I may be going out on a limb...

by Markthejacket on Jan 5, 2010 2:57 PM EST

But it looks like the Coastal division is going to be the toughest division in college football next year. If we win tonight we will be guaranteed to start in the top 10, maybe top 5 depending on who returns. VT will likely also be in the top 10 after their convincing win over Tennessee. "Next year is the year" for Miami and while I've heard that before they do have a lot of people coming back to a solid team. They are probably looking at a 10-15 spot with the embarrassing bowl loss hurting them. But no one will bring back more talent than UNC. All of their juniors (six All-ACC defenders) said they will return for their senior year. With one of the best defenses in the nation and a year to improve the offense they could start anywhere from 10-20.

4 teams in the top 20, and 2 in the top 10! Most conferences will be lucky to match that. UVA has a chance to rebuild and surprise some people with a new coaching staff, and under Cutliffe Duke is always a landmine even without Thaddeus Lewis this year.

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at first I thought you were crazy

But when you start looking at four deep, the coastal does start to look pretty good. The Big 12 north and atlantic divisions don’t have that kind of depth.

There are too many question marks among the Big 12 South (Ok. St. and Texas replacing quarterbacks and TTU replacing the Pirate Captain) and SEC East (Fla. & Georgie with new quarterbacks, Kentucky with a new coach, South Carolina still doesn’t have a quarterback), to say that they’re better than the coastal.

IMO, if the best division isn’t the coastal, I think it’s going to be the SEC west. Bama is going to be awesome, again, Arkansas brings back 15 starters and 36 guys off of their two deep, LSU is replacing some key players, but is loaded with talent. The UNC/LSU kickoff game next summer will go a long way towards making up my mind between the coastal and the west.

by Joe Hamilton's Chauffeur on Jan 5, 2010 3:39 PM EST reply actions

Win Iowa wins tonight

And returns most of their team. Iowa and OSU will both be in the top 8. Wisconsin (another young team that beat up Miami), will be top 15. Throw in Penn St, and there you have 4 for sure. Let alone what they make of Michigan State (who played minus 14 guys), Michigan (always gets more love than they deserve) and Northwestern (another young team that peaked at the end of the season).

Well, whoever wins tonight, their conference is a big winner for preseason.

Good luck, but Go Hawks!

by vahawk on Jan 5, 2010 4:03 PM EST reply actions

certainly the Big 10 is poised for a big year next year

You gus and Ohio State should expect to be elite next year, and Wisconsin has a good chance to end up highly ranked as well. However, with no divisions, the BIg 10 and Pac 10 don’t fit into a comparison of this type.

by Joe Hamilton's Chauffeur on Jan 6, 2010 3:18 PM EST up reply actions