Posts Tagged ‘NCAA Football Rankings’

2010 College Football Picks: Top 25 ATS Power Rankings

September 7th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2010 College Football Picks: Top 25 ATS Power Rankings
Exclusive Bonus Offer From Top Sponsor For Bankroll Sports Visitors Only
Click Here For a 100% Cash Deposit Bonus From Oddsmaker
(Exclusive Bonus Offer – Must Use This Link or Above Links)

The best college football betting teams in the land don’t always put together the best performances for NCAA football picks. Here at Bankroll Sports, we have your ATS Top 25 rankings ready and raring to go following one week of play.

1. Boise State Broncos (1-0 ATS) – The Broncos clearly made a name for themselves by putting up a huge cover that totally went against the grain of popular belief last week. Virginia Tech went from a short dog to a short favorite in this de facto road game across the country. Give Boise credit. It certainly proved it was for real and definitely got our attention.

2. Arizona Wildcats (1-0 ATS) – On national TV in a standalone game, when you can basically hold your opponent scoreless on defense and put together 41 on your own in one of your most impressive offensive displays in decades, you’re going to turn heads. The Wildcats did just that, and they’re going to start the year as a team we watch for as an ATS hero.

3. Michigan Wolverines (1-0 ATS) – Welcome to the big time, Denard Robinson! Michigan has a new hero, and he is finally the vintage dual threat quarterback that Rich Rodriguez has been dying for. Robinson torched one of the best defenses in the Big East in the form of the UConn Huskies last week, and more covers like that against big time foes are going to have us wondering whether Rich Rod really has his team heading towards a huge bowl game.

4. Utah State Aggies (1-0 ATS) – When you can march into Norman and nearly come away with an outright victory as five TD underdogs, you’ve done something special. The Aggies were one of the top ATS teams in the land last year, and they are well on their way this year to doing the same type of thing. For whatever reason, the oddsmakers just have not caught up to this team yet.

5. Oregon Ducks (1-0 ATS) – The Ducks posted 72 points and 720 yards last week, so it’s no wonder that they absolutely pounded an already huge spread against the New Mexico Lobos. We clearly think that this is a team that can beat anyone in the nation, and as long as the oddsmakers are wondering how well these guys will cope without Jeremiah Masoli, we’ll continue to capitalize.

6. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0 ATS) – Few coaches in the country know how to coach ’em up like good ol’ Steve Spurrier. He had never lost a game before, having gone a perfect 38-0 against non-BCS conference schools in his career. However, Southern Miss came to Columbia looking to take the bagel out of that category. There were suspensions to deal with and a ton of pundits picking the Golden Eagles, and what happened? Spurrier is now 39-0 all-time against non-BCS conference schools and his team picked up one of the most impressive covers of the season to date.

7. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0 ATS) – The Pokes got some great running from Kendall Hunter and used a tremendous offensive explosion to ditch Washington State at home over the weekend. We are really impressed with the way that this team is already coming together in the post Zac Robinson era, and this might be the start of a slew of covers for a feisty team.

8. East Carolina Pirates (1-0 ATS) – Style points certainly count for something. A Hail Mary to beat the Golden Hurricane last week really wasn’t necessary for East Carolina to pick up an already impressive ATS victory, but it did affirm that this team is significantly better than the oddsmakers think. We’ll hope that the Pirate ship leads us to some buried treasure all season long.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0 ATS) – The only blunder for the Buckeyes in the first week of the season was a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. Aside from that, Terrelle Pryor played like a Heisman Trophy candidate and the defense that was billed as one of the best in the land lived up to expectations. A comfortable cover only added the cherry on top.

10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-0 ATS) – A seven point victory against a Sun Belt team is usually nothing to be impressed about, but we loved the way that the Gophers came together and took care of business in a very workmanlike manner against Middle Tennessee State on Thursday night. If Minnesota can get Duane Bennett running like this all season long, it might be able to contend for a bowl game in the crowded Big Ten.

11. Syracuse Orange (1-0 ATS) – Ok, so it was Akron… No big deal, right? Still, any covers for the ‘Cuse are still good ones, and few teams in the land did it by more points this week than they did. Syracuse might be able to sneak up on some teams this year and hit some backdoors, as the offense appears to be competent. This is a team to watch for certain.

