College Football 2011: 10 Overrated Teams in the Preseason Top 25

With the start of the college football season still nearly four months away, it is never too early to indulge in some preseason rankings. 

National experts have already come out with their 2011 preseason rankings and as always they spark some serious debate. 

While it seems like some teams every year are ranked based on their performance from last season, there are always a few teams in the top 25 who will certainly not be there by the season's end and some who do not belong there at all. 

Here are 10 college football teams who are heavily regarded entering the preseason, but may be slightly overrated. 

10. TCU Horned Frogs

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Gary Patterson of the TCU Horned Frogs holds the Rose Bowl Championship Trophy after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers 21-19 in the 97th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/

TCU is ranked somewhere in the middle of most preseason Top 25 polls, and duplicating their success from last season will be almost impossible, given what they lost. 

Quarterback Andy Dalton is gone along with four offensive lineman, including starting center Jake Kirkpatrick. 

The defense is young, but returns linebacker Tank Carder. The Horned Frogs had one of the best defenses in the nation last season, and repeating that will be difficult. 

Not playing in a BCS conference may allow the Horned Frogs to win most of their regular season games, but a loss or two along the way will not be surprising. 

9. Virginia Tech Hokies

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MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 03: Head coach Frank Beamer of the Virginia Tech Hokies looks on against the Stanford Cardinal during the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 3, 2011 in Miami, Florida. Stanford won 40-12. (Photo by Marc Serota/Get

Virginia Tech started last season with two losses and then came on like gang busters, winning the rest of their regular season games before a loss to Stanford in the Orange Bowl. 

They will start the season in the Top 25 this year, and like last year, they may fall out. 

The loss of four-year starter Tyrod Taylor at quarterback along with the running back tandem of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans will be hard to overcome, especially early. 

Most of the defensive line will have to be replaced, but the Hokies are always able to reload at that spot. 

The weak ACC may allow Virginia Tech to win more games than they should, but they look to be slightly overrated entering the 2011 season. 

8. Stanford Cardinal

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MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 03: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal celebrates after he threw a 38-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Virginai Tech Hokies during the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 3, 2011 in Miam

Stanford has the best player in the country in Andrew Luck and was one of the top teams in college football last season. With that being said, having the Cardinal as a Top 5 team in the preseason polls is a little too high for my liking.

The Cardinal are certainly a Top 25 team, but are not a Top 10 team.

The loss of coach Jim Harbaugh will have more of an effect on this team than most would like to believe. Both receivers are also departed, along with four offensive linemen. 

On defense, the Cardinal will have to replace their coordinator and a boat load of talent at every position. 

They finish the season with Oregon, California and Notre Dame. 

Two or three losses for Stanford are not only possible, but likely. 

7. Boise St. Broncos

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LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 22: Quarterback Kellen Moore #11 of the Boise State Broncos warms up before playing against the Utah Utes in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boise State Won 26-3. (Photo by Et

Kellen Moore returns to Boise St. for what seems like his seventh season. Running back Doug Martin is also back. 

The Broncos will have to replace star receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis. Those two playmakers will be starring on Sunday this season. 

Boise St. is ranked in the Top 10 in most preseason polls and starts the season at Georgia. If they can get by that game, much like they did last season against Virginia Tech, they have a chance to run the table. 

My guess is they are a little overrated. They'll fall to the Bulldogs on Sept. 3 and finish the season out of the Top 15. 

6. Ohio St. Buckeyes

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks to pass against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthe

Ohio State has as much talent as anybody in the country, but will have to overcome the suspensions of four offensive starters along with head coach Jim Tressel.

Allegations are still flying, and there may be more to come on this. 

Still, the Buckeyes are considered a Top 10-15 team entering the 2011 season. Winning their first five games without those players will be difficult, and a tough Big Ten schedule could spell doom for the Buckeyes. 

A three- or four-loss season and a third-place finish in the Big Ten is very possible for a Buckeye team that has been beaten down in the past few months. 

5. LSU Tigers

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Head coach Les Miles of the Louisiana State University Tigers reacts to a field goal during the game against the Texas A&M Aggies during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo b

The Les Miles-led LSU Tigers are the preseason favorite to contend with Alabama for the SEC Championship and a National Title. 

Luckily for Alabama, LSU is coached by Les Miles who always seems to be good for one or two losses a season. 

LSU lost superstar Patrick Peterson and still has quarterback Jordan Jefferson...bad combination. 

Jefferson will be pushed by Georgia transfer Zach Mettenberger, and that might be a good thing for the Tigers. 

A challenging SEC schedule, as always, could mean three losses for LSU. 

4. West Virginia Mountaineers

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ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 28: Geno Smith #12 of the West Virginia Mountineers passes the ball during the Champs Sports Bowl against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Eh

West Virginia is ranked in the Top 15 in some preseason polls, and they may not even be Top 25-worthy entering the 2011 season. 

Running back Noel Devine is gone, along with many a bunch of talent on the defensive side of the ball. The Mountaineers had one of the best defenses in the country last season, and it will not be possible to repeat that performance.  

West Virginia may still be good enough to win the Big East conference, but if so, they will probably accomplish that with four losses and a ranking nowhere near the Top 25 when the season ends. 

3. Michigan St. Spartans

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EVANSTON, IL - OCTOBER 23: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans returned to the sidelines for a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 23, 2010 in Evanston, Illinois. Michigan State defeated Northwestern 35-27.

Michigan St. joins Big Ten rival Ohio St. on this list of overrated teams. The Spartans shared the Big Ten title last season, but how good were they?

Mark Dantonio is a great coach, but do the Spartans really have the talent to compete with  Wisconsin and Nebraska in the new Big Ten?

Kirk Cousins is back for his third season as a starter, but the Spartans will have to replace three offensive linemen. 

On the defensive side of the ball, replacing star linebackers Greg Jones and Eric Gordon will be crucial for Michigan St. 

Last season may prove to be a slight fluke, and the Spartans could be back to an 8-4 or 7-5 season again this year. 

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish gestures during the game with the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Notre Dame won 20-16. (Photo by Stephe

I understand everybody wants Notre Dame to be good again, but the truth is Brian Kelly's squad may still be a year or two away from contending for a national title like some are predicting for this season. 

The Fighting Irish still have no definite starting quarterback, and the status of star receiver Michael Floyd could be pivotal. His departure from the team would be very costly. 

The loss of star tight end Kyle Rudolph will hurt the Irish near the goal line. 

The defense still needs to improve, and the Irish play nine games against bowl teams from last season, plus USC. 

A tough schedule combined with personnel problems will mean the Irish are likely headed for at least three or four losses. 

1. Florida St. Seminoles

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ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles sideline reacts after their 26-17 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl at Georgia Dome on December 31, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo b

The Florida St. Seminoles are considered by some to be the sleeper team for the 2011 season. Many people made that same prediction last season, and the Seminoles fell flat on their face for most of the year. 

Solid recruiting classes over the past few years will help, but Christian Ponder will have to be replaced. 

Ranking Florida St. as high as third seems a little high to me. While they are certainly one of the Top 25 teams in the country, another four-loss season would not surprise me. 

I may be dead wrong here, but I believe Florida St. is the most overrated team in the country heading into the 2011 college football season.