Quick Comments

The season is still a good ways away, but I wanted to throw in my two cents regardless. Having already read a good deal of info, but having not yet dove in headfirst, take everything I say with a grain of salt. I have yet to review schedules and conference strength, etc. So, despite what I say, I reserve the right to go back on it as the season approaches.

Here are my first impressions:

1. Teams that are being given too much pre-season love:

Ohio State - They have lost too much to still be that good.

Texas - They will be solid, but who here thinks they would have won the National Championship without Vince Young? Who here thinks they would have beaten Oklahoma State without Vince Young? Let's be honest. With a new QB, they should not start in the Top Ten. Make them earn it.

Auburn - Yes, it hurts me to put this here. However, though Auburn will be better, many people are saying that Auburn has a favorable schedule to run the table. I don't see it that way. Auburn will be good. So will LSU, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Arkansas will be much better, Ole Miss will have an offense to go with its defense, and Alabama is Alabama. Meanwhile, Washington State is not the cupcake that fans who only see last year's record think it is. Though a solid team, Auburn has very good odds of losing at least one of these games. It happens. Especially if the Tigers start high in the polls. Each win only adds to the pressure, and that's not Auburn's game.

Oklahoma - They say the defense is better. Prove it. The last two years have been a collection of pitiful defensive efforts in the Big 12 in general. Let me see the change. Also, is Bomar still the QB? Okay, then, let's slow down the love. We all know that if Peterson gets knicked, Bomar can't get it done. I need to see some serious improvement before I consider Oklahoma a legit contender.

USC - Geez, people! They just lost a ridiculous amount of talent. Will they be good? Of course. They play in the defenseless Pac-10 and they recruit only studs. You stick this "new" team in the SEC and they get eaten. There's a better chance than usual that USC will get knocked off next year, and we don't even know for sure how good this offense will be (or who the QB will be). Let's just let 'em play a bit and then we'll see.

2. Notre Dame

Yes, Notre Dame gets its own heading. I don't think they are getting too much love because for every writer saying how great Notre Dame's offense is, there are twenty saying how bad its defense is. Fair and balanced, right? Next year should be fun for this team. On a side note, the Irish just got a commitment from QB Jimmy Clausen, probably the best high school quarterback in America. It's amazing the difference a year makes.

3. The SEC

This year should be a lot of fun in the SEC. Last year I was afraid of the East, but then Tennessee choked, Florida couldn't get its offense going, and Vandy fell one win short of bowl season. Still strong, but not the beast I was anticipating. On the whole, we should see slightly more parity in the SEC this year. Auburn and LSU are clearly the class of the West and are rather evenly matched. Bama will take a step backward because of the key defensive losses (not because they lost Brodie). Mississippi State will still suck, but Arkansas showed signs of life at the end of last season and returns a lot of young players with lots of game experience. Ole Miss, meanwhile, had a great defense and absolutely no offense. Injecting Brent Schaeffer into the mix at QB should be just what Ed Ogeron needs. Schaeffer can get it done through the air or with his feet. That's good, because I don't think anybody else on Ole Miss' offense can do either. Then there's the East. Georgia takes a step back too, but the team remains stacked (as they do every year). Florida is in year two, and if it can find a running back will be quite dangerous. Tennessee should rebound nicely (because Phil Fulmer wants to keep his job). Kentucky will still suck, and year two at South Carolina should show mild improvements. I don't expect Spurrier to work magic. He may have the same or fewer wins than last year, as several games last year he probably shouldn't have won. Granted, that's the difference a good coach makes, but if one or two go the other way next year, it may not appear that there's improvement. That doesn't mean that there isn't. So, my pick in the West: Auburn. Obviously. Seriously, did you think I'd put something else? My pick in the East: Florida. Two points on my picks. Point one: I'd put the odds of LSU or Auburn winning at 50/50 against each other, and 98/2 against the rest of the West. Point two: The East is a wildcard. Florida may not find a running back. Tennessee may play at the level it should have played at last year. Joe Tereshinski III may play like David Greene. Who knows? I can only promise that neither Kentucky nor Vandy will win the East.

So, that's what I got for now. As the season approaches (or summer), I'll have more time to start doing some analysis, and I may even finish my playoff project.