12. Florida State Seminoles (1-0 ATS) – It was a picturesque performance for the garnet and gold in Jimbo Fisher’s first game on the sidelines, and we think that that could really continue this week. The Noles might not beat the Sooners, but one thing is for certain, and that’s that they are going to give everything they’ve got to try to get back on the map. For a team that historically struggles with covering games, this could be the year it all changes.

13. Florida Atlantic Owls (1-0 ATS) – Do the Owls really have some spark in them this year in spite of the fact that Rusty Smith has finally graduated? We trust Howard Schnellenberger 100% in this case, and we can’t help by wonder if there are a ton of covers coming after FAU pulled the outright upset off at UAB last week.

14. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0 ATS) – Beating the Ragin’ Cajuns wasn’t really all that impressive, and neither was covering the spread. What got our attention Between the Hedges was the fact that the Dawgs did all of this without AJ Green. Green is a real difference maker in the lineup, and he could make this team very, very scary.

15. BYU Cougars (1-0 ATS) -It was one of the games that sort of flew under the radar last week, but the Cougars went on the road and took out U-Dub in what could be the first of a number of covers this year. BYU is sort of the forgotten team in the Mountain West and can change that this week against Air Force with another big win to start off the campaign.

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-0 ATS) -For the first time in a number of years, the Bulldogs might finally have it going on this year. Ditching Chris Relf might be a great start for a team that has direly lacked quarterback play, and we think that the 49-7 win over Memphis might be the start of some great things in the deep south.

17. Miami Hurricanes (1-0 ATS) – The Canes could be incredibly underrated this season, and a stomping on Florida A&M probably didn’t sway the oddsmakers one way or the other. Still, Miami put together one of the most complete performances in the country last week, albeit against a team that will struggle to finish .500 in the FCS.

18. Iowa State Cyclones (1-0 ATS) – Does anyone realize that this has the potential to be a bowl team once again this year? ISU, behind Austen Arnaud, might really have a chance to contend in the Big XII North, and because the opening act against NIU really flew under the radar, this could be a great chance to hop aboard and start a good run of ATS results for the Cyclones.

19. Maryland Terrapins (1-0 ATS) – In a week where BCS busting was the theme, the Terps would have none of it against one of the best mid major programs in the country. Navy was sunk by Maryland thanks to some fantastic defensive play. If Ralph Friedgen can ever get his offense in gear, the Turtles could come out of their shell and post some ATS victories in a hurry.

20. Idaho Vandals (1-0 ATS) – Idaho came out of nowhere last season to impress and make a bowl game, and the same could be said this year. No one really thought that the Vandals were capable of beating anyone 45-0, but in spite of the fact that this was an FCS foe, it was impressive nonetheless.

21. Tennessee Volunteers (1-0 ATS) – Does Derek Dooley really have his ducks in a row? UT might not be such a bad spot right now to be, especially since the SEC is starting to look more and more open. Knocking off UT-Martin by a whopping 50-0 score is really, really impressive for a team that many were down on to start the year.

22. San Diego State Aztecs (1-0 ATS) – The ranks of the teams posting shutouts continues with San Diego State, who blanked Nichols State 47-0 to start off the season. The Aztecs are going to get a cupcake roadie before the fun really starts. That’s when we’ll see whether these guys are for real or not.

23. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0 ATS) – We just couldn’t leave the Tide off of this list after rolling over San Jose State. Yes, the Spartans stink, and yes Trent Richardson is probably every bit as good as Mark Ingram, but when you take a Heisman Trophy winner out of the lineup and still win by 45 points, your accomplishment is worth noting.

24. Buffalo Bulls (1-0 ATS) -Ya think Turner Gill wants to trade places right now? His current team was just beaten by an FCS nobody. His former team posted a 31-0 shutout. That’s a major, major improvement for a club that missed a bowl game this year. The Bulls might be worth watching.

25. Central Florida Knights (1-0 ATS) – UCF isn’t getting all that much respect this year in Conference USA by the oddsmakers even though several accredited media people think that it is going to challenge for the conference crown. Starting off with a 38-7 win against South Dakota was good enough to cover a spread, but not so alarming as to catch the oddsmakers’ eyes.

