Each year conferences have teams that sneak up and surprise a front runner with a big upset, or even finish high in the conference. I am sure 2008 will be no different. This post will have 3 of the 6 teams I believe can upset the balance of power in their BCS Conference. The other 3 will be posted in part 2.
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Hoyer holds the keys
for the Spartans' success |
The Michigan State Spartans finished the season 7-6 and went to their first bowl game in four years but in all reality the season could have been much better. The close losses to Ohio State (7 pts), Wisconsin (3 pts), OT loss to Northwestern, and a 3 point loss to Boston College. A few breaks either way and the Spartans are maybe looking at a 9 or 10 win season.
Quarterback Brian Hoyer finished the season solid in wins against Purdue and Penn State. And he looked good even in their loss to Boston College. Hoyer will be back this year as will running back Javon Ringer who rushed for 1447 yards last season. Mark Dell and Devon Curry are back to be Hoyer's main targets. Even on the offensive line the Spartans return 3 of 5 starters.
On defense they have to retool a bit, mainly on the defensive line, but coach Mark Dantonio has brought in some good talent and using their agressive-attacking style defense, the Spartans could be a dangerous bunch. An early season game at California will set the barometer for the team. A win against the Bears could go a long way and looking ahead at there schedule, the Spartans could be 7-0 when Ohio State comes to East Lansing.
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Rutgers is now
Team Teel |
The Pittsburgh Panthers are the sexy pick in the Big East for a surprise team, but I feel it will be the Rutgers Scarlet Knights who will surprise a few teams this season. Yes I know Ray Rice is gone, but the Knights return not one...but two record breaking wide receivers for Mike Teel to throw to. Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood both had over 1000 yards receiving last year and will wreck havok in opposing teams defensive backfields.
The same as always, Greg Schiano has a stout defensive line to anchor his defense and returns 3 of 4 starters in the defensive backfield. Rutgers doesn't have a warm-up game to start the season off though. Fresno State comes to town in week 1, and 10 days later North Carolina comes to town. The Bulldogs are thought to be one of the top Non-BCS schools in the country, so if Rutgers wins that game, it should give them a lot of confidence.
All of their tough conference games are on the road: West Virginia, South Florida, and Pitt. But I think if the Knights can find some sort of a running attack to take the pressure off of Teel, they can put up some big offensive numbers and knock a few teams off.
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Snead now has a team
to call his own |
Coach O might no longer be the coach at Mississippi, but he didn't leave the cupboards bare at Ole Miss. The Rebels should be strong on both the offensive and defensive lines, Coach O's specialty. Next insert a transfer quarterback by the name of Jevan Snead who was highly recruiting and initially went to Texas only to transfer after the starting job was given to Colt McCoy, and the Rebels have the makings of a team which will improve offensively from 2007.
Snead has three returning starters at wide receiver but does need to break in a new running back. On defense Ole Miss returns 8 starters. On paper they look like they can make waves and with Snead I think they will be able to hang in games by scoring more. Something that plagued them last season.
With the SEC West being up in the air a bit after Auburn, Ole Miss could be a team that makes some waves. At worst they should be 3-1 when they travel to Florida to play the Gators. If I were fans of Alabama and LSU, I would not take the Rebels lightly even though Ole Miss will be playing both of them on the road. Houston Nutt has been known to get a lot out of his players, and the raw talent is there, Nutt just has to polish it.
In part 2 I will talk about the team in the Pac 10, ACC, and Big 12 which could upset the balance of power in their conference.
