2004 NFL SEASON PROJECTIONS

2004 NFL SEASON PREVIEW!

Yeah! FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE!! Can you believe that this is the 5th year the Doc and I have been doing these NFL Preseason and NCAA FOOTBALL top 20 PREVIEWS? I can't either! I hated doing the preseason preview back then as much as I hate doing it now. Ya gotta admit its fun though! Its even more fun knowing that some of you keep on coming back! Thanks to all of you who have been coming by over the years! Im really glad you're here! For the new folks, I'm Greggy the Greek, in the spirit of Thio Jimmy the Greek, I will be dishing out my NFL Picks and my NFL Predictions, including the final score prediction, every week totally free, and WITH NO HASSLES! (like making you register so we can mail you spam!)

I don't claim to be the best prognosticator on the planet. I do ok for myself as an avid "gamer", and what I do here is just tell you all how I see the games. Hopefully you will find some use or amusement from this little service and tell your friends to check us out! Enjoy our FREE PREVIEW of the 2004 NFL FOOTBALL SEASON, and we hope to see you back here for our NFL GAME PROJECTIONS every week!

2004 AFC PREVIEW

AFC EAST:

Dare I say the word "repeat", but New England is probably in the best shape to do just that. They bring back Bellichecks bodacious defense, and of course cool hand Tom Brady, then they go out and pick up a Corey Dillon to tote the rock. The problem is that when something looks too simple, it never is. Aside from injuries and the like they will be the targets of everyone they face, they should still come away with the division title though, and if they get back in the playoffs, I don't know if I would pick against them. It's a marathon not sprint though, and only time will tell if things break right for these guys, however if anyone is equipped to do it, this team is. Mounting a rising threat this year in the East will be the Jets. Having Pennington healthy all year will keep them competitive and if they can get yet another big year out of Curtis Martin, they could be the ones taking this if New England falters. I still see lots of questions on the Jets offensive line, and keeping Pennington healthy will be the key. Defensively they gotten better at linebacker, and could be good, I don't expect too much from them this year though a decent campaign but possibly missing out on the playoffs. Miami, we can probably rule out already. Picking up Booker was a decent move, but the offensive line is a huge question mark. The running back situation is a bit 'hazey', quarterback is still an issue, and if they start off slow, Wannstedt wont have to worry about another December swoon, he will be fired well before that. They have a nice defense though so that will keep them in games, but if they cant score points, they wont win too many games. Buffalo looks to be the biggest beneficiary of Miami's decline. If Mike Mularkey can get that defense to play like one of the better ones in the league, AND if Willis McGahee can come back and be the type of back he was in college, AND if Drew Bledsoe can regain some of his poise, then Buffalo could be the surprise team in the league this year. That's too many ifs for me though.

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AFC NORTH:

This division will be much improved over recent years. To be honest all the teams in this division are a lot closer than they seem. Last season at this time I suspected Baltimore had the horses on defense to make a run at it, they still do. Getting a Deion Sanders back as a nickel back will only bolster the big play defense they already had. Despite Deions despising contact, hes quite savy and can still impact a game. That's not Baltimores stregnth though. That would be their offensive line. A solid group led by Jonathan Ogden they will be blasting open holes for Jamal Lewis whose legal woes may be the only obstacle to being the first ever back to pick up consecutive 2000 yard seasons. Who cares if Kyle Boller sucks, its Defense and running game that lead to wins, and Baltimore has got plenty of both! Pittsburgh, is also looking to return to that smash mouth football that coach Bill Cower prefers. They went out and got Duece Staley to augment the aging but still effective Jerome Bettis. So far, in the preseason, they seem serious about commiting to the ground game. The other part of that is to play defense. The seasons success will hinge on that. Cincinnati, and Cleveland figure to be slugging it out throughout the season. Though neither team is the joke they once were. They both have nice solid defenses. Cincy especially improved in that area under Marvin Lewis. Both will be looking at new starting QBs. How do you gage teams based on that? In Cleveland, Garcia at least is a proven guy. He will be a big upgrade over Couch. This division will most likely be a battle of attrition, with whomever survives injuries better having a better shot. When you can play defense you can be as good as anyone, and either of these two can find themselves in the playoff hunt, or they can just as easily return to being the also-rans they have been.
 
