5. Oklahoma Sooners
After back-to-back upset wins over Oklahoma State and Alabama to close the 2013 season, expectations for the Sooners have skyrocketed. The offense, which averaged 42 points per game in the last four games, sees the return of quarterback
Trevor Knight, who closed the season with a sensational Sugar Bowl performance (348 passing yards and four touchdowns). The defense made significant strides last year, and with the return of nine starters the Sooners could be in store for their best season statistically on defense since 2009.
The schedule is very manageable, with a home game against Tennessee highlighting their nonconference slate. In Big 12 play, they get Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State all at home while the game against Texas, of course, comes at a neutral site. Look for the Sooners to be favored in all 12 of their games in 2014.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
After 24 consecutive wins to start the Urban Meyer era, the Buckeyes lost back-to-back games to close the 2013 season. However, in 2014, they look poised to bounce back as
Braxton Miller returns for his fourth year as the starting quarterback and Meyer has added plenty of speed at the skill positions in his past two recruiting classes.
The defense loses headliners in linebacker
Ryan Shazier and cornerback
Bradley Roby, but the defensive line returns all four starters and should be among the best in the country led by
Noah Spence and
Joey Bosa. The schedule again is manageable, as Virginia Tech and Cincinnati both visit the Horseshoe in nonconference play. The Buckeyes also avoid both Wisconsin and Nebraska from the Big Ten West and get Michigan at home. Their toughest test will be a road trip to East Lansing on Nov. 8 against defending Big Ten champ Michigan State.
7. UCLA Bruins
After managing 10 wins last year, the Bruins could take another step toward joining the nation's elite. They return 16 starters, led by quarterback
Brett Hundley, who passed up a chance at being a likely first-round draft pick. They also return their top four rushers and five of their top six receivers. On defense, they lose All-American linebacker
Anthony Barr, but return All-American
Myles Jack, who notably played both ways last year. Their schedule is tough, as they face Texas in Arlington on Sept. 13 and travel to Arizona State on Thursday, Sept. 25. They do get key Pac-12 games against Oregon, USC and Stanford all at home and figure to be the preseason favorite to win the Pac-12 South.
8. Michigan State Spartans
Coming off one of their best seasons in school history, the Spartans are clearly one of the favorites in the expanded Big Ten in 2014. They return quarterback
Connor Cook, who improved considerably over the course of the season, highlighted by his back-to-back 300-yard passing performances against Ohio State and Stanford. Running back
Jeremy Langford, who had eight straight 100-yard games prior to the Rose Bowl, also returns.
The defense must replace three All-Americans but does return defensive end
Shilique Calhoun and most importantly defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, who passed up the Connecticut job. The schedule sees Notre Dame (only team to beat MSU last year) replaced by a tough road trip to Oregon in nonconference action. However, in Big Ten play the Spartans get the all-important games against Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska all at home and could be favored in as many as 11 games this year.
9. Baylor Bears
The defending Big 12 champs return only nine starters but one of them is quarterback
Bryce Petty, who threw for 4,200 yards and accounted for a total of 46 touchdowns passing and running. He has some dynamic skill players surrounding him, led by leading receiver
Antwan Goodley and the Bears also added two of the top playmakers in the 2014 recruiting class:
K.D. Cannon was ranked
as the No. 4 WR and
Davion Hall was the No. 4 ATH, according to ESPN RecruitingNation.
In the last year of Floyd Casey Stadium, the Bears outscored their opponents by an incredible average score of 61-16 and now this year will get the advantage and excitement of playing in the brand new McLane Stadium. While they do play Texas on the road, the Bears have bested the Longhorns in three of the past four years and overall they should be favored in as many as 11 of their games. Despite the inexperience, the Big 12 title will likely be on the line Nov. 8 when they travel to Oklahoma.
10. South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks are one of only three teams (Alabama and Oregon being the others) to finish in the top 10 in each of thepast three years. In 2014, they look poised for a fourth-straight top-10 finish as they welcome back 14 starters. While they will certainly miss quarterback
Connor Shaw, replacement
Dylan Thompson has plenty of experience filling in over the past couple of years and they also return one of the more underrated running backs in the country in
Mike Davis. The defense does lose a likely top-three NFL draft pick in
Jadeveon Clowney, but South Carolina has much more experience in its back seven on defense than it did a year ago.
The Gamecocks open up the season with a marquee home game against Texas A&M on Thursday, Aug. 28, and also host SEC East rivals Georgia and Missouri in September. They do pull Auburn from the SEC West and have to travel to Jordan-Hare while also having road trips to Florida and Clemson in November. However, they have won three of the last four against the Gators and have won five straight over their in-state rivals.
