College football is here! Well… almost.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to run a college sports column without delving into our favorite analytical pastime of preseason predictions:

1. **Oklahoma** – Another year for quarterback Landry Jones to throw to receivers Ryan Broyles and Kenny Stills means constant trouble for defensive secondaries.
2. **Stanford** – By rights, quarterback Andrew Luck shouldn’t still be around, yet he will spoil us for another year. He also has two elite tackles to set the table.
3. **Wisconsin** – When Wisconsin has a good quarterback, it’s really tough. Quarterback Russell Wilson’s transfer gives it that.
4. **Boise State** – One final go for quarterback Kellen Moore handing off to running back Doug Martin should spell BCS – if the Broncos can survive the TCU test.
5. **Oregon** – The PAC-12 once again comes down to Oregon and Stanford. The backfield return of Darren Thomas, LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner keep the Ducks dangerously fast and furious.
6. **Arkansas** – New quarterback Tyler Wilson should have no problem filling Ryan Mallet’s shoes with major skill players returning.
7. **Florida State** – A comfortable conference schedule gives coach Jimbo Fisher a golden avenue to continue building.
8. **South Carolina** –Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffrey on offense. Stephon Gilmore and Devin Taylor on defense. Maybe this is the year the talent pulls through with some consistency.
9. **Alabama** – Replacing an entire passing game is a lot harder than it seems. An elite defense and power running game will lessen the blow.
10. **Michigan State** – The returns of quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Edwin Baker give Michigan State the stability to factor into the Big Ten race for a second year.
11. **Virginia Tech.** – Predicting double-digit wins for the Hokies is like predicting that Wisconsin will run for a lot of yards. Tech. has pulled off the feat in seven consecutive seasons, the longest active streak.
12. **Oklahoma State** – The Cowboys’ passing game is elite, but can it finally catch the Sooners?
13. **Missouri** – Tremendous skill players make new quarterback James Franklin’s job easier, but the schedule is no cake walk.
14. **TCU** – The Horned Frogs take a hit with losing quarterback Andy Dalton and all but 10 starters. But, a trip to Boise State aside, the schedule remains in their favor.
15. **LSU** – The talented Tigers would be higher if not for quarterback Jordan Jefferson’s suspension. It’s not the setback to deal with in a brutal SEC West.
16. **Georgia** – Quarterback Aaron Murray and a schedule absent of Alabama, LSU and Arkansas will help alleviate some of the pressure hanging over coach Mark Richt.
17. **Nebraska** – The Blackshirts have so much defensive talent, but the new Big Ten schedule is everything but friendly.
18. **Texas A&M** – An offense of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, receiver Jeff Fuller and running back Cyrus Gray is more than proven. A defense absent of terror Von Miller is not.
19. **West Virginia** – The Geno Smith-led Mountaneers would be higher if not for a coaching fiasco.
20. **Texas** – The Longhorn defense was actually pretty good last season. The offense can’t get worse.
21. **Penn State** – The Lions fielded one of the youngest teams last year. The extra experience spells minor improvement in a difficult division.
22. **Ohio State** – Suspensions and coaching turnover mark a season of setback for the Buckeyes, but they’re still loaded with raw talent.
23. **Notre Dame** – The Golden Domers are improved. If they settle on a quarterback and find some backfield depth, they’ll take greater strides.
24. **Mississippi State** – Dan Mullen is the man and the Bulldog offense is tough. Even tougher, though, is the team’s SEC West slate.
25. **Iowa** – The power offense remains in Iowa City, though losses at quarterback and on the defensive line will limit the Hawkeyes.

**Heisman Trophy**: _Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford_. Luck’s surprising return gives us all a rare sight to see. Nine of the last ten winners played quarterback, and Luck might be the best of them all.

**Coach of the Year**: _David Shaw, Stanford_. Very rarely do I predict first-year coaches to have immediate success. Shaw’s experience in the system, as well as the return of some guy named Luck, makes the challenge much more manageable.

**National Championship Game**: _Oklahoma over Stanford_. Oklahoma just has it all – elite talent with few holes. The holes it does have will be coached up in due time by Bob Stoops, a man who is no stranger to BCS territory.