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AFC SOUTH

In stark contrast with the AFC West this may be the best division in the AFC in terms of overall quality of each team. Indianapolis, is in basically a do or die year. With Payton Manning getting 100 million dollars, that's gotta squeeze what the Colts can do under the salary cap. Payton's partner there "the Edge"(and round here, we LOVE "THE EDGE"!!) Edgerrin James is a free agent at the end of the year, and has already expressed desire to return home to play with the Dolphins. Marvin Harrison is also a free agent after the season. The plus about two big time guys being in their "contract year" is that they will be going all out to look good for that outrageous contract they'll demand. Throw in the strides Tony Dungee has made with that Defense and there is little doubt this team will once again be heading to the playoffs. The Tennessee Titans just continue to impress me year in year out. Steve McNair is the consummate winner, and don't sweat that they lost Eddie George none, Chris Brown is stud and he is chomping to show the league what's up. See that stiff arm he laid on Dallas S Roy Williams. Jeff Fisher does a great job leading this group, and I cant see them not being one of the better teams in the AFC. Jacksonville should be no surprise to anyone. Jack Del Rio has a real good defense down there. If you didn't notice Byron Leftwich last year, you better recognize. This guy is legit, and will get the wins. They are in a tough division, but somehow I say this team winds up in the playoffs anyway! Even the HOUSTON Texans can do some serious damage. David Carr is evolving into a top tier NFL Quarterback. Andre Johnson is a serious weapon and the defense was stout under Dom Capers. Still in a dogfight of a division like this one, a .500 season for Houston would be considered a success for sure.
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AFC WEST

I wouldn't exactly call the AFC West a powerhouse division. KANSAS CITY, leads the way out here, but anyone watching last years playoffs knows what pretenders they were. They will no doubt again amass the wins they are LOADED offensively with Priest Holmes leading everyones fantasy draft board. He gets the touches and gets the touchdowns behind a huge and good offensive line. Trent Green spreads the ball around and has big Tony Gonzalez when he needs a clutch catch. Defensively they couldn't stop anyone. They didn't even force a single punt in the playoff loss to the Colts. This year with a new emphasis by the NFL on enforcing defensive holding rules, may actually make them a better defense since their defensive backs were never even close enough to the WR to get a penalty. They added no one in the offseason but replaced the coach. So teams will still stuff it down their throats and they will be great bets for the over. In fact Kansas City might not even be that good of a team but could easily run away with this divison. DENVER, has made some moves defensively to improve, and they needed to. They collapsed late in the season after a decent start, yet again. They need to play well throughout the year to have a shot. In this division they will be in the mix and if they can keep up with K.C. during the season and are still playing competitive ball late in the year, might be a threat to get into the playoffs. OAKLAND, is only a year removed from being a superbowl team. But Norv Turners bunch under Bill Callahan was about as far away from getting back there last year as you can be! They pretty much QUIT last year. They did pick up Warren Sapp and still have some other great athletes like Charles Woodson in that secondary so they could be O.K. defensively, especially if they decide to play for Turner. At some point Kerry Collins will take over as the QB on this team, and Kerry will really fire up the Raider faithful with the deep ball. Harkening back to classic Raider teams that loved the vertical game, that's how the Raiders have done it before you know.... And no doubt I will be suckered into betting on them way too often for my own good (check out my record if you take out all the Oakland games!) SAN DIEGO, yeah what can we say about San Diego. The same team that traded away Micheal Vick. Then they drafted Eli Manning (didn't they remember last time they had a shot at a Manning and got "the other guy"), and of course trade him to New York. The "other guy" this time is a fundamentally flawed sidearm slinging QB, who already has held out. With the other pick they got in that deal, they drafted a kicker! They still have Drew Brees and STILL their most effective QB is the 41 year old Doug Flutie. Then people wonder why this team only wins 4 or 5 games, which may be an optimistic figure. This may be a division loaded with offensive weapons, but that don't mean it's a good divison.
 

