Rebuilding Penn State

The season started off like most expected, a dismal 0-2 record seemed to be only the start of what would be a tough road for the Nittany Lions. Yet, with their unwavering fan support, Penn State went on a tear winning five games in a row (one of which was to then #24 ranked Northwestern) and ended their 2012 campaign with a record of 8-4. The surprising success of the team garnered O’Brien the ESPN National Coach of the Year award, the Big Ten Coach of the Year and the 2012 Paul “Bear” Bryant College Coach of the Year. Not to mention the 2012 Project CFB Coach of the Year.

As we anxiously await the start of the 2013 college football season, it gives us time to reflect on the most recent 2012 NCAA Football season. One of the most surprising stories from last year had to be that of the Penn State Nittany Lions. I doubt any college football fan expected Penn State to have a winning record for the 2012 season. 2011 was one of the most tumultuous football seasons for any NCAA school in history as Penn State dealt with the fallout of a child sex abuse scandal. Not only that, legendary football coach Joe Paterno was fired in November 2011 and then passed away rather unexpectedly from cancer two months later. Then there were the NCAA sanctions of a $60 million in fines and a reduction in scholarships and a ban on post-season play which also didn’t bode well for the Lions and new head coach Bill O’Brien.

In fact, due to his outstanding rookie coaching season, O’Brien was interviewed for the head coaching position at both the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Not a bad career move for the award winning coach. But O’Brien in the end made the decision to remain at Penn State. He felt it would be in poor taste to leave the beleaguered school after just one season claiming he wasn’t a “one-and-done guy”. That decision garnered O’Brien a raise of $1.3 million annually and made him the third highest paid head coach in the Big Ten.

It’s a new season and a fresh outlook for O’Brien and the rest of the Nittany Lions with the 2013 kickoff rapidly approaching. Of course, the path ahead will be more challenging as the full impact of the NCAA sanctions take hold in the coming years. But for current players and coaches, 2013 doesn’t hold the doubt or worry that the pre-season of 2012 did. They know what they are dealing with and if last season is any reflection, they will handle the forthcoming obstacles ahead with passion and an overwhelming desire to persevere through the battles to come.

- Amy Norris
@amyjane72
amy.projectcfb@gmail.com

You're Punching a One Way Ticket to the National Championship? Not so Fast my Friend!

It's pretty clear who the majority of sports writers, analysts and fans think we will see play for the National Championship in early 2014. The team who seems to always play for that Crystal Ball, the Alabama Crimson Tide, and the team who went undefeated last season but due to a post season ban wasn't allowed to play for the National title, the Ohio State Buckeyes. A few people may disagree, but if they make predictions of the National title game they will most likely at least have Alabama or Ohio State in the game.

It makes sense right? The Crimson Tide have won two straight National titles. They've been dominant. And players such as quarterback AJ McCarron, running back TJ Yeldon and wide receiver Amari Cooper are just three of Bama's star players. Their defense was ranked first in the Nation in points allowed per game, only allowing an average of 10.9 points, first in rush defense, only allowing 76.4 yards a game, and first in total defense, allowing only an average of 250.0 yards per game.

Alabama only lost one game. A close one against Heisman Trophy winner (and 2012 Project CFB QB of the Year as well as Freshman of the Year) Johnny Manziel and his Texas A&M Aggies. A&M only defeated the Crimson Tide by five points, but a loss is a loss.

But let's look into Alabama's 2012 year a little more shall we? They went 13-1, 7-1 in the SEC. They beat teams such as LSU, Georgia (in the SEC Championship Game) and Notre Dame (by 28 points in the National Championship Game). However, if you look more into this you will see that Alabama only defeated Les Miles' LSU Tigers by four points. They also defeated the Bulldogs for the SEC title by the same amount, four points. One or two small mistakes could have been the difference between winning and losing in those two games. The same that could be said about this year.
Alabama plays seven games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, four away games and one game at a neutral site. They begin their year taking on Virginia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia. On paper Bama looks like the clear cut winner, but if Logan Thomas and company can find their rhythm against the Crimson Tide and stay on top, they could pull the upset. But even if Alabama gets by Virginia Tech, they open their SEC schedule in week two against Johnny Manziel and his Texas A&M Aggies, this time at College Station. The Aggies could very well make it two straight victories against Bama, especially playing on their home field this time around.

Alabama's schedule is sprinkled in with a couple more tough opponents. After A&M they will play against Colorado State, Ole Miss and Georgia State. All three should be easily won. After that they play Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee, three teams with first year head coaches, and although it's their first years at their respective schools, they have been improving their schools from day one. After those three games Alabama will battle LSU in what's sure to be a tough one, followed by Mississippi State and Chattanooga. They will wrap the season up on November 30 with the Iron Bowl, at Auburn. This heated rivalry game favors Alabama this year, but with a rivalry game like this, you just never know.

So if you counted, there are four games on Bama's schedule that could possibly ruin their National Title hopes. Will Alabama be defeated in 2013? I can't say for certain. They are arguably the best team in college football this year, but to say that they will most definitely run the table this fall is just not wise.

Now, onto the other team that seems oh so certain to play for a National Title. Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes are stacked with some amazing playmakers. Quarterback Braxton Miller is an impressive dual threat QB perfect for an Urban Meyer style offense. Philly Brown is a reliable wide receiver for Miller, and as long as Carlos Hyde plays this season (he was a person of interest in an assault at a bar that may or may not have happened), Hyde could possibly rush for 1,000 yards. Ryan Shazier is also a big playmaker on the other side of the ball. He recorded 70 tackles and five sacks last season.

Unlike Bama, OSU went undefeated last season. However, they played their fair share of very close games. OSU won two games in OT (beating Purdue and Wisconsin by seven). They also survived against Cal by seven, Michigan State by one, Indiana by only three and Michigan by just five.

Many of these games could have been a loss for the Buckeyes if just one mistake was made. With Braxton Miller only completing 58.3% of his passes, I can say with confidence that they are lucky they didn't lose one of these close games.

The Bucks start their 2013 season off fairly easily. Playing against Buffalo and San Diego State followed by an away game against Cal. After that they take on Florida A&M and should go into their Big Ten opener undefeated. Ohio State's first B1G game is a home game against Gary Andersen's Wisconsin Badgers. A game that if the Buckeyes take lightly they could find themselves on the short end of the stick.

After the Badgers, OSU travels to Ryan Field to take on the Northwestern Wildcats. This is another game that I feel if Ohio State looks past, Kain Colter and his Wildcats could pull the upset. Next OSU battles Iowa before hosting Penn State in Columbus. Penn State, led by 2012 Project CFB Coach of the Year Bill O'Brien is yet another team on the Buckeyes' schedule that if they take lightly they can wind up defeated.

After the Nittany Lions, Ohio State wraps their season up with road games against Purdue and Illinois, a home game against Indiana and The Game against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Michigan is definitely on an upswing. Devin Gardner has taken the starting QB position, and although his pass percentage is only slightly better than Braxton Miller's, he will be ready and willing to take the Buckeyes down.

Just like Alabama, Ohio State has four games that seem to be games of interest, and if they don't prepare or if they take them lightly, they can see their hopes of a National Championship dwindle away.

Will Alabama and/or Ohio State play in the National Championship game? They absolutely could. They have the talent to do just that. But is it a lock? Absolutely not. Both teams play a few teams that they could lose to. But as long as they keep their heads in the game and stick to their game plan, they very well could face off for the National Championship in 2014.

- Matt Lytle
@mattlytle
matt.projectcfb@gmail.com

2013 Big Ten Preview

The Big Ten is a conference that was one of the toughest conferences to be in. Some argue that it still is. With the SEC running wild down South, many don't believe that the Big Ten is a power conference anymore. But teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines and Wisconsin Badgers have something to say about that. Granted, the SEC has won the National Championship seven of the last nine times. And the Big Ten hasn't won the National Title since the Buckeyes defeated the Miami Hurricanes in 2002. But the Big Ten have a couple of contenders this year, that very well could find themselves battling for the National Championship this winter.

We all know that Maryland and Rutgers will be joining the Big Ten next season, and with that change in 2014 we will see the Leaders and Legends Division go away for a more common East and West division. We will see Michigan and Ohio State playing in the same division, along side Maryland and Rutgers as well as Indiana, Michigan State and Penn State. They will obviously make up the East Division while the West Division will consist of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin. But we will save the 2014 Big Ten for 2014. Let's see how the Big Ten very well could play out in this final season of the Leaders and Legends Division.
This is a preview and my own predictions for the Big Ten conference in 2013.

