College Football 2011: Buy, Sell or Hold Rating on Every Preseason Top 25 Team
Preseason rankings have been coming out for a few weeks now, and it's easy to be swept up in the hype machine of major publications in regard to college football.
When it comes to rankings, no one is entirely sure.
Case in point:
At the beginning of last season, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Ohio State and Iowa were all top 10 teams.
Only OSU finished inside the top 10 of the BCS rankings.
Miami had a sure Heisman contender at quarterback, and Florida and Penn State were headed back to their rightful places among the upper echelon of college football's elite.
This list is a compendium of each top 25 team, and whether to buy, sell or hold on each team.
Hopefully things go better here than they are on the stock market...
25. Texas Longhorns
1 of 25
It's very like;y the Longhorns will be improved over the debacle that was last season.
They should get some more consistent play from Garret Gilbert, and the defense looks to be a little more solid than it was last year.
All that is great, but we never saw that nosedive coming last season, so rather than jump back into my burnt orange coveralls, hang on for a few weeks and look for definite improvement...
Hold
24. Miami Hurricanes
2 of 25
Al Golden is primed to take the Miami program back to the prominent place it once held.
It just won't be this season.
The 'Canes are going to look very good at times, but heir inconsistent play on both sides of the ball is probably going to leave many wondering what could have been,
Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris are both too prone to throw the costly late-game interception, and the defense is young.
Sell
23. Missouri Tigers
3 of 25
Mizzou has a quarterback who can get the ball to his receivers, and that's enough to start believing in this team.
T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew are both great weapons for James Franklin to target, and the defense is going to be a surprise to many.
Even without Aldon Smith, the Tigers have the talent to produce on the D-Line.
Ends Jacquies Smith and Brad Madison combined for 13 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss last year, and Zaviar Gooden will make a bid to be on the All-Conference team by season's end...
Buy
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. TCU Horned Frogs
4 of 25
The Horned Frogs' defense is once again going to be very solid, but the inexperience in the secondary is going to hurt them against pass-happy squads such as Boise State and San Diego State.
Tanner Brock and Tank Carder are a formidable duo at linebacker, but that secondary is very iffy.
Offensively, the Frogs are going to have a hard time duplicating the success of 2010's Andy Dalto-led team.
Casey Pachall is a good QB, but with only one returning starter on the O-Line, he is going to find himself under pressure much more than he would like.
Sell
21. Georgia Bulldogs
5 of 25
This Georgia team is very, very interesting.
Aaron Murray was great last season, but can he duplicate that success without Kris Durham and A.J. Green?
Trinton Sturdivant is injured again, and the offensive line is looking less than cohesive.
Defensively, Bacarri Rambo is a monster at either safety position, but questions linger along the D-Line due to some inexperience at the position.
Hold
20. USC Trojans
6 of 25
The Trojans have all the star power necessary on offense, and Matt Barkley is going to help this team produce points in a big way.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Trojans are hurting.
The defense is slightly improved over the squad that allowed over 400 yards of offense last season, but they are a long way from being a unit that scares anyone.
If guys like linebacker Chris Galippo show some marked improvement, the defense will improve, but it's not likely...
Sell
19. West Virginia Mountaineers
7 of 25
Bill Stewart had very little class, and it resulted in an early departure from the team and Dana Holgorsen assuming head coaching duties ahead of schedule.
The Mountaineers will have no trouble putting up points with the talented group they have returning, but it is questionable whether they have the defense to stop opponents from matching their score.
Holgorsen is going to have the offense humming, but can the defense carry that tune?
Hold
18. Ohio State Buckeyes
8 of 25
Ahhh, Mr. Fickell.
Poor man.
The Buckeyes are still very talented, but depleted on the defensive side of the ball.
The strongest part of this Buckeye team over the past decade has been the defensive play, and next season, it will be a bigger issue than the loss of Terrelle Pryor or Coach Tressel.
While potential is great, it's hard to buy this edition of the Buckeyes until we see if that potential develops into production on the field.
Sell
17. Virginia Tech Hokies
9 of 25
Just call him Mr. Consistency.
Frank Beamer has led the Hokies to at least ten wins in nine of the lase eleven seasons.
Next season, there is no reason it won't happen again.
Logan Thomas is taking over for the departed Tyrod Taylor at quarterback, and while the styles may be a little different, the results will be much the same.
Solid defense ans special teams, and an offense that puts points up regularly.
Buy
16. Wisconsin Badgers
10 of 25
Quarterback Jon Budmayr leaves Wisconsin fans feeling more unsure of themselves than an audience full of people who just watched Charlie Sheen implode.
While he shouldn't be asked to do too much in Paul Chryst's offense, Budmayr does not seem to have the football IQ or arm of the departed Scott Tolzien.
The defense will be better than last season, especially with the return of linebacker Chris Borland, but the lack of confidence in the arm of Budmayr is unsettling.
Hold
15. Arizona State Sun Devils
11 of 25
ASU might just bust the Pac-12's doors down this season.
The defense is absolutely ridiculous, and Dennis Erickson is an experienced coach.
The performance of the Brock Osweiler led offense will determine where the ceiling should be for these guys.
Buy
14. Michigan State Spartans
12 of 25
This is a team that it's hard to get a read on.
Kirk Cousins and Edwin Baker will lead a dynamic offense that is quite capable of putting up 40 points a game.
However, the Spartans lost their two leading tacklers from last season, and the leadership that Greg Jones brought to the squad cannot be underrated.
