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Florida, Texas top '09 favorites; where's OSU?
You read it here first: Quarterbacks Tebow, McCoy may well meet for championship.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
MIAMI — The 2008 season is over and there's a new national champion. So what better time to think about what 2009 could bring?
Here is our (Ridiculously) Early Top 25 for 2009. Know that a lot of these rankings are going to change based on who turns pro and who decides to stay. But at least it will keep us occupied until spring practice.
1. Florida (13-1): If everybody comes back the Gators will return 19 of 22 starters from a team that played for the national championship. Of course, don't expect wide receiver Percy Harvin or linebacker Brandon Spikes to hang around for their senior seasons. Expect quarterback Tim Tebow to come back and end his career with a brilliant senior campaign.
2. Texas (12-1): QB Colt McCoy has said he will return for his senior season in order to pursue a national championship. McCoy gets a boost because one of his top receivers, Jordan Shipley (89 catches), has been given a sixth year of eligibility and will return. The secondary, which was the weak spot on defense, will grow up.
3. Southern Cal (12-1): The best defense in the nation, and the best Pete Carroll has had at USC, loses nine starters. But nobody reloads better than the Trojans. If QB Mark Sanchez returns for his senior season USC will have 10 starters back on offense. If Sanchez leaves, Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain will get his shot.
4. Alabama (12-2): There is some work to do because All-America Andre Smith and All-SEC Antoine Caldwell leave the offensive line. QB John Parker Wilson will be replaced by Greg McElroy or highly-touted recruit Star Jackson, who will give the Crimson Tide some athleticism at the position. The defense will be the backbone of the team, especially if NT Terrence Cody comes back.
5. Oklahoma (12-2): If Sam Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, comes back the Sooners should battle Texas again for a spot in the BCS championship game. There are holes to fill on the offensive line and a receiver needs to step up. Nine starters return on defense.
6. LSU (8-5): The Tigers' demolition of Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl puts their 2009 season in a different light. Rising sophomore Jordan Jefferson looks like LSU's quarterback of the future but he will have a battle with incoming freshman Russell Shepard of Houston, who some say is the next Vince Young. The defense will be better because veteran DC John Chavis takes over.
7. Oklahoma State (9-4): No team in the country had a better trio of skill players than quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Dez Bryant. All three are back along with six other starters on the offense. If the Cowboys can get their defensive problems straightened out, they will challenge Texas and Oklahoma in the Big 12 South.
8. Virginia Tech (10-4): Frank Beamer won another ACC championship this season with one of his youngest teams ever. Now the Hokies are ready to be in the mix for the BCS championship. QB Tyrod Taylor grew up this season and will lead an offense that returns nine starters. The defense was very young but very good at the end of the season. The Hokies will miss CB Victor Harris.
9. Ohio State (10-3): Freshman QB Terrelle Pryor learned on the job this season and that will pay dividends. But Pryor would have been really helped if RB Chris Wells had stuck around for his senior season. The defense returns eight starters but has two big holes left by LB James Laurinaitis and CB Malcolm Jenkins.
10. Pittsburgh (10-3): With seven starters on defense coming back, the Panthers should be the best team in the Big East. The big question mark is at quarterback where 2008 starter Bill Stull returns but may lose his job in the spring. Pitt has to get better play at quarterback.
11. Iowa (9-4): Eight starters are back on offense and seven on defense from a team that finished very strong last season, winning six of its final seven.
12. Florida State (9-4): The Seminoles weren't ready for prime time this season but next year will be good enough to win the ACC Atlantic. Nine starters return on offense including quarterback Christian Ponder, who gained a lot of experience. Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews has a rebuilding job on his hands.
13. Georgia Tech (9-4): With the return of running back Jonathan Dwyer, the ACC Player of the Year, plus QB Josh Nesbitt, the Yellow Jackets will again challenge Virginia Tech and North Carolina for the Coastal Division championship. The question is whether Tech can replace the talent that will be gone on the defensive front.
14. North Carolina (8-5): The Tar Heels will be underrated in the preseason because of the way they finished. But with nine starters returning on a defense that intercepted 19 passes, North Carolina will compete in the ACC Coastal. Losing junior WR Hakeem Nicks to the NFL is huge.
15. Georgia (10-3): Georgia has talented running backs waiting like Caleb King and Richard Samuel. Joe Cox and freshmen Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger will compete at QB. The defense will be better. It has to be.
Best of the rest
16. Ole Miss (9-4)
17. TCU (11-2)
18. Oregon (10-3)
19. Utah (13-0)
20. Texas Tech (11-2)
21. Penn State (11-2)
22. California (9-4)
23. Minnesota (7-6)
24. Boise State (12-1)
25. Vanderbilt (7-6)
10 others to watch
Boston College (9-5)
BYU (10-3)
East Carolina (9-5)
Kansas (8-5)
Miami (Fla.) (7-6)
Michigan State (9-4)
Nebraska (9-4)
N.C. State (7-6)
Rutgers (8-5)
Wake Forest (8-5)
Comments
By Ivan King
January 22, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this
THE BUCKS, THE BUCKS, EVERY YEAR IT’S THE BUCKS. where ranked in the top ten where we are supposed to be, THE BUCKS
By JEME
January 12, 2009 6:11 AM | Link to this
Who cares it’s only a game.