Leaders Division

1. Ohio State Buckeyes
After a 12-0 season last season, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes will look to not only recreate the magic of an undefeated season. They will not only look to win a Big Ten Championship. They will look to go on to win the first National Championship that the Big Ten has won since 2002 (when Jim Tressel led the Bucks to an undefeated season and National Championship). Junior quarterback Braxton Miller will lead the Buckeyes on offense. Last year he threw for 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. He also scored a total of 28 touchdowns. Depending on if Carlos Hyde plays for the team this year (he found himself a person of interest in an incident in a bar about a week ago) he will be a reliable back for Miller on offense. Hyde ran for 970 yards last season and 16 touchdowns. Braxton will also have a couple of reliable wide receivers such as senior Philly Brown and Jordan Hall. Junior linebacker Ryan Shazier is coming off of a 115 tackle season and will be a big leader on defense.

2. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers lost Bret Bielema but gained Gary Andersen as their new head coach. The quarterback spot will either go to junior college transfer Tanner McEvoy or sophomore Joel Stave. The running backs will consist of senior James White and sophomore Melvin Gordon. White rushed for a little over 800 yards last season behind Montee Ball and hit paydirt 12 times. Senior receiver Jared Abbrederis returns after an 837 yard and 5 touchdown season in 2012. All of Wisconsin's defensive stats ranked fifth or higher in the Big Ten. Attacking the QB with blitz packages is what their defense will look to consistently do this year. Their defensive coordinator Dave Aranda was quoted saying, "I'm a big advocate of attacking protections."

3. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Nittany Lions come back for head coach Bill O'Brien's second season as head coach. O'Brien started the season rocky as Penn State's coach, but came back leading the team to an 8-4 season. O'Brien won the Project CFB Coach of the Year last year. This year he will look to true freshman Christian Hackenberg to lead his team to victory. Tyler Ferguson, a junior college transfer will be Christian's backup just in case. Running back Zach Zwinak lead the team in rushing with 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2012. He will look to have another year like last year if not better. Five wideouts return from last season, led by junior Allen Robinson. Penn State's offensive line is solid. Their defense returns quite a few starters as well. Sophomore defensive end Deion Barnes and senior DaQuan Jones will look to disrupt the pocket while cornerback Adrian Amos and safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong will look to defend the pass.

4. Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana sophomore quarterback Tre Robinson will return this season after suffering a broken leg in the second game of the season last year. Robinson is a dual-threat quarterback who is an impressive QB and will look to prove it on the field. He will have wide receivers Shane Wynn, Cody Latimer and Kofi Hughes as great options. Indiana also has two reliable running backs in Stephen Houston, who rushed for 749 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and Tevin Coleman, who is a full sized back with power. Indiana gave up a ton of points in their last three games last year. And their top two defensive tackles are gone. Linebacker David Cooper and safety Greg Heban are the returning lead tacklers. Also lineback Zack Shaw is moving to defensive end to assist in pass rush.

5. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois went 2-10 last season without a win in the Big Ten. Senior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase returns after a 1,300 passing yard season. He only threw four touchdowns, and threw eight interceptions. He also rushed for four touchdowns. Illinois running back Donovonn Young returns. He rushed for 571 yards and three touchdowns last season and also was the Fighting Illini's leading receiver with 38 receptions, 172 yards and one receiving touchdown. Defense is young, but they welcomed 10 mid-year enrollees including five junior college transfers in an attempt to stack the defense.

6. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue looks to new head coach Darrell Hazell who is going to get rid of the spread style offense Purdue fans are used to seeing for a pro-style type offense. Senior Rob Henry should be the Boilermaker's quarterback this season. He has the most experience and can make plays with his feet. Hazell has two other options at QB if he needs it. "We've got three capable guys at that position," he said. Running back Hakeem Hunt returns after rushing for 134 yards in the spring game. He had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Ohio State last season. Purdue's defense returns eight starters.

Legends Division

1. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan looks to junior quarterback Devin Gardner to lead the team this year in the post-Denard Robinson era. Offensive coordinator Al Borges will finally get to run his pro-style offense that he had a hard time running with the playmaker Denard Robinson on the field. Behind Gardner is a pool of running backs. Thomas Rawls, Derrick Green and Justice Hayes are just a few names you may see at running back, as well as Fitzgerald Toussaint who suffered a broken leg last season playing against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Gardner will have reliable receivers such as Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo to throw to. Michigan suffered a blow on defense when Jake Ryan tore his ACL in practice. He likely will not play in 2013, but that doesn't mean he won't work his butt off trying to return. Michigan will look for Brennen Byer, Jibreel Black, Taco Charlton, Desmond Morgan and Courtney Avery to step up on defense and make plays.

2. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Bo Pelini and the Cornhuskers are coming off of a couple of tough losses in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Capital One Bowl. Nebraska has returning quarterback senior Taylor Martinez who threw for 2,871 yards, 1,000 rushing yards and a total of 23 touchdowns. Behind him is junior running back Ameer Abdullah who is a playmaker himself. He rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and eight touchdowns. Junior receiver Kenny Bell will be Martinez's go-to guy on offense. Bell reeled in 50 receptions last season for 863 yards and eight touchdowns. Nebraska ranked first in the Big Ten for rushing yards per game and also ranked first in the Big Ten for passing defense (fourth Nationally). All their cornerbacks return. However their linebackers are all new, and their defensive line only returns two with experience.

3. Northwestern Wildcats
Pat Fitzgerald has done good things in Northwestern. He will has two quarterbacks this season just like last. Senior Kain Colter, who is a dual-threat quarterback able to make plays returns as well as junior Trevor Siemian. Northwestern has Venric Mark at running back this season, who rushed for 1,366 yards last year. The Wildcats also have three reliable receivers for their QB duo to pass to. Juniors Christian Jones and Tony Jones, as well as senior Rashad Lawrence. Northwestern has all three level of defense. Tyler Scott anchors the d-line. They will also have two linebackers in Damien Proby and Chi Chi Ariguzo who will make plays. Northwestern ranked first in the Big Ten in turnovers. A trend that Pat Fitzgerald will look to continue.

4. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State has senior quarterback Andrew Maxwell returning under center this season. He will have a trio of wide receivers to toss the ball to. One being senior Bennie Fowler, junior Keith Murphy and sophomore Aaron Burbridge. Michigan State's new running back is freshman Riley Bullough, who is a former linebacker. The Spartan's defense looks to have potential, but they will have to step up and play hard against the big offensive lines from the Big Ten and the playmakers they'll face against Notre Dame.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa will look to quarterback Jake Rudock to lead the offense this year. Rudock threw for over 5,000 yards at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Iowa also has two junior running backs in Mark Weisman and Damen Bullock returns after combining for 1,300 yards last season. The offensive line looks solid and will be able to open holes for the running back duo. Receivers struggled to get yards after catch last season. Junior Kevonte Martin-Manley had 52 receptions but only two touchdowns. Iowa was lowest in the Big Ten for sacks last season. They have to replace cornerback Micah Hyde and looks to do so with sophomore Jordan Lomax. Their defense will struggle against the schedule this season.

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota’s quarterback Philip Nelson had his red-shirt taken off in the middle of last season. He threw for over 800 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2012. The Golden Gophers have question marks at wide receivers. Issac Fruechte and Devin Crawford-Tufts look to assist in the passing game. Junior running back Donnell Kirkwood rushed for 926 yards last season. Sophomore running back Rodrick Williams is available too. Minnesota gave up an average of 197.1 rushing yards per game in Big Ten play last season. They will struggle this season as well unfortunately. Minnesota hasn’t won a Big Ten Title in 46 years. It looks as if they’ll at least go one more.

- Matt Lytle
@mattlytle
matt.projectcfb@gmail.com

2013 SEC Preview

For the last seven years, the Southeastern Conference has produced the BCS National Champion, and in doing so has produced a massive following consisting of conference faithful, band wagon fans, and-possibly more so than either of the prior-a long list of fans who have come to hate the conference.

Love it or hate it, one can't argue with the SEC's dominance year in and year out. Each season, armchair quarterbacks and experts alike discuss whether the conference will produce another National Champion; and if so, which team it will be. For now, we'll look at the conference and try to determine each team's position by season's end. Of course, this is just one guy's projection and is open to interpretation or criticism, so feel free to argue any of these. Enjoy, and keep in mind this projection was compiled with respect to the casual fan.

