RANK	TEAM	RECORD	PREVIOUS	SOS	NEXT GAME
1.	Texas	10-0	2	50	v. Kansas
2.	Alabama	10-0	1	22	v. Chattanooga
3.	Florida	10-0	3	34	v. Florida Int'l
4.	Georgia Tech	10-1	4	12	v. (25) Georgia (Nov. 28)
5.	TCU	10-0	5	48	at Wyoming
6.	Cincinnati	10-0	6	65	Idle
7.	Ohio State	9-2	11	49	at Michigan
8.	Stanford	7-3	24	11	v. California
9.	Oregon	8-2	8	6	at (22) Arizona
10.	Boise State	10-0	12	91	at Utah State (Nov. 20)
11.	LSU	8-2	7	29	at (21) Ole Miss
12.	Iowa	9-2	13	33	v. Minnesota
13.	Pittsburgh	9-1	15	57	Idle
14.	Oklahoma State	8-2	17	60	v. Colorado (Nov. 19)
15.	Virginia Tech	7-3	22	3	v. N.C. State
16.	Clemson	7-3	23	25	v. Virginia
17.	Wisconsin	8-2	21	54	at Northwestern
18.	Penn State	9-2	18	84	v. Michigan State
19.	Oregon State	7-3	25	14	at Washington State
20.	North Carolina	7-3	NR	44	at Boston College
21.	Mississippi	7-3	NR	61	v. (11) LSU
22.	Arizona	6-3	14	13	v. (9) Oregon
23.	Miami	7-3	10	8	v. Duke
24.	USC	7-3	9	5	Idle
25.	Georgia	6-4	NR	15	v. Kentucky

This may be the hardest piece to write each week.  I have an opinion but it is compulsory in many ways.  I believe in my ranking but I also know they only live for one week.  Instead of attempting to justify this slop, I am just going to talk about it.

Best of a bad lot: Stanford is a the best 7-3 team.  You could make an argument for Virginia Tech or Miami, but you would be wrong.  I can hear you saying, “So, that makes them the 8th best team in the country right now?”  No, but their back-to-back offensive clinics against Oregon and USC gives them a seriously impressive streak.  If they polish off California and Notre Dame in the same fashion, they will definitely be the best 9-3 squad and deserving a ranking higher than #8.

Worst of the best: Boise State continues to excel in the not-that-impressive department. Raise your hand if you think the Broncos are the 4th, 5th, or 6th best team out there.  (I have both hands up right now.)  And, yes, I think Oregon would dispatch of them at this point by more than 7 points.

Uno: Does anyone else think it is weird that there are only two teams with only one loss?

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	PREVIOUS	SOS	NEXT GAME
1.	Alabama	5-0	1	54	at Ole Miss
2.	Florida	4-0	2	107	at (4)LSU
3.	Texas	4-0	3	90	v. Colorado
4.	LSU	5-0	4	27	v. (2)Florida
5.	USC	4-1	5	12	Idle
6.	Ohio State	4-1	6	31	v. (24)Wisconsin
7.	Virginia Tech	4-1	9	11	v. Boston College
8.	Miami	3-1	16	1	v. Florida A&M
9.	Auburn	5-0	21	61	at Arkansas
10.	Oklahoma State	3-1	11	119	at Texas A&M
11.	Georgia	3-2	15	3	Idle
12.	Cincinnati	5-0	8	109	Idle
13.	Iowa	5-0	13	35	v. (25)Michigan
14.	Penn State	4-1	14	72	v. Eastern Illinois
15.	Oregon	4-1	23	20	at UCLA
16.	Oklahoma	2-2	7	42	v. Baylor
17.	Nebraska	3-1	22	84	at (23)Missouri (Oct. 8)
18.	Houston	3-1	10	93	at Mississippi State
19.	TCU	4-0	20	97	at Air Force
20.	Boise State	5-0	12	73	Idle
21.	Georgia Tech	4-1	25	14	at Florida State
22.	South Carolina	4-1	NR	60	v. Kentucky
23.	Missouri	4-0	19	111	v. (17) Nebraska (Oct. 8)
24.	Wisconsin	5-0	NR	66	at (6)Ohio State
25.	Michigan	4-1	18	82	at (13)Iowa

