Patriots @ Steelers, 4:15PM ET
This is an intriguing matchup not only because of the two teams but also due to the individual matches within the game. The Patriots arguably have the most efficient passing attack in the league, but they’ve struggled defending the pass for much of the season. Thanks to Ben Roethlisberger and the big-play ability of Pittsburgh’s receivers, the Steelers could strike for a long score at any point. I think this one will live up to the hype and with a whole slew of garbage matchups on the Week 8 schedule, I hope it does.

Cowboys @ Eagles, 8:20PM ET
It’s time to see how many of the Eagles’ problems Andy Reid was able to iron out over the bye week. Philadelphia looked great against Washington the week before its bye, but Dallas will provide a more difficult challenge than the Redskins did. DeMarco Murray is coming off a breakout game and the Eagles haven’t been able to stop the run all season. If Murray can get going again, the Cowboys have a chance to potentially put the nail in the coffin of their bitter rivals.

Lions @ Broncos, 4:05PM ET
The Lions have more pressing issues to worry about than whether or not Ndamukong Suh is a dirty player. Matthew Stafford (ankle) is hobbled, Jahvid Best (concussion) is out for another week and the defense can’t stop the run. The Broncos might not be the better overall team in this matchup but Tim Tebow has breathed new life into Denver and will be fired up to play at home. This will not be an easy road trip this weekend for the Lions.

Vikings @ Panthers, 1:00PM ET
Rookie quarterbacks will be on display this Sunday in Carolina when the Panthers host the Vikings. Outside of the two interceptions he threw to Charles Woodson in the third quarter last week, the Vikings had to be pleased with Christian Ponder’s first professional start. If Minnesota wants to give Ponder an opportunity to notch his first win, then the Vikes better get Adrian Peterson revved up. Carolina’s run defense has been bad all year and it would be wise to keep Cam Newton on the bench considering how bad Minnesota’s pass defense is.

Chargers @ Chiefs, 8:30PM ET Monday
This matchup certainly got more interesting over the past few weeks. After starting the year 0-3 the Chiefs have rattled off three-straight and who can forget the beating they gave the Chargers on Monday night last season? Of course, they won’t have Jamaal Charles this time around but Jackie Battle is starting to come on as KC’s leading rusher. The Chargers’ offense was blanked in the second half last Sunday against the Jets, leading to speculation about whether or not Philip Rivers may be hurt. If he’s not, then it’s time for him to step up on Monday night in what has turned out to be a pretty big divisional game.

Jaguars @ Texans, 1:00PM ET
Blaine Gabbert has received most of the attention this year in Jacksonville, but it’s been the Jaguar defense that has stolen the show. They absolutely dominated the Ravens on Monday night and thanks to strong play out of linebackers Daryl Smith and Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville ranks sixth in yards allowed this season. The Jags’ defense will certainly be tested this weekend, especially if Andre Johnson returns from the hamstring injury that has held him out for nearly a month.

Cardinals @ Ravens, 1:00PM ET
There was simply no excuse for the Ravens not to score at least two touchdowns and beat the Jaguars last Monday night. Joe Flacco has got to be better than what he’s shown so far this season. His accuracy is way down and last week he completed 21 passes for only 137 yards at 3.6 yards a clip. That’s brutal. It’s great that the Ravens want to get Ray Rice more involved, because they should. But if this team is a legit Super Bowl contender like most say, then Flacco has to raise his level of play. He can start this weekend against an Arizona defense that’s allowing nearly 275 yards per game through the air this season.

Browns @ 49ers, 4:15PM ET
Statistically speaking, the Niners aren’t playing the best defense in the league. They’re 11th in yards allowed per game, second in points, second in rushing yards allowed and 22nd in passing yards allowed. But there’s no doubt that the Niners are playing well in all three areas of the game (run defense, pass defense and pass rush). That said, how far can they go if Frank Gore and the running game can’t carry the offense? Fortunately for Jim Harbaugh and Co., they shouldn’t have to worry about that question this week. Cleveland’s three wins have come against NFL powerhouses Indianapolis, Miami and Seattle. The Browns have wilted against good competition all season.

Redskins @ Bills, 4:05PM ET
The Bills have a huge opportunity to jump back into first place with a win and a New England loss. The Patriots are in Pittsburgh this Sunday, which is certainly not an easy place to play so if they lose and the Bills beat the Redskins, Buffalo and New England will be tied at 5-2 atop the AFC East standings. But first things first:: the Bills need to beat a banged up Washington team in Toronto this Sunday.

Saints @ Rams, 1:00PM ET
No team has allowed more points this season than the Indianapolis Colts. Which team has given up the second most points this year? You guessed it: the St. Louis Rams. If the Cardinals don’t find a way to come back and beat the Rangers in the World Series, it might be a bad sports weekend for the city of St. Louis.

Dolphins @ Giants, 1:00PM ET
Apparently Tony Sparano put his 5,182 square home up for sale this weekend. According to Sparano, he’s selling the house because it’s too big now that his daughter has gone off to college, which is certainly plausible. What’s more plausible, however, is that Sparano isn’t long for Miami following the team’s 0-6 start. With the players seemingly checking out, how long can the front office keep Sparano employed? I don’t want to see anyone lose their jobs, but the writing has been on the wall for weeks.

Colts @ Titans, 1:00PM ET
It’s amazing to think that the Titans have one of the worst rushing games in the league considering they have Chris Johnson as their running back. But it’s been a collection of things that have ruined Johnson’s season up to this point. First and foremost, he wasn’t in football shape when he came into the season because of his holdout, and Tennessee’s run blocking has been brutal this season. The good news is that the Colts have one of the league’s worst run defenses so if the Titans can’t get it going on the ground this Sunday, then they may never get their rushing woes corrected.

Bengals @ Seahawks, 4:15PM ET
The Bengals have a golden opportunity to get to 5-2 on the year, which would be incredible when you consider how many pundits didn’t think they would win five games all season. That said, a trip to Seattle is nothing to sneeze at. No matter how poorly the Seahawks might be playing, they always raise the level of their play when they’re at home. Andy Dalton has been decent this season but the rookie has never played in an environment like Seattle’s before. Of course, Cincy’s defense has been solid all year and given the Hawks’ QB troubles, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bengals roll.

