College Football Rankings 2011: Biggest Challenges Facing the Preseason Top 10

The USA Today coaches' preseason poll was released on Thursday with very few surprises.

The conference breakdown of the Top 25 looks like this:

SEC: Eight
Big Ten: Five
Big 12: Five
Mountain West: Two
Pac-12: Two
ACC: Two
Independents: One
Big East: Zero

Even though these contending teams are going to be tough to handle in both non-conference and league play, each of these squads have some question marks going into this year.

Let's take a quick look at the biggest challenges facing the best of the best....each of the Top 10 teams.

10. Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin was GOOD in 2010 and will challenge for the Big Ten title again this year.

The Badgers scored 41.5 ppg (fifth in the nation), rushed for 245.7 ypg (12th) and held teams to 20.5 ppg (25th).

For most teams, losing a 1,000-yard rusher like John Clay would be a huge loss. Fortunately for Wisconsin, they have two other 1,000-yard rushers returning (James White: 1,052 yds, 14 TD; Montee Ball: 996 yds, 18 TDs).

Even though the Wisconsin offense is built on their running game, three (Lance Kendricks, David Gilreath and Isaac Anderson) of last year's top five weapons in the passing game are gone.

Together, they accounted for over 1,200 receiving yards and six TDs.

The biggest hole for the Badgers to fill is QB Scott Tolzien, an extremely efficient signal-caller who completed 73 percent of his passes in 2010.

9. Texas A&M Aggies

Last year at midseason, the Aggies were 3-3, and headed nowhere fast.

And then Ryan Tannehill was inserted as Texas A&M's QB, and the Aggies reeled off six straight wins including Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas (okay, beating the Longhorns last year wasn't that big of a deal).

In 2011, Tannehill is back and ready to show the world he can do by being the full-time field general.

Mike Sherman welcomes 18 starters back from last year's Cotton Bowl team.

The obvious challenge comes from how Sherman will fill the few holes that exist on his roster, with two of the biggest ones in the Aggies linebacker corps.

Butkus Award winning linebacker Von Miller (second overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft) is gone. Over his last two seasons as an Aggie, he recorded 27.5 sacks. That kind of production won't be easy to regain.

Michael Hodges, another stud LB who was the Aggies leading tackler in 2010, will be difficult to replace too.

8. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State has two of the best playmakers in the Big 12 in QB Brandon Weeden and big-time WR Justin Blackmon.

The Cowboys, who return 10 offensive starters, averaged more than 44 ppg last season (ranked No. 3 in the nation).

The sad thing for head coach Mike Gundy is that OSU might need to score at least this many points or more to win some of their games because of the mass departures on the Cowboys' other-side-of-ball.

The defensive front seven suffered some huge losses, where only two starters return. 

As a unit, the OSU D gave up more than 26 ppg.

7. Boise State Broncos

Boise State was knocking on the door last year and fell one game short (after losing to Nevada on Thanksgiving weekend).

But Chris Petersen's Broncos are back to qualify for a BCS Bowl game and even make a possible run at the Dream...a BCS championship.

Much of BSU's high-powered offense returns.

Record-setting QB Kellen Moore returns for his senior season, as does super-productive RB Doug Martin. They will both operate behind a veteran line that will provide protection and running lanes galore.

Boise's biggest challenge is replacing Moore's favorite targets, Austin Pettis and Titus Young.

The two wideouts combined for over 2,100 receiving yards and 19 TDs.

It will also be interesting to watch how Boise State responds to playing in a new conference, the Mountain West.

Back-to-back November games against TCU and San Diego State could set them up or wipe them out.

6. Stanford Cardinal

Stanford surprised many college football fans last season by rocketing onto the national scene and going 12-1, including a Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

Heisman front-running QB Andrew Luck is back behind center to lead the Cardinal attack. If he would have entered the NFL draft, he most likely would have been the first player chosen.

