SI's Mandel picks Top Ten for 2007

[Jay Bee]

This ought to make Geaux happy.... and Cocks, check out the sleepers ..

WDE!
jb

By Stewart Mandel

1. USC - Ten starters will be back on a defense that stuffed Michigan in the Rose Bowl, and QB John David Booty could be a Heisman contender.

2. LSU - The Tigers will be loaded on both lines. Losing QB JaMarcus Russell to the NFL would hurt, but Matt Flynn is a more than capable replacement.

3. FLORIDA - Urban Meyer's spread-option offense won't miss a beat with Tim Tebow taking over for Chris Leak at QB, but the defense must reload.

4. OHIO STATE - With Troy Smith gone, the Buckeyes will lean more on RBs Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells and an experienced defense.

5. WEST VIRGINIA - QB Pat White and RB Steve Slaton will be Heisman candidates, and a defense that brings back eight starters should improve.

6. WISCONSIN - Sixteen starters return on a team that finished 12-1, though departing All-America tackle Joe Thomas will be sorely missed.

7. MICHIGAN - The offense figures to be loaded with QB Chad Henne, RB Mike Hart and WR Mario Manningham, but the defense loses most of its stars.

8. LOUISVILLE - Bobby Petrino's move to the NFL drops the Cardinals out of the top four. They'll drop out of the top 10 if QB Brian Brohm leaves too.

9. TEXAS - While sophomore QB Colt McCoy gets back all of his key receivers, the Longhorns must improve their running game and secondary.

10. VIRGINIA TECH - The Hokies will field another dominant defense. But can Frank Beamer get more production out of his quarterbacks?
Sleepers

UCLA: The Bruins, who have 20 of 22 starters back, showed their potential in an upset of USC. SOUTH CAROLINA: An offense that clicked late should be more dangerous in '07. SOUTH FLORIDA: Sixteen starters are back on an unheralded team that shut down West Virginia.

Issue date: January 15, 2007

[Chief Broom]

You got to be kidding me, three Big 10 teams in the top ten!

[Gator2753]

You got to be kidding me, three Big 10 teams in the top ten!
In an ironic twist, Wisky is the only team more deserving out of those three! :laugh:

[ColonelKurtz]

Good thing they put erasers on pencils....

[razorhead]

What is the freaking love affair with West Virginia? They play nobody decent, not even in their bowl game, and get all this respect. Same with Louisville.

[gatorunvrsty]

In an ironic twist, Wisky is the only team more deserving out of those three! :laugh:
Listening in on the Browneye forums, you'd think they won't even be in the top 25. I think reality is starting to set in. First day, it was nothing but excuses, but now they're talking about having to do the things UF does. Their recruiting sucks. They don't have a very good class. As far as UM, I really wasn't impressed all year. It's amazing. The media are going to give the 10 the benefit of the doubt until judgement day. Of course, one reason they do that is so their predictions from this year don't LOOK as bad as they were. They're not going to say the 10 were Kings of CFB this year and then turn around and actually admit they were wrong; that they over-rated them all year long.

[gatorunvrsty]

What is the freaking love affair with West Virginia? They play nobody decent, not even in their bowl game, and get all this respect. Same with Louisville.
They're going to keep getting that respect as long as they're winning bowl games against better conferences. They beat the SEC champs in UGA last year and the ACC runners-up in GT this year. Hard to argue with that. Once Slaton's gone, they'll be worthless.

[Gator2753]

They're going to keep getting that respect as long as they're winning bowl games against better conferences. They beat the SEC champs in UGA last year and the ACC runners-up in GT this year. Hard to argue with that. Once Slaton's gone, they'll be worthless.
Not to mention the Big Least is a joke of a conference. Even more of a joke than the Big 2. Esp. with Louisville's HC leaving, there will be no competetion in the Big Least except for maybee Rutgers(whom the BCS will also over rate by mid season.) Not only does WVU have a history of winning big bowl games, but now it will be a cake walk to get there!

[razorhead]

Coming back from way down to beat Georgia Tech (who was without their QB) isn't exactly a big bowl win.

[Gator2753]

Coming back from way down to beat Georgia Tech (who was without their QB) isn't exactly a big bowl win.
I agree but Taylor Bennett is the real deal at GT. Calvin Johnson caught more passes for more yards with TB than he did in any game with Reggie freaking Ball.lol
WVU is still i middle tier team in an over rated conference but they still play hard come bowl season.

[GeauxTo]

He's got Ohio State way too high, and maybe Virginia Tech could be replaced by Arkansas. The top three are about right, with possible flips of Florida and LSU.

[Gator2753]

He's got Ohio State way too high, and maybe Virginia Tech could be replaced by Arkansas. The top three are about right, with possible flips of Florida and LSU.
I agree. Were(LSU & UF) pretty much in the same boat. We have tons of talent in our returning players, we both lost our star QB's but our backups can be just as effective, and our defenses both look pretty strong. Wouldnt it be awesome if we met in Atl at the end next season? But Im getting waayyy ahead of myself here.
Still alot of football to be played between now and then and in the SEC, you never know! :thumpsup:

[GatorNation]

I heard Bubba is coming back...as well as The Eraser, Reggie Nelson. Siler still on the fence....Moss is gone, though, as is Ryan Smith.

[GTTiger]

The highest ranked team that the Big East played in a bowl game was somewhere around 19. Of course they're gonna win thier games =P The SEC played 5 bowl teams with a better ranking.

[jonthetiger337]

It would be awesome for the winner of LSU and Florida to go undefeated during the regular season and the other have only that loss. then an undefeated team would meat a team with one loss and on a winning streak to give the SEC two solid national championship contenders.

[timNem]

What is the freaking love affair with West Virginia? They play nobody decent, not even in their bowl game, and get all this respect. Same with Louisville.I agree, until they completely overhaul that horrible defense they can forget about the NC.

[AUFootball24]

The highest ranked team that the Big East played in a bowl game was somewhere around 19. Of course they're gonna win thier games =P The SEC played 5 bowl teams with a better ranking.

Big Least beat KState, East Carolina, Tech (barely), and Wake Forest.