PSR 2008 Preseason Top 25

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (4 first place votes/259 total points)
With almost every major skill player returning for the Buckeyes, look for them to return to their third consecutive BCS National Championship Game.

2. Georgia Bulldogs (3 first place votes/257 total points)
Running back Knowshon Moreno and QB Matthew Stafford will be integral parts in what should be a great season for the Bulldogs.

3. Southern California Trojans (1 first place vote/222 points)
Despite having to rebuild a star-studded defense and find a QB to replace John David Booty, the Trojans will likely be a major factor in the national picture.

4. Florida Gators (1 first place vote/219 points)
The 1-2 combination of Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin combined for 42 touchdowns a season ago.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (216 total points)
Sam Bradford threw for 36 touchdowns last season while RB DeMarco Murray scored 13 times on the ground.

6. Missouri Tigers (206 total points)
If it wasn't for Oklahoma, the Tigers would have played for national championship last season. The defense returns nearly every starter; the offense returns QB Chase Daniel.

7. Louisiana State Tigers (1 first place vote/187 total points)
LSU must find a way to recover from off-field distractions and the loss of defensive coordinator Bo Pelini to Nebraska.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers (145 total points)
With the loss of Steve Slaton, head coach Bill Stewart will bank on QB Pat White and RB Noel Devine to carry the load for the Mountaineers.

9. Auburn Tigers (145 total points)
All five of the Tigers offensive linemen return in 2008 to protect Kody Burns, who will be in his first full season under center.

10. Wisconsin Badgers (135 total points)
Tailback P.J. Hill will look to return from an injury-plagued season in 2007, while TE Travis Beckum will be back for his senior season with the Badgers.

11. Texas Longhorns (134 total points)
Texas will look to QB Colt McCoy for leadership, as the Longhorns look to rebuild their defense under new coordinator Will Muschamp.

12. Clemson Tigers (132 total points)
Clemson must win the games that they are supposed to win if they want a chance to play in a BCS bowl game.

13. Texas Tech Red Raiders (125 total points)
If Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree put up numbers similar to last season, the rest of the Big 12 better beware.

14. Kansas Jayhawks (119 total points)
Todd Reesing is back to run a high-powered offense that went 12-1 in 2007, capped with an Orange Bowl victory.

15. Tennessee Volunteers (102 total points)
Rocky Top must look for a new play-caller to replace Eric Ainge. RB Arian Foster will carry the ball early and often for the Vols.

16. Virginia Tech (91 total points)
Quarterbacks Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor return as the Hokies look to repeat as ACC champions.

17. Oregon Ducks (90 total points)
Quarterback Justin Roper will look to continue where he left off last season after taking over for Dennis Dixon.

18. Illinois Fighting Illini (81 total points)
Quarterback Juice Williams will dictate the offense with the loss of Rashard Mendenhall to the NFL.

19. Penn State Nittany Lions (72 total points)
With the loss of Justin King and Dan Connor to the NFL, and Sean Lee to injury, the Nittany Lions may need a high-powered offense to win ball games.

20. Arizona State Wildcats (58 total points)
The Sun Devils will only go as far as Rudy Carpenter's arm takes them this season.

21. Brigham Young Cougars (56 total points)
This year's Cinderella team could be BYU. They return every starter on offense besides center Sete Aulia.

22. Pitt Panthers (44 total points)
Dave Wannstedt's crew must find someone to take the heavy load off of RB Shady McCoy for the team to have success in 2008.

23. South Florida Bulls (26 total points)
Quarterback Matt Grothe and defensive lineman George Selvie are both good enough to carry their respective units.

24. Michigan Wolverines (24 total points)
The Wolverines have a new head coach in Rich Rodriguez and a new offense to learn - without a QB designed to run it.

25. Fresno State Bulldogs (21 total points)
Quarterback Tom Brandstater and tight end Bear Pascoe lead the best team in the WAC.

Also receiving votes: Wake Forest (19), South Carolina (18), Boston College (18), Alabama (17), Cincinnati (11), Notre Dame (10), Arkansas (9), Utah (8), Oregon State (6), Florida State (5), Cal (4), Texas A&M (2), Washington (2), Virginia (1)

Can Ohio State conquer their BCS Bowl demons?
With both nine offensive and defensive returning starters, Ohio State looks to be, once again, stacked with amazing talent and incredible depth. No question, they will be polled as the early favorite to win the Big Ten; but will they be able to overcome a second consecutive championship-game loss? Led by veterans and an able-minded coach in Jim Tressel, along with the addition of the top high school player in the country, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, expectations will be high. The Buckeyes face a tough road schedule traveling to USC, Wisconsin and Illinois, but without any unforeseen stumbles along the way, no one would be surprised to see them make a third consecutive run for the BCS national title.