Jerel Worthy leads a stout D-Line, and coach Dantonio probably has some more trick plays up his sleeve if needed.
Don't bet on them...yet.
Hold
13. Oklahoma State Cowboys
13 of 25
The Cowboys have one of the most prolific offenses in the sport.
Quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon are one of the most dangerous duos in the game.
However, the guy who engineered the offense, Dana Holgorsen, departed for West Virginia.
There may be a few kinks to work out in his absence.
Also, unfortunately for OSU, they have to play defense as well.
Forget the hype...
Sell
12. South Carolina Gameocks
14 of 25
Steve Spurrier has his South Carolina team poised to return to the SEC championship for the second consecutive year.
Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore and Stephen Garcia are a scary triumvirate for opposing defensive co-ordinators.
Expect fireworks in Columbia, and a few gems to quote from coach Spurrier.
They may not make it past their counterpart from the SEC West in the conference championship, but they should give them a good scare.
Buy
11. Texas A&M Aggies
15 of 25
Ryan Tannehill played well for the time he was healthy last season, and running backs Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray are a dangerous backfield combo.
Even with the departure of pass-rushing monster Von Miller, you can expect improvement from a sometimes porous defense, due to returning experience.
Mike Sherman has a good thing going, and with a few breaks, the Aggies could make a BCS game.
Buy
10. Arkansas Razorbacks
16 of 25
Bobby Petrino will have his offense clicking and putting points on the board.
He does that every season.
Where the Razorbacks are prepared to take great strides is on defense.
With tons of experience returning all over the field, mixed with some new talent, Arkansas finally might have the defensive squad to match their offensive success.
Tyler Wilson is not Ryan Mallett, but he will be effective, especially with all the weapons the Hogs are returning on offense.
Buy
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
17 of 25
Once again, we have all heard this song before.
"The Irish are back." "Notre Dame is headed to the BCS."
Teason, don't be surprised if the Irish actually live up to their hype.
While the schedule is brutal, the defense has playmakers all over the field, and the ability to shut down opposing offenses.
Whatever comes out of the quarterback controversy, with receiver Michael Floyd, the passing game will be a threat, and Cierre Wood is ready for a huge season.
Buy
8. Boise State Broncos
18 of 25
Look, the Broncos had a nice run in the WAC, but next seasons foray into the world of the MWC will not be as kind.
Fortunately for them, quarterback Kellen Moore returned, and will lead the offense.
The Broncos get TCU at home, but must go on the road to face a tough San Diego State squad.
While the MWC is still not the SEC or Big 12, it's a step up from the WAC, and facing a tougher level of competition may prove to be Boise's Achilles' Heel.
Sell
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers
19 of 25
Any team with a defense this good is as close to a sure thing as you can get.
The Huskers may have some questions about quarterback Taylor Martinez and his ability to produce, but the defense leaves little room for debate.
They are really, really good.
The Big Ten will present some unique challenges for the Huskers, but they will be a top three team in the conference, easily.
Buy
6. Stanford Cardinal
20 of 25
Forget all the talk about Andrew Luck and the departure of Jim Harbaugh.
The real key to the success of the Cardinal offense in 2011 will be wide receiver Chris Owusu.
Owusu spent much of 2010 sidelined with injury, but his speed and explosiveness bring a new deep threat to the Stanford offense that may be just a little different from last season's passing game.
Replacing nose-tackle Sione Fua and his presence on the inside might be an issue, but inside linebacker Shayne Skov is poised to be one of the premiere defensive players in the conference.
Don't bet the farm on the Cardinal, but it might be safe to bet the tractor...
Hold
5. Oregon Ducks
21 of 25
I'm not quite buyin' it.
Sure Darron Thomas and LaMichael James are back.
What about the three departed offensive linemen?
What about Casey Matthews?
The Ducks will put up some points in a hurry again, but may have some issues on the interior of the defense that hurt them.
Hold
4. LSU Tigers
22 of 25
Really, the Tigers are a great team.
Where you run into issues is when you take a look at Jordan Jefferson.
He sometimes makes you forget about his inadequacies by wowing crowds with his athleticism and football IQ.
Then he throws a late-game interception to seal the victory for the opposition.
The defense is going to be good enough to lock down most teams, but Jefferson's penchant for inaccuracy and mistakes may come back to bite the Tigers.
Hold
3. Florida State Seminoles
23 of 25
Buy all you can.
The Seminoles have a mobile quarterback who can extend plays and stretch the field.
He is joined by their top five running backs from last season, their most productive receivers, and an offensive line that knows their way around a football field.
Linebacker Nigel Bradham is a monster, and is quite capable of scaring the bejesus out of opposing quarterbacks, while Greg Ried and Xavier Rhodes make up the best cornerback tandem in the country.
Like it or not, the Seminoles are back...
Buy
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
24 of 25
Really enticing, given all the preseason kudos the Tide are getting, but tough to buy at this point.
They were projected at No. 1 last season, and ended up with three losses.
The Tide lost their starting quarterback, running back and one of the top wide receivers in the country.
How is a national championship bid even close to automatic?
Hold
1. Oklahoma Sooners
25 of 25
The Sooners are not the sure thing everyone makes them out to be.
Sure Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles are going to be very productive.
Yes, the Sooners have a ton of talent, but that's as far as it goes.
The Big 12 will be no picnic this season, and the questions lingering at defensive tackle and in the secondary are mildly disturbing.
Could the Sooners go undefeated and win it all?
Absolutely, but it is not a foregone conclusion.
Hold
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