East Division

1. Georgia Bulldogs-After an 11-2 run in 2012 and wrapping up as East Division champions, Georgia looks to continue dominating in the upcoming season. With much of its offense intact, particularly quarterback Aaron Murray and the running back tandem of Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall, the Dogs should have no trouble matching their output of 38 points per game from the previous season. Key conference games: South Carolina, LSU, Florida

2. South Carolina Gamecocks-The Old Ball Coach looks to keep the Gamecocks in contention in the East after an impressive 2012 campaign, with their only losses coming to Florida and LSU. South Carolina's defense will continue to strengthen throughout the season as sophomore defensive end Jadaveon Clowney looks to extend his path of destruction over opposing offenses, while quarterback Connor Shaw should settle in comfortably under center for another season. Key conference games: Georgia, Florida

3. Florida Gators-After an 11-1 season in which the Gators lone loss came at the hands of Georgia in a game many said the Gators lost themselves more than the Bulldogs won, coach Will Muschamp looks to keep his team in the mix on Eastern side of the conference. Quarterback Jeff Driskel looked shaky at times last season but should be more comfortable this season as the focal point of the offense, provided someone steps up at any of the skill positions to help. The defense will be young but has a chance to improve the pass rush and keep the line stacked against the run. Key conference games: LSU, Georgia, South Carolina

4. Vanderbilt Commodores-With 13 starters returning from an 8-4 team last season, the Commodores hope to continue on their gradual trend of improvement from one season to the next. Receiver Jordan Matthews will likely be quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels' go-to guy as Samuels settles in under center. Vanderbilt should at least match their 2012 performance and just might shock someone along the way. Key conference games: South Carolina, Florida, Georgia

5. Tennessee Volunteers-One of a few surprising coaching hires in the conference came at Tennessee with the announcement of Butch Jones taking the helm. Jones will look to tighten up his defensive line and hopefully give up significantly less than the 35.6 points per game the Volunteers conceded last season. Luckily for him, he has 12 returning starters; unfortunately none return to skill positions. Key conference games: Missouri, Vanderbilt, Kentucky

6. Kentucky Wildcats-The Wildcats have already made a few splashes before the season even begins, beginning with hiring new head coach Mark Stoops. Bringing in Stoops immediately paid off as Kentucky shocked everyone with a surprisingly good recruiting class so far. After a miserable 2-10 season, the Wildcats hope to move forward and continue surprising the country in 2013. Expect Kentucky to improve beyond 2012, but the recruiting class isn't likely to put Kentucky into any serious discussions for at least another year. Key conference games: Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina

7. Missouri Tigers-2012 probably didn't go anything like Coach Gary Pinkel expected in the Tigers' first season in the SEC. Missouri, once an offensive power in the Big 12, will continue to rebuild the program to compete against stronger defenses. Quarterback James Franklin returns for another season to lead the Tigers, along with 12 other starters, but the Tigers have a long way to go yet. Key conference games: Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

West Division

1. Alabama Crimson Tide-Finishing the regular season 12-0 and wrapping up another conference title in 2012, the Tide look to be on course to finish at the top of the SEC once again. With running back TJ Yeldon in the backfield with signal caller AJ McCarron and receiver Amari Cooper on the end among a whopping 14 starters, Alabama will reload again while almost everyone else seems to be rebuilding. With an easier schedule this season, the stars should be aligned for Bama to run the table all the way to Atlanta and avenge their lone loss to Texas A&M along the way. Key conference games: Texas A&M, LSU


2. Texas A&M Aggies-This is definitely a placement open for discussion. I struggled with the Aggies' placement in the West this season following an amazing 10-2 innaugural season in the conference last year. Coach Kevin Sumlin managed to keep his team intact for the most part with 11 returning starters including quarterback Johnny Manziel. The question is whether the Aggies can duplicate or improve upon their 2012 season with Manziel under the microscope for his every move. The pieces are present for another good run, the problem may lie in the chemistry of the team. Key conference games: Alabama, LSU, Arkansas

3. Arkansas Razorbacks-Yes, I believe Arkansas rebounds nicely this season. With the hiring of coach Bret Bielema, the Razorbacks are in prime position to shake up the West. His smashmouth style of play in the trenches and high powered offense and defense actually should fit in well within the conference. With a modest 11 starters returning, Bielema will have to replace several key positions, but should have no trouble improving on the Hogs' 4-8 season from a year ago. There will likely be growing pains the first few weeks, but Arkansas should rebound nicely and finish above .500 on the season. Key conference games: Texas A&M, Alabama

4. LSU Tigers-With 10 starters returning this season, coach Les Miles may have to refrain from his Mad Hatter ways and keep it simple. The Tigers finished 10-2 on the regular season in 2012, with some close calls in games that should have been a breeze for a team of LSU's caliber. Normally a stingy defense, the Tigers gave up alot of points, which could have foreshadowed the season to come in 2013. With so many key positions vacant, Miles faces an uphill battle in a rare rebuilding year. Pressure will be high on returning quarterback Zach Mettenberger and running back Jeremy Hill to carry the team. LSU should finish the season with a respectable record, but will likely be below expectations for a team that spent the last several years near the top of the conference. Key conference games: Alabama, Texas A&M, Arkansas

5. Auburn Tigers-The Gus Bus has returned to the Plains. The 2012 season had barely ended when Auburn announced they were moving on from coach Gene Chizik, and soon after, the announcement was made that former Auburn offensive coordinator and then-Arkansas State head coach Gus Malzahn had been hired. Malzahn will have 15 starters returning, but the question so far has been concerning quarterback. As yet, Malzahn has not named his starter at the position, which leaves many to wonder if the team will be able to adjust and run the hyper-speed offense Malzahn cherishes. After an abysmal 3-9 season in 2012, the Tigers really have nowhere to go but up, and should finish with a much more respectable record this year. Key conference games: Texas A&M, LSU, Arkansas, Alabama

6. Ole Miss Rebels-15 starters return this season as coach Hugh Freeze looks to continue moving up the ranks with his high tempo offense. The Rebels finished 6-6 last season and hope to improve, especially with dual threat quarterback Bo Wallace, running back Jeff Scott and wide receiver Donte Moncrief returning. Ole Miss has a chance to play spoiler to several teams with high aspirations in the conference, particularly LSU, after losing a heartbreaker to them at the end of the season 41-35. Key conference games: LSU, Arkansas, Texas A&M

7. Mississippi State Bulldogs-Head coach Dan Mullen may be running out of time to get the Bulldogs into title contention within the conference. After leaving Florida's offensive coordinator position under coach Urban Meyer, Mississippi State had high hopes for what Mullen could accomplish but his seat is most likely warming up. The Bulldogs started out 7-0 last season before running into a wall and finishing 8-4. Mullen has been consistent, but unfortunately that consistency rarely has the Bulldogs near the top of the pecking order in the West. Hail State has quarterback Tyler Russell and running back LaDarius Perkins returning among the 11 veterans on the team, but they probably need to have a great season before whispers begin about Mullen's job security. Key conference games: Ole Miss, LSU, Arkansas

The SEC is one of the most unpredictable conferences in the nation, and is next to impossible to predict from one week to the next, let alone an entire season. So take this preview with a grain of salt. But, above everything else, enjoy the upcoming season and remember we'll be here for the long haul to cover it for you.

- Kevin Hicks
@kevinhicks77
kevin.projectcfb@gmail.com

2013 AAC Preview

Let's not beat around the bush, going into 2013 nobody really thinks the AAC is among the elite conferences in the nation. Hell, outside of Heisman hopeful quarterback Teddy Bridgewater how many players in the conference can the average college football fan name? Now, I don't mean to turn this into another Bridgewatermania piece (but it is RUNNIN' WILD BROTHER!!) but going into 2013, Louisville is the prohibited favorite in the conference, and for good reason. After a dominant Sugar Bowl victory over Florida the Cardinals have not only AAC championship, but national championship hopes as well. With a stud signal caller many pundits feel that Louisville can run the table and make a case for a BCS berth, myself included. Wide receivers Damien Copeland and DaVante Parker are expected to put up big numbers catching passes from Bridgewater in 2013, I see 800 yards and 8 or 9 touchdown catches very realistic from the both of them, especially with a guy like Bridgewater throwing them the ball I see that being VERY realistic.

But that doesn't mean the rest of the conference is just going to lay down for the Cardinals. There are 9 other teams that think they are just as good as Bridgewater and company, and if history is any indication all it takes is one game to totally throw the conference and BCS standings into a whirlwind. Teams like Rutgers, UCF and Cincinnati are among the teams that I feel could easily knock them off, and I am sure the Scarlet Knights have extra motivation after Bridgewater's gutsy second half comeback to defeat them last season. Bridgewater may get all the headlines, but Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova is no slouch either who showed flashes in 2012 and if he can put it all together in 2013 they can be a force to reckoned with in the AAC. The Scarlet Knights also return 1,000 yard rusher Jawan Jamison and receiver Brandon Coleman who hauled in 10 of Nova's 22 touchdown passes in 2012.