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- Earlier this week the Broncos said that they’re not going to change their offense with Tim Tebow taking over at quarterback. Then on Sunday, they kept their game plan ultra-conservative and hardly called any screen passes or high-percentage throws to help build his confidence while being dominated for 56 minutes by a winless Miami team. Do they want the kid to fail? Are they trying to prove that they were right by not starting him over Kyle Orton? Are they trying to stick it to all of the fans that have basically begged the organization to play Tebow? Either way, I absolutely love what the former Gator did today. Despite his coaching staff’s unwillingness to put him in position to succeed, he found a way to pull off a miraculous victory with some help from his defense and kicker Matt Prater. It wasn’t hard to figure that he would score a couple of touchdowns and compile over 200 total yards. But the way he did it was marvelous. The Broncos did nothing until four minutes left in the fourth, when he basically willed them to victory. He’s too nice of a guy to say it, but that had to feel good to stick it up his critics’ asses for just one week.

- While Denver refused to change its offense in efforts to help Tebow, Minnesota did a nice job of using designed roll-outs and plays that maximized rookie Christian Ponder’s strengths at quarterback. The rookie will be seeing Charles Woodson (2 INTs) in his nightmares for a while, but he showed a lot of grit bouncing back in the fourth quarter to nearly lead the Vikings to an upset over the still-undefeated Packers. Ponder is clearly an upgrade over Donovan McNabb and his performance today was definitely something to build on. Green Bay’s defense has struggled all year but for Ponder to have Minnesota in position to win in the fourth quarter was something not a lot of people expected.

- Anyone who watched DeMarco Murray play at Oklahoma knew he was a versatile player with a bright future. He did everything for the Sooners in his time at OU and the Cowboys really got a steal last April when they selected him with the 71st overall pick in the third-round. Nobody envisioned him rushing for 253 yards (a Dallas single-game record) in one game, but it was only a matter of time before Murray turned heads. Granted, 91 of those yards came on one play and he did face a pathetic St. Louis run defense. But given all the issues the Cowboys have had at running back over the years, his feat today had to be refreshing for Jerry Jones and Co. Here’s hoping the 23-year-old back can avoid injuries and build off of this incredible performance.

- I made it clear in my predictions this week that I liked the Chiefs to at least cover the 3.5-point spread in Oakland. But 28-0 with two 50-yard pick-sixes? Yeah, no – didn’t see that coming. Suddenly Kansas City is only a game back of San Diego and Oakland in the win column. That’s quite a contrast to where the Chiefs were a month ago, when head coach Todd Haley was nearly fired for the team’s ugly 0-3 start.

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Carson Palmer’s three-interception performance today proved that the Raiders made the right decision by not starting him on Sunday. But Kyle Boller’s three-interception day also proved that the Raiders absolutely had to make that trade to acquire Palmer from Cincinnati. There’s no question that they gave up way too much for the 31-year-old with declining skills. But given the Chargers’ penchant for underachieving, the Raiders have to go for it this year. And Boller would have instantly taken them out of playoff contention if he became the full-time starter. The Chiefs are better than what they showed the first three weeks of the season but there’s no excuse for Oakland’s offense to be shut out at home.

- It’s hard not to appreciate how Jim Schwartz is trying to change the mentality in Detroit. The Lions have lost for a very long time and Schwartz is trying to change the entire attitude of the organization. But maybe it’s time for him to turn it down a notch. Last week he got into a scuffle with another head coach and today a group of his players had to be separated from some of the Atlanta players before the game. I don’t know which team started it, but the Falcons have a knack for starting slow on the road so why rile them up? The Lions are a good team but they’ve really showed their inexperience the past two weeks, which includes Schwartz. After their perfect 5-0 start, they’ve now lost two straight games and Matthew Stafford is hurt again. It’ll be interesting to see how this team handles adversity under their fiery coach.

- If the Colts were to play Oklahoma State next Saturday in Stillwater, I wouldn’t be shocked if Indy was an underdog. And I wouldn’t hesitate to lay the points on the Cowboys either. Sunday night’s debacle in New Orleans was just another example among a million of examples for why Peyton Manning is so important to the Colts.

- I wasn’t at LP Field today but I heard on the radio that fans in Tennessee were booing Chris Johnson. If that’s the case, I don’t blame them one bit. Two straight years Johnson demanded more money because he felt underpaid, which he was. I don’t bemoan him for wanting a contract that represented what he was worth as a player. That said, he got paid so now it’s time for him to start living up to said contract. It doesn’t look like he stayed in shape throughout his holdout and it has showed thus far. The Titans have a golden opportunity to make a playoff run when nobody expected they would. But they’re not going anywhere with Kenny Britt sidelined for the year and Johnson underachieving. If he wasn’t in shape at the start of the season because of his holdout, he better get shape and start helping his team. There’s no excuse for a player that good to only rush for 1.8 yards per carry.

- Tony Sparano isn’t solely at fault for the state of the Miami Dolphins. But someone has to be held accountable for not only today’s collapse against Denver, but the entire season up to this point. The Broncos couldn’t move the ball for 56 minutes and somehow the Dolphins finished the day still winless. If the players haven’t checked out already, they will soon. The organization needs to get some fresh blood in there and see if they can’t muster a few positive takeaways out of this season. I just don’t see how Sparano can hold onto his job for much longer.

- For one half today in East Rutherford, it looked like Norv Turner had finally figured out what was wrong with his offense. But after scoring 21 points against Rex Ryan’s defense, the Chargers were completely shut out in the second-half. Granted, the Jets have the best pass defense in the league but Philip Rivers hasn’t looked comfortable in the pocket all season. Now that he has his full compliment of weapons he should be better than he has been. Even in victory he hasn’t looked sharp.

- The Cardinals lost for the fifth straight time but they had to be encouraged by Kevin Kolb’s performance. He threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns, although he was also intercepted once. The Cardinals were going to have a hard time beating the Steelers even if Kolb was perfect, but at least he came out of their bye week and had himself a decent game.

“CHAMPIONSHIP”…

- Sixty-two points? That’s insane. What the Saints did tonight against the Colts was insane. This isn’t LSU versus Indiana – the Colts are a professional football team and New Orleans hung 62 points on them. I realize that Indianapolis will be selecting in the top 5 next April (if not the top 2), but what the Saints did on Sunday night was beyond impressive when you consider Sean Payton wasn’t even calling plays from the sidelines. He was up in the booth relaying calls to his offensive coordinator, who then relayed the plays to Drew Brees (who oh-by-the-way completed 31 of his 35 pass attempts with five touchdowns on the night). Despite all the communication hurdles the Saints still put 62 points on the board. Amazing.

