Top-25 Players in 2005
5. Ted Ginn Jr., you name it, Ohio State
The best defensive back, kick returner, wide receiver, runner, heck, maybe even quarterback on Ohio State will rival Bush as the nation's most versatile and electrifying player.
23. A.J. Hawk, LB Ohio State
... the Buckeye star has another huge season. Virginia's linebacking corps will be solid, Iowa's will be phenomenal, Ohio State's will be next-level good.
Top-25 Non-NC Contenders
13. Michigan 2004 Record: 9-3 Big Ten
So, how is Michigan going to be better this year after losing S Ernest Shazor, CB Marlin Jackson, C David Baas, and of course, WR Braylon Edwards? QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart can’t play any better, can they? This is yet another Rose Bowl contender, but there’s too much work to be done on both sides of the line to be the favorite considering the Big Ten will be far better this season. Even so, the skill players will be the best in the conference and it’s Michigan; it’ll be in the hunt until the end.
Biggest offensive loss: WR Braylon Edwards Biggest defensive loss: S Ernest Shazor
NC Contenders
National Title Contenders
Teams going into 2005 with an honest shot at the national title
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1. USC 2004 Record: 13-0 Pac 10
USC is going to be everyone’s preseason number one yet again led by the 1-2 running back punch of Reggie Bush and LenDale White behind a big-time offensive line. The receiving corps will be flat out frightening with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett each ready for the NFL now. Oh yeah, and the Heisman Trophy winner/number one pick in the draft is back for another year. On the down side, there are huge losses on defense especially at tackle and linebacker.
Biggest offensive loss: G John Drake Biggest defensive loss: DTs Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson
2. Tennessee 2004 Record: 10-3 SEC
The Vols will be back among the elite of the elite as long as the defense can take a little overall step up in production. The offense will be a juggernaut with what many consider to be Tennessee’s most talented receiving corps ever (which is obviously saying a ton for this program). RB Gerald Riggs Jr. and QBs Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer are ready to be big-time college football household names. The defense will lose star linebacker Kevin Burnett, but there’s more than enough talent to come up with a killer D helped by the return of CB Jason Allen.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Cedric Houston Biggest defensive loss: LB Kevin Burnett
3. Iowa 2004 Record: 10-2 Big Ten
Iowa?! Yup. The program has had a little-engine-that-could feel, but this is a powerhouse with 31 wins and three January bowls over the last three years. The defense has to prove it can be just as stingy without Matt Roth and Jonathan Babineaux up front, so All-America caliber linebackers Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge have to be even better. The offense was solid last year despite having the worst rushing attack in America, but there’s no way the plague of running back injuries will hit again. Gutty QB Drew Tate was the Big Ten’s most valuable player, and then he became a legend with the win over LSU. Now he’ll look to finally give Iowa an outright Big Ten title under Ferentz.
Biggest offensive loss: TE Tony Jackson Biggest defensive loss: DE Matt Roth & DT Jonathan Babineaux
4. Ohio State 2004 Record: 8-4
Could the Troy Smith/Maurice Clarett storm actually be weathered? Maybe, but that might not necessarily be a good thing as the Buckeyes played like national title contenders when the adversity struck blowing out Michigan and Oklahoma State to close out 2004. Ted Ginn Jr. and A.J. Hawk lead a team that has the potential to be far better than the 2002 powerhouse as long as the quarterback play is consistent. As good as the defense has been, Tressel Ball only really worked because it could always count on PK Mike Nugent. That safety net is gone so the offense will actually have to score touchdowns on a consistent basis.
