting an opportunity to win a national championship this season, and each week he seems to be losing more and more ground on draft boards.
Last year, he would have been the second quarterback off the board in a year eight teams in the top 10 needed help at the position.
27. Will Dion Lewis Ever Regain His 2009 Form?
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One of the biggest individual disappointments this season has been Dion Lewis at Pitt. He rushed for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns as a freshman last season but only has 414 yards and four scores through seven games in 2010.
The scary part is that 130 of those yards came last week against Rutgers, so that gives you a better idea of how his season was going before then.
The Rutgers game gave us a glimpse of the back we all saw last year, but will he ever be as good as has he was in 2009 again?
Five bad games in six tries isn't just a fluke; it's a trend, and one that has us thinking we've already seen the best of Lewis. Hopefully he can prove us wrong.
26. Is John Brantley the Future at Quarterback for Florida?
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The way things are going at Florida this season, having lost three games in a row and out of the picture in the SEC standings, you have to wonder if change is needed.
Of course we all expected a drop-off from the Tim Tebow era, but the Gators are still one of the most talented teams in the country and should be playing better than they have so far.
Naturally, the first place you're going to toss blame is on Urban Meyer, but after him the next place to look is John Brantley.
He's hasn't thrown a touchdown since September and has four interceptions in his last three games. With 5-star quarterback Jeff Driskel coming on board next year, it makes us wonder if the Brantley era will be a short one.
25. Can LSU Survive Another Year of Jordan Jefferson?
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Sticking with the downtrodden quarterback theme for a moment, how about LSU's Jordan Jefferson?
He hasn't thrown for over 100 yards in seven straight games. LSU managed to survive the first seven games of the season splitting snaps between him and Jarrett Lee, but the quarterback situation was a very obvious problem in the loss to Auburn.
LSU was in that game until the end, and better play from Jefferson or Lee could have resulted in a win. With no better options on the books, it looks like LSU will have to go another season with the duo.
Both are juniors, and neither will be running off to the NFL any time soon. LSU isn't going to win a national championship with either under center, and it might be time for Les Miles to consider giving Russell Shepard another go at quarterback.
24. Is Cam Newton on His Way to Being the Best Player in Auburn History?
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The discussion is a premature one, but still one worth having. We'll be the first to admit that we didn't jump on the Newton bandwagon early, but the ground beneath the wagon is getting pretty lonely.
Newton has been on fire through the first eight weeks of the season and had his best game yet against LSU last week.
He needed just eight games to set a new SEC single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback at 1,006 yards. He also surpassed Pat Sullivan's school record of 26 passing and rushing touchdowns in a single season.
By the end of the season, Newton will have shattered both records that stood for 37 and 40 years, respectively. Bo Jackson has some company.
23. Which Power Program Will Bounce Back First, Florida or Texas?
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Florida and Texas have both struggled this season, each with a record of 4-3.
While the Gators came into the season with expectations tempered without Tim Tebow under center, Texas thought it would be able to survive the loss of Colt McCoy by relying on its defense and rushing game. Obviously, that hasn't worked out.
Florida might have its new star quarterback in Jeff Driskel coming in next season, but he'll take time to develop.
Texas, on the other hand, has a supremely stacked 2011 recruiting class highlighted by offensive linemen Christian Westerman and Garrett Greenlea and running back Malcolm Brown. That should give the offense the type of boost it needs going forward.
22. Is This the Most Balanced Big Ten Season Ever?
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As we mentioned earlier, the Big Ten has four teams currently ranked in the Top 25, but with Michigan State on top and Penn State on the bottom, it's hardly been a normal year in the conference.
Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa have all lost one conference game, and Michigan State is undefeated.
Wisconsin holds the tiebreaker over Ohio State and Iowa, Michigan State holds a tiebreaker over Wisconsin, and Iowa has yet to play either Michigan State or Ohio State.
Since that sounds like a middle school word problem, we'll give you the simple version: MSU wins if it wins out. Other than that, it's anyone's game.
21. Have Nick Saban and Alabama Lost Their Unbeatable Aura?
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Alabama came into the 2010 season having to replace nine starters on defense. The result? The Crimson Tide outscored their first five opponents by an average of 26.8 points per game.
That got everyone thinking Alabama was steamrolling its way right back to the national championship, but then South Carolina destroyed that line of thought with a 35-21 victory over the Tide in Week 6.
Since then Alabama has beaten Ole Miss and Tennessee, but it just hasn't been the same. The aura, for the moment, is gone.