After 5 weeks, any transitive analysis has gone by the wayside.  The subjective nature of voting has to be called upon more heavily as teams are rounding into shape (Oregon) and others are demonstrating a pronounced ability to play poorly (UNC).  There are teams with two losses that look much better than a handful of undefeateds (Georgia and Oklahoma).

Explain thyself: Let’s start with the non-AQs of the world.  Boise State drops 8 spots after defeating UC-Whatever.  Why?  Because I think they are lesser of the triumvirate with Houston and TCU.  Houston lost inexplicably to UTEP and because of the perception of non-BCS conference teams they have to go away now.  Yet, the Cougars possess the best pair of wins of any non-AQ team.  That’s just it, the Broncos are incapable of matching those wins even while going undefeated.

As Braves and Birds so eloquently explained in a longer rant about SI’s Stewart Mandel’s confusing shift in philosophy:

The Broncos are like a fantasy football team that has a big total because all of the team’s players put up numbers in the Sunday 1 p.m. time slot. Boise has no remaining opportunities to pick up points, whereas other teams (including TCU) have a number of opportunities to impress.

For those of you counting, that is 6 SEC teams in my ballot - four in the Top 10.  Auburn jumps up twelve spots to #9 and South Carolina lands freshly at #22.  There is little debating the merits of the top three SEC teams, although only LSU has played a formidable schedule.  It gets interesting this weekend with a potentially Tebow-less Gators squad traveling to Earthquake Stadium.  The game may have huge implications on championships - conference and mythical - but the teams’ respective rankings may not change greatly depending on the outcome.

Georgia actually moved four of spots after their defeat to LSU.  The Hawkeyes were listless but even the worst performances of alleged Top 15 teams should result in poundings of Arkansas State.  Penn State was fine against Illinois but they do not have any characteristics that engender confidence.

Finally, what to do about Cincinnati?  I am not sure if they have a wonderful communications department but their P.R. machine has convinced voters nationwide that they are Top 10 material while playing the 109th ranked schedule.  Every other team with a SOS in that region has genuine credibility (Florida) or have defeated a good team (Oklahoma State).  So far, the Bearcats have beaten teams with a combined record of 8-15 and only two of those teams have actually have victories against other FBS schools (Rutgers and Oregon State have 2 each).  I will be surprised if they navigate the remainder of their schedule with less than two losses but if they do, they will have earned a spot in the Top 10.

Newbies: South Carolina and Wisconsin make their first appearances of the year.  The Badgers season will largely be shaped by their next two games, which could account for a short stay in the grid.  SC appears to have more staying power as their schedule is a little more spaced out.

Comments, criticism, adulation and everything go in the comments.  The official ballot must be submitted by Monday.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	PREVIOUS	SOS	NEXT GAME
1.		4-0	3	70	at Kentucky
2.		4-0	1	95	Bye
3.		4-0	2	101	Bye
4.		4-0	6	48	at (15)Georgia
5.		3-1	7	36	at (24)California
6.		3-1	8	42	at Indiana
7.		2-1	9	81	at (16)Miami
8.		4-0	12	84	at Miami(OH)
9.		3-1	14	4	at Duke
10.		3-0	NR	79	at UTEP
11.		3-1	13	104	Bye
12.		4-0	19	35	v. UC Davis
13.		4-0	NR	11	v. Arkansas State
14.		3-1	5	83	at Illinois
15.		3-1	16	6	v. (4)LSU
16.		2-1	10	1	v. (7)Oklahoma
17.		2-1	11	117	at Vanderbilt
18.		4-0	15	105	at Michigan State
19.		4-0	17	91	Bye
20.		3-0	20	47	v. SMU
21.		4-0	22	107	at Tennessee
22.		3-1	25	78	Bye
23.		3-1	NR	3	v. Washington State
24.		3-1	4	28	v. (5)USC
25.		3-1	NR	16	at Mississippi State

