Pigskin Preview 2011

THE TEAMS AND TALENTS TO WATCH THIS COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON

top 25

OKLAHOMA 12-0

BOISE STATE 12-0

OREGON 11-1

STANFORD 11-1

LSU 10-2

ALABAMA 10-2

OKLAHOMA STATE 10-2

SOUTH CAROLINA 10-2

FLORIDA STATE 10-2

TCU 10-2

MICHIGAN STATE 10-2

TEXAS MM 9-3

NEBRASKA 9-3

AUBURN

VIRGINIA TECH 9-3

NOTRE DAME 9-3

MISSOURI f-3

MISSISSIPPI STATE 8-4

WISCONSIN 8-4

20.ARKANSAS 8-4

FLORIDA 8-4

ARIZONA STATE 8-4

TEXAS 8-4

NORTHWESTERN 8-4

GEORGIA/; 8-4

PLAYBOY'S TOP 25 TEAMS, GD TO PLAYBOY.COM/COLLEGEFOOTBALL.

Even before taking office, President Dbama publicly pondered college foot­ball's Bowl Championship Series. "I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other," he said. "Get eight teams, the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion." Not exactly Lincolnesque, but he made his point.

Now even Republicans are lining up to help rid the nation of the incompre­hensible BCS. Utah senator Qrrin Hatch has called for a Department of Justice investigation. He told reporters, "Frankly, there's an arrogance about the BCS that just drives me nuts." Former represen­tative Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii, chimed in: "Who elected these NCAA people? Who are they to decide who competes for the championship?" Congressmen from Idaho and Georgia voiced their displeasure with the BCS when the Boise State Broncos and the Georgia Bulldogs were denied shots at

the national championship. Former University of Utah president Michael K. Young summed it up neatly: "Cham­pionships should be decided by competition, not conspiracy."

While the BCS continues to defend its turf, Qbama is likely to bring it up again during his 2012 reelection campaign. We hope he does. But for now, enough politics: Let's take a look at the best teams as we kick off the 2011 season.

1. OKLAHOMA

With Nebraska gone to the Big Ten and Texas seemingly vulnerable, there's no reason to believe the Sooners will be

stopped from winning their fifth Big 12 title in the past six years and march­ing into the BCS championship as the number one team in the nation. Eighteen starters return from last year's 12-2 squad, including quarterback Landry Jones and Playboy All America receiver Ryan Broyles. Expect Roy Finch to step in for departed 1,000-yard rusher DeMarco Murray. PREDICTION: 12-0

Luck has been called the best NFL quarterback prospect ever. Though he would almost certainly have gone first in the 2011 draft, he's returning to Stanford for his junior year. In two seasons he has a OB rating of 158.5.

2. BOISE STATE

The Broncos ranked second in the nation in offense and fourth in defense last season. Moving to the Mountain West Conference this year will provide some upgraded competition, plus there's a season-opening game against Georgia in Atlanta. If the Broncos get past the Bulldogs and the TCU Horned Frogs toward the end of the season, they could finally get a shot at their first national title game. Fourteen starters return from last year's 12-1 team, including senior OB Kellen Moore, who led the Broncs to an overall 38-2 record in the past three sea­sons and has passed for 10,867 yards and 99 touchdowns. PREDICTION: 12-0

3. OREGON

The only team Oregon couldn't beat last season was Auburn in the BCS champi­onship game (22-19). And that had an awful lot to do with Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who went on to become the number one pick in the NFL draft. Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas is back after totaling more than 3,000 yards of offense last year. LaMichael James, Playboy All America and a Heisman Trophy finalist, is back too. Coach Chip Kelly's dazzling option-spread attack will again be the game plan. With all that offense, Where's the vulnerability? On defense, where five of last season's front seven have to be replaced. PREDICTION: 11-1

4. STANFORD

The Cardinal lost coach Jim Harbaugh to the San Francisco 49ers in the off­season. However, what it didn't lose was

Moving into his junior season, James has already run for more than 3,000 yards. He

was the top rusher in the nation last year, finishing third in the Heisman voting. l Here he breaks a tackle during last year's national championship game.

Playboy All America quarterback Andrew Luck, who in all likelihood passed up a chance to be the num­ber one pick in this year's NFL draft so he could come back to school. Also returning: Playboy All America tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro. The selection of David Shaw, Stanford's offensive coordina­tor for the past four years, as coach should make the transition easier. PREDICTION: 11-1

5.LSU

The Tigers won 11 games last year without the benefit of a strong passing attack. They did it with a combination of rushing and a tenacious defense led by cornerback Patrick Peterson. With nine returnees, the offense will again rely on the running game. Peter­son left early for the NFL, but coach Les Miles has seven starters back on defense, plus a boatload of talented underclassmen ready to make their mark. LSU's opener against Oregon on September 3 at Cowboys Stadium in Texas will provide a supreme early test. PREDICTION: 10-2