2010 College Football Betting: Preseason Top 25 ATS Power Rankings

July 17th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   1 Comment »
Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Links From Bankroll Sports
100% Bonus Links: DiamondBet USJust BetSport BetOddsmaker

The 2010 college football betting season is nearly here! Though anyone can rank the teams No. 1 to No. 25 in the nation in terms of SU records, here at Bankroll Sports, we are ranking our Top 25 underrated teams that could be monsters for your against the college football odds this season.

25. Ball State Cardinals (2-10, 6-5 ATS in 2009) – After a magical run in 2008 in which the Cardinals flirted with an undefeated season, Ball State came crashing back down to Earth last year under first-year HC Stan Parrish. However, this year Ball State returns their entire offense from 2009, including 2nd team All-MAC RB Miquale Lewis who should go down as the school’s all-time leading rusher with even a halfway decent 2010 campaign. The Cardinals have been friends to college football betting fans over the past five years, going 35-22-1 ATS in that span.

24. Air Force Falcons (8-5, 7-4-1 ATS in 2009) – Since taking over for the legendary Fisher DeBerry, HC Troy Calhoun has excelled in his first three years at the Air Force Academy, taking the Falcons to a 25-14 record and three straight Armed Forces Bowl appearances. QB Tim Jefferson is a dual-threat passer who can beat team with his arm or his legs and should be one of the best in the conference if he can stay healthy for the whole season.

23. Syracuse Orange (4-8, 6-5 ATS in 2009) – The Orange may be seen as a surprising candidate to be on this list, but Syracuse showed marked improvement in their first year under new HC Doug Marrone. Although the Orange managed just one more win in 2009 than in 2008, the Syracuse program showed signs of life for the first time in years, especially when the mass exodus of 20+ players prior to the start of the 2009 season is considered. The key to the offense will be RB Delone Carter who carried the ball for 1,021 yards and 11 TDs last year.

22. Rice Owls (2-10, 4-7-1 ATS in 2009) – Much like Ball State, Rice went from a fantastic 2008 CFB wagering season to a disastrous campaign in 2009. For the 2010 season though, the Owls bring back 18 starters and one of the more experienced offensive lines in the nation to provide protection for QB Nick Fanuzzi. Fanuzzi showed some promise last season in completing 60 percent of his passes for 1,598 yards with 11 TDs and eight INTs and will look to get even better in 2010.

21. Idaho Vandals (8-5, 8-5 ATS in 2009) – In any other conference in America, QB Nathan Enderle would have garnered all-conference honors last season and would be considered one of the conference favorites for Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, Venderle completed over 60 percent of his passes for 2,906 yards with 22 TDs and nine INTs while leading the Vandals to their first winning season of the decade.

20. Oregon State Beavers (8-5, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – Over the last decade, the Beavers have been one of the best teams against the NCAA betting odds in the country, going 68-48-1 ATS. With the return of the Rodgers brothers (WR James and RB Jacquizz), HC Mike Riley’s Beavers have one of the most formidable offenses in the Pac-10 and should once again challenge for the Pac-10 title now that the Trojans are ineligible to take home the trophy.

19. North Texas Mean Green (2-10, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – With only five wins over the past three seasons, it seems rather unlikely that North Texas could be on any Top 25 list, but the Mean Green have 17 returning starters and a very manageable schedule. RB Lance Dunbar had a monster season for North Texas last year, carrying the ball for 1,378 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to 1st team All-SBC honors in 2009. Dunbar looks to continue the tradition of quality running backs at North Texas, following in the footsteps of Jamario Thomas and Cedric Cobbs.

18. Baylor Bears (4-8, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Many pundits thought that 2009 would be the year that the Baylor Bears turned the corner, but those dreams were derailed in Week 3 after sensational QB Robert Griffin tore his ACL and back-up QB Blake Szymanski injured his shoulder. Griffin looks like he is back to form though and if he can stay healthy has a real chance to take the Bears to their first bowl appearance since 1994.

