Top 25 for 2010: Tech fans won’t like this; UGA fans might
The Crimson Tide will be high again in 2010, but dynastic? (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Some folks crank out a preseason Top 25 during the fourth quarter of the BCS title game. I didn’t, for two reasons: First, I was still too astonished by Mack Brown’s shovel-pass-before-the-half to have a coherent thought; second, I wanted to wait and see which juniors were leaving. The shovel pass rankles still, but we now have clarity regarding the NFL early entrants. And here we go:
1. Alabama: Sports Illustrated just proclaimed the Tide a dynasty, which is cart-before-the-horse stuff. Wasn’t it this time a year ago that we were saying Florida was unbeatable?
2. Iowa: Football, as with all things in life, is cyclical. And we saw in the bowl season that teams from the slow and boring Big Ten looked neither slow nor boring.
3. Oregon: Football is cyclical. (Am I repeating myself?) There’s room at the top of the Pac-10, and coming off one Rose Bowl the fleet Ducks — is that an oxymoron? — are poised to go back.
4. Ohio State: Here we have a second Big Ten team before we come to our second SEC representative. I’m not trying to be a heretic. I just think Terrelle Pryor is really good.
5. Boise State: The Broncos leave their blue turf to play Virginia Tech in Washington, D.C., next season. I’m sorry, but I don’t see them winning that game.
6. Florida: Lost Tim Tebow. Lost three big-time defenders. Might lose the head coach. Probably won’t lose more than one regular-season game, though. Cupboard’s not entirely bare.
7. Texas: I keep hearing that Garrett Gilbert showed signs in the BCS title game of being a top-flight quarterback. I thought he showed signs of being not nearly as good as Colt McCoy.
8. Virginia Tech: If you’re looking for the nation’s most consistently overrated team, look first to Blacksburg. But I see the Hokies winning the ACC in 2010, which I guess makes me complicit.
9. Nebraska: Scan these ratings and you won’t find LSU. How long before the Tigers make a hard run at Bo Pelini, who has done nice work in Lincoln, to replace Les Miles? Not long, I think.
10. TCU: Interesting, is it not? With all the coach-swapping we’ve just seen, two guys still in place are the two who coached the Fiesta Bowl — TCU’s Gary Patterson and Boise’s Chris Petersen.
11. Wisconsin: Earlier I noted that the Big Ten isn’t all that ponderous anymore. It is, however, still powerful. Check out this offensive line if you’re a fan of road-grading.
12. North Carolina: It hasn’t yet happened for Butch Davis in Chapel Hill, but it’s getting closer. Last season he had the D. Next season he upgrades the O and finishes ahead of the reigning ACC titlist.
Iowa will be better in 2010. Tech will not. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
13. Arkansas: Want a heartwarming story? Bobby Petrino upsets Alabama on Sept. 25, striking a blow for good guys everywhere. Yes, I’m kidding. About the story and the upset.
14. Pittsburgh: Dave Wannstedt wasn’t much of an NFL head coach, but he has built Pitt into something special. With Brian Kelly no longer at Cincinnati, here’s your Big East beast.
15. Georgia Tech: No, I’m not bailing out on Paul Johnson and his stylized offense. I just don’t think you can lose four of your five best players a year early and expect to be as good.
16. Penn State: Another Big Ten team! This one coached by a guy who fought in the Civil War! (I exaggerate, slightly.) Is the globe spinning backward on its axis? Is global warming real?
17. Oklahoma: We went almost a decade without being able to compile a preseason ranking that didn’t feature Big Game Bob Stoops in the top five. Time’s up on BGBS, I’m afraid.
18. Florida State: Two ways this can go in Year 1 after Saint Bobby — either the ‘Noles fall apart or they reclaim some sense of discipline. I’m taking Door No. 2.
19. South Carolina: This marks the 97th consecutive offseason Gamecock fans are getting geeked up for their big breakthrough. The 97th time just might be the charm, though.
20. Utah: The second-best team in the Mountain West (behind TCU) just might have the best coach (Kyle Whittingham). Tennessee just tried to hire him. He didn’t bite.
21. Georgia: Ten offensive starters return, but the exception is the quarterback. The defense gains Todd Grantham but loses six starters. You might say it’s a good-news-bad-news thing.