We say for the moment because wins over LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn to close out the year would get it right back.
20. Can Anyone Slow Down Oregon's Offense?
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Through the first eight weeks of the season Oregon remains one of seven undefeated teams and currently sits at No. 2 in the BCS rankings.
The main reason for that is Chip Kelly's spread offense to the max. The Ducks are No. 1 in the nation in scoring and total yards, having put up at least 42 points against each of their first seven opponents.
Kelly has so much talent and athleticism on offense it's really just scary. But what's even more impressive is the discipline, rushing to the line of scrimmage and snapping plays off with 10, 15, 20 and as many as 25 seconds left on the clock.
Teams just can't keep up with them, and so far every defense they've faced has crumbled by the third and fourth quarters. The way things are going, this team is going to run and pass its way straight to a national championship.
19. Which Teams Have Been the Biggest Surprises This Season?
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We've already touched on a couple of these with questions directed at Michigan State and Missouri, but those aren't the only teams that have turned a few heads this season.
Look no further than No. 1-ranked Auburn. The Tigers were expected to have a strong season, but undefeated at this point in the season with the leading Heisman candidate and the top ranking is well beyond those expectations.
But Auburn isn't the only surprising SEC team this year. South Carolina went from 7-6 last season to first place in the SEC East and the 20th spot in the latest BCS rankings this season. Mississippi State is ranked just a spot behind the Gamecocks after a 5-7 year in 2009.
Stepping away from the SEC, you have to consider FSU a surprise as well. The Seminoles were 7-6 last season but this year have started 6-1, winning convincingly over Miami, and look to be on a crash course for the ACC championship.
18. Which Teams Have Been the Biggest Disappointments?
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Looking back at the preseason Top 25 is always good for a few eyebrow raises. Sure, the selections made sense at the time, but in hindsight it still makes you wonder what we were all thinking.
That goes for teams like Florida, Texas, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Georgia and Oregon State. They were ranked fourth, fifth, 15th, 16th, 19th, 23rd and 24th respectively in the AP preseason Top 25. All of them have already lost at least three games.
You wouldn't want to exclude Virginia Tech either. As well as the Hokies are playing right now, no one is ever going to forget that loss to James Madison.
And of course, there's suspension-crippled North Carolina, a preseason dark horse in the ACC, UConn, Cincinnati and Clemson to consider as well.
17. Is Jacory Harris the Only Thing Holding Miami Back?
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We'll step back into the land of quarterbacks one more time for Jacory Harris. Unlike a few others on this list, he's not here for a good reason.
Harris' 10 interceptions are tied for fifth in the nation, third among quarterbacks from major conferences. In Miami's two losses he was terrible, throwing four interceptions against Ohio State and completing just 40.4 percent of his passes against FSU.
Duke and Florida A&M are the only two teams he hasn't been intercepted by so far this season.
Miami came into the year with big hopes, but the reality is that with Harris under center, costly mistakes are bound to happen, and the Hurricanes' stout defense and running game won't always be there to save them.
16. Who Are the Most Overrated Players?
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Jacory Harris has us thinking of a related topic, overrated players. He was considered a Heisman sleeper in the preseason, but he isn't the only one that's far removed from consideration now.
There's the players we've already touched on such as Dion Lewis and Jake Locker; neither of them will be winning a Heisman any time soon.
But we'll add some other names to the pot as well. Virginia Tech's Ryan Williams has been hurt this year, which has even further hindered his stat line, but 149 total rushing yards at this point in the season for a player who surpassed that in five separate games last season is hard to swallow.
John Brantley, Dayne Crist, and Garrett Gilbert were supposed to be the new star quarterbacks on the block, Penn State's Evan Royster has vanished, and Texas A&M's Von Miller has gone from leading the nation in sacks to registering only two in seven games.
15. Who Are the Most Underrated Players?
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On the other end of the spectrum are the underrated guys that don't get nearly enough attention—guys like Kirk Cousins at Michigan State and Colin Kaepernick at Nevada.
These two quarterbacks just don't get the respect they deserve. Cousins is one of the most consistent, mistake-free passers in the nation, and Kaepernick is a dual-threat demon who would be in the Heisman talk if he didn't play at a mid-major.
Those are our choices for the most underrated players in the nation, but we'll toss a few other names out there who deserve a little love.
We mentioned Edwin Baker earlier, but we'll give a shout-out to the Spartans running back again for those who missed it.