At the top: The only thing that seems certain at this point is that Alabama, Florida and Texas are the best teams but I am unsure of the order.  Of course, if Tebow cannot go for any period of time that analysis becomes much easier.  For my money, Alabama has been the most impressive team with their increasingly impressive win against Virginia Tech as well as a domination of Arkansas that Georgia can only dream of.

Is LSU the fourth best team in the nation?  Who knows, but based on what I have seen, I imagine them perfectly capable of beating the teams listed below them. And, if it seems like Southern Cal and Ohio State are too highly ranked, well…I don’t know what to do about it.  This is the hand (blog) pollsters have been dealt at the moment and we hopeless to play these cards in any meaningful order.

Mid-major upstarts: I guess Houston and Boise State are deserved of some basic recognition at this point.  If I cannot make heads or tails of the best teams, who am I too demote the little guys based on my ignorance.  Is Boise State the benefactor of a Oregon team that could not get out of its own way or did they cause the Ducks early spiral?  Is Houston living off the classic letdown week from Oklahoma State?  Seriously, I am open to arguments either way on these teams?  Should they be ranked in the Top 10 or should they be hanging out with the bottom 5?

Our beloved: I am not sure where the Buckeyes will turn up in this week’s BlogPoll but I think they are worthy of a higher ranking than the more well-regarded pollsters.  We will find out how they stack up with Iowa and Penn State; and I really do not believe that Boise State would score more than 8 points on the OSU defense. Could Oklahoma best the Buckeyes?  Absolutely, but I hardly think that is a foregone conclusion.  Are Virginia Tech, Houston, Cincinnati better?  Pssshhhhhhh.   See you in Pasadena.

For the past 36 hours, many Ohio State fans have become overly concerned about the polls, specifically the Associated Press Top 25.  Hell, even super even-keeled Adam Rittenberg felt compelled to write an opinionated piece.  But, as it is every year, the reaction is more overreaction than justified righteousness.

The fans’ consternation is the product of the Buckeyes’ demotion from #11 to #13 in the most recent writer’s edition.  [Ohio State remained #11 in the (assistant) Coaches Poll.]  So, every voter thinks the Buckeyes suck and actually believe they are worse after the throttling of Toledo, right?  Nope.

Here’s the deal: Despite all outward appearances, Ohio State actually improved in the eyes of a majority of AP voters.  [Check out this spreadsheet for the complete AP College Football Poll voting breakdown for weeks 3 and 4.] In fact,the overall “stats” from this week’s AP Poll are better than you may suspect.

• Total votes lost by Ohio State from Week 3 to 4: 30
• 34 out of the 60 AP ballots actually ranked the Buckeyes higher after their victory over over Toledo.
• Ohio State’s highest ranking: 6 - Joe Rexrode, Lansing State Journal, East Lansing, MI
• Ohio State’s lowest ranking: 22 - Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer
• Biggest upswing: 4 spots (18 to 14) - Kirk Bohls, Austin American Statesman, Austin, TX
• Biggest downswing: 10 spots (6 to 16) - Glenn Guilbeau, Gannet Louisiana News Service, Baton Rouge
• Median Ohio State position: 12
• Mean Ohio State position: 12.5
• Total votes gained: 50
• Total votes lost: 80
• Average rise on improving ballot: 1.5
• Average drop on disimproving ballot: 3.0
• Top 10-percent negative ballots: -37 points

About 57-percent (34 of 60) of the voters improved Ohio State’s position this week.  That is not a super-majority, but it is hardly the condemnation that OSU fans perceive to be the case.  Moreover, if you average out the number of votes lost by voters, Tressel and Co. only dropped an average of 0.5 spots in the poll.  Also, OSU’s drop can be attributed to jumps by other teams and not necessarily a dim view of the program.  Miami, Oklahoma, and VT - jumps of 10, 2, and spots, respectively - all made jumps over Ohio State.    This is not a huge deal.