- The Falcons are now 24-1 when Michael Turner carries the ball at least 21 times. That’s why a lot of talking heads in the media say that the Falcons “need to get back to doing what they do best,” which is running the ball with Turner and controlling the clock. Look, that approach is all well and good. Atlanta has proven it can make the playoffs by using Turner as the backbone of the offense. But how have they fared when they’ve gotten to the postseason? The Packers showed everyone last January that if the Falcons can’t beat teams through the air, they’re going to struggle in the playoffs, plain and simple. Outside of two interceptions, Matt Ryan played very well in Atlanta’s win over Detroit today and he bailed the Falcons out of several third-and-long situations. If Mike Mularkey ever decides to put his ego away and allow Ryan to run the no-huddle exclusively, then the Falcons could really start taking it to teams both on the ground and through the air. (Turner’s longest runs this season have all been out of the no-huddle, proving that the Falcons can run the ball out of that offense.) But until then, don’t expect this team to blow anyone out like the Packers, Patriots or Saints. They’re just not built that way under Mularkey. Having said all of that, the team’s win over Detroit today was huge. That was the Falcons first road win of the year, their first back-to-back wins and the first time they’re above .500. They now have two weeks to figure out the rest of their issues and try to make a playoff run in the second half.

- After Plaxico Burress made comments earlier this week indicating that once he and Mark Sanchez get on the same page the Jets’ offense will start rolling, I made some rather snarky remarks in my Week 7 preview. I basically poked fun at Burress for thinking that he and Sanchez’s lack of chemistry was the reason the Jets’ offense had been struggling. Then I laughed, and I laughed, and I laughed. Well you know what? Now nobody’s laughing after Burress caught three touchdown passes in New York’s impressive victory over San Diego. My apologizes, Plax. You see, I’m just not that bright.

- The Packers won again but this is the third-straight week where they looked shaky for an entire half. Three weeks ago the Falcons took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and a 14-6 lead into halftime before Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay back in the second half. Last Sunday Rodgers had a perfect QB rating against the Rams in the first half before he and the Packers completely took their foot off the pedal in the second half. Then today in Minnesota, the Pack were trailing at halftime before rattling off 20 points in the third quarter and holding on for a win. For the most part, the defending Super Bowl champs have made 7-0 look pretty easy. But I wonder if these last three weeks are an indication that their first loss is on the way. At some point an opponent will make them pay for only playing one half.

- Keep holding off, Jerry Angelo. Every time Matt Forte plays like he did today you cost the Bears more money. Seeing how he’s your offense, he will get paid at some point. Might as well just give him a new deal and make everyone happy.

- Huge, huge win for the Texans today in Tennessee. HUGE. They needed a victory like that to help instill confidence that they can win without Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. Imagine if Houston got that kind of effort out of its running backs every week. (Arian Foster rushed for 115 yards and two scores while Ben Tate added 104 yards on 15 carries.)

2011 BCS Bowl Previews: BCS National Championship | Fiesta Bowl | Rose Bowl | Orange Bowl | Sugar Bowl

Date: Saturday, January 1 2011
Time: 8:30PM ET
TV: ESPN

Why Watch: Because it’s Bob Stoops and Oklahoma – anything could happen. This is definitely the biggest mismatch of the five BCS bowl games, but Stoops has a five-game losing streak in BCS bowl games, which includes the Sooners’ shocking loss to Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. The Huskies are also sixth in the nation in kickoff returns and Oklahoma has allowed three kickoff returns for touchdowns this season, including one in each of their losses. UCONN running back Jordan Todman finished second in the nation in rushing, averaging 143 yards per game. Considering Oklahoma allowed 151 rushing yards per contest in the regular season, maybe the Huskies can play keep away from Landry Jones and the Sooner offense. Just when everyone thinks a blowout is inevitable, the opposite happens so don’t give up on this one.

Game Facts: This will be the Huskies’ fourth-straight bowl appearance under head coach Randy Edsall. They pulled off an upset against South Carolina in last season’s PapaJohns.com Bowl in which they held the Gamecocks to only a touchdown in a 20-7 win. That victory improved UCONN’s all-time bowl record to 3-1. The Sooners are 25-17-1 all-time in bowls, but have lost in their last three appearances in the Fiesta Bowl. They’re also 5-6 overall in bowls under Stoops, who has his team playing in a BCS Bowl for the eighth time in 12 seasons.

Key Player: Zach Frazer, Connecticut
If Connecticut has any chance at pulling off an upset, Frazer better play at another level. None of this “playing within himself” or “not making mistakes” nonsense – he’s going to have to play the best game of his life. Oklahoma is going to stack the box to take away Jordan Todman, which is exactly what a defense should do against a starting quarterback who has a 102.1 rating and has thrown for only five touchdowns all season. He needs to prove that Oklahoma even needs to use defensive backs in this game. Otherwise, we’re in for the snoozer that we all expect.

Odds: Oklahoma -17
You might be able to find Oklahoma at -16.5 if you shop around, but the point spread is -17 at most books. This line represents the biggest point spread of the five BCS bowl games by a long shot. Oddsmakers clearly aren’t giving UCONN much of a chance, although you never know how the line will move closer to kickoff. The over/under is currently 55 after opening at 56. The Huskies finished the regular season with an 8-4 record and covered in eight of their 12 games. The under hit in seven of the Huskies’ 12 games and in seven of the Sooners’ 13 contests. Oklahoma finished 11-2 straight up and 7-6 against the number.

How Connecticut can win: If Oklahoma doesn’t show up. No, seriously. It wouldn’t be the first time a Bob Stoops-coached team came into a BCS bowl unprepared. If that happens, the Huskies have to jump on the Sooners early and exploit the situation, because it could have a snowball effect. Remember, Oklahoma was at its worst against its weakest opponents this season, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that it could play down to its competition once again.

Why Oklahoma will win: Because while everyone has been talking about the possibility of a blowout, they’ve also thrown in the “Bob Stoops-coached teams don’t show up sometimes,” caveat. The Sooners know they’re heavily favored. They know that a loss here would be a stain on the program and their coach’s legacy. They’re going to show up for this game, and they’re going to take it to an overmatched Connecticut team early and often. The Huskies simply don’t have the athletes to deal with a Ryan Broyles or a DeMarco Murray, and their first BCS appearance will be a forgettable one.

