THE CFI TOP 25 COUNTDOWN: #5 TEXAS LONGHORNS

BY DANIEL MOGOLLON
CO-FOUNDER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDERS




2006 RECORD: 10-3; BIG 12: 6-2
Won Alamo Bowl vs. Iowa 26-24
LOCATION: Austin, Texas
STADIUM: Memorial (85,123)
HEAD COACH: Mack Brown
OVERALL: 179-96-1 (23 seasons)
AT TEXAS: 93-22 (9 seasons)

The Horns missed becoming the first program to win consecutive Big 12 Championships, despite knocking off the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Shootout for the second straight year. Colt McCoy was a big reason why they did not miss a beat for most of the season and an injury (pinched nerve in neck) to their signal caller played a role in their late season losses to Kansas St. and Texas A & M, as the Longhorns put up a season low seven points against the Aggies. They lost several players to the National Football League, especially on defense, but with highly touted recruits waiting in the wings -- there is no reason to expect them to take a step back.

WHEN THE HORNS HAVE THE BALL

OFFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Greg Davis (10th Season)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY LOSSES: Selvin Young, Justin Blalock, Kasey Studdard, Lyle Sendlein

You would think matching the freshman record for touchdown passes in a season would answer all the critics and while Colt McCoy certainly proved any doubters about his ability to play big time college football wrong, this season he has a new question to answer. Can he stay healthy? McCoy is not the biggest quarterback around and put on 10 pounds this off-season. If he stays on the field, the Horns have a chance against any opponent they face. Helping his transition into the starting rotation was Limas Sweed, a big target with reliable hands, who is complimented well by Quan Cosby, Jordan Shipley and Billy Pittman. Sweed is an All-American candidate, which is what those in Austin hope tight end Jermichael Finley, their immensely talented tight end, will eventually develop into. How good the running game is will affect McCoy as well, as they need Jamaal Charles to display more of the promise he showed as a freshman after an uneven sophomore campaign. The line is young, meaning senior Tony Hills must step up as the leader.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Limas Sweed (SR), 2) Jermichael Finley (SO), 3) Tony Hills (SR), 4) Jamaal Charles (JR), 5) Cedric Dockery (JR), 6) Billy Pittman (SR), 7) Colt McCoy (SO), 8) Adam Ulatoski (SO)

WHEN THE OTHER TEAM HAS THE BALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Duane Akina (3rd Season)/Larry Mac Duff (1st Season)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 6
KEY LOSSES: Aaron Ross, Tim Crowder, Michael Griffin, Brian Robison, Tarell Brown

Texas is well stocked with speed on defense and the new combo at defensive coordinator will look to do a better job of taking advantage of that fact, nevertheless it all starts upfront where few programs can match the tackle rotation of Frank Okam, Derrick Lokey and Roy Miller that Texas employs. Playing behind them is an even deeper linebacking corps, with at least six players competing for playing time, as unproven sophomores Roddrick Muckelroy and Sergio Kindle could give the upperclassman a run for their money. With their top two pass rushers off to the NFL, expect Brian Orakpo and Aaron Lewis, a pair of juniors, to bust loose this season. The secondary also had three players who heard their name called draft weekend from a pass defense that finished 99th in the country – good thing they had three future pros or who knows how bad they might have been. One intriguing prospect is the once highly touted Drew Kelson who will take a crack at playing safety, where his size/speed combo may be best used.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Frank Okam (SR), 2) Roy Miller (JR), 3) Drew Kelson (SR), 4) Brian Orakpo (JR), 5) Roddrick Muckelroy (SO), 6) Aaron Lewis (JR), 7) Robert Killebrew (SR), 8) Marcus Griffin (SR), 9) Derrick Lokey (SR), 10) Scott Derry (SR), 11) Sergio Kindle (SO)

THE SCHEDULE

Rivals old and new. They played the Texas Christian Horned Frogs 69 straight years from the late 1920’s to 1995 before joining the Big 12, encompassing the roaring 20’s, the Great Depression, World War I and II, Vietnam and the end of the Cold War. However, since then they have not crossed paths and wouldn’t you know that in all likelihood they will meet as ranked opponents, making TCU their toughest out of conference opponent. Within the Big 12, they have their first week of October matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners, a game that usually decides the Big 12 South, as well as their season finale against the A& M Aggies, who last season derailed their BCS hopes with an upset in Austin.