What may be a bigger deal, is that the voters who did drop Ohio State did so more vehemently than those that raised OSU.  If a voter placed Ohio State higher in Week 4, they did so by an average of 1.5 positions.  If the voter placed Ohio State lower in Week 4, they did so by an average of 3.0 positions.  That may speak to the perceived universal dislike of the Buckeyes, by fans and media alike.

It is, perhaps, the first and last bullet point that create the most interesting story when considering Ohio State’s poll position.  The Buckeyes lost a total of 30 points despite their blowout win, but their 6 largest ballot drops (10-percent of the poll) accounts for a 37 point drop.  When you consider the top 90-percent of the ballots, the Buckeyes actually gained votes.  (The top 5-percent of negative votes - the aforementioned Guilbeau, Jake Schaller, and Tom Hart - equal 23 of the Buckeye’ 30 lost votes.)

No fanbase likes to see their team slip in the eyes of the tastemakers and although the AP Poll does not directly influence the BCS race, it would be foolhardy to think that the Harris Poll and Coaches Poll voters do not have one eye on the writer’s opinions.  Still, this is not something that should take up too much energy.  For all teams in the poll, it’s easy come, easy go.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	PREVIOUS	SOS	NEXT GAME
1.		3-0	1	144	at Kentucky
2.		3-0	2	104	v. UTEP
3.		3-0	4	79	v. Arkansas
4.		3-0	5	82	at Oregon
5.		3-0	6	148	v. Iowa
6.		3-0	7	59	at Mississippi State
7.		2-1	3	21	v. Washington State
8.		2-1	8	35	v. Illinois
9.		2-1	9	88	at (11)Miami (10/3)
10.		2-0	12	1	at (14)Virginia Tech
11.		2-0	10	177	at South Carolina (9/24)
12.		3-0	18	71	v. Fresno State
13.		2-1	13	87	v. Grambling State
14.		2-1	14	25	v. (11)Miami
15.		3-0	20	118	v. Indiana
16.		2-1	16	28	v. Arizona State
17.		3-0	17	111	at Nevada (9/25)
18.		3-0	21	154	v. Southern Miss.
19.		3-0	23	54	at Bowling Green
20.		2-0	24	135	at Clemson
21.		2-1	NR	3	v. South Florida
22.		3-0	NR	78	v. Ball State
23.		2-1	22	61	at Purdue
24.		2-1	NR	13	at Stanford
25.		2-1	19	73	v. Louisiana-La.

Annual USC Letdown Spectacular: One Day Only in the Pacific Northwest!  It seems like every year the Trojans take it on the chin from a mediocre conference team, and heavy underdog.  And, that loss is increasingly taking place in Oregon and/or Washington (four of their last six).

No one wins in this scenario, except for the heavy underdog.  USC is ostensibly eliminated from the National Title chase unless and until every team in front of the loses.  A team like Ohio State receives collateral damage because their hard fought loss is now view as something less than a last minute defeat to the nation’s premier program.  Fans will now say, “USC lost to a team that just ended the nation’s longest losing streak one week prior.”

So, why do I have them in the Top 10?  Because history has shown that this is a one-time deal.  USC will likely win the majority, if not all of their games, go to the Rose Bowl, and many college football pundits will declare them worthy of a berth in the national champion game.  Whether they deserve to be there or not is a different debate.

Room at the top?: There were not a ton of impressive performances at the top this weekend.  Florida played well in fits and starts against an outmanned Tennessee and Jahvid Best, I mean, Cal looked pretty good during their breakfast battle with Minnesota.  Otherwise, Penn State, LSU, Alabama played Sallys and went through the motions.  Ohio State actually remains in the same spot despite USC’s loss.  There is no real argument that can be made to place Ohio State ahead of them.