17. Miami Redhawks (1-11, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Things haven’t looked good in Oxford over the past half decade, but there is reason for Redhawks fans to be excited in 2010. In HC Mike Haywood’s second year, the Redhawks return 19 starters from 2009 while many of their opponents in the MAC East are reloading. Miami probably isn’t good enough to make a bowl this season, but should keep games close and cover a lot of college football gambling spreads.

16. UTEP Miners (4-8, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Inconsistent wouldn’t even begin to describe the UTEP Miners’ 2009 season. In their first C-USA game of the season, the Miners upset #12 and then undefeated Houston 58-41 as a two TD underdog on the NCAA gambling odds. In UTEP’s very next game they suffered an embarrassing 15 point loss at Memphis, giving the Tigers their only FBS win of 2009. With one of the best backfield tandems in the conference in QB Trevor Vittatoe and All-American RB Donald Buckram, the Miners will be able to put up a lot of points this season.

15. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-6, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – With the graduation of the record-setting Tim Tebow, the SEC East is the most open its been in years and the Gamecocks are in good position to take advantage of this. They usually have one of the better defenses in the country and if QB Stephen Garcia can continue to develop like he has over the past two seasons, South Carolina could flirt with a 10 win season.

14. Connecticut Huskies (8-5, 9-2-1 ATS in 2009) – Few would deny that Randy Edsall has done one of the best jobs in the country in guiding UConn from the FCS level to the FBS level. Over the past three years, Edsall has really hit his stride with the team going 25-14 and winning back-to-back bowl games. The Huskies have also been one of the best teams for NCAA wagering enthusiasts with the team going 63-42-2 ATS since 2000.

13. Texas A&M Aggies (6-7, 6-7 ATS in 2009) – Mike Sherman’s Aggies benefit from only having four road games this year, and in only one of those four road games (@ Texas) will they be a prohibitive underdog. Texas A&M has 16 returning starters this season, including QB Jerrod Johnson who passed for 3,579 yards to go with 30 TDs against just eight interceptions on his way to a 2nd team All-Big 12 selection in 2009.

12. UCF Knights (8-5, 9-3 ATS in 2009) – Last year, not much was expected of the UCF Knights after a 2008 campaign in which the Knights had one of the worst offenses in the country. However, HC George O’Leary turned to the running game last year and found a valuable asset in RB Brynn Harvey. Last season, Harvey ran for 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns while picking up 3rd team All-C-USA honors. Harvey suffered a knee injury in spring, but is expected to miss no more than a few games at most.

11. Michigan Wolverines (5-7, 5-6 ATS in 2009) – HC Rich Rodriguez might be on the hottest seat in the country after managing just an 8-16 record and zero bowl appearances in his first two seasons as the head coach of one of the most storied programs in the country. This season, though, will be the first where Rodriguez has a clear-cut choice at QB to run his system in Tate Forcier. With Forcier at the helm, the Wolverines will almost certainly improve on their paltry 7-16 mark against the CFB betting line over the past two seasons.

10. Temple Owls (9-4, 8-4 ATS in 2009) – Al Golden has done a remarkable job in turning around a horrific Temple program that hadn’t made a bowl game in 30 years prior to the Owls making the EagleBank Bowl in 2009. This season, the Owls return almost all of their skill position players and 16 starters to a team that should be considered the favorite to win the MAC East.

9. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-5, 5-6 ATS in 2009) – North Carolina may have the best defense in the country this season with a bevy of NFL prospects at every position along the defensive front. DE Robert Quinn, LB Quan Sturdivant, CB Kendric Burney, and FS Deunta Williams all garnered 1st team All-ACC selections in 2009, while DT Marvin Austin, LB Bruce Carter, and SS Da’Norris Searcy all picked up 2nd team honors. With 19 returning starters in all, the Tar Heels should be one of the best teams against the NCAA odds in 2010.

8. Nevada Wolfpack (8-5, 7-6 ATS in 2009) – When QB Colin Kaepernick pulls the strings, the Wolfpack have one of the most exciting offenses in the country. Last season, Nevada managed an NCAA first when the Wolfpack had three different players (Kaepernick, Vai Taua, and Luke Lippencott) rush for over 1000 yards. In WAC play, the Wolfpack have been especially great the past five seasons, going 26-14 ATS for CFB wagering fans over that time.