PIVOTAL POINT

Bounce back seasons. The Horns managed to reach double-digit figures in wins once again despite some disappointing individual performances, as well as significant injuries. Now with so much talent off to the league where they play for pay, Mack Brown needs those players to rebound in 2007. McCoy’s injury down the stretch of the season had a lot to do with the Horns November losses, which cost them the Big 12 Title. Staying in the backfield, they need Charles to have the breakout season that was expected of him in ’06, with Cedric Dockery coming back to the line after missing half of the season to injury. On the defensive side of the ball, Kelson looks to finally fulfill his potential, in addition to the return of Lokey and Muckelroy, as the team defense suffered when they went down with injuries.

CFI FINAL ANALYSIS

Talent is never an issue with a Mack Brown coached team or with one of the most legendary programs located in the heart of recruiting country, however having said that, they have only won one Big 12 Title under Brown, while the hated Sooners have won four in the last seven years. Brown got over the “can’t win the big one” hump when they won the National Championship over Pete Carroll and USC in 2005, however this is “a what have you done for me lately” industry, so nothing less than a title is expected. Are they good enough to reach that lofty standard? Sure, however it says here they will fall just short once again. If they do win the Big 12, we could see a rematch against the Men of Troy in January.

Check back tomorrow to see who is #4 in CFI’s Top 25 Countdown

TOP FIVE REMAIN UNCHANGED IN COACHES’ POLL AFTER WEEK ONE

WACO, TEX.-- The top five teams remained unchanged in the 2007 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll after the opening weekend of action.

No. 1 Grand Valley State was idle in week one, but begins its title defense versus St. Joseph’s on Aug. 30. No. 2 Northwest Missouri State was leading Arkansas Tech, 21-0, with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter when the game was called due to lightning. A decision on the outcome of the game is still pending. North Dakota stays in the third position after its 59-0 blanking of Humboldt State. North Alabama remains at No. 4 and opens its season against Tusculum on Sept. 8. No. 5 Chadron State downed then-No. 25 Washburn, 34-24.

No. 6 Valdosta State gets its first taste of action in 2007 when they host No. 21 Albany State. No. 7 Pittsburg State opened its season with a 28-14 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on a national television audience. No. 8 South Dakota opens its season at No. 24 West Texas A&M. Shepherd downed Millersville, 36-7, and sits in the ninth position while No. 10 Delta State begins its season at Jackson State.

No. 11 Abilene Christian starts its season on Saturday at conference rival Central Oklahoma while No. 12 Bloomsburg hosts’ regional foe C.W. Post. Carson-Newman moved up two spots to No. 13 after its 52-21 victory over Virginia State. No. 14 Nebraska-Omaha begins its 2007 at in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney while No. 15 Northwood plays host to conference rival Mercyhurst.

No. 16 Newberry opens its season by hosting Chowan on Saturday. No. 17 West Chester will travel to fellow PSAC member Edinboro while No. 18 Southeastern Oklahoma State hosts NAIA member Northwestern Oklahoma State. Midwestern State moved up four spots to No. 19 after beating Adams State, 41-15. Bemidji State fell a spot to No. 20 as it prepares for a trip to Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday.

No. 21 Albany State fell one spot in the poll despite beating North Carolina Central, 16-10. No. 22 Elizabeth City State opens its 2007 schedule against Catawba. No. 23 California (Pa.) downed East Stroudsburg, 26-3, on a rare Monday night game. West Texas A&M stayed at No. 24 this week at the Buffs prepare for their game against No. 8 South Dakota. Saginaw Valley State jumps into the Top 25 this week and faces Ashland on Saturday.