Another team vying for the AAC crown in 2013 is the Cincinnati Bearcats, led by new head coach Tommy Tubervile they hope to return to the level they were a few years ago when they were national championship contenders with then quarterback Tony Pike. In 2012 the Bearcats had an up and down season that included using two different quarterbacks in Munchie Legeaux and Brendon Kay. After Kay took over however, the Bearcats went 4-1 including a victory in the Belk Bowl over Duke in one of the more underrated bowl games of last season. The senior quarterback played very well at the end of 2012 where he threw for 1,250 yards and 8 touchdowns (to only 2 interceptions) in his 5 starts. He will need to keep that pace up if Cincinnati expects to make some noise in the AAC in 2013. After losing 1,000 yard rusher in George Winn, the Bearcats will be relying mostly on Ralph Abernathy IV and unproven backs Jameel Poteat and Tion Green to carry the load from the running back position. Cincinnati will also need to replace last seasons leading receiver in Tight End Travis Kelce who was selected in the 3rd round by the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Draft this past April. Junior wide out Kenbrell Thompkins who caught 34 passes including 2 touchdowns in 2012 is the Bearcats' leading returning wideout, senior Anthony McClung is expected to step up in a big way as well. Defensively Greg Blair looks to lead the Bearcats after a 138 tackle 2012 (68 solo), Arryn Chenault also looks to be a difference maker from the secondary.

The UFC Knights I think are the team in the conference that is getting overlooked by many and could easily jump to the top of the conference if Louisville or Cincinnati falter. Junior quarterback Blake Bortles had himself a great sophomore season, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdown passes including a 3 touchdown game against Ball State in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl. If he can continue to perform at a  high level he could challege Bridgewater for the title of best quarterback in the AAC, which may sound a little crazy now, but hear me now, believe me later, Bortles is going to have a breakout season in 2013 and this time next year we will be talking about him as a Heisman sleeper.

UConn hopes to improve on an up and down 2012 season that saw them finish 5-7,  but was highlighted by an overtime upset of Louisville late in the season. Junior running back Lyle McCombs leads the charge offensively for the Huskies. He ran for 860 yards and 6 touchdowns as a sophomore and if he can hit the 1,000 yard mark and increase his touchdowns into the double digits he should make it a bit easier for quarterback Chandler Whitmer who struggled in 2012 throwing for 2,659 and 9 touchdowns, while tossing up 16 interceptions. UConn is a rebuilding team, but if they can get productivity out of their junior quarterback and tailback, they can make some noise.

The Houston Cougars are another AAC team that had some ups and downs in 2012, running back Charlie Sims, quarterback David Piland and wide receivers Dewayne Peace and Daniel Spencer were the key offensive players in 2012 , but much like the Huskies, to be completely honest there isn't much on this team that excites you. Trevon Stewart and Derek Matthews are the key players on defense in the secondary and front seven respectively. Matthews was especially impressive compiling 126 total tackles as a sophomore. Despite finishing 4-8 in 2012, the Memphis Tigers looked good at the end of the 2012 season, capped off by a 3 game winning streak that saw junior quarterback Jacob Karam play very well, tossing 7 of his 15 touchdowns in the final 3 games. The Tigers also saw tailback Brandon Hayes splash paydirt 5 times during that win streak. The offseason development or regression will do a lot in determining how Memphis fares in 2013.

SMU is another team that will likely be bringing up the rear in the conference this season, with not much worth writing home about,  junior linebacker Randall Joyner had a very productive 2012 season with 93 total tackles.

Temple and South Florida round out the AAC lineup for 2013 and likely will be among the the teams at the bottom of the conference along with SMU, Houston, Memphis and UConn. I stand by my comments about the AAC being Louisville's to lose. But  if we know anything about college football, we know that projections in July have little, if any bearing on what happens once we kick off and games begin. But with that being said it is very hard to imagine a team other than Louisville, Cincinnati, Rutgers or UCF coming out of 2013 with an AAC crown.

- Josh Gamez
@itsjoshgamez
josh.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #1 Alabama Crimson Tide

In 2012 the Alabama Crimson Tide went 11-1 in the regular season, with the only blemish on the record coming at home to the upstart Texas A&M Aggies (the #5 team in our ranks) and the eventual Heisman winner Johnny Manziel before defeating the Georgia Bulldogs (#3 in our ranks) in the SEC Championship game and then destroyed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (our 10th ranked team) in the BCS National Championship game, the Tide's second straight title and their 3rd in 4 years. Just going off that 2012 resume could you realistically see any other team taking the top spot in our preseason top 10 rankings?

The Tide does not lack in talent on offense. Led by senior quarterback AJ McCarron, Heisman hopeful tailback TJ Yeldon and Amari Cooper at wide receiver, the Tide has plenty of fire power on offense. McCarron threw 30 touchdowns in 2012, 11 of which were hauled in by "Baby Julio" as some fans refer to Cooper, a tribute to former Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, and Yeldon scored 13 touchdowns in 2012 despite splitting carries with Eddie Lacy.

With the level of success Alabama has had over the last few seasons, and all of this playing in the South Eastern Conference, known for it's great defensive football and head coach Nick Saban's defensive roots the Tide also field one of the finer defensive units in the country. CJ Mosley and Trey DePriest are the returning leaders of the Crimson Tide defensive unit and look to improve on very solid 2012 seasons from the linebacker position.

The Tide will kick off the quest for a 3rd straight championship in the Chick Fil-A Kickoff game against Virginia Tech, and then after that they get the chance to potentially avenge a late season loss to Johnny Manziel and the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station in their 2013 SEC opener. The Tide then host Ole Miss in the home opener and then host Georgia State and then head to Lexington to take on Kentucky and new head coach Mark Stoops before taking on Tennessee and Arkansas, two teams many feel will be much improved in 2013.

The home stretch for Alabama will be very telling for them, they face LSU in a game that has historically become one of, if not the best rivalries in college football and every year the Les Miles and Nick Saban coaching match up ends up being one of the more entertaining games of the season. Then after taking on Chattanooga and Mississippi State they end the season with in state rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

I feel the Tide was blessed by the schedule makers. They avoid perennial SEC powers Georgia, South Carolina and Florida before a potential SEC championship, which has become a must win in college football in order to play for a BCS Championship. Which sets them up for a very solid 2013 campaign on paper. I see at the worst a 10 win season, with an undefeated regular season very possible. But Texas A&M, LSU and Virginia Tech have more than enough talent to knock them off. Only time will tell.

- Josh Gamez
@itsjoshgamez
josh.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #2 Ohio State Buckeyes

Could I simply wrap this article up in just two words, Braxton Miller? It would be easier. It would make reading this article and writing this article a lot faster. However, I don't think Braxton Miller will be able to get it done all by himself. I mean he's got an all-star coach in UrbanMeyer on his sideline. He has not only some playmakers on his side of the ball, but on defense as well.

Miller's offensive line looks as strong as it has been in years. And Miller has a reliable 1,000 yard rusher in the backfield in Carlos Hyde.

Speaking of rushing, Miller ran for over 1,200 yards and hit pay dirt 13 times with his legs. Braxton definitely deserves to be in the Heisman conversation this season, and will look to stay in that conversation throughout the year.

Miller has a couple of reliable receivers in junior Devin Smith and senior Philly Brown. Brown reeled in 60 receptions for 669 yards and three touchdowns last season.

But enough of this very talented, speedy offense. Lets discuss the Buckeyes defense.

Linebacker Ryan Shazier is coming off of a season where he accumulated 115 tackles, including five sacks. He will be lining up with fellow playmakers Curtis Grant and Joshua Perry.

The cornerbacks are led by junior Bradley Roby who reeled in two interceptions last season. And the safeties are strong with seniors CJ Barnett and Christian Bryant taking the field.

Last season the Buckeyes unfortunately had a post-season bowl ban, however that ban is out the window.
The Buckeyes went 12-0 last season with their closest game being a one-point victory over Michigan State in Spartan Stadium. Can the Buckeyes go undefeated again in 2013?

A few key games that they will need to be ready for include two away games, and a handful of games being played in Columbus.

The Bucks first test comes on September 28th against the Wisconsin Badgers, who have a brand new head coach, but still a few playmakers on the roster.
The next week OSU will travel to Ryan Field to take on main Colter and the Northwestern Wildcats. I believe that this is the type of game that if the Buckeyes go into too confident, it could prove deadly for their undefeated hopes.