7. Washington Huskies (5-7, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – Jake Locker is considered by many to be the top pick in the 2011 draft, and the strong-armed quarterback showed off just what he could do in his first year under new HC Steve Sarkisian. In 2009, Locker became much more polished as a quarterback, throwing for 2,800 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in a season where they flirted with a bowl bid. This year, with 18 returning starters, the Huskies will be in great shape to make their first bowl appearance since 2002.

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6, 4-8 ATS in 2009) – Although QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate have departed, the Fighting Irish are primed to turn some heads in the first year of new HC Brian Kelly. Kelly had one of the best offenses in the country at Cincinnati last year and inherits an offense with a lot of weapons in RB Armando Allen, WR Michael Floyd, and TE Kyle Rudolph. The key to the season for Notre Dame will be how well sophomore QB Dayne Crist can perform in his first season running the offense.

5. Florida State Seminoles (7-6, 4-8 ATS in 2009) – Before getting hurt, QB Christian Ponder looked well on his way to having one of the best seasons in school history. Still, Ponder finished with great numbers, completing 68.8 percent of his passes for 2,717 yards with 14 TDs and seven picks. He’ll also have the luxury of being behind one of the best and most experienced offensive lines in the country, anchored by Jacobs Award winning LG Rodney Hudson.

4. Auburn Tigers (8-5, 6-6 ATS in 2009) – Despite questions over whether he was the right man for the job or not, HC Gene Chizik led the Tigers to a respectable season in 2009. With the help of offensive guru Gus Malzahn, the Tigers offense went from one of the worst in the SEC in 2008 (17.3 PPG) to one of the best in the conference last year (33.3 PPG). The Tigers dodge both the Vols and the Gators in conference play and with eight home games could turn many heads this NCAA wagering season.

3. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (10-3, 10-3 ATS in 2009) – QB Dwight Dasher may have been playing in the lowly Sun Belt last season, but his numbers were good enough for any conference in the country. The athletic Dasher turned a lot of heads in 2009, by throwing for 2,789 yards along with 23 TDs and 14 INTs while also running for 1154 yards and 13 scores. With Dasher under center, the Blue Raiders have a very good chance for back-to-back 10 win seasons.

2. Cincinnati Bearcats (12-1, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Though QB Tony Pike and HC Brian Kelly have since departed, the Bearcats should still have one of the best offenses in the Big East in 2010 under new HC Butch Jones and QB Zach Collaros. Collaros was impressive in his limited playing time in 2009, completing 75 percent of his passes for 1,434 yards with ten TDs against just two INTs. USC transfer WR Vidal Hazelton will also pack some punch to a WR corps that lost Mardy Gilyard.

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4, 9-5 ATS in 2009) – Since taking over for Bill Callahan, Bo Pelini has brought respect back to the Blackshirts and pride back to Husker Nation. Pelini’s Huskers were one last second FG away from making it to a BCS bowl and ruining Texas’ undefeated season in the Big XII Title Game, and although they do lose Heisman Trophy candidate DT Ndamakong Suh, Nebraska returns six starters to the defense that only gave up 10.4 PPG last CFB gambling season.

2009 College Football Preseason Top 10 Power Rankings

July 15th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in College Football   39 Comments »
Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Links From Bankroll Sports
100% Bonus Links: Bet OnlineJust BetSportbetOddsmaker

Tradition, pageantry, and all out excitement will fill the air when the 2009 college football season kicks off in just a few short weeks. The anticipation has been building all summer for college football enthusiast around the nation. After such an exciting and competitive year in 2008, the 2009 season expects to be even better considering the circumstances. All 3 Heisman Trophy Finalist are back including previous winners Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford not to mention the Florida Gators will be seeking their 3rd National Title in the last 4 years. Also, the South Eastern Conference will seek their 4 straight National Championship and look to continue their dominance among the nation’s most elite football conferences. Like many others you probably can not wait to see how your favorite team and players will fair in the upcoming season. We go a step further by trying to bring you predictions of the top teams in America heading in to 2009. We bring you an in-depth preview by predicting this year’s Top 10 teams before the rankings are released.

