2011 NCAA Preseason Poll: Oklahoma, Rest of AP Top 10 All Face Hurdles

This past Saturday, the 2011 AP Preseason poll was finally released with the Oklahoma Sooners once again sitting atop the rankings. Here's the rest of the Top 10:

 2. Alabama

 3. Oregon

 4. LSU

 5. Boise State

 6. Florida State

 7. Stanford

 8. Texas A&M

 9. Oklahoma State

10. Nebraska

These teams, considered to be some of the biggest powerhouses in the upcoming season, are looking to dominate college football throughout 2011. It's not certain which of them will succeed in their quest for glory, but each team will face tests this fall where they will have to prove why they are a Top 10 team.

This is a list of each team's biggest challenges heading into the 2011 season, beginning with the No. 10 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

10. Nebraska: New Kids on the Block

Coming off of a promising 10-4 2010 season where they lost to a fairly impressive and determined University of Washington Husky football team in the Holiday Bowl, the Cornhuskers are primed to make a run in the new look Big 10 in its inaugural season.

With returning quarterback and potential Heisman candidate Taylor Martinez taking the reins in his second season with Nebraska, the Huskers are eagerly anticipating the start of the 2011 season. Martinez offers both a passing and running threat, and teams will have to be paying close attention to him as he comes back from a knee injury looking better than ever.

Nebraska will also return starters such as DT Jared Crick—one of the nation's best defensive linemen—WR Brandon Kinnie, and CB Alfonzo Dennard, who all contributed greatly to Nebraska's 2010 season in which they only lost regular season games to Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M.

While Nebraska is confident in its program and their key returning players, there are still many questions to address before they can be supremely confident about their 2011 campaign.

One of the biggest questions that Nebraska will have heading into the 2011 season is their offensive line. When a team attributes so much of their offense to the run game and spreading the ball around the field instead of vertically attacking it, it becomes more and more difficult to replace three offensive line starters, which is something Nebraska must do.

In order to give Taylor Martinez the protection he needs, Nebraska must find steady and stable replacements for their offensive line as they head into one of the nation's biggest conferences on the line.

Many may not think a great deal of it, but one of the toughest losses for Nebraska this year is their go-to kicker Alex Henery. Some say that kickers are easily replaceable. However, when you lose collegiate football's all-time most accurate kicker, you surely lose a gem. Henery has been reliable for Nebraska throughout his entire career, and he will most likely be the toughest player to replace at his position..

Though replacing key players is a big issue for the Nebraska football program, its biggest challenge may be the welcoming committee that is awaiting them when they make their first appearance in the Big Ten.

Already with a revenge game scheduled against a new-look and deceptively dangerous Washington Husky football program in Week 3, Nebraska will then have to play at Wisconsin and at Ohio State back-to-back. After playing Michigan State in Week 9, Nebraska finishes its tour of the Big Ten with games at home against Penn State, Michigan, and Iowa, all of which are dangerous teams that could play spoiler to a Nebraska run at the Big Ten title.

9. Oklahoma State: Taking the Reins

Coming off the winningest season in Oklahoma State history with 11 wins (including a win against Arizona in the Valero Alamo Bowl), the Cowboys are gearing up for another unforgettable season.

There is a certain buzz around the Oklahoma State campus this upcoming year as they return most of their key starters (including "Where the heck did I come from?" quarterback Brandon Weeden), Oklahoma State is confident in their ability to claim the Big 12 title in 2011.

With one of the nation's perennial top offenses, the Cowboys were also able to field a defense last year that looked fairly good at times. However, as in past years, 2010 showed that the Cowboys defense still needs a lot of work and preparation as they gave up 51 points to Nebraska and 47 points to Oklahoma (although those two teams are elite in themselves).

Part of the reason that Oklahoma State was able to put up so many points (3rd in the nation) is because of the way they ran their offense. Inspired by the general spread offense design, 2010 Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen managed the Cowboys better than any other head coach in OSU history, and he will surely be missed after taking over at West Virginia.

This is where the biggest issue arises for Oklahoma State this year—coaching continuity. Though he has been with the program before, new offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have big shoes to fill. However, Monken has been with the Cowboy program before and has also worked with Holgorsen, so he knows the system fairly well.

But the issue with Monken is the same with every new coach—you just don't know how well they will be able to "inspire" their players. A player can have all of the talent in the world, but without the proper coaching, could easily not reach his full potential.

