With the college football season coming down to the wire, it’s time to look at the teams who will competing for a spot in the national title game in January.
LSU
Despite being in an extremely competitive conference and losing players such as Craig Davis, wide reciever Dwayne Bowe, safety LaRon Landry and quarterback Jamarcus Russell to the first round of the NFL Draft, LSU has managed to put up 37.2 points per game while assembling a very tough defense. The team is 8-1 despite facing six teams ranked in the top 20. The offense, however, has only been average by LSU standards. Regardless, the defense is led by senior defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and has an abundance of disruptive players who will ensure that the opposing team’s offense has to work harder than the LSU offense. The depth of this team is remarkable, and star senior wide receiver Early Doucet is finally healthy. In their final game against Arkansas, their defense will be charged with the task of stopping what is possibly the best tandem of college football running backs ever in junior Darren McFadden and junior Felix Jones.
OHIO STATE
No matter how we feel about our Big Ten rivals, the Buckeyes demonstrated that they are in a different league this year. Other than Michigan State, the Buckeyes have thoroughly beaten each of their opponents in their currently undefeated season. Sophomore running back Chris Wells is phenomenal, and junior wide receiver Brian Robiskie keeps defense stretched and worried at all times. The defense is led by junior linebacker James Laurinaitis and is full of disruptive playmakers. Junior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins headlines a secondary on a defensive unit that has allowed only five passing touchdowns while forcing 10 interceptions. Through nine games, the defense has given up only seven touchdowns. While it looks like Ohio State will be in the national championship, competitive Big Ten squads Illinois and Michigan still stand in their way.
OREGON
Not since Joey Harrington(2002) and Akili Smith(1999) have the Ducks had a quarterback as dominant as senior Dennis Dixon. He has totaled 28 touchdowns (eight rushing) to just three interceptions in nine games. Although Dixon is a proficient passer with 230.4 yards per game, he also averages a surprising 61 rushing yards per game. Dixon, however, is not the only dominant player on a Ducks offense that averages 42.8 points and 510.6 yards per game. Junior running back Jonathan Stewart is one of the nation’s absolute best and currently has 1,240 total yards and 11 touchdowns (one receiving). At 5’11’’ 230 pounds, Stewart is not only tough to bring down, but also tough to catch, as demonstrated by his 88 yard run and 6.5 yard per carry average. Junior defensive end Nick Reed consistently pressures opponents’ backfields and currently has 18.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks on the season. The toughest game left for Oregon is probably their season-concluding home game against in-state rivals Oregon State.
OKLAHOMA
It has been business as usual for this perennial powerhouse, and their high-flying offense and smothering defense has them in position for an outside chance of getting to the national championship at 8-1. Freshman quarterback Sam Bradford has done far more than you can ask out of a freshman signal caller, throwing for 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions, good for an efficiency rating of 175.1. The Oklahoma offensive line has certainly been a factor in Bradford’s success as they have allowed only eight sacks on the season. Despite the void left by Adrian Peterson’s departure for the NFL, senior Allen Patrick and freshman DeMarco Murray have made sure that the Sooners have a solid ground attack, combining for 15 touchdowns. The defense has squashed the running games of opponents, allowing only 2.2 yards per carry. The bad news for Oklahoma is that their best pass rusher, Auston English, will miss at least 1-2 weeks with a hairline fracture in his right leg.
KANSAS
Kansas is scoring more points than any team except Hawaii and is currently ranked No. 4 in the BCS with a perfect 9-0 record. Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing averages just under 260 passing yards per game and has 24 touchdowns (one rushing) with just four interceptions. The defense has also been stellar, allowing 14 touchdowns while forcing 18 interceptions. Junior cornerback Aqib Talib is widely feared and arguably the best in the nation, and his four receiving touchdowns at wide receiver have caused comparisons to past two-way cornerbacks such as Chris Gamble, Champ Bailey and Terence Newman. Kansas is the least penalized team in the nation and has two dangerous return men in junior kick returner Marcus Herford (two TDs) and sophomore punt returner Raimond Pendleton (one TD). A Nov. 24 match up against rival Missouri Tigers, who are currently ranked No. 7, will tell us a lot about how good this team is.