On October 26 the Buckeyes will take in Penn State, who is coached by last year's Project CFB Coach of the Year Bill O'Brien.

The month f November doesn't seem to bring too many road blocks, OSU will face off against Purdue and Illinois at their respective stadiums, followed by a game against Indiana at Ohio Stadium.

Then, November 30th we will be treated to THE Game. Ohio State will travel to Ann Arbor to take on their most hated rival, the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines have improved vastly since the Rich Rodriguez era, and the Wolverines will look to stop any kind of momentum the Buckeyes have stirred up in weeks prior. But Braxton Miller and company will be looking to not only go undefeated and play in the Big Ten Title game, but they will be looking for their first National Championship since 2002. As long as Braxton Miller can stay healthy, and he gets the right support from his pool of running backs, wide receivers and offensive line, the Buckeyes should be able to at least wind up 12-1, with the hopes of going 13-0. Even if their defense has trouble with a couple of the high offense teams on their schedule, no one in the Big Ten ranked higher in scoring than the Buckeyes. I'm not sure if there is anyone in the country that can top OSU when it comes to putting points on the board.

The Buckeyes have a very impressive team this season. 2013 could very well be the year of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but we will just have to wait and see if they can do what they need to do to make it to the National Title.

- Matt Lytle
@mattlytle
matt.projectcfb@gmail.com

Bo Visits Small Town Alabama

On April 27, 2011, my hometown was destroyed by two tornadoes during a generational superstorm outbreak that left a path of destruction across the southeastern United States. For many of us, it was a day that will be etched in our minds for the remainder of our lives. For others, that day was their last.

My town is called Cordova. We are a tiny town of less than 2,500 people, one of those places where everyone knows everyone, or is related to everyone. We're located on the Black Warrior River about an hour from the state's college football epicenter, Tuscaloosa. we don't have a lot going on, but everyone has a great sense of pride for the town. Our pride and joy is what we affectionately call The Devil's Den, Hudson-Kirby Field, home of the multi-time state champion Blue Devils. These boys play with enough heart that occasionally the heavy hitters in college football take notice, most recently Tim Simon, who played at Ole Miss until an injury forced him to hang up his cleats, and Ryan Smith, currently playing safety at Auburn. Both played on Cordova's last championship team.
But then everything changed. Around 5 o'clock on the morning of April 27, 2011, a small tornado passed through the town, only causing minor damage. Before that morning, it was believed a tornado had never touched down inside the city limits. The town was fortunate. If only we had known what was coming that evening.

I watched the weather all day, and began to realize there was still a very real danger. I've always been fascinated by storms; but for the first time I wasn't fascinated, I was afraid. Afraid of what I could hear and see.

First, the storm rolled through Tuscaloosa, destroying homes and families. For an hour, my brother and I stood outside, listening to what sounded like cheap audio in a bad movie. Many say a tornado sounds like a train, but on this day, I could actually hear the wind between the rolls of thunder. It actually sounded like someone waving a piece of sheet metal, quite an eerie sound.

Then, just before 5 o'clock that evening, the atmosphere changed in a way I'd never experienced. I live a few miles outside of town, so we weren't in any real danger, but at the time we really didn't know what to expect. The wind began to pick up and the noise seemed louder. We had moved to the entrance of our storm shelter in the basement when we lost power. From the door, we watched the clouds in our backyard just over the tree line. I could see the wall cloud drop, then the funnel appeared. The air was being pulled toward the funnel and all the stray clouds were literally being sucked into the shelf. If you've never seen this in person, you couldn't possibly understand how terrifying it is to hear your town being torn apart. Then, in less than a minute, the world that so many generations had known was wiped off the face of the earth.

We rushed to town to survey the damage, not knowing what we would see. It was like a war zone, like someone had dropped a bomb and wiped my little town off the map. Our little diner, the Rebel Queen, was gone. The owners were inside at the time but by some act of divine intervention, they survived. Our only grocery store was gone. One of the two banks was gone. Main Street was reduced to rubble.
First responders set up triage in an old building that managed to remain standing, treating injuries until those people could be taken to a hospital. There were many that were lucky to be alive. But, as with any tragedy, not everyone was so lucky. We lost people that day. Friends, fathers, sons, children; like I mentioned earlier, we all knew one another, and the sense of loss everyone felt was immeasurable. All anyone knew to was stick together and look to the future.

Then Bo came to town. On the one year anniversary of the storms, Bo Jackson, recently recognized by ESPN as the greatest athlete of all time, decided it was time to help his home state by organizing a charity bike ride. Joined by Lance Armstrong, Picabo Street, Scottie Pippen, Ken Griffey Jr. and many others, Jackson cycled through all the areas affected by the storms. He finished the route in downtown Tuscaloosa. But he wasn't finished.

Jackson took a special interest in my town and decided this year to devote his time and efforts on Cordova. Many of his famous friends and more than a hundred other cyclists donated money to ride with him once again.

On each visit, he made a point to visit with those who lost loved ones and homes to let them know the small towns would not be forgotten during the healing process.

In the last two years, Jackson has raised over six hundred thousand dollars for the state's disaster relief fund, and says he won't stop until he reaches his goal of one million dollars.

At this point, many homes have been rebuilt, much of which was done by people from all over the country who came here and gave their time and labor unconditionally. The remaining buildings have been torn down. The place where our town had stood for nearly two hundred years is a clean slate now. But with the help of people like Bo Jackson and many more generous and compassionate people, we will rebuild, and we'll be even better than before.

For anyone interested in donating to Jackson's cause, go to www.bobikesbama.com

- Kevin Hicks
@kevinhicks77
kevin.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #3 Georgia Bulldogs

It's crazy to think about how the Georgia Bulldogs not only have a Heisman hopeful in junior quarterback Aaron Murray, but they have a duo in the backfield that could both make a run for the coveted trophy. I would say the odds aren't great as having a split backfield is going to take carries away from both men, but sophomore running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall are two running backs that can tear up the football field. The duo combined for 2,144 yards last season, as well as 26 touchdowns.

The Bulldogs may not have superstar wide receivers, but they definitely have guys there that can make a play. Murray's top target will probably be junior Malcolm Mitchell who reeled in 40 receptions for 572 yards and four touchdowns.

Georgia averaged 7.09 yards per play last season, which was the best in the nation. They will look to continue that trend in 2013.

Georgia's running back duo will help with taking a lot of the pressure off of Murray, and when this offense starts clicking I believe they can have the potential to take down any defense.

Speaking of defense, Georgia only has one returning starter on the d-line in senior Garrison Smith. They also have Jordan Jenkins and Amarlo Herrera returning to linebacker positions while Damian Swann will return to his cornerback spot.

There is a lot of optimism regarding Georgia's defense. Much of the performance of the defense will be on the younger players who are replacing the players lost from last season. If these guys can step up Georgia may not only make a run at the SEC Championship, but they can be playing for a National Championship.
Georgia coach Mark Richt, who coached the team to a 12-2 record last season, was quoted in saying, "I have a lot of faith in these guys, but they've got to work. They need to prepare to be the best at what they do."
I couldn't agree more. Every college football team needs to do exactly that. And I know everyone seems to be riding on the SEC bandwagon, but when you play in that conference you absolutely need to prepare to be the best at what you do.

One of Georgia's toughest tasks will be in week one when they play the Clemson Tigers, led by Heisman hopeful Tajh Boyd. The following week the Bulldogs welcome South Carolina to Sanford Stadium. Week five Georgia takes on the LSU Tigers and five weeks from then they battle the Florida Gators.

Will the Georgia Bulldogs play for an SEC Title? I believe that they absolutely can. Will they play for a National Title? That one is a little tougher to answer, but if they can win the SEC Title, I can't really imagine a scenario where they don't play for the National Championship. But first thing is first. On August 31 they have to get past the Clemson Tigers. It should absolutely be the game to watch in week one!

- Jackson McNamara
@jacksonmcnamara
jackson.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #4 Oregon Ducks

They say birds of a feather flock together, but the Duck that’s missing for Oregon’s 2013 season is former head coach Chip Kelly. Kelly’s departure is probably the single-biggest change to Oregon for the 2013 season since the NCAA sanctions didn’t ruffle many feathers.
With Kelly off to coach in the NFL, the Ducks’ new head coach is former assistant Mark Helfrich. Helfrich, an Oregon native, was the team’s offensive coordinator from 2009 - 2012. Although taking over for Kelly may pose challenges, Helfrich certainly has history on his side. He’s the third consecutive offensive coordinator promoted to head coach for the team and only the fourth head coach in the past 35 years.