So while there are a few players that Oklahoma State needs to replace, their biggest questions will come on the defensive side of the ball as well as in their offensive coordinator position, as their offense looks to impress the nation once again.

8. Texas A&M: Are They for Real?

Year after year, it seemed as though Texas A&M was the state of Texas' weakest football team, but now with a No. 8 preseason ranking, the 2011 squad is out there to prove that wrong.

With one of the nation's best 1-2 running back combinations in Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael, the Aggies are priming for a run at the Big 12 title. Contributing to the success of these RBs is the presence of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has virtually come out of nowhere.

After starting out as a receiver at A&M and impressing coaches (leading the team in receiving in 2008 and 2009), Tannehill started six games for the Aggies in 2010 and continued to impress coaches, winning five of those games, including games against Nebraska and Oklahoma. With the starting job officially his, Tannehill is ready to become one of the nation's top QBs.

Not only does A&M have skilled running backs and a QB who is ready for a break-out season, their receivers, cornerbacks, and most skill positions are loaded with talent, which is why they are ranked so high this preseason.

There is a lot of hype for the Aggies heading into the season. The only question is, will they live up to it?

One of the biggest holes that they will have to fill is the loss of Von Miller at linebacker. One of the best defensive players in the nation, Miller lit up offenses, ensuring the Aggies a stable presence on defense week-in and week-out. Replacing a player like Miller is never an easy thing to do.

While it may seem as though the Aggies could be an unstoppable force this year, their brutal schedule may be their Achilles' heel. With consecutive games against Oklahoma State and Arkansas followed by a dangerous Texas Tech team, it is quite possible that the Aggies could lose one or two of these games.

After a few weeks against teams that A&M should be able to re-energize with, they will once again face tough back-to-back games against Missouri and preseason favorite Oklahoma, followed a few weeks later with a season finale against a Texas Longhorn team that will be looking to make up for their dreadful 2010 season (in terms of Texas football). 

If the Aggies are able to impress in their games against Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Missouri, and especially Oklahoma, they will prove to the nation why they are not just all hype.

7. Stanford: The Andrew Luck Show

Last year at this time Stanford was getting ready to become one of the nation's best sports stories of 2010-2011. Known mainly as an educational and institutional school focused on academia more than athletics, the Stanford Cardinal (led by Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh) took the college football world by storm.

To the tune of an unprecedented 12-1 season, the Cardinal are ready to make their run at the first ever Pac-12 title and earn a trip to the BCS National Championship.

One of the biggest players this year for the Cardinal will be Heisman front-runner Andrew Luck. Last year, Luck impressed the college football nation so much with his brute strength, raw football ability and intelligence that he finished 2nd in Heisman voting only to Auburn's Cam Newton. Turning down the opportunity to play in the NFL to instead finish his architecture degree, Luck is ready to lead Stanford towards another unbelievable season.

Accompanied by a dangerous back in Stepfan Taylor (Pac-10 Honorable Mention in 2010), the Cardinal will need to navigate through a tough 2011 schedule, where they will have to face powerhouses such as Arizona, Oregon, USC, and a very good Notre Dame team. 

Though the schedule may not seem like it plays to Stanford's advantage, a bigger roadblock on the way to another fairytale season for the Cardinal is the absence of Jim Harbaugh, who recently left for the NFL to coach the San Francisco 49ers.

While new head coach David Shaw shows the same tenacity and heart for the game of football as Harbaugh, there is no doubt that Harbaugh was a much more qualified leader and coach. As mentioned before with the coaching change at Oklahoma State, it is never easy for a team to adjust perfectly to the scheme of a new head coach, so the first few weeks of the season will be a preview as to what we can expect from the Cardinal in 2011.

If the coaching staff gels well with the players, we may see Stanford doing the unthinkable and win the first-ever Pac-12 title.

6. Florida State: Potentially Great

After a season where the Seminoles started their climb back to glory (going 10-4 in the process), Florida State may be the most "potentially-great" team heading into the 2011 season.

With the entire nation playing up E.J. Manuel as the Second Coming, Florida State will have a lot of expectations to live up to.

Last year, Christian Ponder (now with the Vikings) was able to show the nation not only the offensive skills that he had, but the offensive might that Florida State had as a whole. And with 16 returning starters, it is hard to imagine the Seminoles not making a BCS appearance.

However, while much of the nation believes the talent at Florida State combined with a fairly weak ACC schedule makes them a lock to be ACC champs and deserving of the No. 6 ranking in the AP Preseason Poll, Florida State must first prove themselves on the field.

