College Football Preview: National Outlook

Now that all of the conferences have been explained inside and out, it's time for me to give you my lookahead to what will happen on the national scene. Figuring out the nationwide puzzle is much different than solving the conference puzzle, because so many more pieces are involved and all of them are somewhat dependent on the others. USC can't lose a game and go to the BCS Title game if both Florida and Texas are undefeated, for example. Everything that follows is stuff that's come to me over the past couple weeks that I feel is pertinent enough to include in the national outlook. As always, feel free to disagree (even though I'm right).

Predicted FINAL Top 25:
1.) Florida
2.) Oklahoma
3.) Texas
4.) USC
5.) Ohio State
6.) Ole Miss
7.) Oklahoma State
8.) Alabama
9.) Penn State
10.) Georgia Tech
11.) Georgia
12.) Florida State
13.) LSU
14.) Oregon
15.) Virginia Tech
16.) Boise State
17.) California
18.) Michigan State
19.) Notre Dame
20.) BYU
21.) Cincinnati
22.) TCU
23.) Kansas
24.) North Carolina
25.) Oregon State

Heisman Trophy:
1.) Tim Tebow, Florida
2.) Colt McCoy, Texas
3.) Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
4.) Jahvid Best, California
5.) Jevan Snead, Ole Miss

Rising Stars:
1.) Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
2.) LeGarrette Blount, Oregon
3.) Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
4.) Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
5.) Ryan Mallett, Arkansas

Impact Freshmen:
1.) Matt Barkley, USC
2.) Bryce Brown, Tennessee
3.) Rueben Randle, LSU
4.) Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
5.) Trent Richardson, Alabama

Best New Coaches:
1.) Doug Marrone, Syracuse
2.) Chip Kelly, Oregon
3.) Lane Kiffin, Tennessee

Worst New Coaches:
1.) Bill Snyder, Kansas State
2.) Frank Spaziani, Boston College
3.) Mike Haywood, Miami (OH)

Best Coaches:
1.) Urban Meyer, Florida
2.) Pete Carroll, USC
3.) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

Worst Coaches:
1.) Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh
2.) Mike Sherman, Texas A&M
3.) Bill Lynch, Indiana

Most Important Games:
1.) Oklahoma vs. Texas, October 17th
2.) Alabama at Ole Miss, October 10th
3.) USC at Oregon, October 31st
4.) Texas at Oklahoma State, October 31st
5.) Ohio State at Penn State, November 7th

Coolest Jerseys:
1.) Oregon Ducks
2.) Florida State Seminoles
3.) Texas Longhorns
4.) UCLA Bruins
5.) Iowa Hawkeyes

Best Stadium Atmospheres:
1.) Tiger Stadium, LSU
2.) Beaver Stadium, Penn State
3.) Autzen Stadium, Oregon
4.) Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida
5.) Sanford Stadium, Georgia

Best Mascots:
1.) Chief Osceola and Renegade, Florida State
2.) Ralphie, Colorado
3.) Bevo, Texas
4.) UGA, Georgia
5.) The Duck, Oregon

~~ Lank