Conference Breakdown: The Lone Star Conference (Abilene Christian, Southeastern Oklahoma State, Midwestern State, West Texas A&M) has the most representatives in the preseason AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll with four. Other conferences represented include: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-3 (Grand Valley State, Northwood, Saginaw Valley State); Gulf South-3 (North Alabama, Valdosta State, Delta State); North Central-3 (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha); Pennsylvania State Athletic-3 (Bloomsburg, West Chester, California (Pa.)); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State); South Atlantic-2 (Carson-Newman, Newberry); Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association-1 (Elizabeth City State); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Bemidji State); Rocky Mountain Athletic-1 (Chadron State); Southern Intercollegiate-1 (Albany State); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head

Only two games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll highlight this weekend’s action. The first Top 25 match up sees No. 6 Valdosta State hosting No. 21 Albany State. The Blazers have won two straight against Albany State. The second Top 25 match up sees No. 8 South Dakota traveling to Canyon, Texas, to face No. 24 West Texas A&M. This is the season opener for both schools.

Poll Points

Midwestern State senior quarterback Daniel Polk became the school’s all-time leading rusher on his first carry of the season – a 54-yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 68 yards on seven carries and now has 2,589 yards, moving past current Oakland Raider runningback Dominic Rhodes, who rushed for 2,541 yards in 1999-2000 ... Pittsburg State junior quarterback Mark Smith made a successful return from a season-ending arm injury from 2006 by rushing for a career-high three scores and passing for another in the Gorillas’ 28-14 win against Texas A&M-Commerce ... Shepherd runningback Dervon Wallace moved into 10th place on the WVIAC all-time rushing list with his 195 yards in the Rams’ 36-7 win over Millersville. He has rushed for 3,362 yards in his career ... Danny Freud of North Dakota threw for five touchdown passes - all in the first half - in UND’s 59-0 season-opening win over Humboldt State. Freund’s five touchdowns were one short of the school record ... Chadron State runningback Danny Woodhead rushed for 290 yards and four touchdowns in the Eagles 34-24 win over Washburn.

American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll

Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Rank
Last Week; Next Game

1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (25) 0-0 695 1
Idle; Aug. 30 vs. St. Joseph's (Ind.)

2. Northwest Missouri St. (2) 0-0 671 2
Leading Arkansas Tech, 21-0 (decision pending); Sept. 8 at No. 14 Nebraska-Omaha

3. North Dakota (1) 1-0 636 3
D. Humboldt St. (Calif.), 59-0; Sept. 8 at Southern Utah

4. North Alabama 0-0 596 4
Idle; Sept. 8 vs. Tusculum (Tenn.)

5. Chadron St. (Neb.) 1-0 542 5
D. No. 25 Washburn (Kan.), 34-24; Sept. 1 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.)

6. Valdosta St. (Ga.) 0-0 526 6
Idle; Sept. 1 vs. No. 21 Albany St. (Ga.)

7. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 1-0 476 7
D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 28-14; Sept. 1 vs. East Central (Okla.)

8. South Dakota 0-0 433 10
Idle; Aug. 30 at No. 24 West Texas A&M

9. Shepherd (W.Va.) 1-0 415 8
D. Millersville (Pa.), 36-7; Sept. 1 vs. Shippensburg (Pa.)

10. Delta St. (Miss.) 0-0 401 12
Idle; Sept. 1 at Jackson St. (Miss.)

11. Abilene Christian (Texas) 0-0 379 11
Idle; Sept. 1 at Central Oklahoma

12. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 0-0 375 9
Idle; Sept. 1 vs. C.W. Post (N.Y.)

13. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 1-0 351 15
D. Virginia St., 52-21; Aug. 30 at Tennessee-Chattanooga

14. Nebraska-Omaha 0-0 348 13
Idle; Sept. 1 at Nebraska-Kearney

15. Northwood (Mich.) 0-0 323 14
Idle; Sept. 1 vs. Mercyhurst (Pa.)

16. Newberry (S.C.) 0-0 247 16
Idle; Sept. 1 vs. Chowan (N.C.)

17. West Chester (Pa.) 0-0 237 17
Idle; Sept. 1 at Edinboro (Pa.)

18. Southeastern Oklahoma St. 0-0 209 18
Idle; Aug. 30 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St.

19. Midwestern St. (Texas) 1-0 191 23
D. Adams St. (Colo.), 41-15; Sept. 8 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St.