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2004 NFC PREVIEW

NFC EAST:

Philadelphia was the class of the division last year, then they went out and brought in Terrell Owens. Then they went and got the "Freak" Jevon Kearse, then they bring back Jerimah Trotter and Hugh Douglass who have been pro-bowlers in the past for them. They struggled against the run big time in preseason and are hoping Trotter and Douglass will improve that. They should still soar above the East though. DALLAS still has a big Offensive LINE with Larry Allen and Flozell Adams. Running is Parcells preferred way to move the ball, and he brought in Eddie George and good lookin rookie Julius Jones to do that. Losing QC the QB means they will be relying on 41 year old Vinny Testaverde, and that may be their undoing. Dallas may be a better team this year, but probably wont get as many wins as last year. With RB Clinton Portis and the return of Joe Gibbs I do like Washington to give the Eagles a big run for this division, and really wouldn't be surprised one bit to see the Skins in the playoff this year either. They will really need to come around on Defense if that's gonna happen though. In New York, their GIANT problem was in the offensive line, so they go out and get a 34 year old quarteback with a history of concussions to put behind it. Then spending this years no. 1 pick on Eli Manning, as well as next years no. 1 probably wont help that O line at all. Eli Manning could turn into a superstar someday, if this line doesn't get him killed this year.

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NFC NORTH:

Minnesota, with Mike Tice and that defense starting to take hold will wind up winning the North. Brett Farve all but guarenteed a super bowl party at the end of the season. As long as he plays Green bay has to be considered a contender, but somehow I am not as convinced about that as I once was. Detroit I said would surprise last year, and this year with Roy Williams and Carlos Rodgers for Joey Harrington to throw to, Mariucci may be the one grinning if the annual Thanksgiving day game has any meaning for the young Lions. As for Chicago, I like their defense. I like what Lovie Smith brings to that side of the ball, but I am asking the same thing again about the bears. How are they going to score. Rex Grossman gonna light the league up? Especially now that they traded Marty Booker a pro-bowl wide reciever. Still defense wins games and the windy city should produce more under outcomes than victories.
 

 
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NFC SOUTH

Carolina is out to show the league that getting to the SuperBowl was no fluke. Problem is that teams that have gotten there, and not won, havent fared too well afterwards. Carolina is better equipped to get back there. The key for them is they win with Defense, and running game, and both of those will be back. The Underrated Jake Delhomme will be out to show hes no fluke either and will continue to earn respect week in week out. We suspected that Carolina could be the surprise team of the year last year, but didn't pull the trigger. This time around I will go "out on that limb" and tell you that the Surprise should be if Carolina DOESN'T win the south. Burying the Buccaneers am I? Not really I had the Bucs orginally winning this division, and then scratched it in that I OWED it to Carolina. Even with winning the Super Bowl in his first season the pressure will be on Mr. Gruden. They will be disappointed by another playoff appearance in Tampa. Maybe Gruden can top his debut performance this year. I suspect they are closer to mediocrity than greatness though. Lots of folks are picking New Orleans to be the sleeper team this year to come roaring out of the south. While I like New Orleans talent, and WE all know about where Mr. Haslett got his FIRST BIG TIME COACHING JOB, and who might have influenced him there... Oh I guess, Im getting carried away a little bit. Just like the pundits that think New Orleans can win the superbowl. They MIGHT be able to, but until I see some signs of consistency especially late in the season where the games are magnified, I wont be laying my money on New Orleans, sorry Coach! Atlanta is the ultimate wildcard. Mr Bomber has them making lots of noise, and as long as Mr. Vick is on the field, they have a chance to win the game. Any time you got that great athlete at QB who likes to run - he will get hit, and these linebackers don't pull up cause they see a guy who sells lots of jerseys. In fact those monsters will all be trying to take him out, so they wont have to chase him. Adapting to the run-n-shoot offense probably won't be a problem for Vick and he may flourish. As goes Vick go the Falcons. So while I agree Atlanta could start like 5-1, but could wind up losing Vick and going 6-10, or he wont get hurt and the Falcons will go 15-1. When it comes to money I give the edge to the former case.
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NFC WEST