Last month, the NCAA Committee on Infractions released its ruling on its two and a half year investigation into Oregon’s recruiting practices. Compromised eligibility? No. Bowl ban? Nope. Loss of 10+ scholarships? Not quite. The Ducks are on probation until January 25, 2016. Between now and then, the program loses one scholarship each year and its recruiting visits have been reduced from 56 to 37. Former coach Chip Kelly was also hit with an 18-month show-cause penalty, which essentially means nothing since he’s no longer coaching in the college ranks.

In 2012, the Ducks went 12-1, 8-1 in the Pac-12 with the sole loss coming from an overtime loss to Stanford that shook up the BCS title race. For 2013, the team retains 16 starters: nine on offense and seven on defense.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota returns under center for the Ducks. Mariota finished the 2012 season passing for 2,677 yards with 32 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He also put an additional 752 yards on the ground with 5 rushing touchdowns. Offensively, rushing is in the Ducks’ wheelhouse. The team retains backs De'Anthony Thomas and Byron Marshall for the 2013 season.

Defensively, the team lost leaders in players like Dion Jordan and Kiko Alonso but it’s still stacked in depth. Defensive tackles Taylor Hart and Wade Keliikipi, an All-Pac-12 honorable mention recipient, return for their senior seasons.

Schedule wise, the Ducks’ 2013 season is theirs to lose. The two games that could pose threats are the Oct. 26 game against UCLA albeit at home and the Nov. 7 match away against Stanford.

Ultimately, the bar is high for this Oregon team, even without Kelly. If everything on paper comes to fruition, the team could wrap up the season with a Pac-12 championship and a solid run at the BCS title.

- Hayley Elwood
@hayleyelwood
hayley.projectcfb@gmail.com

2013 Rule Changes

In March of 2013, the NCAA administered multiple new football rules that will take effect this season, but one in particular has already sparked heated offseason discussions.

Per the NCAA’s website, the rule states:
Players who target and contact defenseless players above the shoulders are to be ejected. The change increases the on-field penalty for targeting by adding the automatic ejection to the existing 15-yard penalty.

There’s no doubt that the football world as a whole, from pop warner through pros, is focusing on making the game safer and it isn’t a surprise that the NCAA made a change this season.

Many attribute this rule change to a controversial play that happened in last year’s Big 10 Championship match up between Nebraska and Wisconsin. In the third quarter, Nebraska receiver Kenny Bell delivered a hit to Wisconsin DB Devin Smith – a hit so big it has over 4.4 million views on YouTube. Smith sprinted after receiver Jamal Turner and was sideswiped by Bell. Smith flipped upside down, hit his head on the turf and didn’t return for the rest of the game. Turner ended up making it into the end zone, but the play was flagged and called back.

In section 2-27-14, the NCAA added the following definition to what categorizes a defenseless player:
2-27-14g: A player who receives a blind­side block
Having watched the play over and over, it’s clear that Bell drove his shoulder into Smith, however because Smith’s head was turned the opposite direction, he had no idea it was coming. The visceral reactions of Smith’s head rocking back and body hitting the ground were enough to cause the refs to throw the flag and clearly enough to make the NCAA alter the defenseless player definition and add what is now being called the "Kenny Bell Rule".

The additional rule changes are below, per the NCAA website:

• Adding a 10-second runoff with less than a minute remaining in either half due to the clock stopping because of injury.

• Establishing three seconds as the minimum amount of time required on the game clock in order to spike the ball to stop the clock. If one or two seconds remain on the clock, there is only time for the offense to run one more play.

• Requiring a player that changes numbers during the game to report this to the referee, who will announce it.

• Precluding multiple players from the same team from wearing the same uniform number (Aka the “Lane Kiffin Rule” because last year Kiffin had his backup QB switch jerseys during a two-point conversion play – The backup QB switched into the number of USC’s punter)

• Allowing the use of electronic communication by the on-field officiating crew.

• Allowing instant replay to adjust the clock at the end of each quarter.

And finally, even fashion took a hit.

• Clarifying uniform rules as follows: “Jerseys must have clearly visible, permanent Arabic numerals measuring at least 8 and 10 inches in height front and back, respectively, and be of one solid color that itself is clearly in distinct contrast with the color of the jersey, irrespective of any border around the number.” (Sorry about that, Oregon. Looks like we have a "Duck Rule" now.)

- Hayley Elwood
@hayleyelwood
hayley.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #5 Texas A&M Aggies

After an unlikely inaugural season in the SEC, Texas A&M may have the tools and personnel in place to duplicate that performance. Following an 11-2 season that featured shocking Alabama in the regular season and dismantling Oklahoma in their first bowl appearance as an SEC team, the Aggies must prove they deserve their ranking going into the new season.

Even though they lost several senior team leaders at the conclusion of the 2012 season, the Aggies still have 6 starters returning on both sides of the ball. The strength of the offensive line, anchored by tackle Luke Joeckel, allowed the offense to run or pass virtually at will, but Joeckel is gone this season and Coach Kevin Sumlin is looking to All-American senior Jake Matthews and junior Matt Joeckel to step up and protect Heisman winning sophomore quarterback Johnny Manziel as he hands off to senior running back Ben Malena, who averaged 6 yards per carry last season. Manziel is capable of running for huge chunks himself, as we've seen, but can also throw, and will look to senior receiver Mike Evans to give the Aggies their dangerous, multi-dimensional offense. It remains to be seen who will join Evans as a leader in the receiving corps.

The defense hopes to improve on the previous season after seeing the secondary allow 250 passing yards per game. Luckily, both 2012 starting corners, sophomore De'vante Harris and junior Deshazor Everett return and look to step up as leaders of the defense. Weak side linebacker Steven Jenkins, senior, hopes to slow the running game and offer pass coverage support to Harris and Everett, while senior free safety Tony Hurd will attempt to stop the hemorrhage of passing yards in the secondary.

With losses to Florida and LSU and a signature win on the road against Alabama, Texas A&M looks to have the firepower to compete once again in arguably the toughest division of a top-tier conference while hoping to move into National Championship contention. Coach Sumlin seems to have no trouble motivating his offense to put up lots of points, and it's possible that the defense may have the necessary experience to stop opposing teams from scoring this season.

The Aggies are in a prime spot to avenge at least one of their two losses from 2012, and possibly to catch everyone off guard with another surprising win. If the stars continue to align, Texas A&M will most likely find themselves in the title discussion. The question is, can they handle that kind of pressure?

- Kevin Hicks
@kevinhicks77
kevin.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #6 Stanford Cardinal

If there was any question about how Stanford would do without Andrew Luck at quarterback, last year’s Cardinal Team answered with a resounding “Just fine.” David Shaw improved on his first season as head coach in 2011 with a final record of 12-2 and a Rose Bowl win in 2012, Stanford’s first since 1972. Looking forward to this college football season, it appears Stanford hasn’t lost any steam and is #6 in ProjectCFB’s preseason Top Ten.

Contributing to that ranking is the playmaking ability of Junior QB Kevin Hogan who took over the reigns for Josh Nunes in the middle of the season last year. Hogan has been named to the pre-season watch list for the Maxwell Award, which goes to the nation’s top player and is looking to build on his short resume after last year’s late season heroics that saw him lead Stanford to three victories against ranked opponents and a MVP award in the Pac-12 Championship before their win against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Several other Cardinal names have been appearing on pre-season watch lists. Safeties Eric Reynolds and Jordan Richards are being eyed as possible Jim Thorpe Award winners. Reynolds has also been listed on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy list. Also on the Nagurski watch list and the Bednarik watch lists are Ben Gardner, Trent Murphy and Shane Skov. Murphy, a semi-finalist for last year’s Butkis Award led the Cardinal with 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Standford leads the NCAA with the most pre-season selections for the Outland Trophy, presented to the best offensive lineman. Kevin Danser, Cameron Fleming and David Yankey are all on the list as well. If Stanford can live up to these pre-season accolades, the Cardinal could have college football’s best offensive line, making things very difficult for opposing defenses who attempt to get at Hogan and the Cardinal offense.

Coach David Shaw seems to be settling in nicely to his role as head coach after Jim Harbaugh’s defection to the NFL after the 2010 season. Shaw in his second year at Stanford was able to accomplish what Harbaugh could not, a conference championship. And if not for what some considered a controversial call to end the Notre Dame game, Shaw’s Cardinal team seemed to be on track for the BCS Title Game.