Biggest offensive loss: PK Mike Nugent Biggest defensive loss: DE Simon Fraser
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5. Virginia Tech 2004 Record: 10-3 ACC
The Hokies flourished last year with its nobody-respects-us attitude. Can they handle being the hunted? Frank Beamer teams have crashed and burned recently when they were supposed to be great, but the pressure is on anyway with just about everyone of note coming back on both sides of the ball (helped mostly by the return of Jimmy Williams to the secondary). Everyone but ACC Player of the Year Bryan Randall, so Marcus Vick has to put everything in the past and be the player everyone was hoping he’d be before all the trouble.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Bryan Randall Biggest defensive loss: DT Jim Davis
6. Texas 2004 Record: 11-1 Big XII
O.K. Texas, here’s yet another chance to finally push the rock over the top of the mountain. Oklahoma will be a wee bit down (but not all that much) and there are more than enough returning Longhorn starters on both sides of the ball to demand a Big XII title season. All the hype will be around QB Vince Young, but he must work his tail off this off-season to become a better passer with the offense entirely on his shoulders. The offensive line should be Mack Brown’s best yet.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Cedric Benson Biggest defensive loss: LB Derrick Johnson
7. Miami 2004 Record: 9-3 ACC
That’s two years in a row that Miami hasn’t won the national championship. While that’s acceptable, losing a home game for the conference title isn’t and now there’s a nasty attitude around the program. QB Brock Berlin was fine, but he’s not irreplaceable so hotshot Kyle Wright will battle Kirby Freeman for one of college football’s highest profile gigs. The defense loses CB Antrel Rolle but gets everyone else back. The offense can weather the loss of Frank Gore and Roscoe Parrish.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Frank Gore Biggest defensive loss: CB Antrel Rolle
8. LSU 2004 Record: 9-3 SEC
Nick Saban can only dream of having this much talent in Miami. Les Miles will have to worry a bit at cornerback and a pass rusher has to replace Marcus Spears, but the tackle combination of Claude Wroten and Kyle Williams will be a brick wall while the rest of the back seven has speed, speed and more speed. If you count QB JaMarcus Russell as a first-teamer and forget about the injury to center Ben Wilkerson, every offensive starter returns from the 2005 Capital One Bowl. The Tigers might have the fastest receiving corps in college football history.
Biggest offensive loss: C Ben Wilkerson Biggest defensive loss: DE Marcus Spears
9. Florida 2004 Record: 7-5 SEC
Urban Meyer is a fantastic coach of other people’s talent, and he has an amazing team to kick off his era in Gainesville. Ron Zook had his faults, but the dude could recruit and there are more than enough good players on both sides of the ball to shoot for the SEC title if there isn’t the flake factor that plagued the previous regime. QB Chris Leak has been great, but he can be better. The early departures of RB Ciatrick Fason and LB Channing Crowder drops the Gators from the prepreseason top five, but not far. RB DeShawn Wynn is due to be a superstar while Dallas Baker and Andre Caldwell will be a deadly 1-2 receiving punch.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Ciatrick Fason Biggest defensive loss: LB Channing Crowder
10. Oklahoma 2004 Record: 12-1 Big XII
Everyone will spend the next eight months badmouthing Oklahoma after the dismal performance in the Orange Bowl. That’s not fair considering how great this program has been under Bob Stoops as another Big XII title will be more than enough to make 2005 successful. However, this might not be the team to do it losing three stars off the offensive line, Mark Clayton and Brandon Jones from the receiving corps, and QB Jason White. The attack will focus around Adrian Peterson while the D should be fine after a little bit of time. However, the defense still has to prove it can be a killer without Mike Stoops.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Jason White Biggest defensive loss: DE Dan Cody
11. Arizona State 2004 Record: 9-3 Pac 10
There’s talk of this being the best Arizona State team ever with ten starters back on offense from the Sun Bowl winning team led by newfound star QB Sam Keller and All-America caliber WR Derek Hagan. The defense will have a few issues, but it should still be solid especially on the line. Can Dirk Koetter’s program handle the pressure of high expectations? It couldn't do it two years ago and an early game at LSU could take the excitement away. By the way, USC comes to Tempe October 1st.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Andrew Walter Biggest defensive loss: S Riccardo Stewart
5. Ted Ginn Jr., you name it, Ohio State
The best defensive back, kick returner, wide receiver, runner, heck, maybe even quarterback on Ohio State will rival Bush as the nation's most versatile and electrifying player.
