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Top 25 Players In 2005
1. Matt Leinart, QB USC
Depending on who you want to go by, Leinart is coming back for his third (some say second) national title and can go down as, possibly, the greatest college quarterback of all-time with another championship. With the cachet of being the returning Heisman winner, the media market, the phenomenal supporting cast, the looks, the celebrity and the coaching staff, he'll be in for a huge season.
2. Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma
The Heisman finalist was hailed as the best freshman running back since Herschel Walker and is set for a stellar year as the focal point of the Sooner offense.
3. Reggie Bush, RB USC
If Leinart is Jordan, Bush is Pippen in this traveling circus. Several opposing coaches will be much more worried about Bush than any of the other Trojans.
4. Vince Young, QB Texas
It's hard to come up with a more electrifying bowl-winning performance than VY's Rose Bowl against Michigan (remember, Michael Vick lost in the Sugar Bowl to Florida State). If he can turn his passing talents up a notch (and beat Oklahoma), he'll give Leinart a serious challenge for the Heisman.
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
National Title Contenders
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
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
1. Matt Leinart, QB USC
Depending on who you want to go by, Leinart is coming back for his third (some say second) national title and can go down as, possibly, the greatest college quarterback of all-time with another championship. With the cachet of being the returning Heisman winner, the media market, the phenomenal supporting cast, the looks, the celebrity and the coaching staff, he'll be in for a huge season.
2. Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma
The Heisman finalist was hailed as the best freshman running back since Herschel Walker and is set for a stellar year as the focal point of the Sooner offense.
3. Reggie Bush, RB USC
If Leinart is Jordan, Bush is Pippen in this traveling circus. Several opposing coaches will be much more worried about Bush than any of the other Trojans.
4. Vince Young, QB Texas
It's hard to come up with a more electrifying bowl-winning performance than VY's Rose Bowl against Michigan (remember, Michael Vick lost in the Sugar Bowl to Florida State). If he can turn his passing talents up a notch (and beat Oklahoma), he'll give Leinart a serious challenge for the Heisman.
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
National Title Contenders
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
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