Prediction: Oklahoma 41, Connecticut 13

Contributors: Anthony Stalter & Paul Costanzo

No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 19 South Carolina, 4:00PM ET
About midway through the second quarter of last week’s Auburn-Alabama game, every college football fan around the nation was wondering how things would play out in the BCS once the Tigers lost. Then Cam Newton found his Superman cape and promptly led Auburn to its greatest comeback of the season. But it was nothing new for the Tigers, who have trailed many times before in big games throughout the year, only to rally and put the clamps on their opponents in the fourth quarter. One of those rallies came against South Carolina earlier this season when they trailed 20-7 midway through the second. The Tigers went on to score two touchdowns and blanked the Gamecocks in the fourth to win, 35-27. Now the two schools meet in the SEC Championship and Auburn will once again put its national title hopes on the line. It’s pretty simple: Win and play for a national championship or lose and hope that TCU still disgusts voters.
CURRENT ODDS: AUBURN -5

No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Nebraska, 8:00PM ET
Nebraska hasn’t won a Big 12 title since 1999 and with its move to the Big Ten next year, this will be the Huskers’ final chance to win one. They’ve have an opportunity on Saturday to avenge their 13-12 loss to Texas in last year’s Big 12 title game, a heartbreaking defeat that still is on Bo Pelini’s mind. Oklahoma earned a meeting with Nebraska thanks to its wild 47-41 victory over Oklahoma State last Saturday. The win created a three-way tie atop the South Division along with OK State and Texas A&M, but the Sooners go the nod because they were the highest ranked BCS team of the trio. Will Nebraska’s defense be able to contain Landry Jones and DeMarco Murray? Furthermore, will Taylor Martinez be healthy enough to play? He’s day-to-day with an ankle injury and even if he’s healthy enough to go, sophomore Cody Green could see some playing time.
CURRENT ODDS: OKLAHOMA -4.5

No. 21 Florida State vs. No. 15 Virginia Tech, 7:45PM ET
What a wild ride the Hokies have been on this year. They lost to Boise State 33-30 in the opener and then followed up that performance by losing to James Madison 21-16 the next week. But then Frank Beamer’s squad got it together and rattled off 10 straight to get to where they are now, which is a date with Florida State in the ACC title game. The Seminoles and Hokies have combined to win three of the five ACC championship games throughout the year. FSU has its own hot streak going, as they’ve won three in a row following a two-game skid. VA Tech’s Tyrod Taylor has gotten more accurate as a passer throughout the season, while FSU’s Christian Ponder has battled through nagging injuries and now wants a crack at the Orange Bowl. If Ponder and the Seminoles are to be victorious, they better figure out a way to score in the fourth quarter because VA Tech’s defense (which has allowed just six fourth-quarter touchdowns this season) has been outstanding in crunch time this year.
CURRENT ODDS: VIRGINIA TECH -4

No. 2 Oregon vs. Oregon State, 3:30PM ET
Oh, to be Oregon State. Not only do the Beavers have to figure out a way to slow Oregon’s explosive offense, but they’re also facing a Ducks team that can’t be too pleased that Auburn replaced them as the No. 1 team in the BCS standings last week. The plan is simple for Oregon: Beat Oregon State in the 114th edition of the Civil War and play for a national title. Lose, and then hope that TCU doesn’t leapfrog them in the rankings. But Oregon State won’t be a pushover, as a win would make the Beavers bowl eligible. Jacquizz Rodgers and company have been pesky this year against top ranked teams, so don’t assume that it’s going to be a blowout in Corvallis this weekend.
CURRENT ODDS: OREGON -16.5

2010 Championship Week Odds & Point Spreads

Thursday, December 2
Arizona State +5.5 (55)
Arizona -5.5 (55)

Friday, December 3
Northern Illinois -17.5 (55)
Miami Ohio +17.5 (55)

Saturday, December 4
Rutgers +20.5 (44.5)
West Virginia -20.5 (44.5)

Utah State +38 (61.5)
Boise State -38 (61.5)

Nevada -8.5 (69)
Louisiana Tech +8.5 (69)

Oregon -16.5 (64)
Oregon State +16.5 (64)

Auburn -5 (61)
South Carolina +5 (61)

Florida State +4 (52.5)
Virginia Tech -4 (52.5)

Nebraska +4.5 (54.5)
Oklahoma -4.5 (54.5)

Connecticut +1 (41.5)
South Florida -1 (41.5)

UNLV +34.5 (64.5)
Hawaii -34.5 (64.5)

USC -6.5 (54)
UCLA +6.5 (54)

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Conference winners, sleepers, power rankings and one big, fat national championship prediction.

Enjoy.

Big Ten

Champion: Ohio State
Yes, it’s true – the Buckeyes need Terrelle Pryor to be more consistent in the passing game this year if they expect to win a national championship. But stop acting like that’s the difference between OSU winning the Big Ten and them turning into Vanderbilt. Choke on this for a second: The Buckeyes return all three leading rushers from 2009 in Pryor, Brandon Saine and Dan Herron, the secondary features three senior NFL prospects, and they own the best defensive end in the nation in Cameron Heyward. Pryor is also coming off a dominating performance against Oregon in the Rose Bowl and reports state that he has committed himself this offseason to being a better teammate. Sorry Buckeye-haters, but the gap between them and Alabama is closer than you think.

Conference Champion Sleeper: Michigan Slate
My biggest concern with the Spartans is that despite pulling off an upset nearly every year, they also manage to lose a game they shouldn’t. But they have a slew of playmakers and plenty of depth on both sides of the ball, plus feature a ton of offensive firepower in Larry Caper, Edwin Baker, Keith Nicol and Mark Dell. Oh, and linebacker Greg Jones is the best defender in the nation. If this team can avoid being tripped up by an inferior opponent, they could easily surprise this season.

Conference Power Ranking: #1 Ohio State, #2 Iowa, #3 Wisconsin, # 4 Penn State, #5 Michigan State, #6 Northwestern, #7 Michigan, #8 Purdue, #9 Illinois, #10 Indiana, #11 Minnesota.

I admit that I had Michigan rated too high when I did my Big Ten preview last week. Having any sort of trust in Rich Rodriguez right now is a dangerous proposition for obvious reasons. Just when you think he’s going to figure things out in Ann Arbor, he makes a decision to muck everything up. Penn State might be ranked a little high given their quarterback concerns. Wisconsin is going to give teams trouble this year and Northwestern is going to be a tough opponent every week as well.

SEC

East Winner: Florida
Gone is Tim Tebow and the 170.8 career passing rating that he compiled as a Gator (which ranks No. 1 all-time in the SEC and No. 2 in college football history). Florida isn’t going to replace that kind of production, but I have faith in John Brantley, who is a more conventional passer and who has the luxury of handing the ball off to four talented backs. Even though only 11 starters return from last year’s team and Urban Meyer has to replace defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, the Gators remain the only D1 squad to win 13 games in consecutive seasons. In other words, they re-tool and re-load.

West Winner: Alabama
It’s the Tide’s offense that opponents will have to worry about this season – not their defense. Greg McElroy has never lost a game as a starter – ever. No losses in high school, none in college and although I don’t have hard data, I’m willing to bet the young man didn’t lose in Pee Wee’s either. He’ll hand the ball off to defending Heisman winner Mark Ingram and throw to arguably the best receiver in college football in Julio Jones. Auburn and Arkansas will give them a run for their money, but the Razorbacks usually find a way to lose a game they should win and ‘Bama gets the Tigers at home this year. Roll Tide Roll…

Conference Champion Sleeper: Auburn
Gene Chizik’s team raced out to a 5-0 start last season before winning just two of their final seven games. Still, they capped the season with a wild win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl and they pushed Alabama in the Iron Bowl before falling, 26-21. Auburn faces an uphill battle with eight bowl teams on its schedule, as well as a trip to Tuscaloosa. But this team has 15 starters returning, including the majority of both lines. I think they fall short in the end, but the Tigers are definitely a team to watch.