6. ALABAMA

Most teams wouldn't bounce back after losing players like quarterback Greg McElroy, running back Mark Ingram (a Heisman winner) and wide receiver Julio Jones—all now in the NFL. But then most teams don't have coach Nick Saban gathering blue-chip talent by the bushel. Playboy All Amer­ica running back Trent Richardson is a worthy successor to Ingram, while A.J. McCarron looks likely to take over for McElroy under center. Bama's offensive line returns nearly intact, and the defense returns all but one starter. The devastation from the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa will pro­vide the Tide with extra motivation to succeed. PREDICTION: 10-2

7. OKLAHOMA STATE

Evidently Mama let some of her good football-playing sons grow up to be Cowboys. Oklahoma State's lineup features Playboy All Amer­ica Justin Blackmon, who won last year's Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the nation. Good receiv­ers need good quarterbacks; senior Brandon Weeden was named first-team All-Big 13 last year. There are 14 other returning starters and high expectations. The last regular-season game on December 3 against Oklahoma promises to be a corker. PREDICTION: 10-2

8. SOUTH CAROLINA

Coach Steve Spurrier has finally pushed the level of South Carolina football from good to great. The Gamecocks won the Eastern Divi­sion of the SEC last season and promise to be even better this year. Playboy All America wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, formidable quarter­back Stephen Garcia, running back Marcus Lattimore (National Fresh­man of the Year last season) and Playboy All America cornerback Stephon Gilmore will be all over the highlight reels. PREDICTION: 10-2

9. FLORIDA STATE

While the departure of longtime coach Bobby Bowden may have been an emotional blow to some die-hard Seminole fans, there's little doubt that successor Jimbo Fisher has improved team discipline and injected new energy into the recruiting process. There are swarms of good players on this team, especially Playboy All America defensive end Brandon Jenkins. Nearly everyone returns on offense except graduated quarter­back Christian Ponder. His role falls to redshirt junior E.J. Manuel. Fisher expects him to be up to the challenge. PREDICTION: 10-2

10. TCU

Gary Patterson, last year's Playboy Coach of the Year, has lots of holes to fill if the Horned Frogs are to make their fifth top 10 finish in the past seven years. However, Patterson has demonstrated the ability to reload while continuing to win. Sophomore Casey Pachall will take over for Andy Dalton at quarterback. Both sides of the line will miss big bodies, especially offensive tackle Marcus Cannon. The good news is that Playboy All Amer­ica linebacker Tank Carder decided to return for his senior season after breaking up what would have been a game-tying two-point pass play in TCU's win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. PREDICTION: 10-2

A consensus All-American and finalist for the Biletnikoff Award last year, Broyles enters his senior season.

* THE 2011 *

PLAYBOY PRESEASON ALL AMERICA

QUARTERBACK

ANDREW LUCK—Stanford

6'4", 235, junior

TRENT RICHARDSON—Alabama

S'll", 224, junior LAMICHAEL JAMES—Oregon

5'9", 185, junior

WIDE RECEIVERS

RYAN BROYLES—Oklahoma

5'11", 187, senior

JUSTIN BLACKMON—Oklahoma state

B'l", 210, junior

ALSHON JEFFERY—south carouna

6'4", 233, junior

MIKE BREWSTER—omo state

6'5", 305, senior

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

SEANTREL HENDERSON—Miami

6'8", 345, sophomore

RILEY REIFF—iowa

6'G", 300, junior

MATT KALIL-dsc

6'7", 295, junior

JONATHAN MARTIN—STANFORD

G'B", 304, junior

j QUINTON COPLES—north carouna

B'B", 275, senior

JARED CRICK—NEBRASKA

6'6", 285, senior

BRANDON JENKINS—Florida state

G'3", 258, junior

JEREL WORTHY—Michigan state

G'3", 305, junior

) TANK CARDER—tcu

6'3", 237, senior

VONTAZE BURFICT—Arizona state

6'3", 252, junior

LUKE KUECHLY—boston college

6'3", 235, junior

DEFENSIVE BACKS

JAYRON HOSLEY—Virginia tech

5'10", 170, junior

> CHASE MINNIFIELD—Virginia 6'0", 185, senior

STEPHON GILMORE—sooth Carolina 6'1", 194, junior MARK BARRON—ALABAMA B'2", 218, senior

) JAMES RODGERS—Oregon state 5'7", 188, senior

DAVID RUFFER—notre dame

6'1", 17B, grad student

> DREW BUTLER—GEOBBIA

6'2", 214, senior —

ALL-PURPOSE PLATER 4 tk # « CLIFF HARRIS—ORRdr -:

5'11", 165, junior

COACH OF THE YEAR

) STEVE SPURRIER—sooth Carolina

ANS0N MOUNT SCHOLAR/ATHLETE KELLEN MOORE—boise state 6', 191, senior

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