**Bankroll Sports 2009 Early Bird Football Season Special Expires in Soon**
Click Here for Details on This Amazing 2009 NFL & College Football Season Offer

#1 Florida Gators –

How can you not bet on the Florida Gators? Two National Titles in 3 years and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is back for his senior campaign. The offense was nearly untouchable in the SEC last season averaging a lucrative 43 points per game ranking 4th in the nation. The Gators may not have the explosive talent of Percy Harvin back, but Tebow will have plenty of talented targets in his sights. Expect wide receiver Riley Cooper to have a breakout year on the outside. The Gators have so many talented players just ready to explode on offense. However, the strength of this team will definitely be on the defensive side of the ball. Whether you are tired of hearing about it or simply not accepted it, the SEC is the premier defensive conference in America. The Gators defense nearly has everyone back from the unit that held the so called “unstoppable” Oklahoma offense to just 14 points in the National Championship Game a year ago. Linebacker Brandon Spikes may very well be the best defensive player in the country and he will be on of the key figures in what appears to be an even better defense in 2009.

#2 Texas Longhorns –

The Longhorns should still be bitter about last season’s outcome considering they likely should have been playing for a national championship. However, Texas will be a force to be dealt with again in 2009 and they may be out for some payback. QB Colt McCoy posted great numbers with 3,849 yards and 34 scores. McCoy will also get the pleasure of taking aim towards his favorite target Jordan Shipley. Shipley who is the Longhorns most prominent receiver was granted an NCAA medical hardship waiver at the end of last season giving him an extra year of eligibility. The extra year of eligibility is huge in a year where the Longhorns would have lost all of their big time receivers. However, Texas now will not only have Shipley but a number of talented receivers ready to get in on the action. Defensively, you can not replace defensive end Brian Orakpo. The Longhorns defense will not be bad, but we do question the front four and how effective they will be getting to the quarterback. Also, it would be nice to see someone step up in the back field on offense considering McCoy led the team in rushing with only 561 yards last season.

#3 Oklahoma Sooners –

The Sooners return another outstanding group of players heading into 2009. The Oklahoma offense was one of the best in recent memory last year averaging an insane 51 points per game. Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is back along with some other very big names. Bradford who is coming off a ridiculous 4,720 yard and 50 touchdowns junior campaign will also get tight end Jermaine Gresham back in the mix. Gresham caught a team high 14 touchdown passes last season and appears to have a very bright future with Bradford back under center. However, surprisingly the running game is just as important as their dangerous air assault. Running backs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark in 2008 and will have a chance to do the same again this season. Both tailbacks provide Oklahoma with as much danger on the ground as Bradford does with his arm equaling a lethal combination. However, the offense may lack a down the field threat with the young receivers who will step in and must overcome losing a ton of talent on the offensive line.

#4 USC Trojans –

If the Trojans could slightly mirror last year’s defensive unit, then they would have nothing to worry about. However, the defense that ranked #1 in the nation will only return 3 starters on that side of the ball. Usually that would throw up all types of red flag, but there is perhaps no team in the nation that can reload talent like USC. The big hurt that the Trojans will feel is losing quarterback Mark Sanchez. The reason is not necessarily because Sanchez was irreplaceable, but rather of the lack of experience that USC is left with. The offense will return an impressive 9 starters giving opposing defenses a lot to worry about. However, to be a great football team you got to have reliability behind center and the Trojans will be searching for either Aaron Corp or Mitch Mustain to step up big in 2009.

#5 Oklahoma State Cowboys –

Could this be the upset team of the year? Well if you are familiar with the Oklahoma State offense it would not be much of an upset. This may sound crazy, but the Cowboys could have the best offense in the Big 12 this season. Quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendal Hunter, and wide out Dez Bryant provide the most dangerous trio of explosion in the country. Oklahoma State ranked 6th in the nation last year in total offense averaging 469 yards per game and there is no reason to think they can not be better in 2009 with the big 3 returning. The Cowboys offense will give them the opportunity to beat any team in the land. Unfortunately Texas and Oklahoma reside in the same division meaning the idea of winning the Big 12 outright is trimmed. However, the Cowboys could likely decide who does win the Big 12 if in fact they do not win it themselves.