22. Navy: I’m not suggesting that losing Paul Johnson was a boost, but it didn’t exactly derail the Middies. They’re 18-9 in two post-PJ seasons. And they still run the ball.
23. Miami: Yes, there are four teams from the ACC Coastal on this list, another reason I don’t see Georgia Tech repeating. Although Tech should beat Miami this time.
24. Oregon State: The second-best team in the Pac-10 should be the Beavers, though it could be Stanford or Cal. It won’t be Southern Cal, though. You know why.
25. Houston: The Cougars have this quarterback. He has passed for 10,691 yards the past two seasons. His name is not Andre Ware. His name is Case Keenum. Pretty good name.
The Georgia defense in 2010: Not as many players but better-coached? (AP photo)
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539 comments Add your comment
THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT !!!!!!!!!!
January 21st, 2010
4:43 pm
MB, The photo caption on the AJC.com’s sports front page: ‘college football talk never ends’, I believe this to be the main reason why we DO NOT NEED A PLAYOFF. The Final Four finishes up every year, by late April or early May, no one is talking about it anymore, there is a cut and dried winner, no arguments. We talk college football all year long because someone always feels as if there team was slighted, this year it was TCU, Cincinnatti, and Boise St. Last year it was Utah, etc..this keeps major college football on our minds and in our conversation all year round. To me, this is what makes D1 football so great, we never stop talking about it because it’s never really settled. Crazy? Maybe, but the caption spells it out…we talk college football all year round, no other sport can say that.
Blackberry Cobbler
January 21st, 2010
4:44 pm
UGA returns 10 of 11 starters on offense — all except Joe Cox. In my book, that’s addition by substraction. Cox single-handedly lost the UK game and at least 1 more. The running game should be better to take some of the pressure off a new QB.
Yes, the defense will lose 6 starters, but with a couple of exceptions, it wasn’t a stellar group anyway. I think Grantham coaches the D up and I don’t a drop-off at all. Again, I think it’s addition (Grantham) by subtraction (soft Willie).
Bernie
January 21st, 2010
4:44 pm
It is still reloading!
GaGator
January 21st, 2010
4:45 pm
Mark,
I assure you Dan Mullin can out coach Bobo, actually he could give him
the 8 and the break. State’s defense should be improved from last year and if you recall
the Gators were fortunate to win last year. A night game in Starkville and the noise from those cow bells could very easily rattle a young team with a young QB.
Also they will be playing after two tough games with South Carolina and Arkansas.
Don’t bet too much, you might not like it.
bone
January 21st, 2010
4:47 pm
Todd Grantham was on 680 the fan this morning. i was really impressed with what he had to say. UGA defense is in good hands.
http://dawgsvsjackets.blogspot.com/
Marty
January 21st, 2010
4:48 pm
Why rank the insects at all? There offense has been exposed. It is a high school offense at best. All of their 2010 opponents have to do is look at the film of this years 30-24 loss and there is your game plan!
GaGator
January 21st, 2010
4:49 pm
I assure you Dan Mullin can out coach Bobo, actually he could give him
the 8 and the break. State’s defense should be improved from last year and if you recall
the Gators were fortunate to win last year. A night game in Starkville and the noise from those cow bells could very easily rattle a young team with a young QB.
Also they will be playing after two tough games with South Carolina and Arkansas.
Don’t bet too much, you might not like it.
chazzo
January 21st, 2010
4:49 pm
Polls are worthless.
mtraininjax
January 21st, 2010
4:51 pm
Mark,
VT and UNC ahead of Tech? Surely Tech’s Cupboard is not bare either. For that I find you crazy, then to not have USC in the top 25, I find you needing a long vacation somewhere. Maybe ESPN needs a good sideline reporter…
Whopper Dawg
January 21st, 2010
4:53 pm
Talk about an overrated football coach – how about Petrino, his success at Louisville in at that time a woeful Big East conference is way overrated. Arky number 13, come on.
Tech will do worse, Dawgs will do better. Dawgs defense will be the most improved unit in the nation.
jeff
January 21st, 2010
4:53 pm
no usc or tennessee, i wonder who gets back to the top 10 first?
JCubby
January 21st, 2010
4:55 pm
FIRST!!