The Cardinal will have to deal with a stout schedule if they want to achieve what Coach Shaw says is their goal every year…winning the conference and the Rose Bowl “the only things they can control.” Stanford begins the season facing off with San Jose State, who almost upset the Cardinal last year in their route to a surprising 11-2 season. Stanford’s last half of the 2013 season is full of tough Pac-12 foes. The Oregon State, Oregon, USC and Cal games all lead up to the match-up with the Cardinal’s toughest non-conference opponent, Notre Dame. It is safe to say the Cardinal teams has had that game circled on their schedule, itching for the opportunity to take down the opponent who knocked them out of the BCS title dreams last year.

For many in the college football world, Stanford has the skills to do what no one else has been able to do for the past seven years: knock the SEC from the BCS title throne. They have the defense to take on the speed that typically defines teams in the Southeastern Conference and the Cardinal have the overwhelming offensive line to squelch the SEC’s hearty defensive lines. This 2013 Cardinal team is primed and ready to defend their Pac-12 Conference championship and possibly win their first BCS championship.

​​- Amy Norris
@amyjane72
amy.projectcfb@gmail.com

Do NCAA Coaches Bear Some Responsibility for Players’ Actions Post-College?

The recent arrest of former New England Patriots’ tight end Aaron Hernandez for murder has generated a lot of debate among sports pundits in the last few weeks. As details emerge about Hernandez’s supposed involvement in the murder of Odin Lloyd, even more is being revealed about the former Florida Gator’s troubles with the law dating back to when he played for Urban Meyer. Meyer, who now coaches at Ohio State, recently took to the news to shoot down some of what he called “inaccuracies” with regards to reports of Hernandez’s time at UF. Meyer said the staff and others “worked very hard to mentor and guide him” during his time in Gainesville. But it leads one to question; do college coaches bear any responsibility of former players’ actions once they’ve left for the NFL?

One of the incidents being brought to light by investigators into the Aaron Hernandez case is that Hernandez was involved in a violent crime (beating up a bouncer at a restaurant) while in his tenure at the University of Florida but received no obvious punishment for his actions. Hernandez was suspended a game in 2008 for testing positive for marijuana, but beyond that it appears Hernandez kept his nose clean or UF chose not to report any other trouble he might have been in.

Did UF and Urban Meyer specifically have a responsibility to discipline Hernandez over the incident at the restaurant? One would think so. When young men or women attend a college or university and represent that institution especially in the athletic arena, coaches in a sense must become a parental figure for these young people. Especially, when so many of these players come from backgrounds that are less than stellar. Coaches on a collegiate level can have the greatest impact on a young player in these formative years as they transition to adulthood.

But does this responsibility extend to beyond their collegiate career? How can it? Once these players leave campus and go out into the world, the only person that can truly answer for them are the players themselves. While at a university, coaches can only try and provide mentors or role models to inspire them to improve their life and their situations outside of the sport. The rest is up to the individual player.

Aaron Hernandez is not the only player who’s seen his professional career crumble due to personal problems. Rolando McClain, who was once called “the smartest guy I ever coached” by Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban is currently retired from the NFL after being a first round draft pick in 2010. McClain’s short NFL career was plagued by arrests and other off-field incidents. Ausar Walcott, former rookie linebacker for the Cleveland Browns, was recently arrested on the charge of attempted murder.

How far can we go in placing the blame on their college coaches? Why not extend the blame to their high school coaches as well? There is no doubt that if these players caused problems in their college career and the coaches did nothing, then we might be able to call them enablers to the behavior. But there comes a time when these players must take ownership of their own issues and realize they need to grow up, mature and learn the difference between right and wrong. College coaches can only do so much to guide these young people into a better life. After that, the blame needs to be placed squarely on the one who commits the crime and no one else.

- Amy Norris​
@amyjane72
amy.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #7 Clemson Tigers

Since the year 2000, Clemson has been in the Top 25 of the AP’s Preseason rankings six times. Out of those six times, they have finished the season in the AP Top 25 twice (#16 in 2000 and #11 in 2012). This season the contributors to ProjectCFB have predicted Clemson will not only be in the Top 25, but land in the Top Ten at #7. Will this be the year Clemson finally proves their preseason pick to be correct?

Clemson’s highest preseason rank in the past thirteen years has been at #9 in 2008. That proved to be a very tumultuous year for the Tigers. Six games into the season, their head coach Tommy Bowden resigned and Dabo Swinney, Clemson’s recruiting cordinator and wide receivers coach took over the helm. In Swinney’s tenure as head coach, Clemson has endured only one losing season. In 2012, the victory over the Top Ten ranked LSU Tigers led Clemson to a #9 finish in the final Coaches’ Poll and 11th in the final AP Poll of the season.

What will help Clemson with another great season? Preseason Heisman favorite Tahj Boyd at quarterback. In 2012 against NC State, Boyd broke the ACC record for most touchdowns in a game when he threw for five and ran for three more, totaling 529 all purpose yards. In the Chick-fil-a Bowl, Boyd won the MVP award with his 36 of 50 pass attempts with no interceptions and a game changing pass on 4th down that helped set up the game winning field goal. The challenge for Boyd besides the opposing defense will be working with a new center, sophomore Ryan Norton. Boyd will also be without running back Andre Ellington and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who were both taken in the recent NFL Draft.

Another plus in Clemson’s favor for 2013 will be their schedule if they can survive it. Clemson has what most have claimed as the toughest non-conference schedule in the ACC. They start off the season at home with a last year’s SEC runner ups from Georgia and their last game is with their biggest rivals, South Carolina and their Heisman Candidate Jadeveon Clowney. Both of these opponents most likely will be in the Top 25 nationally this season. If Clemson can beat Georgia and South Carolina and do so impressively, then there’s little doubt they will be in the final Top Ten of the 2013 NCAA football season.

- Amy Norris
@amyjane72
amy.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #8 South Carolina Gamecocks

While the South Carolina Gamecocks have a relatively favorable schedule for the 2013 season, there are still too many questions to put this team in the driver’s seat of the SEC.

South Carolina finished the 2012 season with a five-game winning streak. The team went 11-2 overall and 6-2 in potentially the best conference in college football; however only seven and five starters are returning for the offense and defense respectively.

Quarterback Connor Shaw will start as the Gamecocks’ leader under center for the 2013 season. Shaw started 11 out of 13 games last season and finished his season with 17 touchdowns, 7 interceptions and led his team to a 33-28 victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl. Despite coming off an injury-laden past few seasons and recent foot surgery, which caused him to miss spring practices, Shaw is looking forward to his healthy return on the field. While Shaw is named the starter, head coach Steve Spurrier however recognizes that he may have two hot quarterbacks on the roster and has discussed having Shaw split time at the position with QB Dylan Thompson. Thompson started the two games Shaw couldn’t due to injury and proved he has one strong arm, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in both of his two starts.

Big losses come in the run game. To avoid potential further collegiate injury, running back Marcus Lattimore declared for the 2013 NFL Draft and RB Kenny Miles chose to not return for the Gamecocks’ 2013 season. Although Lattimore is gone, he did face devastating back-to-back knee injuries that cut his 2011 and 2012 seasons short so some may argue the Gamecocks were able to still survive without him. Moving forward, sophomore Mike Davis may just be the key to keep this run game on the up and up. At 5-foot-9, Davis doesn’t necessarily have the height to be an elite back, but he does weigh in at a solid 215-pounds. He has the power to be an explosive back that can cut up the middle and work in sync with South Carolina’s big offensive line.

As for the receiving corps, South Carolina’s two big tight ends, Rory Anderson and Jerell Adams will look to create mismatches against rival defenses and wide receiver Bruce Ellington’s speed will provide Shaw – or Thompson – with opportunities to air the ball out downfield.

Defensively, the Gamecocks’ MVP is 6-foot-6, 274-pound defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. With so many defensive starters gone, Clowney is expected to take on a leadership role for the upcoming season. Can Clowney be the answer to a successful 2013 South Carolina season? His natural speed and power to get off the ball put him in a category all his own. (See: “The Hit” from the 2013 Outback Bowl). The jury may still be out, but hype aside, Clowney is certainly a game changer and playmaker.

Schedule wise, South Carolina’s is favorable. The team doesn’t face any of the elite SEC opponents including Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU (who defeated the Gamecocks 23-21 a year ago) but does still have challenges. These come in games like week two’s matchup on the road against Georgia (even though the Gamecocks won by double digits against the Bulldogs last year) and week eleven’s game against Florida (who rocked South Carolina 44-11 in 2012). South Carolina also finishes their 2013 season with no road games in November.

While its BCS title game chances are minimal, due to the Alabama powerhouse, this could be South Carolina’s best chance to make a run. With Clowney still on the roster, a healthy quarterback, and a schedule that on paper looks to work in their favor, the Gamecocks may be a force to be reckoned with in the 2013 season.

