Pre-Preseason Top 25

While I may not be playing with the big boys yet, my time will come. So as the other blogs start spouting out their preseason top 25’s, I would like to take my time and give you a realistic poll.

There are some points I should explain before I get into it:

1. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule. Oh, did I mention Schedule? Contrary to popular belief, top-25 polls in college football are about the schedules. There is no more important single item that determines how a team will fare than who it plays and when they play. So with that said, remember I will be taking into account each team’s sked as the main gauge for their ranking.

2. How they finished last year. Momentum can birth national champions. Or, at least can forecast improvement or faltering of almost any team. I use certain Big Ten examples, because I’m most familiar with them. Penn State 2001: started out 0-4, finished 5-2 with two close losses. 2002 saw the Lions go 9-3, with a 2K rusher, and all three losses to No. 1 OSU (13-7), No. 3 Iowa (42-35 OT) and No. 10 Michigan (27-24 OT). Ohio State 2004: started out 3-3, finished 4-1 beating Rose Bowl-bound Michigan. 2005 saw the Buckeyes go 9-2, with close losses to No. 1 Texas (25-22) and No. 3 PSU (17-10).

3. Depth. Can that team survive if it loses a starting lineman? Look at USC; as much as I hate to say it, their depth is fantastic. There are three TB’s there who could start for any other team in the country. They have five-star recruits on the scout team. Certain teams could have been great “if only…” The injury bug can kill championships. The loss of Ted Ginn, Jr. in last season’s BCS championship totally messed with OSU’s psyche. What if he played more than the first kickoff?

4. Don’t get caught up in the hype. In 2005, Purdue was everyone’s darling in the Big Ten. This was mainly the result of all 11 starters returning on a pretty good defense the year before and the elimination of both OSU and Michigan from the schedule. Well, the defense imploded and missing the “big two” only meant the difference between 5-6 and 3-8. Another example is Auburn 2003. Started the season No. 6 and got off to a great start with an embarrassing loss to No. 1 USC 23-0. The Tigers finished 8-4.

5. Do I like you? Well, this isn’t a real reason. But sometimes you get hunches about a team and go out on a limb.

The first ZN CFB Top 25 :: 2007 will post Thursday Morning. Check back then and get those angry emails and comments ready.