23. A.J. Hawk, LB Ohio State
... the Buckeye star has another huge season. Virginia's linebacking corps will be solid, Iowa's will be phenomenal, Ohio State's will be next-level good.
Top-25 Non-NC Contenders
13. Michigan 2004 Record: 9-3 Big Ten
So, how is Michigan going to be better this year after losing S Ernest Shazor, CB Marlin Jackson, C David Baas, and of course, WR Braylon Edwards? QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart can’t play any better, can they? This is yet another Rose Bowl contender, but there’s too much work to be done on both sides of the line to be the favorite considering the Big Ten will be far better this season. Even so, the skill players will be the best in the conference and it’s Michigan; it’ll be in the hunt until the end.
Biggest offensive loss: WR Braylon Edwards Biggest defensive loss: S Ernest Shazor
NC Contenders
National Title Contenders
Teams going into 2005 with an honest shot at the national title
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USC is going to be everyone’s preseason number one yet again led by the 1-2 running back punch of Reggie Bush and LenDale White behind a big-time offensive line. The receiving corps will be flat out frightening with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett each ready for the NFL now. Oh yeah, and the Heisman Trophy winner/number one pick in the draft is back for another year. On the down side, there are huge losses on defense especially at tackle and linebacker.
Biggest offensive loss: G John Drake Biggest defensive loss: DTs Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson
2. Tennessee 2004 Record: 10-3 SEC
The Vols will be back among the elite of the elite as long as the defense can take a little overall step up in production. The offense will be a juggernaut with what many consider to be Tennessee’s most talented receiving corps ever (which is obviously saying a ton for this program). RB Gerald Riggs Jr. and QBs Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer are ready to be big-time college football household names. The defense will lose star linebacker Kevin Burnett, but there’s more than enough talent to come up with a killer D helped by the return of CB Jason Allen.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Cedric Houston Biggest defensive loss: LB Kevin Burnett
3. Iowa 2004 Record: 10-2 Big Ten
Iowa?! Yup. The program has had a little-engine-that-could feel, but this is a powerhouse with 31 wins and three January bowls over the last three years. The defense has to prove it can be just as stingy without Matt Roth and Jonathan Babineaux up front, so All-America caliber linebackers Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge have to be even better. The offense was solid last year despite having the worst rushing attack in America, but there’s no way the plague of running back injuries will hit again. Gutty QB Drew Tate was the Big Ten’s most valuable player, and then he became a legend with the win over LSU. Now he’ll look to finally give Iowa an outright Big Ten title under Ferentz.
Biggest offensive loss: TE Tony Jackson Biggest defensive loss: DE Matt Roth & DT Jonathan Babineaux
4. Ohio State 2004 Record: 8-4
Could the Troy Smith/Maurice Clarett storm actually be weathered? Maybe, but that might not necessarily be a good thing as the Buckeyes played like national title contenders when the adversity struck blowing out Michigan and Oklahoma State to close out 2004. Ted Ginn Jr. and A.J. Hawk lead a team that has the potential to be far better than the 2002 powerhouse as long as the quarterback play is consistent. As good as the defense has been, Tressel Ball only really worked because it could always count on PK Mike Nugent. That safety net is gone so the offense will actually have to score touchdowns on a consistent basis.