Interestingly, like the AFC West, there may be some of the worst teams in the NFL in this division. Seattle is an improving team and unless they regress will win this division. The Rams have been a powerhouse in this division, and they still have some major weapons, plus that friendly dome they play in. They will win some games no doubt. Yet when you are going out in the middle of the preseason and bringing back retired offensive linemen, I sense trouble. Kyle Turley is out for the year, Orlando Pace is holding out and while he will probably be back in time for the season, guys who hold out are usually not in football shape and get hurt. That means that offensive line is in trouble and if the qb is getting planted every other play, I don't care who is the Wide Reciever. Martz sometimes forgets to get the ball to Marshall Faulk as well. Teams with a good front 4 will cause this Rams team fits. .500 sounds about right to me. San Francisco, is fortunate that they play in the West, they may be able to get a few divisonal wins. However they are clearly rebuilding losing Terrell Owens, Garrison Hearst, and Jeff Garcia. I don't want to speculate how many wins they could get, but I will say this I will be picking against the Niners more times than not this season. The saving grace for the Niners though is that the Arizona Cardinals will keep them out of the basement. Despite getting Dennis Green the Cardinals have all kinds of problems. They lost stud WR Anquan Boldin to injury at least for the start of the season, and leading Rusher Marcel Shipp sailed onto the injury list as well. Nothing new for this franchise as they can swipe disappointment from even the most promising season. Countdown to the Los Angeles Cardinals starting sooon... unless your going to try and tell me that there are Cardinal fans in Pheonix?
 
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Back for another year? Well I am, and I'm a hardcore NCAA College Football extremist. In case ya don't know, I'm the Doc. I'm a certifiable lunatic when it comes to football in it's greatest incarnation...College Ball. This is what it's all about....sure, spring football, recruiting, and fall camp are fun but this is where the rubber meets the road boys and girls. The season is just about to begin, and I would be remiss if I didn't start the season with the annual Doc Biff's Top 20 Let's get it on for 2004! check out our FORUM

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1. USC Trojans: This team needs to be here because they have BY FAR the most talent in all of college ball. Despite losing Mike Williams, this team will be loaded and primed for another run at the title. Overconfidence, injuries, or plain old bad luck may strike the Trojans, but the Doc is here to tell ya that they are the best equipped team to handle the rigors of the season. The offense is led by Matt Leinart, a cool cat indeed. He will be throwing to Steve Smith, Whitney Lewis, and Fred Davis - as talented and fast a group as you will find anywhere in the land. Running back is loaded as well, with Hershel Dennis, LenDale White, and the blazing Reggie Bush. Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow is one of the very best in the game and always finds a way to create mismatches. On D, Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson are All-Pac 10 first teamers on the line. Matt Grootegood and Manuel Wright will lead the backers, and also look for highly-touted Keith Rivers to make noise at the position. Pete Carrol has amassed a scary amount of talent in SC, reminiscent of the old Miami Hurricane squads of the late 80's.

2. Miami Hurricanes: Speaking of the 'Canes...Although this year's version is not getting the hype that Miami squads usually receive, the talent combined with the schedule make them Doc's pick for number 2. The Canes are new members of the ACC, but the results should be similar to their days in the Big East. I know, Brock Berlin didn't exactly light the world on fire last season as the Canes QB, but the Doc is hearing some noise out of South Florida that he has come back a much more confident passer after some hard work in the off season. Frank Gore may not be fully recovered from his injuries, but Tyrone Moss will be more than capable of stepping up if need be. Depth, my friends, is the key to being in the big dance at the end of the season. At wide out, Ryan Moore is a STUD. Roscoe Parrish and Devin Hester round out the group, which is going to give opponents fits all season. On D, the Canes should be a swarming, fast bunch that will be tough to run on with Orion Harris and Santonio Thomas plugging up the middle. The schedule is favorable, with tough matchups against Florida State, Virginia, and Clemson all at home.

