2011 College Football Predictions: Oregon Ducks and Top 5 Teams at Season's End
With the 2011-2012 college football season rapidly approaching, forget predicting the top teams heading into the 2011 season: Let's look at the Oregon Ducks and four other programs that will top the college football ranks at season's end.
From trendy preseason favorites Oklahoma and Oregon to the ever-so debated Boise State Broncos, let's jump to January and predict how the top five will play out.
5. Boise State Broncos
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Whether college football fans like it or not, the Boise State Broncos will be one of the top teams in the NCAA at season's end.
The Broncos are led by senior Kellen Moore, who has thrown for over 10,000 yards while completing 99 touchdown passes during his three-year career.
Moore will be without his top two targets from last year in Titus Young and Austin Pettis, but the Broncos have had no trouble finding new receivers to step up in recent years and I don't think this season will be any different.
Boise State will open up against the Georgia Bulldogs in 2011, and if the Broncos can pull that one out the rest of the schedule is manageable, to say the least.
The Broncos get TCU at home in Week 9, and that appears to be their only other real challenge.
Boise State will more than likely be undefeated in the regular season, and if it can get a win in its BCS bowl the team will finish in the top five.
4. Wisconsin Badgers
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The Wisconsin Badgers are going to be a tough out in 2011.
Led by the dynamic running back combination of James White and Montee Ball, the Badgers could easily have the best ground attack in the nation.
The Badgers will need to replace quarterback Scott Tolzien, and Jon Budamyr looks like the man for that job. With a backfield like Wisconsin has, it will make the transition for Budamyr much more manageable.
Wisconsin opens up with its first six games at home before going back-to-back with Michigan State and Ohio State in Weeks 7 and 8. That is the toughest stretch of the schedule for the Badgers, but they will still be favorites to win those games.
The Badgers will once again have a tough defense to score against—even with the loss of star J.J. Watt. Wisconsin always seems to reload on the defensive side, and I don't see that changing this year.
A Big Ten title seems likely, and if the Badgers can win their BCS bowl game this year they will end the year as one of the top teams in the country.
3. South Carolina Gamecocks
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Yes, I'm picking the South Carolina Gamecocks to win the SEC title and finish above Alabama.
South Carolina has a legitimate Heisman candidate in sophomore running back Marcus Lattimore, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards with 17 touchdowns during his freshman year.
The Gamecocks will go as far as Lattimore can take them.
In 2010, when Lattimore received 20 carries or more, South Carolina was 5-0—compared to 0-5 when he touched the ball fewer than 20 times.
It appears Stephen Garcia will be back from suspension to start for the Gamecocks on opening week; if he for some reason is not back, sophomore Connor Shaw will be in place to start.
Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Gamecocks, one thing is for sure: They will have the best receiving option in the SEC to throw to in Alshon Jeffery.
Jeffery accounted for over 1,500 yards receiving last year with nine touchdowns and will once again be a huge playmaker for the Gamecocks in 2011.
The SEC East is clearly a major step down from the SEC West, thus giving the Gamecocks a great chance to make it to the SEC Championship game.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
2. Oklahoma Sooners
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The Oklahoma Sooners look to be the clear favorite to win the Big 12.
Leading the Sooner offense will be junior quarterback Landry Jones.
Jones had a stellar sophomore campaign for Oklahoma—4,718 yards passing and 38 touchdowns. It helps to have one of the best receivers in the country to throw the ball to in Ryan Broyles, who had 131 receptions in 2010 for 1,622 yards with 14 touchdown grabs.
Oklahoma will need to find a replacement for DeMarco Murray, but with a passing attack as deadly as the Sooners have, the running game should be there.
The Sooners will have an early showdown in Week 2 against the Florida State Seminoles, but the rest of the schedule shapes up nicely until they travel to face conference rival Oklahoma State at the end of the season. Oklahoma will have to play the Texas Longhorns on the road, but the Longhorns are still in rebuilding mode so that should be a manageable game.
With a lethal passing attack and the usual stingy defense, the Oklahoma Sooners will finish the 2011-2012 season just behind the Oregon Ducks.
1. Oregon Ducks
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The Oregon Ducks are my pick to win it all next year, thus finishing No. 1 in the rankings.
Led by not only one, but two possible Heisman trophy candidates; the Oregon Ducks should have an even better offense then they did last year when they averaged nearly 47 points per game.
LaMichael James rushed for over 1,700 yards last season while scoring 21 touchdowns. The man handing the ball off to him—Darron Thomas—threw for 2,881 yards and accounted for 35 total touchdowns.
The Oregon defense will be led by All-American cornerback Cliff Harris who had six interceptions in 2010, and should be well on his way to another standout year.
The Ducks have three games that should be highlighted on their schedule; opening week at home against LSU, Week 4 at Arizona, and Week 10 when Oregon has to travel to Standford to take on the Cardinals.
The Oregon offense will prove to be to much to contain and they will be crowned the 2011-2012 NCAA College Football Champions.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
