Preseason Top 25 Thoughts

I am a list person. I like to see lists for rankings and standings. I hate it when websites say "LIST" and then its a bunch of paragraphs explaining each ranking without ever showing the list. Well, here at X Marc's The Spot, you want lists, you get lists:

Preseason AP Top 25:

1. Florida

2.Texas

3. Oklahoma

4. USC

5. Alabama

6. Ohio State

7. Virginia Tech

8. Mississippi

9T. Oklahoma State

9T. Penn State

11. LSU

12. California

13. Georgia

14. Boise State

15. Georgia Tech

16. Oregon

17. TCU

18. Florida State

19. Utah

20. BYU

21. North Carolina

22. Iowa

23. Notre Dame

24. Nebraska

25. Kansas

There are no surprises to me in the top four, but I was a bit shocked to see Alabama ranked #5. Alabama had a disastrous ending to the season with losses in the SEC Championship Game followed by the embarrassing Sugar Bowl blowout against Utah. Combine that with breaking in a ton of new starters (including quarterback) and I see Alabama more as a #10. My next shocker on the list would have to be Ole Miss at #8. Voters are impressed with Jevan Snead and an Ole Miss team that beat Florida last year, but that team finished 9-4. I think the Rebels will be a decent football team, but no where near top 10.

With a little luck along the way, teams like Boise State (#14), TCU (#17) and Utah (#19) are set up to be BCS busters again in 2009/10. I don't think we will ever see the day when those teams play for the BCS Title, but I expect to see one of those teams in a BCS bowl game again this year.

Notre Dame at #23 is an interesting vote. The Fighting Irish finished 7-6 last year. Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate should have pretty good junior campaigns. Despite his ridiculous contract, the seat might be getting pretty hot for Charlie Weis if the Irish don't finish in the top 25 this year. Lou Holtz proved, once again, that he is completely out of his mind by picking the Fighting Irish to play in the BCS Champsionship Game. If that happens, I'll run for Senate (wait a second...).

It should be an interesting battle at the top of the polls. You'd be hard pressed to find a college football fan or critic who thinks we won't see some combination of Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and USC in the BCS Title Game. Florida is the preseason consensus pick to win it all, but it is well documented how tough the road can be in the Southeastern Conference. The Gators have never had an undefeated season in school history. That appears to be the Gators motivation in attempts to avoid complacency. If I were a betting man, if that is, my money would be on Florida to win it all again this year.

I'm really getting pumped for the season to start. I'll have a few more predictions out this week along with my SEC game predictions so that more people can call me a bammer homer when I pick VA Tech to beat the parole tide on Saturday. OUSH!