Conference Champion: Alabama
While its defense won’t be as dominating as it was a year ago, Alabama’s offensive trio of McElroy, Ingram and Jones will be too much for most opponents. They play in the SEC so a one-loss season certainly isn’t out of the question, but the Tide have the best combination of talent and coaching in the nation.

Conference Power Rankings: #1 Alabama, #2 Florida, #3 Arkansas, #4 Georgia, #5 Auburn, #6 LSU, #7 South Carolina, #8 Tennessee, #9 Ole’ Miss, #10 Kentucky, #11 Mississippi State, #12 Vanderbilt

Yeah, I’m drinking the Ryan Mallett Kool-Aid this year – what of it? You know what, it’s cool, crisp and it tastes refreshing. I also jumped on the Ole’ Miss hype wagon last year and look how well that turned out. No way Arkansas let’s me down with that defense…

…All right, so I probably have the Razorbacks rated too high. Quite frankly, I could see any of the four teams ranked behind them having better seasons but I’m going to put on my Johnny Public hat and stick with Arkansas. It’s certainly not prudent, but I’m fine with my life’s decisions.

Big 12

North Winner: Nebraska
The Huskers have a real good shot of finishing out their Big 12 tenure by winning a conference championship, but they have issues at quarterback with Zac Lee. Backups Cody Green and Taylor Martinez gave Lee a run for the starting quarterback job this spring and that means Lee will likely be on a short leash. That said, the Huskers plan to rely on running backs Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead to carry the offense anyway, so as long as Lee or whomever is under center doesn’t turn the ball over, this team will win games. Defensively, don’t expect Nebraska to replace Ndamukong Suh because they can’t. But with players like Jared Crick, Pierre Allen and Prince Amukamara, points will once again be hard to come by on Bo Pelini’s defense.

South Winner: Oklahoma
Many pundits still think Texas is the team to beat in the South, but there’s too much uncertainty going on in Austin right now for me to rank the Longhorns over the Sooners. Losing Sam Bradford hurts, but Landry Jones did very well filling in as a redshirt freshman last year. He finished with 3,198 passing yards and a TD-to-INT ratio of 26:14, but more importantly, he gained valuable starting experience and should be able to handle the lofty expectations this year. But the main reason I have Oklahoma emerging as South champions is DeMarco Murray, whom I bet will stay healthy this season and challenge for the Heisman. He’s incredibly versatile and will be the rock of OU’s offense if he can stay upright.

Conference Champion Sleeper: Texas A&M
I’m not going to sugarcoat this one: The Aggies need way more production from their defense or else they’ll hover in the middle of the pack all season. But this team is going to light up the scoreboard this year with Jerrod Johnson, Christine Michael, Cyrus Gray and Uzoma Nwachukwu. It’s just a matter of if they’ll have to score 40 points a game or 50 in order to pull out Ws.

Conference Champion: Oklahoma
While Nebraska arguably has an easier road than Oklahoma to get to the conference championship game, Lee scares the bejesus out of me. I think the Sooners are more stable and have less questions heading into the season, thus, I like them to get back on top of the Big 12 this season.

Conference Power Ranking: #1 Oklahoma, #2 Texas, #3 Nebraska, #4 Missouri, #5 Texas A&M, #6 Texas Tech, #7 Oklahoma State, #8 Kansas State, #9 Iowa State, #10 Kansas #11 Colorado, #12 Baylor

This conference is loaded with intriguing headlines coming into the season. How will Tommy Tuberville (Texas Tech) and Turner Gill (Kansas) fair in their first seasons with their respective teams? (Good, not great.) Can Dan Hawkins save his job in Colorado? (No.) Will Baylor be more competitive with a healthy Robert Griffin, III back under center? (Of course – dumb question.) Missouri is a team that seems to be flying under the radar and Oklahoma State will be interesting to watch now that Dana Holgorsen (who was the play caller for Houston last season when the Cougars led the FBS in scoring and passing offense) is their new offensive coordinator. Iowa State is also a dark horse to keep an eye on.

Pac-10

Conference Champion: Oregon
Everything hinges on whether sophomore Darron Thomas can make good reads in the spread so that the offense won’t take a step back this season. That said, the strength of the offense will once again be the running game behind LaMichael James, who is coming off a 1,500-yard season as a freshman. Defensively, the linebacker corps of Casey Matthews, Spencer Paysinger and Bryson Littlejohn is the strength of the unit and the Ducks should get plenty of pressure on the quarterback this season. While I fully expect Oregon State to challenge their in-state rivalries this season, I think Oregon will emerge as champs once again.

Conference Champion Sleeper: Stanford
John Harbaugh returns six starters on an offense that averaged 36 points a year ago and nine starters on defense. Quarterback Andrew Luck’s stock is rising quickly and he has the luxury of throwing to Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu in the passing game. He’ll also benefit from the offensive line returning four of five starters, although losing running back Toby Gerhart was obviously a huge blow.

Conference Power Ranking: #1 Oregon, #2 Oregon State, #3 Washington, #4 Stanford, #5 USC, #6 Arizona, #8 UCLA, #8 Cal, #9 Arizona State, #10 Washington State

Oregon State and Washington (who has the conference’s best quarterback in Jake Locker) will challenge Oregon for the top spot all season and I wouldn’t put it past UCLA to make some noise as well. USC is obviously the wild card, even though they’ve already been disqualified from bowl consideration. Will Lane Kiffin’s squad lay down every week because they don’t care about the outcome of their season or will playing spoiler motivate them?

ACC

Coastal Division Winner: Virginia Tech
I’m not buying into the Miami hype quite yet and still think VA Tech is the team to beat in the conference. Last year, the Hokies allowed just 15.8 points per game and return six starters from that unit. Offensively, they return seven starts including senior QB Tyrod Taylor (13 touchdowns) and dynamic sophomore Ryan Williams (1,655 yards, 5.6 YPC). Darren Evans also returns from a knee injury after finishing with 1,265 yards two years ago as a freshman, so opponents will have to pick their poison when they face this Tech offense. This team has to get by Boise State in the opener, but even if they lose the Hokies will still be in good shape in the conference.

