Who should be No. 1? Dawgs get edge
By JEFF D'ALESSIO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/09/08
Just 30 more Saturdays until another college football season kicks off at Sanford Stadium.
What are the odds that Matthew Stafford and Georgia will go into that Aug. 30 opener against Georgia Southern as the nation's top-ranked team?
As we await the start of spring practice, we asked a few experts who they had atop their early fall ballots.
Georgia? Southern Cal? West Virginia? Missouri? None of the above?
BRUCE FELDMAN
ESPN The Magazine
"I like Georgia for No. 1 at this point. The Dawgs have an experienced starting quarterback returning, a star to carry the offense in Knowshon Moreno and an O-line that really matured as the 2007 season went along. I also think the boost they get from finishing the year with such a statement game will help drive guys to believe that bigger things are coming. The schedule doesn't break well since they have a bunch of tough road trips but LSU survived a loaded schedule so I'm not ready to dismiss Georgia for it."
SCOTT RABALAIS
AP Top 25 voter
Baton Rouge Advocate
"My vote would be for USC. I covered the Sugar Bowl, and USC's blowout of an Illinois team that was light years better than Hawaii was more impressive than Georgia's win. Much more impressive. Hawaii was nowhere near as good as the BCS interlopers we've seen in recent years from Utah and Boise State.
"Edge to Georgia over USC with [Matthew] Stafford returning at QB, but the Trojans are oozing talent. Both teams have something to prove ? Georgia getting routed by Tennessee, USC losing to Stanford ? but I think the Trojans have proven their worth as a consistent national contender moreso than Georgia has. Would loved to have seen them play in the Rose Bowl ? would be just as interested to see them meet in Miami in January."
WENDELL BARNHOUSE
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"I would give Georgia a slight edge over USC because the Bulldogs have an experienced QB coming back. USC's non-conference schedule is considerably more difficult. As of right now, I'd probably lean toward Georgia as the preseason No. 1."
LENN ROBBINS
New York Post
"I'm going Oklahoma. Sam Bradford is the best QB [Bob] Stoops has had, the defense will be loaded again, and I like the way the schedule shapes up. Georgia is No. 2. Mark Richt has quietly emerged as one of college football's most consistent coaches. USC has more talkent than the Falcons but it's so hard to keep that level of consistency. I can't get over that Stanford loss."
STEWART MANDEL
AP Top 25 voter
SI.com
"Georgia [is No. 1]. Of the teams that finished high last year, they have by far the most key players coming back, with the possible exception of Ohio State, but there's obviously reason for skepticism there."
MATT HAYES
Sporting News
"USC ? the safest surest thing at this point. Georgia would be a close second, but the Trojans have loads of skill players on offense, and a deep, athletic front seven on defense. Whoever plays QB ? Mark Sanchez or Mitch Mustain ? will thrive in that offense. Sanchez played well while John David Booty was injured, and Mustain and wide receiver transfer Damian Williams were terrific in USC's weekly Tuesday scrimmage ? which is, in a word, intense."
BRET BLOOMQUIST
AP Top 25 voter
El Paso Times
"Well, not Hawaii. At the moment, Georgia, followed by Florida and USC."
.................................................................
Bulldogs National Champs has a nice ring to it. :00hour
By JEFF D'ALESSIO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/09/08
Just 30 more Saturdays until another college football season kicks off at Sanford Stadium.
What are the odds that Matthew Stafford and Georgia will go into that Aug. 30 opener against Georgia Southern as the nation's top-ranked team?
As we await the start of spring practice, we asked a few experts who they had atop their early fall ballots.
Georgia? Southern Cal? West Virginia? Missouri? None of the above?
BRUCE FELDMAN
ESPN The Magazine
"I like Georgia for No. 1 at this point. The Dawgs have an experienced starting quarterback returning, a star to carry the offense in Knowshon Moreno and an O-line that really matured as the 2007 season went along. I also think the boost they get from finishing the year with such a statement game will help drive guys to believe that bigger things are coming. The schedule doesn't break well since they have a bunch of tough road trips but LSU survived a loaded schedule so I'm not ready to dismiss Georgia for it."
SCOTT RABALAIS
AP Top 25 voter
Baton Rouge Advocate
"My vote would be for USC. I covered the Sugar Bowl, and USC's blowout of an Illinois team that was light years better than Hawaii was more impressive than Georgia's win. Much more impressive. Hawaii was nowhere near as good as the BCS interlopers we've seen in recent years from Utah and Boise State.
"Edge to Georgia over USC with [Matthew] Stafford returning at QB, but the Trojans are oozing talent. Both teams have something to prove ? Georgia getting routed by Tennessee, USC losing to Stanford ? but I think the Trojans have proven their worth as a consistent national contender moreso than Georgia has. Would loved to have seen them play in the Rose Bowl ? would be just as interested to see them meet in Miami in January."
WENDELL BARNHOUSE
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"I would give Georgia a slight edge over USC because the Bulldogs have an experienced QB coming back. USC's non-conference schedule is considerably more difficult. As of right now, I'd probably lean toward Georgia as the preseason No. 1."
LENN ROBBINS
New York Post
"I'm going Oklahoma. Sam Bradford is the best QB [Bob] Stoops has had, the defense will be loaded again, and I like the way the schedule shapes up. Georgia is No. 2. Mark Richt has quietly emerged as one of college football's most consistent coaches. USC has more talkent than the Falcons but it's so hard to keep that level of consistency. I can't get over that Stanford loss."
STEWART MANDEL
AP Top 25 voter
SI.com
"Georgia [is No. 1]. Of the teams that finished high last year, they have by far the most key players coming back, with the possible exception of Ohio State, but there's obviously reason for skepticism there."
MATT HAYES
Sporting News
"USC ? the safest surest thing at this point. Georgia would be a close second, but the Trojans have loads of skill players on offense, and a deep, athletic front seven on defense. Whoever plays QB ? Mark Sanchez or Mitch Mustain ? will thrive in that offense. Sanchez played well while John David Booty was injured, and Mustain and wide receiver transfer Damian Williams were terrific in USC's weekly Tuesday scrimmage ? which is, in a word, intense."
BRET BLOOMQUIST
AP Top 25 voter
El Paso Times
"Well, not Hawaii. At the moment, Georgia, followed by Florida and USC."
.................................................................
Bulldogs National Champs has a nice ring to it. :00hour
