O.K. Congrats to Alabama, 2009 BCS Champions. Enjoy it, because you will not repeat in 2010. As proven time and time again, it is nearly impossible to repeat, and 'Bama will not. Here is a very early breakdown of the 2010 season. Please note that players declaring for the NFL will affect this in some way.
Alabama: The schedule is no friend in 2010. Games at Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee and LSU will not be easy. Playing Penn State and Florida at home will not be a walk in the park either. Auburn is also on the schedule. 'Bama returns 8 on offense, including a lot of skill players, but will need to rebuild the O-line. The defense will get hit hard by graduation, and they are not real deep overall. 'Bama will be good, just not good enough to run the table, and that is what it may take in 2010.
Boise State: How cozy is this. Everyone returns on offense. 10 return on defense. The team is very deep. They play Oregon State at home, but more importantly, Va. Tech in Landover Md. The BCS National Championship game is in Glendale AZ in Jamuary 2011, a place where Boise State loves to win. If Boise runs the table AGAIN (3rd straight regular season), how can you keep them out of the Big Game?
Ohio State: Miami (Fl) replaces USC on a schedule that includes 8 home games. The only tough away test is at Iowa. Ohio State returns the offense just about intact. Pryor and the offense grew up in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State loses a bit on defense, and will be extremely thin depth wise, but an undefeated season is by no means a stretch.
Oregon: Another team that returns nearly everyone. Blount is gone, but he was gone for most of last season, so Oregon still returns 11 who started on offense and 9 who started on defense this past season. They are a thin on both lines,a common problem this time of year. Their schedule takes them to Tennessee, USC, Cal, and Oregon State. Maybe, but probably not enough to run the table.
Florida: Everyone knows that Tebow is gone, but Florida returns 8 on both sides of the ball. This team will be experienced, but very thin depth wise. Urban Meyer will most likely be a soap opera all summer. Games at Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida State, plus the neutral site game against UGA will prove too much for this team. The SEC East will be much better overall.
Texas: The Longhorns lose a lot, including McCoy on offense. They will have to rebuild their offensive line, along with replacing McCoy. The defense retuens 8, but is thin. There is no break before the OU game, and after a weeks rest, they go to a very revenge minded Nebraska. Texas may win the Big 12 South, but how much further they go depends on how quickly they can rebuild their offense.
TCU: The Frogs lose little on offense, returining 9. The defense returns 7. The problem forTCU is the schedule. So far, only Baylor and SMU are on the non-con schedule. If they do not schedule two good BCS Conference teams, they will never get to the Big Game, no matter what their record is.
Other teams to watch for: Iowa. 16 out of 22 return. The non-con schedule is Big 10 soft. They get Penn State and Ohio State at home... USC. The skill position are set. The D-line will excell, but the secondary must rebuild. The schedule includes 7 away games, but the tough games are at home... Nebraska. This could be the best team in the Big 12 next year if the offense can do something. 10 return on that side of the ball. The D returns 7. The schedule is very doable... UNC. 19 out of 22 starters return for Butch Davis. The Heels need more offense. They start against LSU in Atlanta in Spetember... Georgia. The offense returns 10 players. The defense will need some work. This team has to avoid injuries at all costs. The schedule is not overly difficult, getting Tennessee and Ga.Tech at home... Arkansas. A very potent offense returns 10 players. The defense returns 7, but need to take the next step. Both Alabama and LSU come visiting, and only a game at Georgia looks real tough on the away schedule...
Alabama: The schedule is no friend in 2010. Games at Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee and LSU will not be easy. Playing Penn State and Florida at home will not be a walk in the park either. Auburn is also on the schedule. 'Bama returns 8 on offense, including a lot of skill players, but will need to rebuild the O-line. The defense will get hit hard by graduation, and they are not real deep overall. 'Bama will be good, just not good enough to run the table, and that is what it may take in 2010.
Boise State: How cozy is this. Everyone returns on offense. 10 return on defense. The team is very deep. They play Oregon State at home, but more importantly, Va. Tech in Landover Md. The BCS National Championship game is in Glendale AZ in Jamuary 2011, a place where Boise State loves to win. If Boise runs the table AGAIN (3rd straight regular season), how can you keep them out of the Big Game?
Ohio State: Miami (Fl) replaces USC on a schedule that includes 8 home games. The only tough away test is at Iowa. Ohio State returns the offense just about intact. Pryor and the offense grew up in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State loses a bit on defense, and will be extremely thin depth wise, but an undefeated season is by no means a stretch.
Oregon: Another team that returns nearly everyone. Blount is gone, but he was gone for most of last season, so Oregon still returns 11 who started on offense and 9 who started on defense this past season. They are a thin on both lines,a common problem this time of year. Their schedule takes them to Tennessee, USC, Cal, and Oregon State. Maybe, but probably not enough to run the table.
Florida: Everyone knows that Tebow is gone, but Florida returns 8 on both sides of the ball. This team will be experienced, but very thin depth wise. Urban Meyer will most likely be a soap opera all summer. Games at Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida State, plus the neutral site game against UGA will prove too much for this team. The SEC East will be much better overall.
Texas: The Longhorns lose a lot, including McCoy on offense. They will have to rebuild their offensive line, along with replacing McCoy. The defense retuens 8, but is thin. There is no break before the OU game, and after a weeks rest, they go to a very revenge minded Nebraska. Texas may win the Big 12 South, but how much further they go depends on how quickly they can rebuild their offense.
TCU: The Frogs lose little on offense, returining 9. The defense returns 7. The problem forTCU is the schedule. So far, only Baylor and SMU are on the non-con schedule. If they do not schedule two good BCS Conference teams, they will never get to the Big Game, no matter what their record is.
Other teams to watch for: Iowa. 16 out of 22 return. The non-con schedule is Big 10 soft. They get Penn State and Ohio State at home... USC. The skill position are set. The D-line will excell, but the secondary must rebuild. The schedule includes 7 away games, but the tough games are at home... Nebraska. This could be the best team in the Big 12 next year if the offense can do something. 10 return on that side of the ball. The D returns 7. The schedule is very doable... UNC. 19 out of 22 starters return for Butch Davis. The Heels need more offense. They start against LSU in Atlanta in Spetember... Georgia. The offense returns 10 players. The defense will need some work. This team has to avoid injuries at all costs. The schedule is not overly difficult, getting Tennessee and Ga.Tech at home... Arkansas. A very potent offense returns 10 players. The defense returns 7, but need to take the next step. Both Alabama and LSU come visiting, and only a game at Georgia looks real tough on the away schedule...