Other comings and goings: While Miami rounds out the Top 10, Cincinnati makes the biggest move of the week and Michigan has climbed back into the Top 15.  Mercifully, BYU legged an egg and removed themselves from any BCS discussion.  Utah did the same but we had not bothered to rank them in the interim.  Boise, are you listening?

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1		2-0	-
2		2-0	-
3		2-0	-
4		2-0	-
5		2-0	3
6		2-0	1
7		2-0	-1
8		1-1	2
9		1-1	2
10		1-0	3
11		2-0	2
12		1-0	2
13		1-1	8
14		1-1	1
15		2-0	1
16		1-1	3
17		2-0	5
18		2-0	7
19		2-0	2
20		2-0	6
21		2-0	1
22		2-0	10
23		2-0	-
24		1-0	-
25		2-0	8

Shameless homer: I know Ohio State’s ranking looks bad and it looks even worse when you consider that I moved them up after a loss.  But, vigilant readers know rankings are not always subject to a draconian win-loss analysis.  So, when a team hangs blow for blow with the best program in the country, it stands to reason that they should be viewed as a very good team.

Up top: That static top 4 is deceiving.  USC was a tempting choice to be placed at #2 but I tend to think Texas’ early struggles against Wyoming were nothing to be worried about.  Has Florida played a game yet?  Let’s just assume they are 2-0.

Mid-major explanation: “You hate the non-BCS conferences!  You need to give them more respect!”  I hear that all the time.  So, let me respond.  “Yes and no.”

BYU clocks in at #15 based on a once-in-a-lifetime victory against a team that was shell shocked after losing the Heisman Trophy winner.  And, before you say it I know they were playing OU tough in the first half while they had Bradford.  But the Sooners were starting to find a groove as the half ended averaging more than 10 yards/play over their final 9 plays.  I have no doubt that Stoops’ staff would have made adjustments at the half that would have resulted in a comfortable OU win.  Instead, the entire offense was stunned into awfulness.  It happens to college kids. At this moment, I truly believe that if a Landry-led Oklahoma team played BYU this weekend they will would win comfortably.  If BYU can take out Florida State this weekend (and they are 7.5-point favorite) I will take it all back.

RANK	TEAM	COMMENTS	DELTA
1.		The Gators season will get interesting in two weeks against Tennessee. Until then, they sit here untouched.	-
2.		I am careful not to put much too much stock in one game, but if they find a dependable running game: Beware.	-
3.		Let's be clear, San Jose State sucks. But something looked a little different in the USC running game. Nobody wants to hear that.	-
4.		The defense was - dare I say it - more dominant than last year. If the ground game performs that well every week Florida may have a game on its hands in the SECCG.	2
5.		With all the pressure on the Cowboys took down a major SEC opponent. Beating Georgia is always impressive.	2
6.		If you stayed up to watch this one you saw a LSU team that you would not want to face down the road. It was not always pretty but the Huskies were way improved.	1
7.		The schedule is horrendous but Penn State was in control the whole time. Compared to many around them, there were no noticeable problems.	5
8.		If they get solid QB play all the way along (a BIG if), Jahvid Best can do the rest. You should watch him play as much as possible.	3
9.		They did not play especially well but the ground game was dominant. Now, it gets even better with Roddy Jones coming back this week.	1
10.		The OSU defense played better than it is getting credit for and the offense scored on 6 of 10 possessions. Still, the killer instinct did not appear to be there.	2
11.		BYU played a great game but the Sooners were shell-shocked when Bradford went down. With a week to adjust expect to see a nasty running game and a very tough defense.	7
12.		This is likely waaaaaay too high (and I did pick Michigan to beat them this weekend) but they did more than was expected by crushing Nevada.	9
13.		Don't be deceived by the score, it took Ole Miss far too to finish Memphis and it was not until late that Jevan Snead and the offense woke up.	-
14.		The pure talent on the Hurricanes is impressive. They will blow a couple games this season but the skill is there to be terrific.	5
15.		This may be too harsh but if you watched the game you saw VT get manhandled all night. On he positive side, they hung around when they had no business being in that game.	1
16.		They did everything they had to do to win but Oklahoma was mentally destroyed by Bradford's injury. They are two spots ahead of FSU ... for now.	10
17.		UNC has been getting great recruits and that is going to start paying dividends. I really believe this is a team to keep your eye on.	1
18.		The defense was disappointing but we already talked about Miami's skill. Somebody had to lose on Monday night but I would not be shocked to see those two meet in the ACCCG.	1
19.		The skill positions looked weak and Sturdivant's injury may cause an unraveling on offense. You will find out this week against a good Gamecock defense.	4
20.		First things first, they have no defense. Who cares? That offense should score at will.	2
21.		The total offense - passing and running - needs to prove it against a real team but they were certainly some encouraging signs this past weekend.	2
22.		Mizzou delivered the beatdown of the weekend. But let's be honest, you are not totally surprised the Zookers laid an egg.	4
23.		Boise played well but Oregon was horrible and it was not all what BSU doing. We may never know if they are for real ... unless they lose to Tulsa.	3
24.		They did not play. Nothing to see here.	-
25.		I watched this game for about 10 minutes and instantly wondered why Schiano stayed.	1

