Current Post Spring Rankings (Updated May 4)
Rankings are as I believe the teams are, not how I think they will finish. I believe LSU would win the highest percentage of games against everyone else matched on a neutral field so I rank them number one. I don't believe they are going to win the national title because I don't trust their quarterbacks to get them through one of the toughest schedules in the country without a couple of losses on the road.
1 - LSU - Still questions on defense and at quarterback, but the defensive holes always get filled at LSU and Jefferson will be better than expected in the new offense.
2 - Oklahoma - The least holes of anyone, but I question whether this group is mentally ready for a national title run considering the mental lapses that have caused defeats in recent years.
3 - Alabama - A new quarterback wasn't an issue two years ago, but no team gets lucky with that every time around. The rest of the team is loaded and ready for a run at the national title.
4 - Texas A&M - Aggies were great down the stretch last season. Don't let the ugly bowl loss to LSU fool you, these guys are really good, especially on offense.
5 - Oregon - I question whether the offense will be as good without the receivers, but not enough to drop them too far, yet.
6 - Florida St. - It's year two, the time when new coaches make huge jumps with talented, underachieving programs. I expect the same from Florida St.
7 - Oklahoma St. - I question whether Mike Gundy hired the right man for his offensive coordinator post, but it won't matter this season with the returning offensive talent.
8 - Missouri - Only Aldon Smith and Blaine Gabbert leave among the major contributers from last year and Gabbert was merely solid last season while Smith was hurt. That and I don't think Missouri will have any problems just plugging the next guy in at quarterback and humming right along.
9 - Arkansas - Tyler Wilson was very good in limited duty last season. If he actually plays that well all season, the Razorbacks are national title contenders.
10 - Nebraska - A new league and extra motivation after being embarrassed in the four biggest games of the season (only quality team to lose to Texas, awful offensive performance against Oklahoma in Big 12 Title Game, bad offense and total meltdown against Texas A&M and complete lack of effort in Holiday Bowl loss to Washington) should mean a new, renewed, nasty Nebraska team.
11 - Wisconsin - Badgers have nearly everyone back and have a nice warmup game against UNLV before facing Oregon St., a team that always starts slowly. Will be 4-0 and confident before quarterback play could be an issue.
12 - Boise St. - Only loses the receivers off last season's team. Has a shot to run the table if they beat Georgia in the Georgia Dome.
13 - West Virginia - Offense will be great in slow-motion Big East. Defense will be good enough (if not spectacular) after losing seven starters.
14 - Notre Dame - The year 2 jump won't be quite as big at Notre Dame as at Florida St., but it will still be there.
15 - USC - Matt Barkley is a year older and the scholarship reductions still haven't taken hold due to the length of the appeals process. Motivation is the only question once again, just like last year.
16 - Michigan St. - Solid team that played over its head all season last year except two games (but oh how bad were those two?)
17 - TCU - Loses a lot, especially on offense where QB Andy Dalton graduates. The rest of the young talent might be a year away from carrying the team back to where they have been recently.
18 - Virginia Tech - Hokies lose nearly everything, but this team never falls far and there have been no red flags. Expect more of what we have been getting for the last decade out them.
19 - Georgia - One more time Bulldogs. I have burned with this team before, but I really think this year is different. Aaron Murray is the best quarterback in the SEC and the defense will finally get its long lasting issues corrected this season.
20 - Ohio St. - Who knows what this team really has other than lots of controversy? Considering it involves the coach and suspended players, there is no way this team blocks it all out like Auburn did last season.
21 - Arizona St. - Will be just fine despite underachievement in recent years as long as LB Vontaze Burfict gets his temper under control and stop taking personal foul penalties.
22 - Stanford - Andrew Luck is great, the rest of the team is young and the coach is new. Looks like six wins without Luck and two or three extra with him.
23 - South Carolina - Steve Spurrier is close to getting this thing right. If only he had a quarterback with Stephen Garcia's talent and a decent head. Paging Russell Wilson.
24 - Mississippi St. - A good team, but overachieved last season. This year will be a small step back, but just onto what we thought the rebuilding path would look like before last season.
25 - Florida - Gators talent gets them here (along with a lack of experienced teams in the other major conferences and a lack of experience among the stronger non-AQ programs.
