San Diego Union Ranks Top 25

The Top 25
UNION-TRIBUNE
August 30, 2005
Staff writer Ed Graney's preseason ranking of the nation's Top 25 Div. I college football teams:
1. USC: What hope do opponents have when they'll need to score 35 points just to be in the game?
2. Texas: The only thing more impressive than sophomore QB Vince Young is his offensive line.
3. Virginia Tech: Introducing, once and for all, now leaving the courtroom for perhaps the final time, Marcus Vick.
4. Tennessee: A wicked early schedule (at Florida and LSU in consecutive weeks) could eliminate the Vols by October.
5. Michigan: Good luck slowing RB Mike Hart, but teams like USC and Texas could put up 50 on this D.
6. Ohio State: If the Buckeyes beat visiting Texas in Week 2, the title push is really on.
7. LSU: A renovated stadium and four returning tailbacks, all of whom would start at most any school.
8. Florida: Urban Meyer's offense is about to make WR Chad Jackson into a Top 10 NFL draft pick.
9. Oklahoma: Trouble at QB? It doesn't take a genius to hand the ball to Adrian Peterson.
10. Iowa: Hawkeyes are a healthy running game away from besting Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten.
11. Louisville: Look at the schedule. This team could easily be in the BCS title game. No joke.
12. Miami: Any opposing coach who kicks the ball to Devin Hester should be tarred, feathered and fired.
13. Georgia: D.J. Shockley picks out the splinters of four years on the bench to start at QB.
14. Purdue: No Michigan or Ohio State on the schedule means Joe Tiller's team could win nine.
15. Florida State: All we have to say about the offense is . . . FSU better be really good defensively.
16. Auburn: Losing four first-round NFL draft picks means losing your Top 10 position. For now.
17. Texas A&M: QB Reggie McNeal isn't Vince Young . . . he's just a better all-around QB.
18. Cal: JC stud Joseph Ayoob becomes the next QB to learn (and prosper) under coach Jeff Tedford.
19. Texas Tech: Ho hum, just another Red Raiders team good enough to win eight games and go bowling.
20. Arizona State: A nightmarish offseason should be followed by a Top 3 Pac-10 finish.
21. Fresno State: Play anyone, anywhere is a nice slogan. But why can't the Bulldogs ever win the WAC?
22. Alabama: Third-year coach Mike Shula's next big win for the Crimson Tide will be his first.
23. Pittsburgh: Junior QB Tyler Palko has a new coach (Dave Wannstedt) and big-time ability.
24. Boston College: From the Big Least to the revamped ACC. The Eagles are in for quite a jump.
25. Boise State: The road schedule – nonconference and within the WAC – is brutal.