20. Bemidji St. (Minn.) 0-0 175 19
Idle; Sept. 1 at Minnesota-Duluth

21. Albany St. (Ga.) 1-0 171 20
D. North Carolina Central, 16-10; Sept. 1 at No. 6 Valdosta St. (Ga.)

22. Elizabeth City St. (N.C.) 0-0 144 21T
Idle; Sept. 1 vs. Catawba (N.C.)

23. California (Pa.) 1-0 117 21T
D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 26-3; Sept. 1 at Glenville St. (W.Va.)

24. West Texas A&M 0-0 106 24
Idle; Aug. 30 vs. No. 8 South Dakota

25. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) 0-0 57 NR
Idle; Sept. 1 vs. Ashland (Ohio)

Dropped Out (last week’s rating): Washburn (Kan.) (25)

Others Receiving Votes: Catawba (N.C.), 30; Indiana (Pa.), 29; Tiffin (Ohio), 29; Southern Connecticut St., 23; Tarleton St. (Texas), 19; Tuskegee (Ala.), 19; Wingate (N.C.), 17; Missouri Western St., 16; Nebraska-Kearney, 14; Southwestern Oklahoma St., 14; Winona St. (Minn.), 13; Washburn (Kan.), 9; Central Washington, 8; C.W. Post (N.Y.), 8; Ferris St. (Mich.), 7; Henderson St. (Ark.), 7; St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 7; Texas A&M-Commerce, 5; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 1; Lane (Tenn.), 1; Merrimack (Mass.), 1; Minnesota St.-Mankato, 1; North Greenville (S.C.), 1.

For more information on the AFCA and its programs, log on to the AFCA’s website at www.afca.com.

THE CFI TOP 25 COUNTDOWN: #6 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

BY DANIEL MOGOLLON
CO-FOUNDER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDERS





2006 RECORD: 12-1; BIG EAST: 6-1
Won Orange Bowl vs. Wake Forest 24-13
LOCATION: Louisville, Kentucky
STADIUM: Papa John’s Cardinal (42,000)
HEAD COACH: Steve Kragthorpe
OVERALL: 29-22 (4 seasons)
AT LOUISVILLE: 0-0 (0 seasons)

How close were the Cardinals to facing the Ohio St. Buckeyes in the Bowl Championship Series title game last season? Just an offsides call away…that’s how close. With the score tied at 25 at Rutgers, a game the Cardinals led 25-7 in the second quarter, the Scarlet Knights kicker Lance Ito missed a potential game-winning field in the final seconds. However, an offsides penalty gave Ito a second chance and “the judge” drilled it, leading to a wave of Rutgers fans storming the field, as well as ending any National Title hopes Louisville had.

WHEN THE BIRDS HAVE THE BALL

OFFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Charlie Stubbs/Jeff Brohm (1st Season)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 8
KEY LOSSES: Michael Bush, Kolby Smith, Renardo Foster

The Cardinals have potentially the most explosive offense in the nation with a troika of stars headlining a nearly impossible to stop passing attack. It all starts with Brian Brohm, a strong candidate to be the number one overall pick in the upcoming National Football League Draft. He brings size, with a strong and accurate arm -- there is nothing he cannot do in the pocket. The only concern is his ability to stay healthy, which could put any championship aspirations in jeopardy. He has the weapons as well, beginning with potential All-American Mario Urrutia, who towers over opposing corners with his 6’6” height. Outperforming Urrutia last season was Harry Douglas, the speedster, who set a school record for receiving yards in a single season. Tight end Gary Barnidge is yet another target. The names are not as recognizable in the running game, but they are solid. True sophomore Anthony Allen, AKA Baby Bush, provides the power with George Stripling a threat every time he touches the rock. The line should be among the best, led by left tackle George Bussey and center Eric Wood.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Brian Brohm (SR), 2) Mario Urrutia (JR), 3) Harry Douglas (SR), 4) Art Carmody (SR), 5) Gary Barnidge (SR), 6) Eric Wood (JR), 7) Patrick Carter (SR), 8) Brian Roche (SO), 9) George Bussey (SR), 10) Anthony Allen (SO)

WHEN THE OTHER TEAM HAS THE BALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Mike Cassity (4th Season)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 5
KEY LOSSES: Amobi Okoye, Nate Harris, Brandon Sharp, William Gay