Can Notre Dame right the ship?
Coming off of a disastrous 3-9 season, can head coach Charlie Weis and the Fighting Irish overcome the humiliation of their worst campaign since 1963, when they finished 2-7? The questions surrounding Notre Dame are seemingly endless, and it's unsure whether the team has learned its lesson from last season's failure. However, changes during the off-season and the return of 15 starters, including quarterback Jimmy Clausen, seem to be moving the Fighting Irish in a positive direction. Weis hired a defensive guru in John Tenuta, Georgia Tech's former defensive coordinator, and has admittedly taken a step back and relinquished play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Mike Haywood. Whether these changes on the sidelines will make an impact or not is yet to be seen. However, there's no doubt that Notre Dame fans can expect a better season than last year.

Can defending national champion LSU win it all again?
Enough talent but high expectations. SEC Championship? Almost certain. Repeat national champions? Unlikely.

Can South Florida continue its Cinderella story success?
Despite ending the best season in school history with a 56-21 loss to Oregon in last year's Sun Bowl, the University of South Florida Bulls have a lot to be excited about this coming season. Following upsets of nationally ranked Auburn and West Virginia, USF was ranked No. 2 and held a 6-0 record throughout the first half of the season. Despite losing their next three games, the Bulls quickly recovered, won the last three games of the year and earned a Sun Bowl berth. Quickly becoming a powerhouse in the Big East, this year USF will have a chance to prove the doubters wrong by overcoming the added pressure of higher expectations and solidifying a place in the BCS rankings.

How will Michigan fair under new head coach Rich Rodriguez?
No one's a stranger to the unresolved drama surrounding new head coach Rich Rodriguez's decision to leave his alma mater West Virginia and join in the winning tradition at Ann Arbor. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, this upcoming season isn't going to be a cake walk by any means. The Wolverines must replace 11 starters, including starting offensive lineman Justin Boren, senior offensive players Chad Henne, Mike Hart and the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, Jake Long. Junior receivers Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington left to join the NFL and freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas. Due to this mass exodus, Michigan will find its roster a little short, but that doesn't mean the Wolverines will be unsuccessful. Rodriguez brings to the table an innovative spread option offense and a need for speed; he brought along strength coach Mike Barwis, known for his ability to better-condition players with his "relentless" workouts. Although a Big Ten Championship might not be a reasonable goal this year, expect the Wolverines to excel in the coming seasons.

Will West Virginia be able to have success under new head coach Bill Stewart?
Stewart takes over a program that lost only four games the past three seasons and is coming off an upset victory over Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The new WVU head honcho is among many new coaches looking to make an immediate impact on their players. Quarterback Patrick White will return for his senior campaign, with all five offensive linemen in front of him, but no Steve Slaton alongside him. Noel Devine will likely fill the void left behind by Slaton, but must gain a higher level of maturity in a hurry. If history repeats itself, the Mountaineer offense will score a lot of points and the defense will give up very little. Though there may be many questions about the Mountaineers, expect to see them in a BCS bowl game.

How will Penn State rebound with the loss of their top two hitters?
Penn State lost linebackers Dan Connor to the NFL and Sean Lee to injury. In 2007 they were the staple of the Penn State defense. Not only did they lose those two dynamic athletes, but also cornerback Justin King, who left college early for the NFL. The Nittany Lions will look to hard-hitting safety Anthony Scirrotto to make big plays to keep the team in games. If they are unable to shutdown opposing offenses, it could be a very sad season in Happy Valley.

Is 2008 Joe Paterno's final season in Happy Valley?
Probably not. Each year fans and journalists across the country ask Paterno about retirement, and he typically gives the same answer: he really doesn't know and he still loves coaching the game. In his 42 seasons as head coach, Paterno has compiled a 372-125-3 mark at Penn State. He ranks second to only Bobby Bowden in career victories. With all that being said, look for Paterno to lead the Nittany Lions out of the tunnel every Saturday for a few more years. It will be a sad day when fans don't see Paterno patrolling the sidelines with his rolled up pant legs, his Coke-bottle glasses and his random tongue lashings of assistant coach and former player Mike McQueary.

Does the Shady McCoy Era at Pitt end in 2008?
Survey says… Yes. In only one season at Pitt, McCoy racked up numbers that rivaled the great Tony Dorsett. McCoy rushed for over 1,300 yards, while finding pay dirt 15 total times for the Panthers. He hit the 100-yard mark in seven games, with his biggest rushing performance coming against Michigan State for 172 yards. McCoy's true coming out party was in a loss to Louisville, where he rushed for 120 yards and scored four times. If he is able to put up similar numbers this fall, it will be a lock that he leaves college early for the NFL draft as become a top 10 pick on anyone's board.

What should Buckeye fans expect from the most electric player in recent Pennsylvania football history?
Let's just say that Terrelle Pryor will continue to amaze people. Though Ohio State already has a proven quarterback in Todd Boeckman, Pryor will most likely get his fair share of touches behind center, putting a nice wrinkle in an already explosive Buckeye offense. Pryor's commitment to Ohio State is already looming large, probably the reason behind back-up quarterback Antonio Henton's transfer to Georgia Southern. With the defense at Ohio State holding teams to very few points and a Heisman candidate in Chris Wells in the backfield, Pryor won't have to make too many heroic plays to have success this season. Ohio State will score early and often, with Pryor having his arm or legs involved in a number of those touchdowns.