Throughout the season, in addition to our College Football columns, insights, and Heisman Watch, we'll give you the YCS (Yoder Championship Series) Standings. Unlike those in the Media, the Coaches, or the Harris poll (whatever that is), we tell it to you like it is. We'll give you our Top 10 Week to Week. The list will always be dramatically subject to change, and give you the best analysis on who exactly the top 10 teams in the country really are from their on the field performance, not their preseason rankings and media hype. Is it somewhat hypocritical then to have a preseason ranking ourselves? Umm... forget that last sentence. Without further adieu...
1. Florida - I don't know about all of the "best team ever" garbage that we have to put up with every 5 years, but this Florida bunch might be scary good. Superman himself leads the charge again, but how will he cope with losing the versatile Percy Harvin? Their D will be dominant. Their coach is a genius. Their QB is a saint. They're the defending champs. Yea, they are deserving of that #1 ranking.
2. Texas - If anyone can stop Florida though, it's Texas and Colt McCoy. Y2 mentioned Colt's insane numbers last year and he gets most of his weapons back. He really is the "Real McCoy", aha, aha... ok I apologize for that. The only issue for the Longhorns this season might be finding a more consistent running game to keep McCoy from having to use his feet so much and stay off the training table. Vondrell McGee (right) won the race to be the top RB, so the load is on his shoulders to help McCoy and the Texas O.
3. Oklahoma - What can you say about how good of a passer Sam Bradford is? He's certainly a better pro prospect than the other top QB's, but his Sooners lost just a little bit more than Texas did, so they sit at #3 in the initial YCS standings. They have a tricky opener against BYU at Jerry Jones Palace, but it shouldn't be a huge upset threat. Let's face it, the fate of these two teams will come down to the Red River Shootout later this fall.
4. Alabama - The loss of a top tackle, your QB, and coming off an embarrassing BCS defeat to Utah usually means that team is going to slip off next year's radar. Not so with the Crimson Tide. They get a break this year being in the SEC West and not having to play Florida, but they get a huge non-conference test against Va Tech at the Georgia Dome. The Tide will be favored, but they will need a win to kickstart a national title campaign.
5. USC - I'm sorry, but count me out of the people praising Pete Carroll for starting a freshman QB in Matt Barkley. I threw up in my mouth listening to USC hack Colin Cowherd explain away the move as brilliant because it gives Pete Carroll (left) an excuse if he loses to Ohio State. That's exactly what I would want my team to think, I'm doing this move to take the heat off of me... when we lose. That's not the Trojan way, and I'll be the happiest blogger in the world if they get smacked around by the Bucks in Columbus. And I'll do cartwheels and handstands when I hear all of the SC apologists in Bristol and elsewhere explain away the loss...
6. Oklahoma State - The RSS pick for sleeper team of the year... well, they aren't really a sleeper, maybe a sleepwalker of the year. Anyways, they will turn heads with their dynamic offense. Heisman darkhorse Dez Bryant, Zac Robinson, and Kendall Walker form perhaps the best triplets in College Football. They might score 50 points a game right up there with Texas and Oklahoma. If their D can just tread water, they could run the table till their Halloween matchup with Texas. But, of course, they have to take care of Georgia first on Saturday. This is a real man's team, led by a real man for a coach! (Possible soundbyte plug...)
7. Ohio State - Ah, yes, everyone's favorite punching bag. Honestly, where did all the hatred for OSU come from? They aren't the first team to lose BCS games repeatedly (paging Stoops, Bob), and yet they are now national villians... for losing? Aren't people supposed to cheer for the underdog? Anyways, don't expect Ohio State to contend for a title this year, because of constant media backlash against the Bucks and the Big Ten, and because Terrelle Pryor (right) is only a sophomore. Then again, if they do get past USC, there could be a 2002 quality about this bunch in having to replace a ton of people and fight as underdogs to get wins. Stranger things have happened, right?
8. Georgia Tech - Finally, the option has come back to major college football! Sure, the armed forces can run it all they want, but Paul Johnson at GT has some big-time athletes to run his option attack. They should run away with the ACC pretty easily, and they'll be favorites in every game including home matchups with Va Tech and Georgia. Jonathan Dwyer might even have a chance at 2,000 yards this season. Watch this space for the Ramblin' Wreck.
9. Ole Miss - The Right Reverend Houston Nutt (probably the only Rece Davis nickname I actually enjoy... isn't it time to breakup the vaunted trio of Davis, May, and Holtz... I mean, I love Lou's pep talks and everything, but Notre Dame for the National Title?? What is he smoking at his old age? Whatever it is can't be good for senior citizens. And Mark May, what a ....) oh, sorry, got a little off track there. Anyways, Jevan Snead will star for an Ole Miss team that shocked Florida last year and played the big boys of the SEC tough. Their non-conference schedule is perhaps the easiest in the Top 10, but home games with LSU and Bama will decide their fate.
(Another btw, when is anyone ever going to get on Florida for their non-conference sked which includes Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU, and a dying Florida State program. All folks tired of the SEC better be ready with that burning sulphur to pour into your ears this season, especially with ESPN's new contract with the conference to kiss it's collective backside even more... I think I'd rather be pummeled by both Klitschko brothers. Oh, and isn't that a cute logo up above, it makes me want to jump off of my roof into a pool of hot, burning lava.)
10. Penn State - QB Darryl Clark is about the only bright star left for the Nittany Lion program which lost a ton of attacking weapons this offseason. However, don't lose the faith in Joe Pa here. They get OSU at home this season and a weak schedule means they could pile up the wins while the team gels together. A solid D and running game led by Evan Royster could be enough to be a Top 10 mainstay.
Just Missing Out: LSU, Va Tech, Oregon, Boise
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