By bunny
January 11, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this
I think tressel and stoops are racing to see who can lose a big game the most often, I would give the nod to stoops right now because they generally are a better team than the buckeyes. Tyrelle Pryor couldn’t hold Tebow’s cup. Tressel couldn’t hold Myers Jock.
By trigg
January 11, 2009 12:48 PM | Link to this
With all the top rated recruits OSU has been able to pull they will contend again for the national title. All the idiots who talk junk about the Big 10 can use the exact same arguements for the other conferences’s lesser teams.
By Lew
January 11, 2009 10:19 AM | Link to this
Is ANYONE serious when they defend the big 10 and osu? What a joke, the conference has at best 2 “football teams”, making it easy for those 2 to schedule creampuffs out of conference and have 1 real game each year. Look south for balance, the ACC and SEC are what the big 10 dreams of being.
By scott
January 10, 2009 11:30 PM | Link to this
I don’t understand why everyone rips Ohio State. Do some research and check out what Oklahoma has done in the BCS. They set a record for most consecutive losses in the BCS and have only won one title. The media and coaches can’t wait for OSU to lose so they can drop them in the polls. It’s time Oklahoma gets treated the same way. It should be even worse for the Sooners since they play in a conference that’s allegedly so much better than the Big 10.
By peace
January 10, 2009 11:20 PM | Link to this
Why is everybody so mean in ther comments? Lets love each other and share a bowl of tapioca pudding and a kiss and hug…
By Buckeye_nut
January 10, 2009 6:35 PM | Link to this
cont.. so yeah the big ten can be weak but you look at the ACC, Pac 10, Big 12, they will all be over rated compared to the SEC. So cut the B10 a break because they are on the upward. yeah horrible in bowl games so far but alot of young talent throughout the leauge. so quit hatin and let’s just see how everyone does next season. GO BUCKS !!!!!!
By Buckeye_nut
January 10, 2009 6:31 PM | Link to this
ok Fredo, Um I will give you that the SEC has the big ten beat by far but the PAC 10. Give me a break! USC is the only school in that confrence that is good year in in year out. yeah Orgeon state was ok but way over rated if you want to say they were good because the beat USC then Miss State deserves a share of that Nat Title, everyone can have an off game as far as the Big 12 Texas and Oklahoma are great teams but anyone else is as over rated as Wisconsin, Northwestern, Mich state, cont…
By Dawiseone
January 10, 2009 6:31 PM | Link to this
A couple of things here. OSU needs to climb into the 21st Century and they have the engine to do it in Terrell. They MUST install the SPREAD and take advantage of this talented young man. Will they? I don’t think the Vest would ever go to it and if not, TP will do great, but never get them to the promised land. Second reason why they need to go to the SPREAD. Times are a changin’ in the Big Ten. MSU, MU, and Illinois are opening up their games. If Vest doesn’t … hello coaching vacancy
By dick
January 10, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this
i can sum it up in two words..OSU SUCKS
By sentinel
January 10, 2009 3:42 PM | Link to this
Fredo…you’re way off base. You probably never heard of SEC, ACC or PAC10 until they started winning against the BIG10 teams. The truth of the matter is that the SEC & ACC are not held to the same standard as the BIG10 as far as recruiting or perks that some of these players get. It is a rebuilding era for the BIG-10.
By Old Carolina Buckeye
January 10, 2009 3:35 PM | Link to this
JT is a great head coach but he is a mediocre offensive coordinator(Bollman has the title but JT does the job). JT needs to hire and empower a bona fide coordinator who is familiar with 21st century football. I have great hopes for Pryor to improve his passing but know from experience that you can’t teach field vision, ability to lead a receiver, and touch. He has great physical talent and uncanny instinctive talents in running the ball but not as a passer.
By Cob
January 10, 2009 2:51 PM | Link to this
Wow, you haters need to get a life. I will stick with 3-3 in BCS games, 6 appearances in 7 years, 7-1 vs UM. How is it that a coach that HAS won a NCG, now cannot win one? There are a lot of factors in winning a NCG…your baseless predictions are not among them. Hate is just self-loathing directed outward. Get pissed at your own team, haters.
By Wayne is a Retard
January 10, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this
Wayne is a RETARD. Educate yourself before you make ignorant comments. OSU is always a top 10 team. They have the same talent level as USC & Florida. Texas had more points in the end, but OSU clearly played a better game. JT is a hall of fame coach. Urban Meyer, who is from OHIO, is still behind JT. Meyer is the reason why Florida has become a winning program………thanks again to the state of OHIO.
