complete top 25 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>1. Georgia The Bulldogs return all but five starters from a team that won its last seven games to finish 11-2 in 2007. Tailback Knowshon Moreno, who will be a sophomore during the 2008 season, should be a Heisman Trophy candidate (redshirt freshman Caleb King might be just as good), and quarterback Matthew Stafford was much improved in his second season as a starter. The Bulldogs must find a pass-rusher to replace Marcus Howard, and the loss of strong-legged kicker Brandon Coutu can't be underestimated. Georgia plays a difficult schedule -- an early road test at Arizona State on Sept. 20 and consecutive games against LSU and Florida in midseason are potential stumbling blocks -- but no team in the SEC has as much returning talent and depth. 2. Oklahoma With nine starters eligible to come back on offense and seven on defense, the Sooners should be favorites in the Big 12. Now, if Oklahoma just didn't have to play in a bowl game. The Sooners should be explosive on offense, even after losing 1,000-yard rusher Allen Patrick. Tailback DeMarco Murray ran for 764 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman, and quarterback Sam Bradford threw 36 touchdowns with only eight interceptions in his first season as a starter. Oklahoma is expecting leading receiver Juaquin Iglesias back, but deep threat Malcolm Kelly might turn pro. Guard Duke Robinson also is a candidate to leave early. The defense will have to replace two starters in the secondary and must find a bona fide pass-rusher. The nonconference schedule is somewhat demanding with home games against Cincinnati and TCU and a road game at Washington. Oklahoma doesn't play Missouri in Big 12 play and gets Kansas and Texas Tech at home. 3. Florida The 2006 national champions took a big step back in 2007, primarily because of their youth on defense and lack of a running game. The Gators had to replace nine starters on defense and the young replacements didn't play well in losses to Georgia and Michigan. The secondary will remain a concern going into next season, but the defensive front should be improved. Coach Urban Meyer has to find a running back to complement Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, and USC transfer Emmanuel Moody might be that guy. Losing receiver Andre Caldwell and possibly tight end Cornelius Ingram will hurt, but rising junior Percy Harvin is one of the best players in the country. The Gators will play nine of their 12 games in the state of Florida, including a key Nov. 1 date against Georgia in Jacksonville and a Nov. 29 finale at Florida State. The nonconference schedule includes home games against Hawaii and Miami to start the season. 4. Missouri The Tigers should have played in a BCS bowl game this season, but they'll get to one in 2008. Quarterback Chase Daniel is coming back for his senior season, along with 10 starters on defense. The Tigers will be hit hard on offense, with tailback Tony Temple, left tackle Tyler Luellen, All-American center Adam Spieker and tight end Martin Rucker leaving. Tailback Derrick Washington will have to be as good as advertised, and the Tigers will have to find more ways to get Jeremy Maclin the football. Missouri will play Kansas' schedule from 2007 (or lack thereof), as the Tigers won't play Oklahoma, Texas A&M or Texas Tech. The season starts with a suddenly daunting game against Illinois in St. Louis on Aug. 30 and also includes home games against Division I-AA Southeast Missouri, Nevada and Buffalo. 5. USC The Trojans played like the best team in the country in their final four games of 2007, but will go into 2008 with plenty of questions. USC will lose quarterback John David Booty and tight end Fred Davis on offense, along with three very good players on the offensive line. The heart of the defense also will be gone, with tackle Sedrick Ellis, end Lawrence Jackson and linebacker Keith Rivers leaving. But coach Pete Carroll still has plenty of talent on hand. Freshman Joe McKnight looked spectacular against Illinois in the Rose Bowl presented by Citi. Mark Sanchez, a redshirt junior next season, is Booty's heir apparent, but Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain will battle for the starting job in the spring. Another Arkansas transfer, Damian Williams, should boost the receiving corps. The Trojans' schedule includes two difficult nonconference games (at Virginia on Aug. 30 and home against Ohio State), but the Pac-10 schedule flips with Oregon, Arizona State and California coming to the Coliseum.</div>
Way too many B10 teams in that Thinking Wannstedt is actually going to be a successful coach is probably the most humorous thing on the list.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Jan 8 2008, 06:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Way too many B10 teams in that</div> There is only 5 of them...and most of them are at the back end. I am begining to question if you watch any Big Ten football, or just listen to what ESPN spoon feeds ya.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ed the Decider @ Jan 9 2008, 01:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Jan 8 2008, 06:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Way too many B10 teams in that</div> There is only 5 of them...and most of them are at the back end. I am begining to question if you watch any Big Ten football, or just listen to what ESPN spoon feeds ya. </div> I'm right next to little 11 country and I see far too many of their games. I've been talking about the overratedness of the little 11 for years and long before anyone at ESPN ever said anything about it.
I'm very nervous with these great expectations now for Georgia. It was nice last season when they weren't expected to compete for the SEC East, and ended the season ranked #2 in one of the polls. They bring back almost everyone, and everybody here is saying national championship. Georgia, I think, is one of those teams like Michigan and pre-Vince Young Texas that everyone points to as doing the least with the most. But maybe this year will be different. Here's my top five: 1. Georgia 2. Florida 3. USC 4. Oklahoma 5. LSU
