My Pre-Season Top 5 Teams. Whose yours?

[WorkHorse]

My early 2011 pre-season top-5 teams. Things may change as spring practice plays out...injuries, quits, surprises, etc.. I like these teams early for 2011.

1. Oklahoma, 12-2 during 2010. Nine offensive starters including a veteran quarterback and one of the best receivers in the country. Eight defensive starters return.

2. Alabama, 10-3 during 2010. Seven offensive starters back including a veteran offensive line with one of the best RB's in the country. Breaking in a new QB easier with solid O-Line. Ten defensive starters return....enough said. Bama wins with defense.

3. LSU, 11-2 during 2010. Nine offensive and seven defensive starters return. Lots of talent on this team. November 5th at Alabama will be huge for both teams as for as national contender goes. QB play an issue.

4. Florida State. 10-4 during 2010. Solid team returning with favorable schedule. Early game against Oklahoma will define both teams.

5. Notre Dame. 8-5 during 2010. Ten offensive starters and nine defensive starters returning for head coach Brian Kelly's second year. Excellent recruiting class will support. I believe in Kelly, he's a winner.

Welcome your thoughts and who you like...............................

[laxbrah420]

Haha with Notre Dame...anyways, Oregon, Bama, Oklahoma, LSU, Stanford.

[asiangambler]

i like all the team make me money hahaha

[WorkHorse]

Ok Lax, I'll be your huckleberry.

Haha with Oregon. They return seven starters on offense and only five on defense. Let me repeat..ONLY 5 on DEFENSE. That defense last year was tops in turnovers which means the offense got the ball often. Now, Casey Matthews and Kenny Rowe are GONE. (25 tackles for loss and 6 forced fumbles). Brandon Bair is GONE (16 tackles for loss). Who are the playmakers on defense you have so much faith in Lax? Oregon's hype last year was offense, but they won because of their defense.

Tell us about Oregon's defense this year Lax.

By the way, Oregon opens against a pansy team from the SEC named LSU. Haha!!

[iwantcougars]

1-Oklahoma
2-Alabama
3-Oregon
4-LSU
5-Boise ST

Runners Stanford, Florida St, Georgia, Penn St, Nebraska

[WorkHorse]

Cougars, I appreciate your post sir. At least no haha's involved.

Selecting teams this early is strickly speculation but its fun. You have Oregon at your No. 3. The Ducks lose 5 starters from their front 7 on defense. That's difficult for any team to overcome especially when the defense got them to the championship game last year.

Boise State plays a three game schedule....they will win games but not top-15 in my opini

You have a runner with Stanford (many like early) but other than a great quarterback, whose going to block and catch the ball. The Cardinals will be very thin on the O-Line and at receiver. This is not the same team as last year and will have a different coach. Some big hurdles to overcome.

Georgia as a runner...could be the sleeper in the SEC. This team could be good if they get off to a good start. Real good.

Penn State needs a quarterback...pure and simple.

I love college football. Thanks Bud.

[BigdaddyQH]

I reaally do not have a Top 5 yet. That is for July. Right now, if I had to mention 5 teams, they would be, in ALPHABETICAL order: Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Stanford. Now Florida State plays OU and Alabama plays LSU, so two of those teams certainly can be knocked out, but as of now, those are the 5 top teams IMO.

[HoulihansTX]

I like how Boise St. gets no love.

Stanford is forgotten in the equation. Usually the first year a coaches absence is not felt, but as the years go by they become missed.

They have Luck back, and thats all that really matters.

[BigdaddyQH]

Not only that, but Stanford's new HC is their former OC, so they should not miss a beat on offense. If anything, their defense may cost them a game or two.

[cant call it]

Who will finish in top 5- my guess
Bama, Lsu, boise st, osu, oregon

[crfandl]

looks good

[arenakingbras]

Oklahoma, LSU, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State

[iwantcougars]

Cougars, I appreciate your post sir. At least no haha's involved.

Selecting teams this early is strickly speculation but its fun. You have Oregon at your No. 3. The Ducks lose 5 starters from their front 7 on defense. That's difficult for any team to overcome especially when the defense got them to the championship game last year.

Boise State plays a three game schedule....they will win games but not top-15 in my opini

You have a runner with Stanford (many like early) but other than a great quarterback, whose going to block and catch the ball. The Cardinals will be very thin on the O-Line and at receiver. This is not the same team as last year and will have a different coach. Some big hurdles to overcome.

Georgia as a runner...could be the sleeper in the SEC. This team could be good if they get off to a good start. Real good.

Penn State needs a quarterback...pure and simple.

I love college football. Thanks Bud.

Reasoning:

Oregon will be ranked in the top 5 starting the season, the D is the question mark, but they'll have a more experienced QB and Rb this season, so the offense will be strong, also my decision was about their HC who is a good coach, so i'm going with a vote of confidence.

Boise St also will start ranked high in the top 10 at the season starts, there are questions @ the receiving corp, kellen moore is more experienced, they will not likely end in the champioship game, but they could run the table in the mwc (tcu losses dalton, and other key pieces, utah is gone and byu is rebuilding) and be invited to a bcs game (the key will be notre dame to this to happen, but with floyd probably sitting, the jury still out).

I really like Georgia to be the sleeper team this year. I really liked what i saw from penn st in the last quarter of their season, so it's a vote of confidence.

Nebraska is always a work on progress in the offense. I'm liking them or penn st to win
going to the rose bowl.

Right know i'm also liking Okie State as a runner up

[WorkHorse]

Good post Cougars....appreciate your thoughts.

[wookieehumper]

Oklahoma, Alabama, Oregon, LSU, Ohio State

[WorkHorse]

One team that (might) deserve some consideration is Texas A&M. The Aggies return 19 starters from a pretty good team last year. They have only four true road games where three of the teams posted 9-15 records last year. They do have to play at Oklahoma and the Sooners don't lose Big 12 games at home.

Other than Sherman the head coach....this team may be worth keeping an eye on. I have little faith in the head coach. Never have.

[RPP]

Arkansas, Arkansas, Arkansas, Arkansas and Arkansas. EASY!

[fishmonger]

Mississippi st also has a sneaky chance into the top 5. Not preseason but mid season I could see them threatening the top 5.

[Crazygamble]

ohio st , alabama , boise , michigan st and stanford

[Jasonal_98]

Alabama, Oklahoma, Stanford, Ohio State, LSU

[lottoking]

5 Top

Notore Dame!

LSU

Miss. State

Penn State

Texas

[BigdaddyQH]

There are some pretty wild looking Top 5's in here. As of now, I would have to take LSU out of the Top 5 and add Oregon. LSU just does not have enough on offense. So for now, in alphabetical order, I would go: Alabama, Florida State, Oklahoma, Oregon and Stanford.