Clay
January 21st, 2010
5:01 pm
5 ACC teams? Mark is still drinking the Kool Aid!
I agree it’s too early to talk Alabama dynasty–aren’t we only 2 years out from them losing to Louisiana-Monroe?
Todd Blacklege
January 21st, 2010
5:02 pm
Boy, the Techies have a serious man crush on that old dude they hired Al Groh.
Mike
January 21st, 2010
5:09 pm
I love all the Dawg fans being upset about Tech being rated higher than their beloved Dawgs. You talk about drinking the Kool-Aid… you folks never change. Mark called it the way he sees it, and it’s not a lot different by other pundits. I suppose being a Dawg makes it impossible to see what others see. That’s ok because what people project has nothing to do with what is played on the field in November. I can’t wait, regardless of the outcome. Go Jackets.
ugaaccountant
January 21st, 2010
5:09 pm
Toughest UGA games this year:
1. Florida
2. Auburn – I’m buying their hype, plus we’ve beat em so much recently they have to feel a need for revenge
3. Arkansas – sort of buy the hype
4. Tech – lost alot of talent this year
5. SC – not buying the hype
6. Tenn – some good players, good young coach. More of a watch out for 2011 team though.
I see 10-2 and would love for an upset of Florida to be in the cards this year. If we beat FL and lose to say Auburn and Ark, I figure we’re in the SEC title game in head to head tiebreaker.
ugaaccountant
January 21st, 2010
5:10 pm
Mike – Not upset about tech’s ranking in the slightest. Doesn’t affect UGA at all that they are 6 spots ahead in a meaningless poll in January. January!
Mike
January 21st, 2010
5:12 pm
…and yes, I know what happened last November, so please don’t waste your time reminding me. My point was that prognostications about the future as well as the history of the past have very little to do with what will actually happen. So, last year’s score is just as irrelevant this year as any projection is. Just thought I would add that before someone decides I didn’t consider it in my post. Go Jackets!
Boca Baby
January 21st, 2010
5:13 pm
South Carolina at #19? It would appear that hope springs eternal in more than one place other than Columbia. The other place is in Bradley’s mind. This is a team that has cumulatively lost nine of its last ten games over the two previous seasons. What could possibly be the basis for your enthusiasm? Potential? They show a lot of potential while losing eh?
Mike
January 21st, 2010
5:14 pm
ugaaccountant – agree with your post and your projections for UGA, except I’m projecting a very respectable 9-3 (Florida, Auburn, and Tech) as losses. Hey, I’m a Yellow Jacket so I’m hoping on the last one!
Josh "can pass" Nesbitt
January 21st, 2010
5:15 pm
People keep forgetting that Nesbitt was a drop back passing type of QB back at Greene County High school. The CPJ option offense made him “almost” one-dimensiona. However if he can rediscover his passing skills and mix things up a bit, GT will have another great year, especially with better defense..
At lease a 10 win 2010 season. The 10+ wins include a butt kicking of the dawgs in Athens.
Diggity Dawg
January 21st, 2010
5:17 pm
“This marks the 97th consecutive offseason Gamecock fans are getting geeked up for their big breakthrough.”
It was kind of cute for the first 90 seaons; it’s become a bit worn the last seven.
Mike
January 21st, 2010
5:18 pm
I think next year is the best year in a long time for Georgia to win in Jacksonville. Here’s one Jacket that’s hoping you do.
BuzztheKiller
January 21st, 2010
5:20 pm
So Tech and UGA finish third in their divisions? You are half right.
ToccoaDawg
January 21st, 2010
5:20 pm
Hey Mark, Where’s Kentucky? Surely they are better than Georgia.
Mike
January 21st, 2010
5:21 pm
Josh “can pass” Nesbitt – I hope you’re right, but I just have not seen any consistency from game to game. Even if he improves some I honestly don’t think he will be passing the ball enough in the TO offense to really hone his skills to become a consistent threat. And, that’s too bad because a passing threat will be essential for Tech to repeat some of the achievements reached last year IMHO.
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:23 pm
I’m betting that georgia is not ranked at the end of the 2010 season either. Totally new D to learn, 3 Freshmen QB’s alternating. But that’s just me talking.
STUNG-IN-SANFORD-AND-SENT-TO-SHREVEPORT-SUCKERS
LOL
January 21st, 2010
5:23 pm
Alabama Jack is an expert on balls……they spend a lot of time slapping his chin!