And here's one that almost no one seems to give recognition to: Army's John McNary. He's got 10 sacks in his last six games, and while he had 12 sacks last season, the nation still doesn't seem to consider him when we talk top defensive ends.
14. Which Teams Have the Best Recruiting Class Coming in?
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With the 2010 season more than halfway over, many fans of slumping teams are already taking a little more interest in recruiting; we know Longhorns can't wait for their 2011 class to show up.
For a full review of the top recruiting classes for 2011, you can check out the October edition, but if you're just looking for a rundown, here's the quick version.
The top 10 classes in Bleacher Report's October rankings are Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, LSU, Stanford, Georgia, Florida and Florida State.
Arkansas and Nebraska are on the rise as well. Look out for a updated breakdown of the top 25 recruiting classes on September 1.
13. Which Powerhouses Have the Worst Recruiting Classes?
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It has to happen every year, and this year the dishonor falls on Penn State. The Nittany Lions have the worst 2011 recruiting class of any powerhouse from a major conference, currently ranking 65th with only four commitments.
In the ACC, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami are all outside the top 35 in recruiting for 2011, with only six 4-star prospects between the three of them.
The Pac-10 is also having a down year. Stanford is the only school in the conference ranked in the top 15, and Cal, Oregon and UCLA are all ranked outside of the top 30.
In the Big East, only Pitt is on its way to a top 20 class, with West Virginia barely clinging to the top 50.
12. Which Team Will Be the Biggest Surprise to Close Out the Season?
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There are only a few weeks left this college football season, and we're getting closer and closer to the real juicy bits of the year.
Seasons are won and lost in November and December, and we've got one team to keep your eye on.
South Carolina isn't an under the radar program, but the Gamecocks aren't really mentioned much either. Right now they're in first place in the SEC East, with Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida the only teams standing in their way on the road to the conference championship game.
If things fall its way, South Carolina will be in that championship game and will likely face Auburn or Alabama. Considering the Gamecocks beat Alabama and lost to Auburn by seven points, South Carolina could turn out to be a shocker in December.
11. Which Team Is Positioned Best to Contend for a Championship Next Year?
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We're getting a little ahead of ourselves here, but it's never too early to speculate in the sports industry.
The 2011 season might be a long way away, but we're already wondering who's going to contend for the crown.
One name really stands out to us from the bunch: Oregon. Darron Thomas and LaMichael James are only sophomores, and while the Ducks will have to find replacements at receiver, offensive tackle and center, with those two and Chip Kelly, the offense should be just as good, if not better in 2011.
That's a scary, scary thought.
Honorable Mentions: Auburn, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio State
10. Which Top Team Will Have the Biggest Fall in 2011?
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Alabama fans will dispute this, but we're sticking to our guns. The Crimson Tide just aren't going to be as good next season, and there's one reason more than any other.
Greg McElroy doesn't get a whole lot of credit when you're talking top quarterbacks, but he's been instrumental to the team's success over the last couple of seasons, and his loss is really going to be felt.
It's not easy replacing a team leader under center, especially a guy who's completed 65 percent of his passes as a starter and has only eight interceptions for his career.
Add in underclassmen like Julio Jones and Marcel Dareus who are expected to bolt for the NFL, possibly being joined by Mark Ingram and Mark Barron, and quite a few key pieces could be gone. Alabama isn't going to disappear without them, but a national championship sounds like a pipe dream.
9. Who Will Win the SEC?
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We mentioned South Carolina as a possible upset pick in the SEC, but if you're a betting man the good money is still on Auburn or Alabama.
Go back to the Iron Bowl discussion if you're wondering why this game is so crucial this year. The Tigers control their own destiny at the moment, but a loss to Alabama in the last regular season game will send the Crimson Tide to the SEC Championship instead.
In the SEC East, South Carolina holds the reins, but a loss to Florida would give the Gators a shot at the state of Alabama.
We're going with Auburn at the end of the day though. The Tigers have proven throughout the year they're the top team in the SEC, and they'll prove it again with a strong finish to the year.
8. Who Will Win the Big 12?
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The Big 12 is one of the more cut and dry conferences in the country. In the North, the winner of the Nebraska-Missouri game should cruise to the conference championship game, and in the South, Oklahoma needs to beat Baylor and Oklahoma State for its ticket to the game.
We like Nebraska in the North and don't doubt that Oklahoma will take care of business in the South.
Once the Cornhuskers and Sooners get to the Big 12 Championship, that's when the real fun starts.
