AP Poll College Football 2011: Something You Might Not Know About Each Team

This is the time of year when we are absolutely bombarded with information regarding the upcoming football season.

And we love it.

This list runs down some info you may not know about each AP top 25 team.

You won't find boxer/brief preferences or favorite foods.  The information contained within these slides may be an overlooked stat, an obscure fact, or an obvious number that seems to be overlooked.

Forget the blatantly obvious, and check this out...

25. USC Trojans

The Trojans have a Pac-12 nemesis you might not expect.

The rivalry with UCLA seems to get all the press, but it's not all it used to be.

You see, a "rivalry" implies that there is some sort of near equality between the two teams, and that has not been the case recently between the two L.A. squads.

The Trojans have taken every meeting between the two except for the upset by the Bruins in 2006.

However, the Trojans' true nemesis in recent seasons has been the Stanford Cardinal.

The boys from up north have taken three of the last four from the Trojans.

You better believe Lane Kiffin would love to ruin a Stanford winning streak in the Coliseum in 2011.

24. West Virginia Mountaineers

Here's a good one to stump your friends with.

Guess who finished third in the country in total defense as well as scoring defense?

You got it, the Mountaineers.

While they lost several guys from that very talented group, this season's group will likely be almost as good.

Guys like Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller will keep this squad rolling.

As for the rest of the team, this offense is going to be scary, especially with new head coach Dana Holgorsen calling the offensive shots.

23. Auburn Tigers

The defending champs managed to sneak in the AP poll at number 23.

A little lower than they are used to, given last season's performance.  But the low ranking is understandable, given the fact that Auburn returns only six starters.

Gene Chizik and Gus Malazahn know how to get an offense humming, but with so few returning starters, the Tigers will be in for a long season.

22. Florida Gators

The Gators had a rough 2010 season.

With the amount of talent new coach Will Muschamp can throw on the field, '11 won't be quite so rough.

And for Gator fans that enjoy a solid defensive squad Muschamp is your man.

The offense will eventually become effective once more in the capable hands of Charlie Weis.  Expect immense improvement on defense within the next few seasons.

Muschamp's defenses have held opponents to 20 or fewer points in 71 of his 104 games coached, and in those 71 games, his squads were 68-3.

21. Missouri Tigers

Gary Pinkel has plenty to be smiling about.

The Tigers have some returning talent.

James Franklin will take over at quarterback for his first season, and he has had limited experience.

However, he is going to have plenty of experience at the receiving end of his passes.

The Tigers return their top 14 pass-catchers from last season.

If Franklin can get the ball to them, the Tigers passing game is going to be very, very good.

20. Mississippi State Bulldogs

New head coach Dan Mullen has already left his mark on a program that was struggling to draw crowds.

The Bulldogs have sold out a school record ten consecutive home games.

This season, that trend should continue, as Vick Ballard, Chris Relf and Chad Bumphis highlight a potent offensive unit.

Mullen took over in the middle of the 2008 season, and in that time, MSU fans have shown up in force, as 12 of the schools top 20 crowds have been in attendance in that time span.

19. Georgia Bulldogs

Mark Richt is on the hot seat.

But you already know that.

However, what you might not know is how good quarterback Aaron Murray's numbers were in his freshman season.

Murray finished the year with 3,216 total yards, second best for a freshman in SEC history.

A repeat performance is not likely with the departure of receivers A.J. Green and Kris Durham.  Although Murray has already written his name in the SEC record books.

18. Ohio State Buckeyes

Buckeyes' wide receiver DeVier Posey has flourished, even in the shadow of departed quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Sadly, one of the better streaks in the Big Ten involves Posey, and will end after OSU's first game of the '11 season.

Posey will miss the first five games of the season, ending a streak of 27 consecutive games in which he has caught a pass.

As of right now, that's good enough for the best in the conference.

17. Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans are trying to entrench themselves among the Big Ten's elite teams.

Last season's Co-Championship was their first in 20 years, and their 11-2 record was their best ever. 

But what is probably of even greater significance is their record against Michigan in recent seasons.

"Little Brother" has won each of the last three seasons.  Something that hasn't happened since 1965-1967.

Should they pull out a fourth consecutive win, it would be the first such streak against Michigan since 1959-1962.

16. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The success of the Irish toward the end of last season could be credited to the resurgence of the defense.

Notre Dame will need to see the same sort of play that held it's last four opponents to 9.8 points and fewer than 92 rushing yards per contest.

There are eight starters returning, but one linebacker in particular should be remembered.

Prince Shembo.

He is a pass-rush specialist, and did not play every down. 

However, he finished the season with 15 total tackles, and 4.5 sacks.  That's almost a third of his tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

15. Arkansas Razorbacks

Who led all SEC running backs in rushing last season?

The Razorbacks' Knile Davis.

With the potent offense that Arkansas will field this season, it was likely he could repeat.  But Davis is done for '11.

However, consider that Davis was not getting much hype at this time last season, but finished atop the SEC.

The Razorbacks have the talent in that bruising stable of backs to jump right in and take over where Davis left off.

14. TCU Horned Frogs

TCU's Rose Bowl victory cemented them firmly in the upper echelon of college football's elite over the past five years.

The Frogs are the only team in the nation to be ranked in the season – ending top ten in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls over the last three years.