Atlantic Division Winner: Florida State
The Seminoles return 10 starters on offense and six on defense under new head coach Jimbo Fisher, who was the team’s offensive coordinator the last three years. FSU averaged 30 points on offense last season, rushing for 143 yards per game and 278 through the air. Experienced senior Christian Ponder returns under center and will have plenty of help from running back Jermaine Thomas and the offensive line, which returns all five starters. Obviously the key for this team will be better play from the defense, which allowed 30 points per game last season. (The secondary was also horrendous, allowing 26 touchdown passes.)

Conference Champion Sleeper: Clemson
The Tigers return six starters on defense and seven on offense, including four on the offensive line. Quarterback Kyle Parker (20:12 TD-to-INT ratio last season) also returns, as does first-team All-American safety DeAndre McDaniel, who led the ACC in interceptions last year with eight. Clemson will make some noise this season and considering how bad FSU’s defense could be again this year, don’t be surprised if the Tigers over take them in the Atlantic.

Conference Champion: VA Tech
We know the Hokies will play good defense and special teams under Frank Beamer, but the reason I have them winning the conference is Taylor. I know he’s inconsistent as a passer, but with Evans back and Williams coming off a phenomenal year, I think if Taylor limits the turnovers and mistakes then the Hokies will emerge victorious. Taylor doesn’t have to win games by himself in order for this team to be successful.

Conference Power Rankings: #1 Virginia Tech, #2 Miami, #3 Florida State, #4 North Carolina, #5 Georgia Tech, #6 Clemson, #7 Boston College, #8 NC State, #9 Duke, #10 Wake Forest, #11 Virginia, #12 Maryland

I’d be lying if I said that the potential rules violations that the Hurricanes are now facing didn’t factor into my decision to make VA Tech the conference winner, although I still think the Hokies are being overlooked. North Carolina is intriguing, but something tells me they might not live up to expectations and it’ll be interesting to see if Georgia Tech can repeat the success they had from a year ago. Also, even though Maryland is the softest team in the conference, I doubt they’ll finish 2-10 this year. This will be a competitive conference.

Mountain West

Conference Champion: TCU
Even though they produced perhaps the biggest letdown performance of any team in the 2009-10 Bowl Season, I still have much love for the Horned Frogs. And how could I not? Head coach Gary Patterson returns nine starters on offense and seven on a defense that led the nation by allowing just 239.7 yards per game for the second straight year. Senior QB Andy Dalton (23 touchdowns, 8 interceptions) returns after a solid season and all three of his top targets are back, as well as four starters on the offensive line. Don’t forget about running backs Matthew Tucker (6.4 YPC) and Ed Wesley (6.3 YPC), who combined to rush for over 1,200 yards last season. The defense lost Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington, but again, they return seven starters on that side of the ball. A juggernaut TCU should be once again, although the real test comes a year from now when Boise State joins the conference.

Conference Sleeper Champion: BYU
The champion is either going to be TCU, Utah or BYU and since I have the Cougars ranked last out of the three, they’re my de facto winner. Under Bronco Mendenhall, the Cougars have posted a 43-9 overall record the past four years and the offense should once again be fantastic this year after averaging 34.8 points per game in 2009. Defensively, safety Andrew Rich will anchor the unit and the secondary has loads of experience. This team has two huge tests early in Washington and Florida State, so we’ll see what they’re made of early in the year.

Conference Power Ranking: #1 TCU, #2 Utah, #3 BYU, #4 Air Force, #5 Colorado State, #6 Wyoming, #7 Arkansas State, #9 UNLV, #10 New Mexico

It would be unfair to talk about TCU and BYU and not Utah, so here it goes: The Utes managed to average 29.3 points per game last season despite using two quarterbacks and losing running back Matt Asiata to a knee injury. The thing that keeps this team down this year, however, is the fact that they must replace seven starters (including all three linebackers) on defense. Ouch.

Big East

Conference Champion: PITT
If it weren’t for Cincinnati’s unbelievable 45-44 comeback last season, PITT would have been the defending champs heading into this year. No matter, they should win the conference this year after averaging 33 points on offense in 2009. Sophomore Dion Lewis will once again be the focal point on offense after rushing for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns at 5.5 yards a clip. Defensively, the unit is incredibly talented at the end position thanks to Jabaal Sheard and Greg Romeus and although the schedule is a concern, I like the Panthers to emerge on top.

Conference Champion Sleeper: Cincinnati
Not a sleeper, but I had a tough time deciding between PITT and Cincy, so I’ll use the opportunity to talk about the Bearcats here. Even without Brian Kelly, the Bearcats are going to do battle with the Panthers all season. Butch Jones proved that he could win at Central Michigan when Kelly left Mt. Pleasant and will prove that he can win at Cincy, too. Gone is Tony Pike, but Zach Collaros saw plenty of action last year as a sub and will be exciting to watch.

Conference Power Rankings: #1 PITT, #2 Cincinnati, #3 West Virginia, #4 Rutgers, #5 UCONN, #6 South Florida, #7 Syracuse, #8 Louisville

Thanks to Noel Devine, the Mountaineers are going to be tough to beat every week, but the inexperience of quarterback Geno Smith will limit them in the end. The key for Rutgers will be protecting quarterback Tom Savage and UCONN (a true sleeper) will need a much better effort out of its secondary if it wants to compete all year. This isn’t a terribly intriguing conference, but there’s a couple of interesting story lines to follow.

2011 National Championship Prediction

Notre Dame? Really?!

No – don’t be f**king ridiculous. I just thought I’d throw a picture of the Golden Domers in there to have a little fun and seeing as how I didn’t talk about Brian Kelly’s squad in this prediction piece, I thought that this was the appropriate time.

On to the real prediction…

Download these nuggets of information for a second:

- The last five champions have finished ranked in the top 5 nationally in pass efficiency defense.

- Six of the last seven title winners began the season ranked in the top 5.

- Eight of the last nine champs finished ranked in the top 10 in total defense.

Which team either fits into those three categories or could fit into those three categories? None other than Ohio State, who has an experienced secondary, is ranked No. 2 in the preseason polls and who finished in the top 5 in total defense last season.

The Buckeyes it is for national champs!

Well, not exactly. Even though the gap between them and Alabama has closed from last season, there’s still a gap. Plus, given the Buckeyes’ recent history in title games, I couldn’t feasibly write in Ohio State as this year’s national champs without feeling the need to change it as soon as this article went live.

So I’m going with ‘Bama. I know – I’m not going out on a limb here, but the Tide’s offense will be scary this year and even though their defense will likely take a step back, I don’t think any team in the nation is as deep in talent as Alabama is. They also have the depth and coaching to carry them as well.