LOL
January 21st, 2010
5:24 pm
30-24 Yellow Fuzz, so glad it is still hurting you so bad!
BUMMER
January 21st, 2010
5:25 pm
Mark, your column lost its validity with North Carolina at 12. Are you kidding me??? The Tar Heels play as a roller coaster rolls. Up and down!!!
TampaGator
January 21st, 2010
5:28 pm
hey…RIVAL FANS ARE IDIOTS….big difference between the 2007 team that was made up mostly of freshman and sophs with no playing experience vs. a team with mostly players with 2 and 3 years of playing experience, which most players on the 2010 Gator team will have. You would have to be an idiot not to be able to see the difference, dude or dudette………duh!!! Most of the players I listed in my previous post are sophs, jrs, and Srs. Most of the starters on the 2007 team were fresh. and sophs….big difference. Plus, Brantley has three years working in the system at QB (one redshirt) and plenty of game experience in which he excelled. None of the Georgia QBs will have quality game time experience. I don’t care how good Murray is, he will struggle as a freshman QB. Your best bet is if Logan improves enough to beat Murray out because he does have time in the system and game experience. Murray will need one more year to prep and to get some time on the field next year before he can possibly make you annual dream come true of beating the Gators.
il5
January 21st, 2010
5:29 pm
Georgia will be favored to win every game except Florida and maybe Auburn, it’s a MUCH better schedule for Georgia in 2010. If Georgia playsd well in those 2 games, look out.
Technophobia
January 21st, 2010
5:30 pm
I don’t have a problem with being ranked 15 to start. We have some questions to answer, mainly the early departures. Groh should be able to get a better overall performance out of the D and the new kicker will give him 15-20 more yards to work with after every kickoff. Don’t think a kicker can make a difference? Think Kevin Butler.
Technophobia
January 21st, 2010
5:30 pm
North Carolina has had good players for years. Their problem is that they are consistently inconsistent.
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:34 pm
Hey dogs, you may very well have played in the LAST SHREVEPORT BOWL
28.12.09
Enjoy Independence Bowl; sustainability questionable
Today the 2009 edition of the Independence Bowl occurs, in what might the end of the golden era of Shreveport’s Independence Bowl and an eventual slide into oblivion.
At least it has a title sponsor which may allow it to last longer than the dubious previous one which defaulted on its commitment. Essentially going a couple of years without a sponsor and then with one that quickly stopped paying its money forced the entity that runs it, the Independence Bowl Foundation, to dip into reserves and led Shreveport to make a controversial and secret gift/loan to the organization to keep the game afloat.
But the problem is these follies did not go unnoticed by college football. This game will be the last matchup between teams from the premier power conferences in the land, the Big 12 and Southeastern Conferences. This decade, they have produced six of the nine mythical national champions and every year but one put one of their teams in the national championship game, They are so powerful that they have agreements with various bowls to place as many as eight teams (of 12 each) in bowl games (a team must have six wins against the top division’s opponents in order to qualify). Better still for the bowl game, geographically the Big 12 was the closest conference to it and the SEC had a natural affiliation with the area courtesy of LSU’s membership in the conference and also many fairly geographically proximate teams.
However, because of the game’s lack of prominence it was essentially last in the pecking order for both conferences, meaning some years enough teams would not qualify from either or both conferences and teams from other, less (and sometimes far less) prominence would end up playing in the game. That status has slid further, no doubt triggered by these monetary difficulties, with affiliations changing and beginning next year automatic bids will go to the third place finisher in the Mountain West Conference and seventh place finisher in the Atlantic Coast Conference, presumed to be the seventh and sixth best conferences, respectively. Regrettably, the ACC sometimes has trouble qualifying teams and the MWC is not very deep.
Making matters worse, the closest institution to Shreveport from them is Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth a couple of hundred miles away. After that, the next is over 500 miles distant and some as many as over 1300 miles away (by contrast, 14 Big12 and SEC schools are within 500 miles of Shreveport and the furthest is less than 750). Finally, the average school size and fan base of these 20 teams is smaller than the present 24.
All of this means the game in the future probably will draw fewer people from outside the area – this tourism impact being the main reason the city continues to subsidize the game (to the tune of $90,000 proposed in 2010; the state has ceased its direct subsidy of all bowl games) even in this era of forced budget austerity. Less attractive contests also likely will draw fewer local people to the game as well.