3. Oklahoma Sooners: The Doc is a softie for great coaching, and the Sooners have the best. I know the Sooners looked downright ugly at the end of last season, but don't think for a second that the team isn't ready to atone for those ugly games. Jason White is back at QB, and even though he's battered and bruised, he'll be primed for another great year. The kid makes good decisions with the ball (40 TD, 6 INT), and is a winner. He'll be throwing to All-American Mark Clayton again. The guy caught 83 balls last year for a 17.2 yard average. Sick. The Sooners will be loaded at RB next season, with a bevy of backs waiting to take carries from returning starter Kejuan Jones. On D, it will should be another great Bob Stoops defense, but the loss of Stoops' brother and defensive coordinator Mike may have an impact. The talent is certainly in place: Cody, McGruder, Dampeer, Dvoracek, Pool, Nicholson, I mean - these guys are sick. The schedule isn't too bad, either. Games against Texas, Kansas State, and the pesky Oklahoma State Cowboys will be key.

4. Georgia Bulldogs: This could be the year that the Bulldogs climb back to the top spot in college football, an honor they haven't had since the days of Hershel Walker and Buck Balou. The pieces are all in place for a run, but the schedule might be a killer. David Greene will once again lead the offense, and he'll have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Young studs Kregg Lumpkin and Thomas Brown will get plenty of reps at RB, with returning starter Michael Cooper possibly forced into a sideline role. The line was young last year, but returns everyone on their two-deep. Russ Tanner is a big hoss at center. The receivers are both good ones. Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown have 203 combined catches coming into the year. The Bulldogs should be primed for a great year as a defense as well. David Pollack is the best in the business at end. He has 37 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. The linebacking crew also has an All-American in Odell Thurman. Safety Thomas Davis is also one of the very best at his position. Scoring on this team will not be easy. The Dawgs have Tennessee and LSU at home, but must travel to the Swamp to take on the Gators. A tough schedule, but this team might be good enough to overcome the obstacles and win it all.

5. Texas Longhorns: Yeah, I know. Lots of potential, but little results. That seems to be the theme in Austin under coach Mack Brown. Still, the Doc likes that Brown went out and got Greg Robinson and Dick Tomey to coach the defense. These guys know what they are doing, and it should pay off for a team that has gone soft at some inopportune moments(hope this doesn't sound too familiar guys). On offense, Cedric Benson is as good as it gets. The senior tailback will be running behind a veteran line, and should help take some heat off of QB Vincent Young. Young is a threat to run or throw, so that will keep opposing defenses off balance and open up big play opportunities to the recievers. Doc's been fooled before by these guys, but I am going down this road one more time.

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6. LSU Tigers: The defending co-national champs have the goods to make another run. The question marks are on the offensive side of the ball, where either Marcus Randall or Jamarcus Russell must step up and lead the team from the QB position. Justin Vincent had a great frosh campaign at tailback, and should be the bellcow behind a solid offensive line. This defense will bring it. Period. Nobody is harder to move the ball against than this squad. With Marcus Spears, Loinel Turner, Corey Webster, and crew coming back, things won't get any easier for opposing teams. Road games at Florida and Georgia will be the biggest tests.

7. Florida State Seminoles: Chris Rix is back again. Does this dude ever get to graduate? Despite some tough times, it wouldn't surprise the Doc at all if Rix really put it together for his final season. The 'Noles are strong along the offensive line, returning everyone from last year's two-deep. The big uglies will be opening holes for Lorenzo Booker and Leon Washington, two small but lightning-quick tailbacks. Craphonso Thorpe returns as a dangerous deep threat. The defense is retooling, but the talent is in place for a great year. The secondary is the veteran unit, with Pat Watkins being the stud at safety. AJ Nicholson and Buster Davis are both freaks at the linebacker position. A season opener against Miami will tell much about this team.

8. Missouri Tigers: Surprised? Hey, one of the best roads to a top-ten finish is to schedule it. Missouri has the talent and the cupcakes lined up for a run at glory. Brad Smith returns to lead the Tiger offense. Smith is a man among boys. He knows the offense inside out and can beat you in so many ways. His tailbacks are young but talented, led by Damien Nash. The recievers are solid veterans. There are some holes up front, but head coach Gary Pinkel is confident that they will surprise people. On defense, nine starters return from a fast, aggressive unit of a year ago. Missouri's linebackers are right up there with the best in the country. There is no reason to think this unit will not be among the elite in the Big 12. Oh, one more thing. Non conference games are against Arkansas State, Troy State, and Ball State. C'mon.

