2008 Preseason and Regular season Polls

[ArmyVet83]

1. Oklahoma - Solid young team this year and a year older makes them the odds on favorites to win it all. Sam Bradford will be a Heisman canidate. Don't know their schedule and that could change their position with Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma St and Texas.
Loses 18 Seniors (ESPN Roster). Pending Early entires - 3.

2. Georgia - Alot of key components coming back on both sides of the ball especially Stafford, Moreno and heralded freshman, Caleb King. Has a tough game at Arizona State.
Loses 23 seniors. No early entries

3. USC - Constantly reloads. Sanchez at QB may not be as far a drop off from Booty as alot expect. Fortunately, we get them early in the season. Loses 24 seniors. No Pending Early entires.

4. Florida - Tim Tebow coming back and alot of key components. Loses only 13 seniors and two early entries. Too much talent not to be in the Top 5.

5. OSU - With Beanie coming back and Todd Boeckman with a year under his belt the sky is the limit for this team. Only 12 departing seniors (6 or 7 scholarship players) BUT could lose VG, JL, MJ, AB, MF too. The USC game makes or breaks the season.

[osugirl2012]

A very reliable source told me JL isn't leaving. His dad insists that he stay and get his degree. At least that's what Teddy Ginn said.

[BengalsAndBucks]

I don't think that USC should be in the top 5. Considering how many impact starters they are losing, I would slot them in at #6. Its incredible to me that USC can lose 10 starters, including their quarterback and 2 best defensive players, and still get this much love.

[Brutus1]

Originally Posted by BengalsAndBucks

I don't think that USC should be in the top 5. Considering how many impact starters they are losing, I would slot them in at #6. Its incredible to me that USC can lose 10 starters, including their quarterback and 2 best defensive players, and still get this much love.

....because their recruiting classes are amazing. I think their qb (Sanchez) will be question, but replacing the stud lb's is as easy as bringing a stud HS AA off the bench.

[billmac91]

start us at #2 or #3 and drop us spot for each junior that leaves for the NFL.

They all come back, and we're right up there.

[bkochmc]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

We've been to two straight title games and had only 2 senior starters this season. Even with some early departures we are loaded and there's no way we aren't in the top five.

I could see some "experts" place tOSU just outside the top 5 (like 6-7) because of the two straight title losses but in a position to move them up if they beat USC. There will definitely be a "prove it" stream of thought coming from much of the media (and rightfully so).

[3074326]

Originally Posted by BengalsAndBucks

I don't think that USC should be in the top 5. Considering how many impact starters they are losing, I would slot them in at #6. Its incredible to me that USC can lose 10 starters, including their quarterback and 2 best defensive players, and still get this much love.

They're like pretty much every other team in the top 10 every year. They bring in great recruits each year. This was one of their disappointing seasons and they slaughtered their Rose Bowl opponent.

[osugirl2012]

Who are we at risk of losing?

The names that I can think of are...
James Laurinaitis
Marcus Freeman
Vernon Gholston
Malcom Jenkins
Brian Hartline
Brian Robiskie

Any one I'm forgetting?



By the way, for all of those worried about James Laurinaitis leaving, I have already said that an inside source told me his dad wants him to stay to get his degree, but then I also read this a while ago... "I'm just finding out what the NFL's going to say about where I stand," he said. "I'm definitely confident coming back with this team. I love Ohio State, I love it here and I'm having a good time." Sounds convincing to me?

[BuckeyeMike80]

File this under jealousy.....

And considering his school can't beat Oklahoma if they had Big East officiating on their side, well it's fun to be hated

Buckeyes and BCS title game: Third time's a harm


NEW ORLEANS -- With the 2007 football season complete, here's the game plan for 2008:

Jim Tressel's Ohio State team has lost back-to-back games for the BCS national championship.

We need border patrols along Interstate 10, from Jacksonville to Pensacola. A Coast Guard blockade at Biscayne Bay. And the FAA should redirect all inbound flights to South Florida from Ohio.

If you see a silver helmet and a sweater vest coming, contact authorities.
Because next year's BCS National Championship Game will be played in Miami, and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren't invited. Especially if the Southeastern Conference champion is invited.

If you've ever seen lions maul a water buffalo, you've seen the last two title games. You've seen a fierce pair of SEC teams -- Florida last year, LSU this year -- blow the vulnerable Buckeyes back to the Bratwurst Belt by a combined 41 points. You've seen the best of one league flex, and the best of an inferior league collapse.

Nobody wants to see it a third time. Give Ohio State credit for consistently being very good -- but until Jim Tressel's team proves it can step up to the highest level of competition and actually stay on the field with an SEC opponent, stay away.

When the program's bowl record is 0-9 against the SEC, the evidence is overwhelming.

Buckeyes fans are fond of breaking into impromptu group spelling bees, shouting out "O-H-I-O." When an SEC team shows up on the other sideline it should be "O-H-N-O."

They're also fond of calling their school The Ohio State University. It might also now be called The Overmatched State University of the BCS.

ESPN - Buckeyes and BCS title game: Third time's a harm - Columnist

[NP_Buckeye]

Oh I get it...

So yes it looks bad to lose two straight...I feel as bad as anybody..

So I guess the lesson here is we should have lost another in conference game so we would have played in the chik-fil-a or cotton bowl, then we could have smoked clemson or arkansas and then every one would say how great we were.

Hopefully OSU beats USC the next two years then everyone can make excuses

[Jaxbuck]

OSU and USC are pretty much guaranteed a pre season top 5 if for no other reason than their September matchup. See Texas vs OSU '05/'06. Early season matchups of top 5 teams are good for ratings or so I hear.

I wouldn't be suprised if USC is #1 just for this.

[Cicero]

I hate to burst ESPN's bubble but if we beat USC and handle our conference we make a third straight trip.

[osugirl2012]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeMike80

File this under jealousy.....

And considering his school can't beat Oklahoma if they had Big East officiating on their side, well it's fun to be hated



ESPN - Buckeyes and BCS title game: Third time's a harm - Columnist

I just can NOT stand Pat Forde. He said nothing worth saying in that entire article.

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Well, I think we can all agree that Oklahoma has never recovered in the eyes of the media for going 1-2 in Championship games. And 0-2 in a row. I mean, SC blew em out 55-19. That's almost as bad as 41-14. Almost.

FLorida State too... they went 1-2 from 98 - 2000 and by 2001 everyone knew they were a fraud. Preseason Top 10 ranking in 01 surely attests.

it's only fair.

[DaddyBigBucks]

There was a preseason rankings thread that got merged elsewhere. I have moved those posts here, so it may look a little disjointed with two different conversations having been merged.