Two-way star Owen Marecic is gone, as are Luck's two favorite targets (Doug Baldwin, Ryan Whalen).

The biggest challenge exists in replacing their head coach Jim Harbaugh, who moved on to coach the San Francisco 49ers.

Harbaugh recruited fabulously and instilled a hard-nosed physicality that made Stanford into a national contender. First-year head coach David Shaw has big shoes (and big expectations) to fill.

5. Florida State Seminoles

How do you follow a coaching legend like Bobby Bowden? Jimbo Fisher simply went out and won nine games in his first season, and has Florida State looking like the Seminoles of old.

Defensively, under Mark Stoops, FSU played with intensity and energy, allowing opponents less than 20 ppg.

Fisher's biggest challenge will be to find a new signal caller to replace steady and talented Christian Ponder.

His replacement, E.J. Manuel, has some mind-blowing physical tools. If he can get on track early, Florida State has to be the favorite to win the ACC.

An early season matchup at home against Oklahoma could launch a magical season...or derail a promising year.

4. LSU Tigers

LSU has as much talent as they have had in several years.

Almost everyone is back on the offensive side of the ball. Head coach Les Miles is hoping that Jordan Jefferson has a break out season behind center.

Jefferson has all of the tools to be an outstanding QB. Maybe this will be the year when it all comes together for him.

Even though the Tigers have lots of playmakers on defense, it will be hard to replace all-everything Patrick Peterson, immovable DT Drake Nevis and hard-hitting LB Kelvin Shepard.

Though Miles has capable players to plug in here, the replacements for this trio have a lot to prove.

3. Oregon Ducks

The 2010 Oregon Ducks were faster and better than just about everyone that they played.

Running Back LaMichael James was Heisman finalist. Speedster QB Darron Thomas was the trigger man to one of the most explosive offenses in college football history. 

Oregon scored a ton of points and basically ran over their opponents in the regular season...until they met Auburn in the BCS Championship game when the Ducks got grounded.

Oregon should be every bit as good this year, with James and Thomas back, and will probably run rampant through most of their Pac-12 schedule.

But the biggest challenge of the season will come in the form of an opening game matchup against LSU in Dallas on Sept 3.

The entire season doesn't begin and end at Cowboy Stadium. The Ducks also face Stanford in November, with the winner likely to win the inaugural Pac-12 conference title.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama finished an uneven 2010 season (9-3) by smacking Michigan State in the mouth 49-7 in the Capitol One Bowl. 

The Crimson Tide is ready to challenge again for the BCS championship. They have mucho talent on both sides of the ball.

But one of the questions that Nick Saban has had to ponder this offseason: Can you lose a trio of offensive players like former Heisman Award winner Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Greg McElroy and not be hurt?

As far as ball carrying, Trent Richardson will step right into the role as the lead rusher for Bama.

McElroy won't be hard to replace. A.J. McCarron is ready to move behind center.

But, Julio Jones....not sure that there is a ready-made stand-in. Marquis Maze was the No. 2 receiver on the field last year, but he does not have the length and will not command as much attention.

1. Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners are the Preseason Coaches Poll No. 1 team in the nation.

Head coach Bob Stoops has to be chomping at the bit ready for the season to start.

Eighteen starters return from a team that took apart UConn in the Fiesta Bowl.

Landry Jones is a legitimate Heisman candidate, and Ryan Broyles will most likely keep piling up receiving records.

The O-line will be ready to provide protection and open up running lanes.

One of the biggest question marks for the Sooners is in their backfield.

Don't get me wrong, Roy Finch could be amazing (if he stays healthy), and true freshman Brandon Williams might be a new halfback hero.

But its hard to lose a multi-talented back like DeMarco Murray who is OU's all-time leader in points scored (390), TDs (65), all purpose yards (6,718), and receiving yards by a RB (1,571) and not feel it a little.

The tragic offseason loss of Austin Box, who passed away this summer, will have to be replaced at LB.