TEC's 2011 Preseason College Football Top 10

I've never had much use for preseason college football polls because they are historically comprised of gut feelings by those who base their estimations on hype that is largely concentrated upon a criterion of returning starters and unproven recruits.  A year-by-year comparison of national polls, from the start any particular season to the final tally, proves the unreliability of these long-standing traditions in foretelling who the best of the best really are beyond any question.

My 5,000-point system of ranking has proven as good as any other yardstick over the previous two seasons.  And because I am hindered by neither the media nor the NCAA, The Eccentric Conservative has brought the Top 10 back for a third season.

Here's the way it looks going into Week 1:

1. Oklahoma, 650 pts.

2. Alabama, 625 pts.

3. Oregon, 590 pts.

4. Boise State, 565 pts.

5. Louisiana State, 530 pts.

6. Stanford, 505 pts.

7. Florida State, 450 pts.

8. Texas A&M, 400 pts.

9. Wisconsin, 355 pts.

10. Oklahoma State, 330 pts.

Contender watch list: Nebraska, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, Texas Christian

In addition, only three Heisman winners since 1950 were not positioned in the offensive backfield: Tim Brown won as a wide receiver at Notre Dame in 1987.  Desmond Howard did the same at Michigan in 1991, and fellow Wolverine Charles Woodson followed in 1997 as the first defensive player to win the coveted trophy.

The trend of offensive recipients is likely to continue.  Hence the Heisman watchlist (alphabetically, with last season's stats) is as follows:

* Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State (1,201 rush. yards, 5.8 ypc, 13 TD)

* Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma (131 rec., 1,622 rec. yards, 14 TD)

* LaMichael James, RB, Oregon (1,731 rush. yards, 5.9 ypc, 21 TD)

* Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma (4,718 pass. Yards, 38 TD, 65.6 comp. %)

* Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina (1,197 rush. yards, 4.8 ypc, 17 TD)

* Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (3,338 pass. yards, 32 TD, 70.7 comp. %)

* Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State (3,845 pass. yards, 35 TD, 71.3 comp. %)

* Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (700 rush. yards, 6.3 ypc, 6 TD)

* Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan (2,570 pass. yards, 1,702 rush. yards, 32 total TD)

* Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State (4,277 pass. yards, 34 TD, 66.9 comp. %)

This season cannot get started soon enough.

 c/o Smokey's Trail

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic for The Great Pumpkin.  In a little over 16 seasons, former University of Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer managed a combined 48-3 conference record against Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Along with career splits versus Auburn and Louisiana State, Fulmer also went 9-2 against Arkansas, 10-5 against Georgia and 11-3 against arch rival Alabama.  Eight bowl wins, six division and two conference titles along with a national championship made him great.  And he never cheated.  Go Vols!