**Click Here for the Greatest Betting System in the World**

#6 – Alabama Crimson Tide –

The Crimson Tide were actually suppose to be a young talented team with their best years ahead in 2008. Instead, they were the only team to go through the SEC regular season undefeated. Alabama may have stumbled at the end of the season losing to Florida in the SEC Championship and Utah in the Sugar Bowl. The early out pouring of wins has left Tuscaloosa with unlimited amount of expectations. Julio Jones remains probably the best young receiver in the country. However, who will be throwing Jones the football? The likely candidate will be Greg McElroy. McElroy has very little experience, but he will inherit one of the best receiving groups in the country. The ability for the offensive line to rebuild and McElroy to establish ball control will determine the amount of success for the Tide. Crimson Tide fans should not worry much about the defensive side of the ball. The SEC’s best defense returns 9 starters and will be primed again for another fantastic season.

#7 – Ohio State Buckeyes –

The Buckeyes lost a good deal of talent at the end of last season that will be hard to replace. However, watching how the team progressed throughout the 2008 season should cause a bit of concern for the rest of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes offense really spread their wings during the latter part of the season behind freshman sensation Terrelle Pryor. Pryor legs add a big threat to the Buckeyes offensive attack and if his passing skills can continue to develop he could be a nightmare for any defense. However, Pryor lost some very talented receivers last year and it will be interesting to see who will step up. The defense lost some key players as well like Malcolm Jenkins and James Laurinaitis, but will likely reload confidently. The Buckeyes success will all be in the hands of the offense. Remember this is the team that was 36 seconds away from upsetting Texas in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of last season. If they can get the offense clicking early in the year, then they will be a team to watch out for.

#8 – Ole Miss Rebels –

We picked the Rebels to be a surprise story in the SEC last season and we forebode similar types of warning again this year. Ole Miss strived under new coach Houston Nutt turning the program from a 3-9 into a 9-4 season that was capped off by a thrashing over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. The offense that the Rebels displayed at the end of last year may be an eerie tale of what is to come in 2009. Ole Miss averaged 45 points per game in their final 4 games of the season. Quarterback Jevan Snead is on the verge of a breakout year and he may just be the best pure passer in the conference. Dexter McCluster will be used in all types of situations and is a guy you must contain. The defense looks to be very strong as well especially up front. The Rebels rush defense ranked 4th in the nation last year holding opponents to just 85 yards per game and that does not look to change in 2009.

#9 – Penn State Nittany Lions –

The Nittany Lions were one single game away from playing for last year’s National Championship. In fact, they were a single point away from their devastating defeat from Iowa late in the season. Penn State could have one of the better offenses in the Big Ten with the return of QB Daryll Clark and tailback Evan Royster. Royster rushed for over 1,200 yards last season while Clark threw for over 2,500 through the air. Look for Stephfon Green to be a bigger help with the offense as well. The Nittany Lions will have the most complete offense in the Big Ten, but they must be able to execute accordingly. The defensive front lost a load of talent that will be hard to replace. The losses of Aaron Maybin, Josh Gaines, and Maurice Evans cause a lot of concern on the defensive side of the ball. The rush defense which was the Nittany Lions biggest strength a season ago may be their biggest weakness in 2009.

#10 – LSU Tigers –

The Tigers downfall toward the end of last year was very surprising to college football fans. LSU lost 3 of the last 4 games of the regular season which included a heroic comeback to salvage a win over Troy. The problem was obviously the play behind center which kept the Tigers offense in neutral for the majority of the season. Freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee recorded 16 interceptions on the year before losing his job to another freshman by the name of Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson was not overly impressive, but did manage to hold on to the ball and will likely be the best back by the team the season starts. The return of Brandon Lafell at wide out gives the offense many reasons for excitement. Also, running back Charles Scott had a big junior season and will prime for another big year as a senior this season. The defense will have to replace a lot of guys up front including Tyson Jackson who was selected as the number 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. However the Tigers look to be back on the right path, but the question is will they get back to the top of the SEC West this season?

What is the most powerful college football conference in 2009?

  • SEC (49%, 906 Votes)
  • Big Twelve (24%, 444 Votes)
  • Big Ten (9%, 177 Votes)
  • Pac 10 (8%, 154 Votes)
  • ACC (7%, 131 Votes)
  • Big East (3%, 52 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,864