LITTLE ROCK — After searching and researching from top to bottom in hopes of finding someway to beat the heavy favorite, Florida still ends up the No. 1 pick, and the prediction here is the Gators will travel across country to play Southern Cal for the BCS championship.
Sort of a Disney World vs. Disneyland but played in the Trojans' back yard.
Here's one man's guess, just for fun, at how the final polls will look:
1. FLORIDA
- Tim Tebow and a great defense. Biggest date on the Gators' schedule is Oct. 10 when they travel to LSU. Could be only one team can beat the Gators - Florida.
2. SOUTHERN CAL
- A victory at Ohio State on Sept. 12 will give the Trojans the edge with the BCS computers. Defense is thebig question with only three starters back.
3. OKLAHOMA
- Perhaps secondbest defense in country behind Florida but lost five offensive linemen to the NFL.
4. TEXAS
- With 16 total starters back, could challenge but will have to beat Okie State in Stillwater on Halloween.
5. OHIO STATE
- Jim Tressel seems to easily turn rebuilding years into BCS appearances.
6. ALABAMA
- Nick Saban plus nine defensive starters back could mean trouble for the SEC.
7. PENN STATE
- Capable of outscoring most opponents.
8. OLE MISS
- Armed and dangerous with 16 starters back from a team that won its last six. Has best schedule of any BCS team in the country.
9. OKLAHOMA STATE
- Running back Kendall Hunter and quarterback Zac Robinson make this team capable of winning any weekend.
10. VIRGINIA TECH
- Opens the season against Alabama in Atlanta and could make a strong statement with 16 starters back, including nine on offense.
11. CALIFORNIA
- Dangerous team with 15 starters back from a 9-4 season.
12. GEORGIA
- Underrated with 15 starters back, but quarterback Matthew Stafford is not one of them.
13. LSU
- If not for road games to Washington, Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss, Tigers would have been higher. They have 14 starters back, and Les Miles made some staff changes he is counting on to help.
14. NEBRASKA
- The rebuilding continues and with seven starters back on defense, so should overall improvement.
15. FLORIDA STATE
- Looking to bounce back to national-power status but with only five starters back on defense will continue to search.
16. OREGON
- This might be a little high for a team with a tough schedule and new coach, but the Ducks should win last four games of the season.
17. NORTH CAROLINA
- Butch Davis knows the Tar Heels are a basketball powerhouse, but he also knows how to build a program. He's doing the same thing now that he did at Miami. This will be the year football does what basketball does in conference, vies for the championship.
18. UTAH
- Coming off a 13-0 season but must replace 10 starters.
19. CINCINNATI
- The Big East is wide open and the Bearcats might have the offensive skill people to do some serious damage.
20. MICHIGAN STATE
- Defense is the key for the Spartans with eight starters back, but if the offense can score, this team is one to be reckoned with.
21. BOISE STATE
- Absolutely, positively the Broncos will be ranked higher in the national polls, but playing in the WAC isn't the same as playing in the SEC, Big 12, Big 10 or Pac-10.
22. OREGON STATE
- The Beavers are known for knocking off USC last season, but they have also finished in the top 25 the past three seasons. This is a solid program.
23. KANSAS
- With 14 starters back and mostly a favorable schedule, nine victories are probable.
24. IOWA
- The Hawkeyes have eight starters back on defense, and that should be good enough to keep them in the hunt for a while.
25. GEORGIA TECH
- It might take another year for ACC teams to figure out a way to consistently stop Paul Johnson's spread-option offense.
Sports, Pages 23 on 08/23/2009