By J.I.
January 10, 2009 12:00 PM | Link to this
terrelle pryor has more talent than all of OUS’s quarterback from the past put together. he is a 19 year old kid give him a break. After work on his delivery and film room study he could and will be the greatest football player ohio state has ever had under center.
By preacher,franklin,ohio
January 10, 2009 11:55 AM | Link to this
who cares put god and jesus frist not football god bless you all love in chirst preacher.
By preacher,franklin,ohio
January 10, 2009 11:55 AM | Link to this
who cares put god and jesus frist not football god bless you all love in chirst preacher.
By preacher,franklin,ohio
January 10, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this
who cares put god and jesus frist not football god bless you all love in chirst preacher.
By Ben Gardner
January 10, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this
Uhhh…I think you need to recheck your facts a bit Mr. Barnhart. Pitt did not finish 10-3. They finished 9-4, losing to Oregon St. by not scoring a single point in the entire game. For that matter, the fact that you did not include Oregon State among the list of teams that should be watched for next season indicates you have no real clue about football west of the Rockies. Did you even watch any of the Pac-10 games this year? 5-0 in bowl games…give Oregon State some props why don’t you.
By Rocky
January 10, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
“Pryor is a sissy who runs out of bounds”- Are you serious? He’s a QUARTERBACK! QBs aren’t supposed to take hits when they run! Get out of bounds or slide! Do you even watch football?!?!? The difference between Tebow and Pryor is that in a couple of years, you’ll be seeing Pryor playing on Sundays in the NFL. Better arm, better accuracy, more speed when he scrambles, and his decision-making will improve. Tebow takes 3 days to deliver a pass. He’s a great COLLEGE QB. Pryor will be an NFL starter.
By Buckeye Fan Always
January 10, 2009 11:34 AM | Link to this
OSU is the Best Team in the Land, every year they are highly ranked and every year they finsish strong, and yes I can remember years when Florida and Florida State where in the final games and both lost back to back years before the BCS. So let’s not go there, and since the BCS has started Ohio State has been to a BCS game more times than any other team 7 of 8 years no other team has came close yet. So we are 1 and 2 in the BCS Champ Game didn’t hear much about the Bills 4 straight losses in SB!
By Fredo
January 10, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this
The whole Big Ten is way over-rated. The Bucknuts and PSU play 3 or 4 cupcakes, then beat the likes of Mich, Mich St, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin, etc .. they don’t get tough enough games to even play with the likes of the SEC, PAC-10, Big-12, etc .. The Bucknuts only played 3 good teams all year and lost all of them easily. They are not top 10 at all. Pryor is a sissy who runs out of bounds. He couldn’t carry Tebow’s jock strap. Buckeye nation is a joke.
By Jamar Kareen Ellis
January 10, 2009 10:18 AM | Link to this
What I would LIKE to see is more depth from the Buckeyes. “Boom” Herron was a pretty decent back-up for Beanie Wells. What happened to Brandon Saine? I’ve seen Maurice Wells wearing a uniform and receiving some minimal playing time over the years, but have NEVER recalled him making a big run. It is true that Pryor looks like a Ted Ginn Jr. behind center. Pryor REALLY needs to work on his delivery throwing the football. I can only HOPE we have good receivers. Robiskie was underutilized.
By Jamar Kareen Ellis
January 10, 2009 10:09 AM | Link to this
I’m amazed at all this negativity. Not won a big game since 2006???? The Michigan game that year was MUCH bigger than the Texas game in Austin that year. Realistically, Ohio State probably came in over-confident. I know I was…and so wasn’t a good majority of the country. In 2007 we didn’t have nearly as much talent and the same can be said for this years team. In the Cooper era, we couldn’t beat Michigan to save our lives; now we OWN them.
By wayne
January 10, 2009 9:33 AM | Link to this
How is it no one sees that Tressel has not won a big game since 2006(Texas) and the only other game was the National Championship. He is an average coach and OSU is not going to win anything big with him. Urban Meyer is the best coach period and OSU needs someone like him if they want to compete with the big dogs in the country. Being competitive is one thing but OSU should not be happy with keeping the game close. OSU should not be ranked at all.
By bunny
January 10, 2009 8:49 AM | Link to this
really can’t see how the bucks ended the season as high as they did,3 losses a season with the cupcakes they played doesn’t warrant a top 10 final ranking. The vest must get a bonus that he shares for finishing in the top ten. Now about next year,once again the big ten will consist of one or two decent teams and OSU will be one of them so the will probably go in around 8 or 9.then after they look pretty good all season Glendale will be salivating to get them back again and then OSU tanks again
By Jim
January 10, 2009 7:38 AM | Link to this
The Bucks are overrated. They need a real qb, not a ted ginn clone playin in the shotgun formation.