Both schools have such explosive offenses that you can bet on this one being a shootout all the way. We'll go with the Sooners to win it all though.
7. Who Will Win the Big Ten?
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The Big Ten looks like it'll be decided by the smallest of margins this season. Michigan State has a one-game lead in the conference over Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa but plays the Hawkeyes this week, which will either sort things out or muddle them more.
If the Spartans win, they should go undefeated in conference play; if they lose, it'll create a a four-way tie.
Ohio State and Iowa still have to play each other, so that will eliminate one team, but the Buckeyes do not play Michigan State this year, so head-to-heads won't work out.
Let's assume that at the end of the regular season, MSU, OSU and Wisconsin are all 11-1. The conference championship will be decided by whomever has the highest BCS ranking.
We think that team is going to be Ohio State, with a win against Iowa and a Michigan State loss to Iowa.
6. Who Will Win the Pac-10?
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From as complicated as it gets to something much simpler, let's break down the Pac-10. Obviously, with Oregon sitting atop the standings undefeated, the Ducks are the clear favorite to win the championship, but that's too simple.
Let's assume, just for fun's sake, Oregon loses to USC this weekend. That would create a three-way tie between Oregon, Stanford and Arizona.
Arizona and Stanford play each other in a couple of weeks, eliminating one of the two right there. If Stanford were to win, Oregon takes the championship. But if Arizona were to win, then the winner of the Arizona-Oregon game in November would win the conference.
But in reality, Oregon isn't going to lose to USC, and it isn't going to lose to Arizona. Oregon will win the Pac-10—bet the house on it.
5. Who Will Win the ACC?
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In the ACC, Florida State controls its fate in the Atlantic Division, and Virginia Tech controls its fate in the Coastal Division.
If the Seminoles take care of business against NC State and Maryland, they'll punch their ticket to the conference championship game.
In the Coastal, all signs point toward this one coming down to the Miami-Virginia Tech game. With no other team in the division having lost less than two conference games, those are the teams to watch.
The home team has won three in a row in the UM-VT series, and we expect that to be the same in 2010, sending Miami to a rematch with Florida State. After the way the Seminoles abused the Hurricanes earlier this month, logic says FSU wins that game; home bias says Miami does.
We'll go with logic though. Florida State will win the ACC.
4. Does It Really Matter Who the Best Team in the Big East Is?
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Sorry Big East fans, but the truth is the conference is in terrible shape.
Only Syracuse and West Virginia have lost less than three games this season, and no team in the conference is ranked.
That could mean an unranked team will get a free ride to a BCS bowl, and you can bet every mid-major conference in the country will be in uproar.
At 5-2, West Virginia is the closest thing to a ranked team in the conference, and everyone in the Big East should be rooting for the Mountaineers to win out. That way they'll at least be ranked when they represent the conference in the postseason.
3. Who Will Be the Coach of the Year?
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Coach of the Year will be an interesting award this season, as there are several coaches out there highly deserving of the honor.
But in reality, it comes down to the two teams at the top of the BCS standings: Auburn and Oregon. Gene Chizik has done an incredible job with the Tigers, and Chip Kelly has turned the Ducks into an unstoppable offensive machine.
If it comes down to the wire, which it likely will, you have to give the edge to Chizik. He's playing in tougher conference, and it's only his second season on the job.
Kelly's had an extra year to work with his players, and the Pac-10 just doesn't have the same ring to it as the SEC. Both men are wholly deserving of the honor, but we're leaning Chizik's way.
2. Who Will Win the Heisman?
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Ah, the Heisman—did you really think we'd leave it off the list?
In most years this is a topic for endless debate, but I'm sure we can all agree that it's Cam Newton's to lose.
LaMichael James makes quite a case for himself as well, averaging 160 yards and nearly two scores a game, but Newton is on a level of his own.
He's on pace to pass for over 2,000 yards, rush for over 1,500 yards and have over 40 total touchdowns playing against SEC defenses rather than the softer Pac-10 defenses James faces.
1. Who Will Win the National Championship?
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Of course, we saved the best for last. This one is a tough call, to put it lightly, but one that has to be made.
Auburn and Oregon are No. 1 and No. 2 in the BCS, and we have confidence it'll remain that way until they face each other in January.
It would make for the best national championship shootout since USC-Texas in 2006. With the types of offenses these two possess, it has the makings of the type of matchup that comes down to the final play.
Whoever has the ball last is probably going to win, and in a game like that, we're going out on a limb and placing our bet on the No. 1 offense in the nation.
Oregon.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