The Cardinals must replace many of their top players on this side of the ball beginning with impact defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, likely the school’s best defender since Tom Jackson. Despite losing Okoye, as well as leading tackler Nate Harris (a transfer from Miami), the front seven could actually be stronger in 2007. Four linemen and three linebackers have starting experience with Malik Jackson the leader of the defense. True sophomore Peanut Whitehead has the ability to be an impact pass rusher, while Willie Williams another Miami transfer might just be the most talented player they have on defense. Whitehead, Williams and Jackson all know how to get to the quarterback. There is ability in the defensive backfield as well, with the return of Jon Russell from injury and the addition of Woodny Turenne, one of the top junior college corners.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Peanut Whitehead (SO), 2) Malik Jackson (SR), 3) Willie Williams (SR), 4) Rod Council (JR), 5) Latarrius Thomas (SO), 6) Adrian Grady (JR), 7) Earl Heyman (JR), 8) Jon Russell (SR)

THE SCHEDULE

Like most of the Big East contenders, Louisville’s season will likely come down to a handful of games, although they deserve some credit for at least playing three out of conference games they could lose: at Kentucky, at North Carolina St. and Utah at home -- not great but respectable. Nevertheless, the reality is they are expected to be 8-0 when they visit the Mountaineers for the showdown in Morgantown, potentially the game of the year in college football, which is sure to be a high scoring affair. Afterwards, they cannot afford to overlook a trip to South Florida to take on the Bulls the following week or their season finale at home against Rutgers, the only team that left their contest versus the Cardinals as the winner in 2006.

PIVOTAL POINT

The new coaching staff and how they handle the jump to the Big East is vital. Headman Steve Kragthorpe has been simply brilliant making three bowls in four seasons at Tulsa, including a record setting single season improvement as he turned a 1-11 cellar dweller into a respectable 8-5 squad. How he meshes with Brohm will be key and I am not talking about the quarterback. Older brother Jeff Brohm remains with the program, but he will be working with the offensive minded Kragthorpe for the first time in his inaugural season as offensive coordinator to go along with his duties as quarterbacks coach. Charlie Stubbs comes over from Tulsa where he served as offensive coordinator the last four seasons, a job he must now share, in addition to coaching up the wide outs.

CFI FINAL ANALYSIS

Many are picking the West Virginia Mountaineers to win the Big East based on the fact the clash of the Big East titans will take place on Mountaineer Field…but who is the better team? With Brohm at quarterback, a bevy of receivers and a capable running game it will be hard for anyone to match Louisville’s combination of explosiveness with balance. Moreover, on the defensive side of the ball they are ready to surprise some people with their speed, which will allow them to get after the quarterback, wreck havoc and create turnovers.

Check back tomorrow to see who is #5 in CFI’s Top 25 Countdown

THE CFI TOP 25 COUNTDOWN: #7 WISCONSIN BADGERS

BY DANIEL MOGOLLON
CO-FOUNDER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDERS



2006 RECORD: 12-1; BIG TEN: 7-1
Won Capitol One Bowl vs. Arkansas 17-14
LOCATION: Madison, Wisconsin
STADIUM: Camp Randall (80,321)
HEAD COACH: Bret Bielema
OVERALL: 12-1 (1 seasons)
AT WISCONSIN: 12-1 (1 seasons)

Bret Bielema had a dream rookie season as head coach in 2006 taking over for the legendary leader Barry Alvarez. Has he set the bar too high? With 16 starters returning from a 12-win season, expectations are as high as they have ever been in Madison. They avoided Ohio St. last season and played only one ranked opponent all year (lost 27-13 at Michigan), so a repeat is no lock in what should be an improved Big Ten conference.

WHEN THE BADGERS HAVE THE BALL

OFFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Paul Chryst (3rd Season)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 9
KEY LOSSES: Joe Thomas, John Stocco