- Hayley Elwood
@hayleyelwood
hayley.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #9 Louisville Cardinals

It's hard to imagine any team in the Big East really testing the Cardinals this season, but can Louisville be a legit BCS championship contender? If history is any indication you must win at the very least 11 games in the regular season and in Louisville's case they will likely need to go undefeated to even sniff a title game berth. However, there's an old adage in football; if you don't have a good quarterback, you can't win, Luckily, Louisville doesn't have that issue. They are lead by junior signal caller and Heisman frontrunner in quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater set the college football world on fire last season with his 68.5% completion percentage, 3,718 passing yards and 28 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions, capped off by his dissection of the very formidable Florida Gators defense in the Sugar Bowl.

But Bridgewater isn't the only talented player on this team. Senior running back Senorise Perry is the Cardinals returning leading rusher last season compiling 705 rushing yards on only 136 carries (a 5.2 yards per carry average) and scored 11 touchdowns. Dominique Brown and Corvin Brown also should contribute on the ground as well, potentially making Teddy Bridgewater's job a bit easier. Speaking of Bridgewater, the pass catchers on this team do not lack play making ability. Leading receiver DeVante Parker and his 744 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns are returning in 2013, as well as junior slot receiver Eli Rodgers who hauled in 46 passes for 505 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2012. Despite losing guys like Damian Copeland, Andrell Smith and Jeremy Wright to graduation, the Cardinals have young pass catchers like James Quick, Michaelee Harris and Martin Williams ready to step up and contribute in the passing game.

Defensively, Louisville is led by senior linebacker Preston Brown. Brown led the team in tackles in 2012 with 109 total tackles, 57 unassisted. Calvin Pryor helped out from his safety position last season with 100 total tackles, 2 interceptions, and 5 forced fumbles. Hakeem Smith and Keith Brown also are returning in 2013 to help bolster the secondary and linebacking corps as well. Lorenzo Mauldin and Marcus Smith lead the defensive line with 13.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles between the two of them. With the leadership provided by Brown, Pryor and Smith each of the three position groups on the defense should provide the Cardinals with plenty of leads and with a safety like Pryor with a nose for the ball, quite a few short fields for Bridgewater and the offense.

Looking at the Cardinals' 2013 schedule they are set up very well right off the bat at making some noise and in turn giving the aforementioned Bridgewater a chance to potentially distance himself early in the Heisman race with home contests against the Ohio Bobcats and the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. The Cardinals then make their first trip away from Cardinal Stadium on September 14th to face Kentucky before heading home to face Florida International. After a September 28th bye week they travel to Philadelphia to collide with the Temple Owls and then take on Rutgers and UCF at home before heading down south to face Central Florida. After a November 2nd bye week the Cardinals come into the home stretch of the season. On November 8th Bridgewater and the Cardinals head to East Hartford to face off with UConn and then host the Houston Cougars and then the Memphis Tigers in the home finale. After the final bye week they then head to Nippert Stadium to finish out the season with the Cincinnati Bearcats.

After looking at the 2013 schedule, another 11 win season is very possible, and quite honestly I don't see any team in the Big East or on the out of conference slate that can really test Bridgewater and the Cardinals this year and quite honestly, I predict that 4 or 5 of the Cardinals' victories are going to look very lopsided. I don't mean 28-13 lopsided either, I'm talking 48-10 lopsided, which would do a lot to help the Cardinals in the polls which we all know (whether we like it or not) is the biggest factor in who does and doesn't play in the BCS championship game. Much like many others, I see the Cardinals running away with the Big East this year and if a few chips fall the Cardinals' way, they could very well end up playing in the BCS National Championship come January.

- Josh Gamez
@itsjoshgamez
josh.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame has fallen a few spots since the last time they took the field in the BCS Championship Game in January.

One of the blows coming to the Fighting Irish in the postseason was the suspension of starting QB Everett Golson for academic reasons. In 2012, Golson led the Irish to the National Championship game and a 12-1 season after completing 187 of 318 passes for 2,405 yards and 12 touchdowns with six interceptions. Golson also rushed for 298 yards and six TDs. Shortly after Golson’s dismissal, Head Coach Brian Kelly quickly named second-stringer, Tommy Rees, the starting QB, returning him to the roll he held for the 2011 season before Golson beat him out at the start of 2012. This should not be a devastating blow to the Irish, since the guy taking the snaps is a seasoned QB with starting experience. Rees had a completion percentage of 65.5% in 2011, for 2,871 yards and 20 TDs.

The Irish will have more significant holes to fill with the departures of linebacker Manti Te’o and tight end Tyler Eifert to the NFL. Though his personal life became a media spectacle, Heisman runner-up Manti Te’o’s dominance on the field cannot be overlooked. Te’o had 113 tackles in 2012, 55 of them were solo tackles. Te’o led the Irish defense to a second place ranking in scoring defense and a top 20 ranking in four other defensive categories. Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame’s All-American defensive end, is ranked on of the top players in the NCAA going into the 2013 season and will play a large role in keeping the Irish a defensive power this season.

Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame’s outstanding tight end, had 50 receptions for 685 yards in 2012. Eifert and Golson were a dynamic duo when it came to quick, short pass progressions to move the chains down the field. This duo helped Notre Dame finish as a top 10 offense and top 5 passing offense. Junior Tight end Troy Niklas will likely fill Eifert’s shoes, after being converted to the position from linebacker in the 2012 season. While his stats from 2012 at tight end are not impressive, his size (6 feet 7 inches, 260 pounds) is ideal for the position and he has an opportunity to have an immediate effect on the Irish offense.

The Irish have some holes to fill, but have good candidates to step in and close the gaps. The Irish have what it takes to make another run at the BCS Championship Game, but with one of the toughest schedules in college this year, will they be able to stay on top through November?

- Lindsay Simpson
@lindsaysimpson
lindsay.projectcfb@gmail.com

First Ever Project CFB Top Ten

We here at Project CFB have worked together to create the official Project CFB preseason top ten list. This is a list which is made up of several lists (more specifically a top ten list from each of us), averaged out to make one final preseason top ten.

In the coming days, we will reveal all ten teams in our top ten, starting obviously with #10 and working our way down to our preseason #1.

Today however, we will discuss a few of the teams who almost made the top ten. It was a close list. Here are our honorable mentions.

Michigan Wolverines

Led by junior quarterback Devin Gardner, the Wolverines will have its first season sans Denard Robinson as the starting quarterback since 2009.

Gardner is an accurate quarterback, who can also make plays with his feet. As long as veteran wide receivers Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo can step up and help Gardner out, Michigan's offense, which will finally be playing Al Borges' kind of football, could be amazing.

Of course Michigan's star linebacker Jake Ryan injured his ACL in the spring. The Wolverines will look for other defensive players, like Blake Countess, Courtney Avery and Desmond Morgan to step up and make the plays while Ryan is out.

Michigan has a couple tough road games this season, taking on the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing, as well as Penn State at Beaver Stadium. However they do have the luxury of playing Notre Dame, Nebraska and hated rival Ohio State at the Big House.

Florida Gators

Last year Florida's defense allowed only seven plays of 30 yards or more. Their defense will look to continue dominating in arguably the toughest conference in college football, while their offense gets things done on the other side of the ball.

Junior quarterback Jeff Driskel looks to lead the Gators to another pretty successful year of college football. Las season they went 11-2 (7-1 in SEC play), and they'd like nothing less then to make it to the SEC Championship Game, and come out victorious.

Sophomore running back Matt Jones will look to lend Driskel a helping hand, as well as junior Loucheiz Purifoy who plays wide receiver as well as cornerback.

Florida faces the Miami Hurricanes, LSU and South Carolina in away games while they take on teams like the Georgia Bulldogs and the FSU Seminoles in the Swamp.

LSU Tigers

Another SEC team, the Les Miles led LSU Tigers are led by senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Mettenberger threw for 2,609 yards last season, as well as 12 touchdowns. However he did toss up seven interceptions.

LSU's new offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron is known to be a strong tutor for quarterbacks. Mettenberger looks to only get better under Cameron's tutelage.

Wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr will look to step up and help make Mettenberger's job a little easier.

LSU's defense unfortunately will see a lot of new faces, however the defensive squad stepping up could h r more potential than the group that just left.

LSU faces of against TCU this year, as well as SEC opponents Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Texas A&M.

All three of these teams could very well find their way into the top ten this season, however they just missed the cu in our first ever preseason top ten.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for the unveiling of our #10 ranked preseason team!

- Matt Lytle
@mattlytle
matt.projectcfb@gmail.com