The Mission Top Ten

As regular interlopers of "the mission" know, I post a weekly NCAA Top Ten during the college football season. Our thanks to Shadow Sports for their generosity in providing our rankings. For their complete rankings and comments, check "em out over at The Sporting News Blogosphere. 1. USC - There's just so much talent coming back. I don't think they are going to win it all, but they seem like the best team right now. 2. LSU - The same as USC. So much talent and no other outstanding early contenders. They have a better chance in the end than USC. 3. Louisville - I don't know why they aren't ranked higher in the polls I have seen. They are still loaded and the coaching change isn't going to be that big of a deal. Brohm is still there and there are no huge landmines early. 4. Michigan - While they will return to pre-2006 form and lose an early game they shouldn't, the offense is going to be as good as any in the country. Too bad the defense stinks this year. 5. Oklahoma - As long as the quarterback is not a complete idiot, Oklahoma has a shot as an undefeated season. Everything else is loaded. 6. Wisconsin - I really have no idea how accurate this is. The Badgers played nobody last year and won't play and strong teams until October this year. 7. Virginia Tech - They have tons of talent, but there is no telling how the shooting tragedy will affect them. A win over LSU week 2 could launch a national title run. 8. Florida - The Gators are going to have loads of problems. They are only here because it's tough to rank the defending champions too low until they start losing, which could happen as early as the Tennessee game in week 3. 9. UCLA - 20 starters and loads of experience could make UCLA this year's Arkansas, except the preseason polls have picked up on this. An 11-0 start is possible if they get good quarterback play. 10. Tennessee - The Vols are finally going to be Tennessee again after some down time. The road game at Cal to start the year is worrisome, as is the Florida game, but this team feels a lot like the 2003 team that beat Miami on the road and was better than its 10-3 record would indicate. (you know the local rules. take whatever you want, but give us credit, got it?) technorati tags: NCAA Top Ten, College Football, Sporting News