Biggest offensive loss: PK Mike Nugent Biggest defensive loss: DE Simon Fraser
var bnum=new Number(Math.floor(99999999 * Math.random())+1); document.write('');
5. Virginia Tech 2004 Record: 10-3 ACC
The Hokies flourished last year with its nobody-respects-us attitude. Can they handle being the hunted? Frank Beamer teams have crashed and burned recently when they were supposed to be great, but the pressure is on anyway with just about everyone of note coming back on both sides of the ball (helped mostly by the return of Jimmy Williams to the secondary). Everyone but ACC Player of the Year Bryan Randall, so Marcus Vick has to put everything in the past and be the player everyone was hoping he’d be before all the trouble.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Bryan Randall Biggest defensive loss: DT Jim Davis
6. Texas 2004 Record: 11-1 Big XII
O.K. Texas, here’s yet another chance to finally push the rock over the top of the mountain. Oklahoma will be a wee bit down (but not all that much) and there are more than enough returning Longhorn starters on both sides of the ball to demand a Big XII title season. All the hype will be around QB Vince Young, but he must work his tail off this off-season to become a better passer with the offense entirely on his shoulders. The offensive line should be Mack Brown’s best yet.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Cedric Benson Biggest defensive loss: LB Derrick Johnson
7. Miami 2004 Record: 9-3 ACC
That’s two years in a row that Miami hasn’t won the national championship. While that’s acceptable, losing a home game for the conference title isn’t and now there’s a nasty attitude around the program. QB Brock Berlin was fine, but he’s not irreplaceable so hotshot Kyle Wright will battle Kirby Freeman for one of college football’s highest profile gigs. The defense loses CB Antrel Rolle but gets everyone else back. The offense can weather the loss of Frank Gore and Roscoe Parrish.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Frank Gore Biggest defensive loss: CB Antrel Rolle
8. LSU 2004 Record: 9-3 SEC
Nick Saban can only dream of having this much talent in Miami. Les Miles will have to worry a bit at cornerback and a pass rusher has to replace Marcus Spears, but the tackle combination of Claude Wroten and Kyle Williams will be a brick wall while the rest of the back seven has speed, speed and more speed. If you count QB JaMarcus Russell as a first-teamer and forget about the injury to center Ben Wilkerson, every offensive starter returns from the 2005 Capital One Bowl. The Tigers might have the fastest receiving corps in college football history.
Biggest offensive loss: C Ben Wilkerson Biggest defensive loss: DE Marcus Spears
9. Florida 2004 Record: 7-5 SEC
Urban Meyer is a fantastic coach of other people’s talent, and he has an amazing team to kick off his era in Gainesville. Ron Zook had his faults, but the dude could recruit and there are more than enough good players on both sides of the ball to shoot for the SEC title if there isn’t the flake factor that plagued the previous regime. QB Chris Leak has been great, but he can be better. The early departures of RB Ciatrick Fason and LB Channing Crowder drops the Gators from the prepreseason top five, but not far. RB DeShawn Wynn is due to be a superstar while Dallas Baker and Andre Caldwell will be a deadly 1-2 receiving punch.
Biggest offensive loss: RB Ciatrick Fason Biggest defensive loss: LB Channing Crowder
10. Oklahoma 2004 Record: 12-1 Big XII
Everyone will spend the next eight months badmouthing Oklahoma after the dismal performance in the Orange Bowl. That’s not fair considering how great this program has been under Bob Stoops as another Big XII title will be more than enough to make 2005 successful. However, this might not be the team to do it losing three stars off the offensive line, Mark Clayton and Brandon Jones from the receiving corps, and QB Jason White. The attack will focus around Adrian Peterson while the D should be fine after a little bit of time. However, the defense still has to prove it can be a killer without Mike Stoops.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Jason White Biggest defensive loss: DE Dan Cody
11. Arizona State 2004 Record: 9-3 Pac 10
There’s talk of this being the best Arizona State team ever with ten starters back on offense from the Sun Bowl winning team led by newfound star QB Sam Keller and All-America caliber WR Derek Hagan. The defense will have a few issues, but it should still be solid especially on the line. Can Dirk Koetter’s program handle the pressure of high expectations? It couldn't do it two years ago and an early game at LSU could take the excitement away. By the way, USC comes to Tempe October 1st.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Andrew Walter Biggest defensive loss: S Riccardo Stewart
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