While Manuel did flash some greatness in his appearances as a backup to Christian Ponder last year, he is still entering only his first season as the starter, and expectations are high. This added pressure has both its advantages and disadvantages.

One of the advantages may be that Manuel slides right into a leadership role at the QB position, takes control of the team and excels at Florida State. This is, however, a best case scenario.

But in situations like this in the past, it is easy to see why many college quarterbacks who are heralded end up disappointing in the end. Manuel must learn to not try to over-perform in order compensate for his "potential greatness" but must allow the game to unfold smoothly before him.

Another potential hiccup Florida State may face this season is their date against Oklahoma. This will be one of the marquee games of the season, and it comes in the early stages of the season in Week 3.

Luckily for the 'Noles, the game is at home, which may give them a slight edge, but this game will truly test the Seminoles and give the nation a feeling as to who Florida State really is.

The potential is there for Florida State—can they live up to it?

5. Boise State: Same Old Story

You either love them or hate them.

Perennially picked and known as college football's "Cinderella" team (though that is tougher to say nowadays than it was before), Boise State is once again heading into a season loaded with talent and their eyes on yet another conference title, this time in the not-so-much tougher Mountain West Conference.

Perhaps the most important factor about Boise State this year is once again their quarterback, Kellen Moore, one of the best players in Boise State football history. Entering into his senior season, Moore will once again be challenging for the Heisman trophy as well as looking to make an appearance in the BCS title game, something that has eluded him so far in his college football career.

After having an undefeated season spoiled by Nevada on two missed field goals by their usually reliable kicker, Boise State is once again priming for another undefeated season.

Just like every other season, much of Boise State's season will rely on their first game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Though Georgia is no Oklahoma, Alabama, or Oregon, they are still a perennially good football team.  They will most likely present Boise State with its toughest challenge during the season, though BSU does face a quality, ranked TCU team later on in the season.

Another hurdle that Boise State will have to get over is to once again show the nation why they deserve to be placed into a BCS game. While they have made BCS games in the past, this may be the year for Boise State as they head into the season loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and enter into a conference that will give the Broncos a little more of a challenge.

If Boise State does play well enough to beat Georgia and TCU, will they be able to once again cruise through the rest of their schedule and finally impress the computers?

4. LSU: Leadership

Once again appearing near the top of the college football polls, LSU will look to build off an impressive 2010 season and exceed expectations on their way to a national championship.

Though there has been recent legal turmoil surrounding the program, I will operate on the basis of the "innocent-until-proven-guilty" assumption. If the players are indeed innocent and not suspended or barred from playing in any games, LSU may just run the table. They are loaded with talent at just about every position and are returning a lot of key players.

Questions do remain, however, as to who will lead the LSU Tigers. While Les Miles has asserted that Jordan Jefferson will be the starting quarterback, many are still unsure if Jefferson can actually step up and lead the Tigers through a grueling SEC schedule, not to mention a opening week match-up against No. 3 Oregon.

Also surrounding Jefferson is whether he can significantly improve as a passing quarterback. In 2010, he led the Tigers to a 107th overall ranked passing offense in the nation, something that will have to be dramatically improved upon if the Tigers want to live up to their ranking in 2011.

Something good to note about LSU, however, is the strength of their defense, which finished the season ranked 11th overall in points allowed per game, giving up an average of 18.2 points in each contest, something that will be very beneficial for LSU in 2011, now without star cornerback Patrick Peterson.

There are also questions as to whether LSU can actually navigate through its tough schedule. Opening the year against an Oregon team who is sure to give LSU a run for its money is no easy task.

The Ducks will play with an up-tempo offense unmatched by any other team in the country that will test the durability and stamina of every LSU player right off the bat. LSU must prepare intensely (as I'm sure they have) for this game and be prepared to be in mid-season form against the Ducks, or their season may start to look dismal from Week 1.

3. Oregon: Replacing the Lines

Boasting one of the most potent offenses in the nation that puts up points at an unprecedented rate, the Ducks are coming off of a 2010 season where they finished 12-1, where their only loss came in the BCS National Championship against the Auburn Tigers and Heisman winner Cam Newton, 22-19.

Motivated by a heartbreaking loss in which the Ducks showed the nation that their speedy lineman and skill players could play with the big boys of the SEC, the Ducks are primed once again for a national title run, with many believing that they will reach college football's holy ground once again.

