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Weekly UpdatesTHE MAGAZINE'S STAFF TAKES A LOOK AT HOW the national college landscape should shake out for 2009, seeing a rare repeater for the BCS national championship:
1. Florida
2008 Record 13-1
Starters Returning 7 offensive/11 defensive We know quarterback Tim Tebow is great and has great skill talent around him, even with Percy Harvin gone. What's even more impressive is the Gators' defense, which returns its top 22 players. How can they not win a third title in four years?
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2. Oklahoma
2008 Record 12-2
Starters Returning 519 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford returns, as do several key offensive weapons. Oklahoma also has one of the nation's best defensive fronts returning. How a revamped offensive line fares will be key to the Sooners' title hopes. With the exception of the Red River Shootout, the Big 12 should not bother them.
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3. Southern Cal
2008 Record 12-1
Starters Returning 9/3
USC lost 11 players to the NFL Draft, but should be fine. This year's new crop of stars includes former Arkansas wideout Damian Williams, who enjoyed a breakout Rose Bowl performance. Playing at Ohio State, Notre Dame and Cal will be tough.
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4. Texas
2008 Record 12-1
Starters Returning 917
Quarterback Colt McCoy is back with a veteran offensive line to protect him. Texas has plenty of motivation with McCoy's Heisman snub and the idea the Longhorns should have been in last year's title game.
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5. Virginia Tech
2008 Record 10-4
Starters Returning 917
Plenty of experienced players return from last year's Orange Bowl winner. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor gets the job to himself and, if his passing can finally match his running, he'll give opponents fits. Potential tone-setter for the season looms Sept. 5 against Alabama.
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6. Penn State
2008 Record 11-2
Starters Returning 514
A soft schedule should benefit the Nittany Lions, who return quarterback Daryll Cook, but lose his three most consistent receiving targets. Penn State returns what some regard as the nation's top linebacking crew. Ohio State comes to State College.
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7. Oklahoma State
2008 Record 9-4
Starters Returning 716
Offensive talent abounds at OSU. Quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendall Hunter and receiver Dez Bryant top the list of skill players. If the Cowboys figure out how to play defense, they'll be tough to beat.
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8. Ole Miss
2008 Record 9-4
Starters Returning 818
There is some talent on this team, but Houston Nutt doesn't have a great track record of following up one year in the national spotlight with another. Strong-armed quarterback Jevan Snead, a stout defensive line and a favorable schedule (Alabama and LSU visit Oxford, while Florida and Georgia aren't on it) should help the Rebels' cause.
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9. Georgia Tech
2008 Record 9-4
Starters Returning 1018
Option football is cool again. That became apparent last year, as Georgia Tech knocked off three Top 25 teams in Paul Johnson's first season. Continuity of personnel should be a plus with 18 starters returning. Defense must get better.
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10. Ohio State
2008 Record 10-3
Starters Returning 517
Forget about the routine collapses in big bowl games for a minute. There's no question Ohio State gets it done in the regular season. Phenom Terrelle Pryor will be better at quarterback and the defense is stout. Games against Southern Cal (home) and Penn State (road) loom.
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11. LSU
2008 Record 8-5
Starters Returning 717
After muddling through the regular season the Tigers demolished Georgia Tech in a bowl game and seem to be settled on Jordan Jefferson at quarterback. There's plenty of experience returning, especially at running back. Florida is on the regular season schedule. Defense should improve under new coordinator John Chavis.
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12. Boise State
2008 Record 12-1
Starters Returning 615
Beating Oregon in the season opener would be huge for the Broncos, who play in a weak conference, but have a strong reputation. Boise State has averaged at least 35 points per game each of the last five years and that should continue. Broncos must improve defensively.
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13. Alabama
2008 Record 12-2
Starters Returning 4/9
This defense will make it easy on the offense as it breaks in seven new starters, including quarterback. Wide receiver Julio Jones and tailback Mark Ingram will help quarterback Greg McElroy adjust to starting. Nick Saban knows how to build winners and has recruited tremendous talent at all positions.
14. California
2008 Record 9-4
Starters Returning 718
Tailback Jahvid Best will grab the highlights, but the team's offensive and defensive lines will win games. California hosts Southern Cal, and a win in that game would likely secure the Bears a spot in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 51 years.
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15. Georgia
2008 Record 9-3
Starters Returning 718
Much of the star power is gone for Georgia now that tailback Knowshon Moreno and quarterback Matthew Stafford are in the NFL. There is plenty of muscle on the offensive and defensive lines and that should help the Bulldogs, who face tough road games at Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech.
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16. Notre Dame
2008 Record 7-6
Starters Returning 916
Nobody has seemed to do less with more in recent years than the Fighting Irish. They've consistently racked up highly regarded recruiting classes, but have little to show for it. If quarterback Jimmy Clausen finally lives up to his billing, it could be a good year for beleaguered coach Charlie Wiess.
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17. BYU
2008 Record 10-3
Starters Returning 4/8
Quarterback Max Hall has plenty of experience as a fifth-year senior. If the talent around him holds up and the defense plays like a group that has eight starters back, the Cougars have a shot at entering the BCS conversation.
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19. North Carolina
2008 Record 8-5
Starters Returning 619
Could this be the year Butch Davis official completes the rebuilding job at North Carolina? Davis has attracted a ton of talent to Chapel Hill and has an experienced quarterback in T.J. Yates and stout defense. Those ingredients usually lead to success.
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20. Michigan State
2008 Record 9-4
Starters Returning 7/8
Scheduling alone gives the Spartans a shot at a Top 25 season. They don't face Big 10 heavyweight Ohio State and get Penn State at home. That's the sort of schedule an experienced defense could find success against.
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21. Southern Miss 2008 Record 7-6
Starters Returning 1019
Sophomore Austin Davis returns after throwing for 3,128 yards and he has essentially all his supporting cast back. Nonconference games at Kansas and Louisville could be tough, but the Eagles should have few problems in Conference USA.
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22. Utah
2008 Record 13-0
Starters Returning 517
Utah will be hurt by the loss of quarterback Brian Johnson, but returns the bulk of its defensive playmakers. Games at Oregon, TCU and BYU will be difficult, but Utah has proven capable of winning games few expected, last year's Sugar Bowl against Alabama, for example.
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23. Kansas
2008 Records 8-5
Starters Returning 717
Todd Reesing is back for what seems like a seventh season as the Jayhawks quarterback. His experience should benefit Kansas, which won a second consecutive bowl game in 2008 and has a schedule set up for success with 14 players back.
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24. Rutgers
2008 Record 8-5
Starters Returning 716
Somebody has to win the Big East and the Scarlet Knights' schedule makes it a very real possibility with a solid group of players returning. Granted, Rutgers must break in a new quarterback, but the schedule is easy enough for this team to build confidence and win.
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25. Arkansas
2008 Record 5-7
Starters Returning 8/10
Expect dramatic improvement from the Razorback offense and defense in Bobby Petrino's second year. Arkansas returns a great deal from a team whose final six losses were decided by a combined 19 points.
ON LINE Go to ArkansasSports360.com/Football2009 for the digital edition of the ArkansasSports360.com football preview.
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