#5 Texas Longhorns (10-3)
As with many college football fans, Texas fans have short memories. As a result, we suspect that last year's 12-7 loss to arch-rival Texas A&M rings louder than the team's amazing national championship win the year prior. Nonetheless, the Longhorns are locked and loaded to continue the winning tradition that coach Mack Brown has established for the team since his arrival. Quarterback Colt McCoy found himself in the unenviable position of having to follow in the very large footsteps of Vince Young and succeeded quite well, passing for more than 2,500 yards and tossing 29 touchdowns. Last year's team fielded one of the strongest Longhorns defensive lines in recent memory, and this year's squad, returning six starters, should ensure solid performance at the line of scrimmage. Running back Jamaal Charles will need to step in and prove he's worthy of such great legacies as Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, and Earl Campbell to help get Texas's running game back in step. The Longhorns face TCU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech at home--their toughest road game should prove to be the Aggies and, after last year's defeat, the Longhorns will be looking to travel to College Station with revenge on their minds.
Longhorns Impact Players
| Name | Position | Rating | 2006 Notable Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Okam | DT | 97 | 38 tackles, 2 sacks |
| Limas Sweed | WR | 93 | 801 yds, 12 TD |
| Jamaal Charles | HB | 91 | 831 yds, 7 TD |
Stadium: Texas Memorial Field (85,123 capacity, Toughest Places to Play Rating: #8)
#4 Florida Gators (13-1)
In hindsight, it seems funny to think that most folks had Ohio State coming out on top of the BCS Championship game, before Florida came in and handed the Buckeyes a monumental 41-14 butt-kicking. These days, with three national championships in two years (with a pair of those coming from Billy Donovan's men's basketball team), it seems the new mecca of collegiate athletics is down in Gainesville. Coach Urban Meyer has brought the same intensity that he brought to Utah down south, which combined with some lucky breaks against teams like Alabama and versus Arkansas in the SEC Championship game (where the Razorbacks lost star running back Darren McFadden early on in the game). The only team they couldn't figure out was Auburn, but considering the home team has won the last four games in that match-up, odds look good for this year's game against the Tigers in the Swamp. One of the biggest question marks for the team is how fleet-footed Tim Tebow will fill in for the departed Chris Leak in the quarterback position. Should Tebow find his stride early, Gator Nation will chomp its way through 2007.
Gators Impact Players
| Name | Position | Rating | 2006 Notable Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Harvey | LE | 96 | 35 tackles, 11 sacks |
| Percy Harvin | WR | 90 | 427 yds, 2 TD |
| Tim Tebow | QB | 86 | 469 yds rushing, 8 rushing TD |
Stadium: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (88,548 capacity, Toughest Places to Play Rating: #1)
#3 LSU Tigers (11-2)
The Tigers have come a long way since the days of Curly Hallman. After sharing a national championship under Nick Saban, LSU has continued its winning ways--both on the field and in recruiting--with Les Miles as coach. The loss of #1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell will be one of the most difficult hurdles the Tigers will need to overcome in their 2007 season, but senior Matt Flynn has a good deal of experience behind center. The other obstacle, of course, is the brutal heart of the SEC schedule, which will see the Tigers facing South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas, all within the cacophonous confines of Death Valley. Should Miles run the table at home, and manage to knock off Alabama in its most difficult away game, the SEC West (and perhaps the entire conference) should be theirs for the taking.
Tigers Impact Players
| Name | Position | Rating | 2006 Notable Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn Dorsey | DT | 98 | 64 tackles, 3 sacks |
| Ali Highsmith | LOLB | 93 | 63 tackles, 2 sacks |
| Early Doucet | WR | 92 | 772 yds, 8 TD |
Stadium: Tiger Stadium (92,400 capacity, Toughest Places to Play Rating: #3)
#2 Michigan Wolverines (11-2)
During his 13 years as the head of the Wolverines, Coach Lloyd Carr has often come under fire for not being able to close out big opponents. Losing four of the last five games to arch-rival Ohio State has only exacerbated that problem, but last year the Wolverines had some incredibly bright moments to be proud of, most notably an early-season shellacking of Notre Dame that brought the rest of the world back down to earth on the over-hyped Fighting Irish. Two players will consistently strike fear into the hearts of Michigan's Big 10 opponents: seniors Chad Henne and Mike Hart. Hart, a fifth-place finisher in last year's Heisman race, looks to top his stellar 2006 with an even stronger ground performance in 2007. Should the receiving corps come into their own, Michigan faces a favorable home schedule that could once again vault them into BCS contention.
Wolverines Impact Players
| Name | Position | Rating | 2006 Notable Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Hart | HB | 95 | 1562 yds, 14 TD |
| Shawn Crable | LOLB | 95 | 37 tackles, 4.5 sacks |
| Mario Manningham | WR | 94 | 703 yds, 9 TD |
Stadium: Michigan Stadium (107,501 capacity, Toughest Places to Play Rating: #9)
#1 USC Trojans (11-2)
Is it any wonder that Pete Carroll's Southern California squad sits atop this list? With 16 returning starters, an immensely talented quarterback behind center, and a program that has become synonymous with NCAA excellence, it shouldn't be. Losing big-name talent like Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith will mean quarterback John David Booty will be searching for a few new go-to receivers. While there won't be any shortage of touchdowns scored by the offense, the Trojans' most potent weapon might be its defense--with 10 returning starters and a defensively minded head coach in Carroll who takes pride in stopping his opponents cold. The Trojans will need that defense at optimum strength when playing some tough games on the road, including their September 15 contest against Nebraska. Later in the season, the showdown with Cal could prove--as it has in the past--to be a game with multiple implications--Pac 10, Rose Bowl, perhaps even the national title too.
Trojans Impact Players
| Name | Position | Rating | 2006 Notable Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Rivers | ROLB | 97 | 85 tackles, 2 sacks |
| Lawrence Jackson | LE | 96 | 43 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 INT |
| John David Booty | QB | 94 | 3347 yds, 29 TD, 9 INT |
Stadium: LA Memorial Coliseum Stadium (92,000 capacity, Toughest Places to Play Rating: #7)
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