With returning stars Darron Thomas and LaMichael James leading the way on offense, the Oregon Ducks, under Chip Kelly, will definitely face their fair share of tests as the season progresses.

The first test to their 2011 run to another national championship has surrounded them throughout the off season—the off-field issues concerning the Ducks' recruitment of players and their connection to Willie Lyles. While there have not been any sanctions imposed against the University of Oregon, the program is still under scrutiny by the NCAA. 

One good thing for the Ducks, however, is that they seem to be handling this situation fairly well. They are complying with all NCAA investigations and inquiries and are not trying to throw smoke-and-mirrors at the media. The players seem to be able to keep their heads focused on the game and are preparing for the season as usual.

Another potential hurdle for Oregon is their opener against LSU. While the Ducks were able to manage some yards on the ground against a big Auburn team, the Ducks will have to fare better against the LSU line if they are to come away with a victory in Week 1, and that will not be an easy task as they are looking to replace three offensive line starters.

Though their backups did see a lot of action in the Ducks' rotating system, as was seen in the 2009 opener against Boise State, the young lines may struggle at the tempo with which the Ducks operate.  Oregon fans can only hope that they were able to gel during summer and fall workouts.

If the offensive line is unable to work at an efficient pace and look like they are in mid-season form during the game against LSU, the Ducks may be looking at another game just like the 2009 Boise State game.

One last question for the ducks relates to their defensive line, as it will also look to replace three starters there, as well as replacing linebackers Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger. If Oregon can find stable replacements (which they apparently have in their linebacking core), the Oregon offense will be able to support the defense enough to weave their way through the Pac-12 and perhaps to the first ever Pac-12 title.

2. Alabama: Replacing the QB

Coming off of a rather disappointing season (in terms of Alabama football), the Crimson Tide are loaded for a run at the SEC Title as well as the BCS National Championship. Returning a defense that only gave up 13.5 points per game last season and a rushing attack that may be the best in the nation in 2011, the Tide seem to have virtually no weakness, and that is why the AP has put them in the No. 2 slot in their preseason rankings.

Under the ever-watchful eye of Nick Saban, Alabama has flourished year after year, and captured a national title two years ago.

With an offense that will be anchored by running back Trent Richardson, a Heisman hopeful who is both explosive and strong, Alabama's offense will rely on the running game to pound out the yards and burn the clock, while their defense will look to build off of an impressive 2010 campaign and lead the Tide to their second national championship in three years.

One of the big questions for Alabama will be who they start at the quarterback position. Losing Greg McElroy to the NFL, Alabama has named Phillip Sims as their 2011 starting QB. Ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in ESPN's 2010 recruiting charts, Sims redshirted last season and is ready to show the nation why he was so deserving of that ranking.

Though he may have all of the talent in the world, it will be something to watch Sims adjust to the national spotlight week-in and week-out as he leads Alabama through a grueling SEC schedule. He must first show a level head and a desire to play the game of football the way Alabama wants to play it before he is able to assert himself as the true leader of the Crimson Tide.

With Richardson taking some of the pressure off Sims, it may be easier for him to adjust to the system, but expect him to make rookie mistakes, especially in the dangerous SEC.

Oklahoma: Fulfilling the Dream

For the record 10th time in AP preseason ranking history, the Sooners are at the top of the charts.

Coming off of a season where they went 12-2 with an impressive 4-1 record against Top-25 teams, the Sooners are looking to return to the BCS National Championship game again, and they certainly look ready.

Led by quarterback and Heisman candidate Landry Jones, the Sooners will boast one of the most explosive offenses in the nation and will also return a decent defense.

There isn't much to say about the Sooners as they are the preseason's most-hyped team by far, and are loaded with so much talent.  But one thing that could be a factor is that the Sooners have been in this position before (last year, in fact), and failed to live up to expectations.

Whether it is a lack of coaching motivation, underestimating other teams, or letting the ranking get to their heads, Oklahoma always seems to slide down the ranks of the polls as the season progresses to the chagrin of their fans.

For Oklahoma, their toughest game will come in the form of a Week 3 match-up against Florida State, followed by a game against a dangerous Missouri team the following week. If Florida State is actually for real in terms of how talented they are, then the Sooners will have to prove they are the No. 1 team in the nation by beating the Seminoles.

While there may be positions that the Sooners are not as strong at, their goal is to fulfill their dream of reaching the National Championship game again and living up to everybody's expectations, something they have failed to do in recent years.