2011 BCS National Championship Prediction: Alabama over Ohio State.

Here’s a quick and dirty look at how I see things playing out in the Big 12 this season:

#1 Oklahoma
In Sam Bradford, Gerald McCoy, Trent Williams, Jermaine Gresham, Keenan Clayton, Brody Eldridge and Dominique Franks, there’s no doubt that the Sooners lost a ton of talent from last year. However, this season is all about two names: Landry Jones and DeMarco Murray. Jones filled in admirably when Bradford went down last season, throwing 26 touchdown passes and gaining valuable experience throughout the year. Murray’s health history is a major concern, but if he can stay upright he’s scary good. He’s more versatile than Adrian Peterson was in that he can catch the ball out of the backfield or beat teams as a rusher. He’s big, he’s fast and he can get north and south in a hurry. He’s also going to get a ton of opportunities to shine this year as both a runner and a pass-catcher and again, if he can stay healthy he has the ability to be one of the best backs in college football. Defensively, Bob Stoops’ team has good depth and while the loss of McCoy hurts, don’t forget that Jeremy Beal was fifth on the team in tackles last season and first in sacks with 11. The linebacker corps has a chance to be special thanks to redshirt freshman Tom Wort and sophomore Ronnell Lewis. I know many pundits still like Texas in the South, but with Landry, Murray and nine starters returning on offense, I think Oklahoma reclaims the conference this season.

#2 Texas
Given the circumstances, I thought youngster Garrett Gilbert handled himself extremely well against Alabama in the national title game last season – especially considering his running game was non-existent. Now that Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley have moved onto the NFL, we’re going to see a new-look offense in Austin this year. And ironically, Mack Brown and company will actually get back to what Texas football used to be: pounding the football. While there won’t be wholesale changes to the offense, we won’t see too much of the spread under Gilbert. The quarterback is likely to lineup under center more this year and UT will look to set up the pass with the run. Defensively, the Longhorns are thin on the line but the secondary may be even better than it was in ’09. As a group, the defensive backfield is fast and littered with guys that can cover. The schedule is somewhat favorable, although the Longhorns have a nasty four-game set starting in the middle of September when they travel to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech (remember what happened last time the Longhorns visited Lubbock), then play host to UCLA before taking on Oklahoma in Dallas and Nebraska in Lincoln. How Gilbert plays on the road might determine how good the Longhorns are this season.

#3 Nebraska
I almost ranked the Cornhuskers ahead of Texas but then I remembered the name Zac Lee. If Lee, who has been pushed by backups Cody Green and Taylor Martinez this spring, can’t play more consistent this year then he’s going to limit how good the Huskers will be in 2010. In the team’s four losses last season, Lee threw eight interceptions and no touchdowns. And while there’s no doubt Nebraska will rely on running backs Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead to carry the offense this year, Lee still has to step up and make plays in crunch time. There’s just no other way to say it – he has to be better. Defensively, replacing Ndamukong Suh, Larry Asante, Phillip Dillard, Barry Turner and Matt O’Hanlon will be tough and really, you can’t replace a guy like Suh. But with players like Jared Crick, Pierre Allen and Prince Amukamara coming back, Bo Pelini’s defense will be just fine. He has established great depth on that side of the ball and thus, once again, everything rides on Lee and the offense. Can this team avenge its loss in the Big 12 title game last year and beat Texas in Lincoln on October 16? If they can, there’s no reason to think that Nebraska can’t win the conference, especially considering they avoid Oklahoma on this year’s schedule.

#4 Missouri
After finishing 8-5 last season, MIZZOU is kind of flying under the radar heading into 2010. But I see you, Tigers – shaking that ass. I know with quarterback Blaine Gabbert coming back this year that you’re probably headed for your seventh straight winning season. After throwing for over 3,500 yards and finishing second in the Big 12 in pass efficiency, Gabbert is due for another great year and there’s no reason the Tigers can’t compete with Nebraska in the North. Defensively, Aldon Smith (11 sacks as a freshman) is a freaking pass-rushing monster and as a whole, the defense has a ton of speed. The only thing that keeps me from growing a pair and ranking this team ahead of Nebraska heading into the season is that opponents completed 64% of their pass attempts against MIZZOU’s defense last season. Ouch isn’t even a good starting point for how bad that stat hurts.

#5 Texas A&M
The Aggies remind me a lot of Arkansas (whom they play on October 9 in Arlington) in that I probably have them ranked too high but I just can’t stop starring at their offense. They’re like that girl in the gym with the so-so face that your buddies warn you about because she flirts with everyone and has an IQ of 50 but you just can’t stop zeroing in on her body. That thing intrigues you and you can’t help but to move in closer for a better look. Thanks to Jerrod Johnson, Christine Michael, Cyrus Gray, Uzoma Nwachukwu and a slew of offensive playmakers, the Aggies are going to break scoreboards this year. Unfortunately, they’re also going to have to because their defense can’t stop a nosebleed. Aside from Von Miller (a phenomenal pass rusher who racked up 17 sacks last season) and Trent Hunter, there aren’t a ton of playmakers on that side of the ball. That said, and this might just be the body goggles talking again, A&M was incredibly young on defense last year and do return nine starters. So can they be better? Absolutely. Will they? Look at that ass…

#6 Texas Tech
Thanks to a coaching change, the Red Raiders might be the most intriguing team in the Big 12 this year. Out is Mike Leach and in is Tommy Tuberville, who is coming off a successful stint at Auburn (although his tenure there didn’t end well, as he resigned following a 5-7 season in 2008). While Tuberville is still expected to throw the ball plenty with quarterback Taylor Potts, there’s little doubt that he’ll run more than Leach did. The offense will still be exciting, but Tuberville doesn’t coach finesse – on either side of the ball. Defensively, the Raiders were improved last year but they need to take the next step if they’re going to challenge the big boys in the conference. As with any change, there will be an adjustment period on that side of the ball as former Alabama linebackers coach James Willis takes over as the new defensive coordinator. Can Tech adjust to the 3-4 or will they need a year to adapt to Willis’ scheme? Either way, change is coming in Lubbock and this team will get tested right away when they take on Texas in the third game of the year.

#7 Oklahoma State
If you can’t beat ‘em, hire ‘em. After watching his offense rack up 45 points on their defense last year, the Cowboys hired former Houston offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen for the same role in Stillwater. The Cougars led the FBS in scoring and pass offense last season, so the Cowboys should score plenty of points in 2010. Gone is Zac Robinson, but 26-year-old Brandon Weeden could wind up being the newcomer of the year in the Big 12. The former minor league baseball player certainly has the right work ethic to be a great college quarterback and he’ll have plenty of help from running back Kendall Hunter, who will get a ton of opportunities to make plays this season. That said, the big concern is the offensive line, which lost most of its starters from a year ago to graduation. If the O-line can’t gel quickly, then Weeden and Hunter will be limited. Defensively, the Cowboys improved dramatically under coordinator Bill Young, but the secondary is still a big question mark. This is an intriguing team on the surface, but there are some underlying issues that teams like Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Nebraska can exploit. That’s why expectations should be tempered a little.