TCU has finished in the top ten four times in the past six seasons.  Its average final ranking of fifth over the last three seasons ranks first nationally.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies

Frank Beamer has built a reputation as a mastermind of defensive and special teams play during his 24 years at Va. Tech.

In 2011, the Hokies will have a new position of strength.

Offensive line.

Four of the starters return, and each one of them started every game in 2010.

New starting quarterback Logan Thomas may not have much experience, but he will have some seasoned veterans protecting him.

12. South Carolina Gamecocks

The mercurial play of Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia is enough to drive fans crazy.

When he's good, he's very good, but when he is off, it's really ugly.

That being said, Garcia led SC to the SEC championship game and is hoping to do so again this season.

While Garcia is the SEC's active leader in five offensive categories going into 2011, he has yet to beat Auburn or Arkansas.'

And both of them are on this season's schedule...

11. Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers are known for the punishing running game and bruising offensive line.

Last season, they were four yards away from taking that reputation to a new level.

Wisconsin nearly became the first team in FBS history to have three running backs gain 1,000 yards in the same season.  James White finished with 1,052 yards, John Clay had 1,012 and Montee Ball ran for 996.

Ball and White are back in 2011 to try and finish what they started, along with freshman standout Melvin Gordon.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Huskers definitely have a long and storied tradition as one of the winningest programs in college football history, especially over the past 50 years.

With their move to the Big Ten, they will try to carry on that tradition in the oldest conference in the sport.

But the Huskers are no stranger to Big Ten squads.

They have played every Big Ten school at least once in football, and own an 81-68-10 record all time against the conference.

Since 1970, the Huskers are 31-6 against Big Ten schools.

9. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Mike Gundy, outbursts and all, has the Cowboys on a roll.

They have won 29 games since he took over three seasons ago, including 2010's 11 win campaign, a school record.

While this season's offense is scary.  The defense has several new starters trying to fill voids left by attrition.

It worked out pretty well last season...

8. Texas A&M Aggies

Expectations are high in College Station.

How high?

The Aggies' number eight ranking in the AP poll is the highest they have claimed since 1999.

And with good reason.

Christine Michael, Cyrus Gray, Ryan Tannehill and Jeff Fuller form the core of a very talented offensive unit.

Mike Sherman has put together a pretty talented squad, but it remains to be seen whether they can challenge Oklahoma for conference supremacy.

7. Stanford Cardinal

Stanford was very good last season, with their sole loss coming to eventual BCS runner-up, Oregon.

The dynamo that powered the Cardinal offense was undeniably quarterback Andrew Luck, and the offense was unlike any other seen before at Stanford.

The Cardinal scored a school record 524 points in 2010, topping 2009's record setting year.

With key returnees such as Luck, wide receiver Chris Owusu and running back Stepfan Taylor, the Cardinal may one-up themselves yet again.

6. Florida State Seminoles

Much has been made about the Seminoles new starting quarterback and whether he is a legitimate fit for the 'Noles.

This argument seems somewhat pointless, given his performances in a limited capacity in spot appearances, but it persists.

His biggest boost will come from a plethora of returning talent.

The Seminoles return four starters on the O-Line, all of their top receivers, and their top five rushers from 2010.

With that much experience surrounding him, E.J. Manuel is primed for a big season.

5. Boise State Broncos

The hype for the Broncos has reached incredible levels over the past decade.

One of the more prevalent points of contention seems to be regarding the blue "smurf-turf".

Whether you love the idea, or think it creates an unfair advantage is irrelevant.

The Broncos do nothing but win on that turf.

They have an incredible 69-2 record since 2000, which is the best home record int he country in that span.

4. LSU Tigers

Les Miles can best be described as an eccentric, chronologically challenged winner.

Sure, he enjoys eating grass at times, and struggles mightily when faced with decisions to be made concerning the game clock, but he knows how to win.

His bowl record since joining the Tigers speaks for itself, and he posted the best record of an LSU coach in his first three seasons.

Beside all that, Miles is the only LSU coach in history to beat Auburn, Florida and Alabama all in the same season, and he has done it twice.

3. Oregon Ducks

Darron Thomas was really "sleeping".

Seriously though, the Ducks return some key skill players in LaMichael James and Darron Thomas.

The problem is their offensive line rotation has been depleted.

Three starters are gone from last years squad, along with two young men who quit due to injury in the off-season.

All the focus is on the two legitimate Heisman candidates in the backfield, but the front line may be an area for concern.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

Diehard Alabama fans may know this, but the average football fan may not.

The Tide have been to more bowl games than any other team in the country.

Included in their 58 bowl game appearances have been 13 trips to the Sugar Bowl, eight to the Orange and seven to the Cotton.

With nine starters returning to a very good defensive unit, it's likely they keep adding to that number this season.

1. Oklahoma Sooners

Bob Stoops and the Sooners find themselves atop the AP poll, and are predicted to make a big BCS splash.

OU has tons of talent.  The potential is there for a great season.

However, quarterback Landry Jones' performance in road games should make Sooners' fans nervous.

Jones is 4-5 in true road games over the past two season, and has only a 17-15 touchdown to interception ratio.

The BCS Championship is an attainable goal, but only if Jones achieves some measure of comfort on the road.