The Badgers have to replace just two starters, however they were the two biggest pieces of the puzzle last year. Joe Thomas anchored one of the top offensive lines in the game and was so good that the Cleveland Browns made him the third overall pick in the NFL draft. While John Stocco went undrafted, the signal caller may be even more difficult to replace, inasmuch as the four other starters return along the line. Conversely, they will be handing over the reins to the offense to a mostly unproven leader, likely Tyler Donovan, who played well in their win over Iowa last season. In senior target Paul Hubbard, a phenomenal athlete, and converted linebacker Travis Beckum shining at tight end, they have two players who create mismatches with their rare speed/size combination. The strength of the offense is their between the tackles rushing attack, a staple in Cheese Country, with sophomore P.J. Hill a battering ram that delivers more blows than he receives.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Paul Hubbard (SR), 2) Travis Beckum (JR), 3) Jake Bscherer (SO), 4) Eric Vanden Heuvel (JR), 5) Luke Swan (SR), 6) Andy Crooks (SR), 7) P.J. Hill (SO), 8) Taylor Mehlhaff (SR), 9) Marcus Coleman (SR), 10) Andy Kemp (JR), 11) Tyler Donovan (SR), 12) Kraig Urbik (JR)

WHEN THE OTHER TEAM HAS THE BALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Mike Hankwitz (1st Season)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY LOSSES: Roderick Rogers, Joe Monty, Mark Zalewski, Joe Stellmacher

The heart and soul of the Wisky defense is the linebacking core, which brings speed and playmaking ability. Jonathan Casillas is their leading returning tackler and is he among the top two-way players, making 10.5 tackles in the backfield against the run, not to mention the fact he is among the top cover linebackers in America. Coming from the SAM position is DeAndre Levy, their top pass rusher, with talented sophomore Elijah Hodge ready to step into the MIKE spot. There is quality in the trenches as well, with the tackles space eaters and end Matt Shaughnessy their top lineman. Corner Jake Ikegwuonu is their most skilled player, possibly on either side of the ball, a physical lockdown corner, with Allen Langford not a bad cover man himself. They have question marks at safety with both projected starters coming off medical redshirt seasons, although sophomore Shane Carter, the kid brother of former All-Pro Chris Carter, is an intriguing prospect.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Jake Ikegwuonu (JR), 2) Elijah Hodge (SO), 3) Allen Langford (JR), 4) Nick Hayden (SR), 5) Jonathan Casillas (JR), 6) Matt Shaughnessy (JR), 7) Jason Chapman (JR), 8) DeAndre Levy (JR)

THE SCHEDULE

The common belief is that the Badgers season will come down to their two games against Big Ten stalwarts Michigan and Ohio St. a week a part in November, however that is assuming they make it past October unblemished. The first five games should not provide much of a test, although the Hawkeyes could be tough, making a 5-0 start likely. After that, they face back-to-back road tests when they go to Illinois and Penn St. The Nittany Lions, if everything breaks right, will be tough to beat in Happy Valley, while the Illini are the Big Ten program on the rise and gave Wisconsin all they could handle in Camp Randall (30-24) a year ago, scoring the most points against the Wisky defense other than the 27 points Michigan put up. The Badgers may be gunning for the Maize and Blue, as well as OSU, however they cannot overlook clubs like Penn St. and Illinois who will have their targets set on Wisconsin.

PIVOTAL POINT

Expectations and how the Badgers handle them is a new challenge this crew has yet to face or overcome. Not many people knew what to expect from Brett Bielema as he took over the program and the same goes for many of his coaches who were newbies at their jobs in Madison. Several new starters on both sides of the ball from last season now have to match or exceed their performances of a year ago. There are also those who carry the weight of their last names, Casillas is the son of former pro Tony, I have already mentioned the Carter brothers, while Elijah Hodge is the younger brother of Abdul and headman Bielema has already stated he is the more talented of the two Hodge boys. Furthermore, they are a now an opponent everyone will circle on the schedule.

CFI FINAL ANALYSIS

If quarterback Tyler Donovan can repeat what he did in his short stint as the leader of the Wisconsin huddle (against Iowa and Buffalo), we could have a real three-team race in the Big Ten and the Badgers believe they can play with the Wolverines and Buckeyes, which means they can play with anybody. This club is a unique one: they have the typical offensive line that approaches 1600 pounds and a physical fearless defense, along with NFL caliber prospects Ikegwuonu, Hubbard and Beckum, among others at the skill positions. There is more athleticism and speed than those in Madison are accustomed to, that combo makes them maybe the most dangerous Badgers team heading into week one that the Big Ten has ever seen.

Check back tomorrow to see who is #6 in CFI’s Top 25 Countdown