College Football Predictions: 7 Unranked Teams That Will Break out in 2011

Last season, the Auburn Tigers came out of nowhere to win the SEC and later the BCS National Championship.  It seems that every year, there are teams that start the season unranked and slowly climb their way to the top of the polls.

2011 should be no different with all of the talent across the college football landscape.  Although no one knows for sure who those secret contenders will be, it is safe to say that every unranked team thinks it is them.

Here are seven teams that were not ranked in the preseason Top 25 but should finish the season ranked.

7. Illinois Fighting Illini

Early in the 2011 season, expect Illinois to climb up the rankings quickly.  They have one of the easiest schedules in the Big 10 and should be able to start the season with a record of 5-1.

The Illini get almost all of their toughest opponents at home and shouldn’t have to face back to back Top 25 opponents all season.  The easy schedule alone isn’t enough to win them games, they need to have talent as well.

Illinois has one of the best young quarterbacks in the country in Nathan Scheelhaase, but he’ll need to carry the offensive load with running back Mikel Leshoure in the NFL.

Not only will the Illini be playing in a bowl game at the end of the season, but they could be contending for a Big 10 title.

6. UCF Knights

Last season, the Knights of Central Florida won 11 games and they should expect similar results in 2011.  Quarterback Jeff Godfrey had a solid season in his first year as a starter and should only get better this season.

The Knights have plenty of speed at receiver which will help their sophomore quarterback make big plays down the field.  But Godfrey will have his challenges as UCF will play Boston College and BYU as part of their non-conference schedule.

With that said, the Knights will not be facing opponents ranked in the Top 25 on a consistent basis and should be able to win Conference USA.

5. West Virginia Mountaineers

Morgantown has seen their fair share of drama this offseason and for the Mountaineers, opening kickoff can’t come soon enough. Quarterback Geno Smith has a lot to do with the excitement and optimism.

Smith had a strong sophomore campaign in his first year as West Virginia’s starting quarterback. Last season, Smith passed for more than 2,700 yards to go along with 24 touchdowns. In 2011, expect both of those numbers to go up with new head coach Dana Holgorsen in town.

Holgorsen is widely considered one of the hottest coaches in college football because of his explosive spread offense.  In his first year in the Big East, Holgorsen has his team ready to contend for a conference title.

4. Miami Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes are easily one of the most talented teams in the ACC, but in 2011, it will be about using that talent to win games.  New head coach Al Golden has the Hurricanes buying into his system and Miami should expect a big jump in his first season.

The 'Canes have defensive play makers at all three levels and should have no problem keeping opponents from racking up points.  They’ll be able to do that as long as the offense can hold onto the ball.

Whoever Miami’s quarterback is going to be, he’s going to need to take better care of the football for the 'Canes to win in 2011.  Luckily, the Hurricanes have a big and athletic offensive line to help block for young running backs Lamar Miller and Mike James.

As long as the 'Canes have better play from their quarterback in 2011 than they did last season, there is no reason Miami can’t compete in the ACC.

3. Michigan Wolverines

Going into the 2011 season, the Michigan Wolverines have one distinct advantage over their competition and his name is Denard Robinson.  Last year as a sophomore at Michigan, Robinson did practically everything offensively for the Wolverines.

He not only threw for over 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he also ran for 1,702 yards and 14 scores. Robinson’s 1,702 yards ranked second in the country in last season and he did it from the quarterback position.

In 2010, Michigan had an up and down year, but new head coach Brady Hoke knows that for his team to be successful this year, they need Robinson to have another great year.

If Michigan’s defense can come around, they could be a force to be reckoned with in the Big 10.  Hoke wants the Wolverines to be tough so expect to see some smash-mouth football in the Big House this season.

2. Houston Cougars

When quarterback Case Keenum tore his ACL at the beginning of last season, the Houston Cougars were no longer a contender.  They finished the season with a record of 5-7 which was well below expectations for 2010.

With Keenum healthy this season, Houston should win at least 10 games.  Keenum is surrounded by a talented yet underrated group of skill players that will help the Cougars rack up the points.

Assuming he stays healthy this season, Keenum should own just about every passing record at Houston.  As impressive as that may be, the only record that Keenum cares about is Houston’s win-loss record.

1. Utah Utes

Utah has had great success in the Mountain West Conference, but the Pac-12 will offer a new level of competition on a weekly basis. 

Lucky for the Utes, they return quarterback Jordan Wynn to run Norm Chow’s offense.  The question in Utah is who will carry the ball after they lost the team lost their two leading rushers from last season. 

The answer is likely freshman Harvey Langi who was an early enrollee and caught a lot of attention in spring practice.   The Utes will likely feature multiple backs in their backfield, but Langi is a powerful back who can help take the pressure off Wynn.

Their schedule is one of the main reasons why the Utes have a good shot at making some noise in 2011.  They don’t have to play Oregon or Stanford which should make the task of winning the Pac-12 South a little easier.