The Associated Press debuted its preseason poll for the 2009 season today.  Now, I cannot understand how you can rank outside maybe the Top 5 before any team has even played a game, but at least it gives us something to talk about.  Its not a surprise to me that Florida was pegged as the number 1 team, but it may serve as a shock that they were voted there by the largest margin in history. Praise be to Tebow.  The entire 25 shapes out like this:

Rank	Team	Points	Previous
1.	Florida (58)	1498	1
2.	Texas (2)	1424	4
3.	Oklahoma	1370	5
4.	USC	1313	3
5.	Alabama	1156	6
6.	Ohio State	1113	9
7.	Virginia Tech	1054	15
8.	Mississippi	1047	14
9.	Oklahoma State	989	16
10.	Penn State	989	8
11.	LSU	914	NR
12.	California	746	NR
13.	Georgia	714	13
14.	Boise State	659	11
15.	Georgia Tech	593	22
16.	Oregon	587	10
17.	TCU	521	7
18.	Florida State	307	21
19.	Utah	289	2
20.	BYU	267	25
21.	North Carolina	261	NR
22.	Iowa	229	20
23.	Notre Dame	225	NR
24.	Nebraska	207	NR
25.	Kansas	134	NR

*Penn State and Oklahoma State are actually tied for 9th, but for listing purposes I’ve put them in alphabetical order.

Color me intrigued: Both at the fact that Ole Miss was ranked as high as 8th, and that Notre Dame was even ranked at all.  I’m sorry, but a team that lost at home to Syracuse a few short months ago should not have any business cracking the Top 25.  Besides Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa are the only Big Ten teams making an appearance in the rankings.  Hopefully this will change by the end of the year and we can see as many as 4 or 5 teams dispersed throughout the rankings.

It’s that time of year again - the time we make wild (and generally uninformed) projections for every team and then bundle them nicely into our 25 favorites.

As the faithful reader(s) know, I rank the teams based on how good I believe them to be at this moment, not at the end of last season, and not how I think they will finish.  Schedules are not taken into consideration but the natural and likely off-season development is.  For me, the test is whether I believe a team would defeat the team immediately ahead of them on a neutral field this weekend.

Also, and this sounds obvious, someone has to be ranked in each spot. There are no ties.  Even though I have team X four spots ahead of team Y, the spread may be very narrow in my mind.  I know there are vagaries that make it difficult to determine who is truly better than whom, but remember these rankings are subjective.