#8 Kansas State
This team will challenge opponents every Saturday thanks to running back Daniel Thomas, who led the Big 12 last year in rushing. He has great vision, cutback ability and excellent burst. He’s also strong and when he gets north south on a defense – look out. That said, this isn’t a very deep team and while I expect the Wildcats to challenge for a bowl game, I doubt they have enough overall talent to finish any higher than third in the North. I think they top out at six wins – just enough to make a bowl appearance.

#9 Iowa State
With players like Austen Arnaud and Alexander Robinson returning, it’s hard to not get a little excited about the Cyclones in 2010 – especially after they beat Minnesota in the Insight Bowl last year. If Arnaud can be more accurate and make more plays in the passing game, then the sky is the limit for this dual-threat quarterback. Robinson became only the 12th player in Iowa State history to rush for over 1,000 yards last season and while he’s not a tall runner, he’s big and he always keeps his legs churning. That said, this isn’t a very experienced defense and while depth isn’t as much of a concern as it has been in year’s past, you always wonder whether or not a smaller school has enough overall talent to compete in such a competitive conference. Plus, with Iowa, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri on the schedule, the Cyclones have one daunting task ahead of them in 2010 as they try to make it back-to-back bowl appearances.

#10 Kansas
First and foremost, I love the hire of Turner Gill. He did wonders at Buffalo and he’s going to bring a sense of order back to Lawrence now that Mark Mangino is gone. I just don’t know how much success Gill will have in his first year. Players will certainly play hard for him, but gone are Todd Reesing, Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier and Darrell Stuckey. Offensive lineman Jeff Spikes is also done for the year after suffering an Achilles injury this offseason and who knows what the team has in quarterback Kale Pick. I have little doubt that the Jayhawks will be competitive under Gill in time, but it’s going to take a couple of years.

#11 Colorado
The only reason I have the Buffaloes ranked higher than Baylor is because the experience they have on both sides of the ball. And even as I write this, I find myself more intrigued by Baylor’s chances of making a bowl than I am about the Buffs generating six wins. That may be harsh, but Dan Hawkins has done nothing since coming over from Boise State and I’m not sure he ever will. He’s 16-33 in four years at Colorado, with no winning seasons and just one bowl appearance. Thanks to Rodney Stewart, Scotty McKnight, Markques Simas and Tyler Hansen, there’s a good chance that the Buffs will prove me wrong. And Hawkins better hope they do, because another 3-9 season and he’ll likely be finished in Boulder.

#12 Baylor
I like this team better than their ranking suggests, but history just isn’t on their side. In 14 years since joining the Big 12, the Bears have zero winning seasons and are 14-98 against conference foes. Yikes. That said, Art Briles has this program moving in the right direction and the Bears will certainly be fun to watch thanks to dynamic quarterback Robert Griffin, III coming back from ACL surgery. Before going down in the third game of the year, Griffin had already totaled 481 total yards and four touchdowns. If he’s healthy, he’s going to give Baylor a chance to end its 16-year bowl drought. However, the Bears ranked 94th in total defense last year and they lack depth on that side of the ball. They’re going to need to catch some breaks to make a bowl appearance, especially with TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on the schedule this season.

Check out other 2010 College Football Conference Previews: SEC | Big Ten | Big 12

Check out our other 2009 college football previews.

Preseason Ranking: No. 3 in AP Top 25; No. 3 in USA Today Poll.

Key Returning Players: Sam Bradford (QB); Chris Brown (RB); DeMarco Murray (RB); Jermaine Gresham (TE); Ryan Broyes (WR); Trent Williams (OT); Travis Lewis (LB); Keenan Clayton (LB); Ryan Reynolds (LB); Jeremy Beal (DE); Auston English (DE); Gerald McCoy (DT); Adrian Taylor (DT); Dominique Franks (LB); Brian Jackson (CB).

Key Losses: Phil Loadholt (OT); Duke Robinson (G); Brandon Walker (G); Jon Cooper (C); Nic Harris (S); Lendy Holmes (S); Juaquin Iglesias (WR); Manuel Johnson (WR).

Player to Watch: Sam Bradford, QB.
While defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and tight end Jermaine Gresham certainly deserve mention, listing any other Sooner besides Bradford in this section would be a crime to the college football world. He’s the key to whether or not Oklahoma will make a repeat appearance in the title game and whether or not the Sooners will inevitably be crowned champions. Many, including his head coach Bob Stoops, believe that the 2008 Heisman winner will be even better this year than he was last season. Considering Bradford threw for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns last season, that’s a scary thought for the Big 12.

Team Strength: The Sooners’ backfield is absolutely loaded again this year, from reigning Heisman winner Bradford under center, to playmaking backs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray, who each totaled over 1,000 yards on the ground last season. Oklahoma finished third behind only Tulsa and Houston in total offense last season while averaging 547.86 yards per game and racking up 99 total touchdowns. The offensive line is a major question mark this season, but OU will once again have an explosive backfield.

Potential Weakness: The good news for the Sooners is that Bradford, Gresham, Brown and Murray are all back. The bad news is that offensive linemen Phil Loadholt, Duke Robinson, Brandon Walker and Jon Cooper are not. Losing that much talent on the offensive line could be crippling to an offense that was among the nation’s best last season. Stoops will take comfort in the fact that tackle Trent Williams is back and OU always recruits well along the offensive line. But a team doesn’t replace four of its five starters on its O-line without suffering some kind of a setback.

Outlook: While the offense gets most of the attention (and deservedly so), the Sooner defense should be very good this year. Losing safeties Nic Harris and Lendry Holmes certainly hurts, but outside of those players, Oklahoma returns its entire defense. The Sooners love to keep the opposition on its heels and considering linemen McCoy, Jeremy Beal and Auston English are all back, the Sooners should rack up plenty of sacks this season. The linebacker trio of Travis Lewis, Keenan Clayton and Ryan Reynolds is back as well, so the front seven will be solid. Ironically, most of the question marks come on the offensive side of the ball. The offensive line has to replace four starters and Bradford lost his top two deep threats from a year ago in Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson. But as long as Bradford stays healthy and the line gels, the Sooners aren’t going to have any problems putting points on the board again this year. And with the defense expected to improve, OU is going to be in title contention all season.

But outside of the questions along the offensive line, the key to Oklahoma’s success this year rests on whether or not the Sooners can step up against the cream of the crop. Last season, they were beaten by Texas and then Florida in the national title game. The Sooners have great overall talent on both sides of the ball, but can they step up and win the big one?