9. Michigan Wolverines: Year in and year out, Lloyd Carr's Wolverines are among the best in the country. Another top-ten finish is almost not even seen as a big deal in Ann Arbor. Some question marks on offense are what keeps this team from being top 5. On offense, John Navarre and Chris Perry are two stalwarts that will be missed. Both players really put together great senior seasons. Matt Gutierrez will probably be the new QB, but watch out for super frosh Chad Henne if the offense stalls. David Underwood is a solid replacement for Perry at tailback, but it remains to be seen if he will have the kind of senior year Perry did. UM's recievers are the best in America. Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant, and Steve Breaston each add a different element to the Wolverine's arsenal. The offensive line will be a typical Michigan unit - mean and nasty. David Baas is the big name there. All in all, not a bad situation if you must break in a new QB. The Wolverine defense should be very good to great this year. The secondary is an elite unit, led by hard-hitting Ernest Shazor and the super-smooth Marlin Jackson. The linebackers will be very strong, led by Lawrence Reid and sophomore LaMarr Woodley. There are some holes up front, but the talent is in place and just needs to step up. UM's schedule is tough but manageable. Notre Dame and Ohio State are road games, but UM has more talent than either team. Nemisis Iowa will have to come into the Big House this time.

10. California Golden Bears: Head Coach Jim Tedford is quickly establishing himself as one of the best in the business. He has molded five first round draft picks at the QB postion, and is working on another in Aaron Rogers. Nobody wanted this kid out of high school, and now he's one of the hottest signal callers in the country. This team has good backs in JJ Arrington and Marcus O'Keefe,and very talented wideouts in Geoff McArthur and Jon Makonnen. This team will score on anybody. There's no reason to think that the defense can't hold up their end of the game either. Lorenzo Alexander will anchor the DL, while Rover Donnei McCleskey will lead the secondary. The Bears should be able to play with and beat just about anyone. They need to make the Doc look good by not having letdowns against teams that they should beat. That's what the great teams do. An early trip to Southern Miss should show what this team is made of.

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11. Clemson Tigers: Tommy Bowden has hit the big time. He has built the Tiger program up to a point where they are eying the ACC title and looking to break into the top 10. QB Charlie Whitehurst can make all the throws. He completed 62 percent of his passes last year, and looks to have greater success this time around. Airese Currie should be his top target. Duane Coleman and Yusef Kelly, the leading rushers for the last two seasons respectively, are back to carry the rock. There's no reason to think that this offense will not be able to pick up where it left off a year ago. The Tiger defense has LB Leroy Hill coming back to further abuse opposing teams. The entire secondary is returning as well. Last year, this squad was very fast and aggressive. Look for more of that this year if the young line can get a push. The Tigers have Florida State, Virginia and Miami all as roadies. The schedule is tough, but the talent is there.

12. Iowa Hawkeyes: What? Ranking Iowa ahead of Ohio State? Yup. The Doc really likes what Kirk Ferenz has accomplished at Iowa, and I think they are going to surprise some folks. Sure, Fred Russell and Nate Chandler are gone but the key for Iowa will be line play. The big uglies up front are as good as anyone's. They will get after you and wear opponents down. Jermelle Lewis will be running behind this line, and he's a good one if he can stay healthy this season. The defense should be right up there with the best. Abdul Hodge and Chad Greenway are stud linebackers. Matt Roth is a fierce defensive end, recording 12 sacks last year to go with 16 tackles for loss. The secondary is fast and experienced, led by Antwan Allen. This team will be tough to beat, and are only a quarterback away from being top 10 caliber.

13. Kansas State WIldcats: Bill Snyder has managed to bring the Wildcats to a bowl game for eleven straight seasons. Sure, the Wildcats tend to play some real softies, but don't think these guys aren't good. On offense, Ell Roberson will be missed. Sure seemed like he was there forever. He will be replaced by Dylan Meier, who has very little game experience. Darren Sproles will be the focus of this team - he is arguably the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. The Wildcats will need to be able to have some sort of passing threat for Sproles to collect the hardware, however. There is returning experience at wideout, with Davin Dennis and Antione Polite leading the charge. The line should be in good shape with three returning starters. The defense returns only four starters, but lots of guys with quality minutes will be filling those spots. The linebackers should be the D's strongest unit. K State won't win the Big 12 this year, but they will be playing in a quality bowl game in January.