Finally, the rankings are always subject to change. Teams may jump five or ten spots in one week, or may drop even when they win. Likewise, teams may rise when they lose. I take injuries and suspensions into consideration, so a team may win its game and lose its best player (see Oregon 2007) and drop in my poll. This poll will not reward teams simply for winning.  Again, these rankings are subjective.

Head to the forum and give us your thoughts.

Rank	Team	Comments
1.		How can you not have the Gators #1? All eleven starters back on defense, a great offensive line and, of course, Tebow makes this a no-brainer.
2.		The Longhorns' BCSCG snub is only one factor in this ranking. The tremendous offense is another.
3.		The offensive line, the stable of RBs, Taylor Mays ... this is an embarrassment of riches. If Corp or Barkley live up to the hype, the Trojans will be scary good.
4.		The defense will be better and Bradford has nice support from Brown and Murray. If the line gels with 4 new starters they could be better than last season.
5.		There is reason to be concerned about the QB position but the Tigers usually win with their lines. This year will be no different as both the offensive and defensive lines are stacked. Charles Scott did not finish strong in '08 but look for the big back to be more productive in '09.
6.		This may be little high for the TIde but their front 7 alone merits top 10 consideration. Like LSU, if McElroy can limit mistakes there is no reason Alabama cannot make back-to-back appearances in the SECCG.
7.		Opponents are going to need at least 45 points, against the Cowboys. Oklahoma State averaged 41 points/game, and all the key parts are back. Yikes!
8.		Pryor needs to provide an other worldly dimension to the offense. The defensive line should be able to hide the inexperience at LB. A second CB is a must.
9.		The offense should be tremendous with Blount and Masoli. The passing game needs some WRs to step up and the Ducks need to find a pass rush.
10.		I realize this a little high for team's whose last game was the meltdown against LSU. Still, the triple option will be more refined this season and Dwyer is capable of carrying the load. The defense needs to replace a lot of starters.
11.		I know I am setting myself up to get burned here but Cal appears to have the pieces in place to be great. It all hinges on the QB, so Riley has to play well every week. The defense will be their best yet.
12.		If new WRs can be found, the offense could pick up where it left off. There are concerns along both lines but the LBs and RBs will help hide those holes.
13.		Jevan Snead appears to be the real deal but he has to operate behind a new offensive line and with no RB to speak of. The defensive line is nasty but the back four could be a liability.
14.		Can Tyrod Taylor take advantage of the talent around him? You will find out on September 5 against Alabama.
15.		I know Georgia has tons of talent waiting in the wings but you do not get better losing Stafford and Moreno. The defense has talent but it is hard to forget the meltdowns against Alabama, Florida, and Ga. Tech.
16.		The offense should be the Big Ten's best. Period. The defense, however, needs to get players back from injury, suspension, and academic problems if the Illini hopes to challenge for a league title.
17.		Ponder is going to get plenty of time behind a very good line. He will need it because the RB and WR positions need some help. The defense needs to be a pass rush.
18.		This could be too high but the talent level has obviously risen in Chapel Hill. The defense will have to help win games this fall as the offense breaks in all new WRs.
19.		Can Mark Whipple mold the offensive talent into a productive machine? Can the defense play like it did against VT all year? If so, this position could be too low.
20.		Where is the offensive production going to come from? The defense should be very good and they may have to be.
21.		The passing game should be very good but will Weis ever have a running game? The defense should be better but that is not saying much.
22.		Get used to hearing, "Todd Reesing to Dezmon Briscoe, touchdown!" Briscoe is one of the best kept secrets in CFB. For now. Oh yeah, the defense needs help.
23.		I am a sucker for a team with great line play and Nebraska should have that this fall. Will that be enough in the stacked Big 12?
24.		QB Dalton and offense should be explosive again this season. The defense needs to replace a lot but they always seem to manage.
25.		The new Mountaineer offense needs Jarrette Brown to play well if it is going live up to WVU's standards. The defense will likely be the strength of the team.