Therefore, even as it is the tenth-oldest game around, its struggles will intensify. As the second-smallest metropolitan area that hosts a game (and perhaps with the worst weather typically) with its local, indigenous corporations being bought up by larger, distant conglomerates, sponsorship dollars will get scarcer. More than ever, its sustainability is in question.
Which means the time may well come when the Foundation looks for extensive taxpayer dollars to stay afloat. This must be resisted as the coming dynamics are such that it is unlikely to bring in more monetary benefits to repay tax coffers than would go out. It’s a great jewel for the city and state, but perhaps beyond its means.
An Established Running Game?...
January 21st, 2010
5:35 pm
for UGA? Against whom? Texas A&M and GT?
I will say this.. If UGA can consistently run against South Carolina, UT, Florida and teams with a good defense, especially on short yardage, I will say that UGA has a running game.
If you don’t have a passing game, you will have 9 in the box and no running game. We’ll see… I have a question. With all the money a resources and support from the legislature and governors office, why is UGA behind GT in athletics? A small school that basically draws from one city in Georgia and out of state that has half the budget and students(GT), owns every sport in Georgia that matters (FB, BB and Baseball)why is that? Oranges taste better than weeds!I can tell you why.. With attitude of many administrators at UGA, the name ought to be changed to the University of Jethro! Gaaaaaarlee! Go dawgs/dubya! If you ain’t with us you are an anti-American atheist!
As far Mr. Scott Brown of Mass.. Obama needs to take the gloves off and bust some redneck teeth out. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. Class and dignity and truth has long been gone from the American political landscape.. See the Republican party.
I would put on steel knuckles and admire the blood.
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:36 pm
il5
January 21st, 2010
5:29 pm
Georgia will be favored to win every game except Florida and maybe Auburn, it’s a MUCH better schedule for Georgia in 2010. If Georgia playsd well in those 2 games, look out.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I BET GEORGIA DOESN’T SCORE A TD IN THEIR FIRST TWO GAMES. Unless it’s late in the 4th qtr
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:38 pm
An Established Running Game?
georgia?
uga?
ROFLMAO
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:40 pm
LOL
January 21st, 2010
5:24 pm
30-24 Yellow Fuzz, so glad it is still hurting you so bad!
NOT AS BAD AS 45-42 HURT YOU.
((((( 45-42 ))))) Hahahahahahaha
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:42 pm
HEY GEORGIA. LET ME KNOW THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE RANKED 13TH NATIONALLY AND PLAYED IN A BCS BOWL.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
todd grantham
January 21st, 2010
5:42 pm
Mark, just to let you know, the willie martinez moniker has been officially retired. his record was many firsts, hundreds of limericks,pithy comments and the occasional contribution to serious dialogue.
fortunately, willie did leave me with this last limerick
comes willie to now step aside
his renown was beginning to slide
he gave his best work
but some thought him a quirk
of a great, evolutionary tide
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:43 pm
S
H
R
E
V
E
P
O
R
T
Don't forget
January 21st, 2010
5:44 pm
Football GT 13th UGAY UNR
Basketball GT 19th UGAY UNR
Wuerffel
January 21st, 2010
5:44 pm
“I think many on here do not realize how good Aaron Murray is. You will find out soon enough.”
How do you know this? Maybe you saw him in high school(almost two years ago come September), maybe you have seen him at G-Day or practice, but this kid has never played against SEC Talent in a game trying to sack him, disrupt him, and interecept average passes. It is a good thing there is no Okie State opener this year because this kid and the other QBs are in for a shock.
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:46 pm
F
O
R
T
Y
F
I
V
E
t
o
f
o
r
t
y
t
w
o
butch
January 21st, 2010
5:46 pm
LOVE THE PICTURE
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:47 pm
I’d rather have a high school offense than a high schooler running mine
Two in a row?
January 21st, 2010
5:49 pm
When are the Dawgs going to beat the Gators two years in a row? Last time was the 1988 and 1989 seasons, before Murray and Mettenberger were born. Shocking!
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:49 pm
I would bet money that georgia leads the SEC in interceptions next year.
Yellow Fuzz
January 21st, 2010
5:50 pm
It should be another banner year for Butler!