14. West Virginia Mountaineers: This team may not lose at all during the regular season, but the Doc feels that is mostly due to a depleted Big East schedule. Coach Rich Rodriguez has probably his best team this year, and is starting to make a name for himself as the one of the young turks in the collegiate coaching ranks. Quarterback Rasheed Marshall is a dual-threat who will beat you in a variety of ways. He broke Michael Vick's single season rushing record, and still managed to throw for 15 scores. Kay-Jay Harris will be the featured back, as Quincy Wilson (a Doc favorite) has moved on. Chris Henry will be the go-to guy at wideout. All the linemen are back, which should allow Marshall to throw more and run less. The defense will be solid, but last year's stud linebacker Grant Wiley is gone and that is huge. The Mountaineers will put up the points, so this defense just has to get them the ball. Don't be surprised to see these guys on New Year's Day.

15. Ohio State Buckeyes: The Doc isn't feeling real great about this year's Buckeyes, but Coach Tressel has proven that he knows how to keep a team in the upper echelons of college ball. Justin Zwick, the prep sensation, will be the new starter on offense. Zwick is young and has no meaningful game experience. Lydell Ross is back at tailback. He's a good one, but not the bellwether back that Mo Clarrett was. The Buckeye D will be tough again. The linebacking crew is absolutely loaded with talent, with AJ Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, and Mike D'Andrea leading the youth movement. The Doc likes the Bucks to finish 8-3, with losses to UM and Iowa.

16. Florida Gators: Can this be the season that the anti-Ron Zook sentiment in Gainesville finally dies down? Zook has lots of talent on this year's team, and might be able to make a run at the top 10. Leading the way for the Gators will be super-soph Chris Leak at QB. This kid has shown a great arm and uncommon maturity for a true freshman last year. Most of Leak's targets from last year are gone, so that is a concern for the young QB. DeShawn Wynn will take over at running back. The Gator D will be impressive, if some young talent can step up. A program like Florida has the luxury of reloading it's positions with top talent every season. Look for young guys like Channing Crowder and Earl Everett to lead the way.

17. Oregon State Beavers: The Beavers will be a solid and experienced group this year, and that experience will pay off down the stretch. Sure, the O only returns four starters, but all returnees got solid PT last year. QB Derek Anderson had a huge season last year and will be returning to lead the team. Dwight Wright will try to fill the big shoes of Steven Jackson at RB. Wright played in every game last year, so that experience will help him to take on a bigger role this time. The Beavers have a great secondary coming back to lead the defense. Brandon Browner was the Pac-10 freshman of the year, picking off six balls. A non-conference opener at LSU will be rough, but the Beavs should rebound for a good conference run.

18. Virginia Cavaliers: If coach Al Groh can come up with a quarterback, the Cavs will be a very good team this year. It looks like Marques Hagans will get the first crack at replacing Matt Schaub. His favorite target might be Heath Miller, a big, fast and agile Tight End. Wali Lundy and Alvin Pearman will share TB duties. Both guys are players, combining for over 3000 yards rushing. The Cavs have some great linebackers that will be the backbone of the D. Will linebacker Ahamd Brooks might be the best in the land. The schedule includes Miami, Florida State, and Maryland.

19. Auburn Tigers: Auburn will return a pair of sensational backs in Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown. Both have had 1000 yard seasons in the past. The quarterback is Jason Campbell. Campbell has been the starter for the past two years, but has had moments of ugliness that have hurt the offense. Travis Williams will lead a defense that must retool after losing a boatload of talent to the NFL and graduation.

20. Tennessee Volunteers: The problem at Tennessee is that Coach Fulmer has not been able to find a QB for his team. CJ Leak was supposed to get the job, but hasn't been overly impressive. Next in line is true freshman Brent Schaeffer. Gerald Riggs Jr. should be a stud at tailback if he is healthy. ' Tennessee has a young, talented D. The Doc likes this bunch because they are swarmers and use their speed to shut down offenses. Linebacker Kevin Burnett is the real deal. Look for the Vols to struggle early, but finish strong.