Dawgs are No. 1 in the TB Top 30
By Tony Barnhart | Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Okay, we’re down to the top 10 teams in the TB Top 30. Today we set the table for the arguments we’re going to have all summer. If you disagree with my Top 10 then tell me why. Should your team be included? Should they be ranked higher? Make the case.

Here we go. A lot has happened since the BCS championship game on Jan. 7. Guys have turned pro early. Guys (like LSU’s Ryan Perrilloux) have been kicked off the team. A lot of coaches have changed addresses. The college football landscape has undergone a significant change in the past four months.

But nothing has changed my mind about who should be the nation’s No. 1 team going into the summer of 2008. And it is:

1. Georgia (11-2 last season, 8 offense, 9 defense): There is no question about the talent in Athens because the Bulldogs have it at every position. They have a veteran quarterback (Matt Stafford) who is going to have a big year. They have tons of talent at running back (Knowshon Moreno, Caleb King). They have more speed on defense than any Georgia team in recent memory. There are, however, some red flags. They could use a little more depth on the offensive line, a proven place-kicker, and a schedule that doesn’t look like the Bataan Death March. Will it be difficult, if not impossible, to go undefeated against that schedule? You bet. But until somebody beats the Dawgs, they have to be No. 1.

2. Southern Cal (11-2, 4 offense, 7 defense): Mark Sanchez is the starting quarterback after beating out Mitch Mustain. I thought the Trojans had more good football players than any team in the country last season and that has not changed. They will easily plug a bunch of new players into the offense and keep on clicking. Southern Cal gets Ohio State at home on Sept. 13. The winner of that game will get a lot of votes for No. 1.

3. Missouri (12-2, 6 offense, 10 defense): The Tigers were hoping to get RB Tony Temple back for a final season but he dropped his appeal in late January and turned pro. Expect QB Chase Daniel and all-world WR Jeremy Maclin to both have huge seasons as Mizzou wins the Big 12 championship. If Missouri beats Illinois in its opener (in St. Louis), the Tigers will probably be 6-0 when they go to Texas on Oct. 18.

4. Florida (9-4, 8 offense, 8 defense): This team is loaded and motivated after stumbling at the end of last season against Georgia and Michigan. The Gators return the Heisman Trophy winner (Tim Tebow), one of the nation’s most explosive players (WR Percy Harvin) and to that mix have added RBs Chris Rainey and Emmanuel Moody, a transfer from Southern Cal. If the defense improves, and it will, the Georgia-Florida game on Nov. 1 could be one for the ages. The winner of that game will have the inside track for the SEC championship and, perhaps, the national championship. Auburn, one of Florida’s losses last season, comes off the schedule and is replaced by Arkansas.

5. Ohio State (11-2, 9 offense, 9 defense): Some have the Buckeyes at No. 1 but you’ll forgive us if we remain a little skeptical until they go to Southern Cal on Sept. 13. All of the principal figures return including RB Beanie Wells and sophomore DE Cameron Heyward of Atlanta, who could be an All-Big Ten pick. Will freshman QB Tyrelle Pryor be a factor? I kind of doubt it. This is a good team. But after getting hammered in two straight BCS championship games, the Buckeyes have something to prove.

6. Oklahoma (11-3, 8 offense, 6 defense): Here’s another talented team that has something to prove after losing in the Fiesta Bowl the past two seasons. If sophomore QB Sam Bradford (3,121 yards passing, 36 TD, 8 int) continues to play well, Oklahoma will win the Big 12 South and play Missouri for the conference championship. There are no scary games on the non-conference schedule and if the Sooners beat Texas on Oct. 13 they could be undefeated when they play in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 6. If they beat Mizzou, the maybe Bob Stoops and his troops get in the BCS mix.

7. Clemson (9-4, 7 offense, 8 defense): The Tigers have not won an ACC championship since 1991 but this just has to be their year. There is just too much talent on the offensive side of the ball with RBs James Davis (1,064 yards rushing), C.J. Spiller (768), QB Cullen Harper (27 TD, 6 int), and WR Aaron Kelly (88 catches, 1,081 yards). The defense is really good, too. I’d feel better about this pick if Clemson was set on the offensive line. There remain some real questions there.

8. Illinois (9-4, 7 offense, 6 defense): Quarterback Juice Williams returns and he’ll certainly miss RB Reshard Mendenhall. But Ron Zook has recruited well and the Illini showed they are ready for prime time by handing Ohio State its only regular-season loss in 2007. Illinois will lose its opener to Missouri in St. Louis. But with Ohio State at home, the Illini could run the table after that.

9. West Virginia (11-2, 7 offense, 4 defense: If QB Pat White can stay healthy, the Mountaineers will win the Big East again. Yes, White will miss RB Steve Slaton but there are still a lot of offensive weapons on this team. With the possible exception of a Thursday night home game with Auburn (Oct. 23), every game on the schedule looks winnable.

10. Auburn (9-4, 8 offense, 7 defense): The Tigers have two new coordinators, a new offense, and the state is buzzing over Nick Saban’s recruiting class at Alabama. Nobody is paying much attention to Auburn and that is just the way coach Tommy Tuberville likes it. The new spread offense will be difficult to prepare for in just one week and the Tigers have two quarterbacks (Kodi Burns, Chris Todd) capable of running it and are deep at RB. With LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Georgia all coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn could be the surprise team in the SEC.

First time in GP's tenure I haven't had MU season tickets and now they rock. I won't argue the #3 ranking b/c they tend to lack consistency (although, THAT pattern is consistent :rolleyes: ). Sucks to lose Temple, Rucker, Williams, etc. And I sincerely hope we go into the Texas 6-0, considering the schedule.

The Dawgs season really starts with 2 big road games against Arizona state and Carolina.
Then it`s back to back home games against Alabama and Tennessee with an off week in between.
That`s a tough start but this team is loaded up to handle the pressure.

Behold, the wonderful balanced attack led by Matt Stafford and Moshaun Moreno, the 2 future top 5 1st round draft picks.
The offensive coaching genius of Mark Ritch and Mike Bobo are IMO the best in collage football.

Talk some Bulldawg defence, they are big, fast, aggressive, mean and swarming!

Oh baby, lets get to the Flordia game undefeated and let it all hang out against a very powerful Gator team and see what happens from there.