College Football Preview: 16. Stanford Cardinal

16. Stanford Cardinal Returning Starters: 14 Returning Star: LB Chase Thomas Key Loss: QB Andrew Luck Player to Watch: QB Brett Nottingham This Cardinal team isn't very Lucky. Not only is number one pick Andrew Luck gone but tight end Coby Fleener, guard David DeCastro, tackle Jonathan Martin and safety Delano Howell won't be on this 2012 squad. Though with a scary good front seven and an underrated back Stanford could still win the Pac 12. The obvious weakness on this team is quarterback where sophomore Brett Nottingham will likely start. Junior Robbie Picazo and Josh Nunes could give Nottingham a run for his money. Nottingham has very strong arm but experience is definitely an issue. Nunes served as Luck's top backup in '10 and knows the offense. This offense will rely heavily on back Stepfan Taylor who is back for his senior season. The All Pac 12 back Taylor is durable and is tough to bring down. Also back is senior Tyler Gaffney who is a great receiver out of the backfield. Most of Luck's top receivers also are gone but the Cardinal are more then capable at this spot. Senior Drew Terrell and sophomore Ty Montgomery will be reliable options for whoever is starter. Tight ends have always been big at Stanford and the next big one will likely be Levine Toilolo. The offensive line lost two fantastic players in DeCastro and Martin but the three starters back should keep this one of the conference's best. Sophomores Cameron Fleming and David Yankey are ready for big years and center Sam Schwartstein is productive. The defense should once more carry this squad, especially the front seven. Senior Terrence Stephens is a beast up the middle and end Ben Gardner is tough to stop. Senior outside linebacker Chase Thomas is one of the best in the nation. Also back are juniors Jarek Lancester and Trent Murphy. If Shayne Skov can be at the top of his game after injury this defense should be scary good. The only weakness on defense appears to be the secondary. Junior cornerback Terrence Brown is back along with safety Devon Carrington. Sophomore Jordan Richards is a hard hitter at the other safety slot. The special teams got a big boost when kicker Jordan Williamson returned for his sophomore season. Heisman Hopeful: Stepfan Taylor Pac 12 Rank: 3rd

College Football Preview: 15. TCU Horned Frogs

15. TCU Horned Frogs Returning Starters: 13 Returning Star: DE Stansly Maponga Key Loss: LB Tank Carder Player to Watch: QB Casey Pachall No more beating up on Mountain West teams anymore. Now its time for the big boys of the Big 12. Though this 2012 Horned Frogs team shouldn't see any type of dropoff. Quarterback Casey Pachall is back after a surprisingly strong sophomore year replacing Andy Dalton. Pachall is tall at 6 feet 5 inches which he uses to his advantage. He has good vision and has a strong arm. Though, the strength of this Horned Frogs' offense will come from the ground game. Three players should contribute to the backfield led by senior Ed Wesley. Wesley had a disappointing 2011 but should have a comeback year in '12. Senior Matthew Tucker and junior Waymon James will also get considerable amounts of carries. Tucker and James are both gritty and tough. Combined these three ran for over 2,100 yards and could even improve on that number. The receiver corps are okay headlined by junior All-MWC receiver Josh Boyce. Boyce is a fast receiver that helped Pachall develope last season. Senior Skye Dawson is experienced and is also a good run blocker. Tight end Corey Fuller will be the favorite to replace Logan Brock at the position. The offensive line went from a strength to a weakness this offseason. Seniors James Fry and Blaine Foltz are back but neither are superb pass blockers. Foltz will have trouble retaining the success he had last year now that he is in the Big 12. Defense has always been coach Gary Patterson's strong suit and will once more be vicious. The defensive line could be one of the best units in the nation thanks to the return of end Stansly Maponga and three other starters. Maponga is the next great pass rusher at TCU. He has great speed and has shifty moves and hard to stop. Senior Ross Forrest should contribute on the other side and tackle David Johnson is a beast. Tank Carder is done and Tanner Brock's future is up in the air. Though the linebackers will still prove strong. Senior Kenny Cain should lead this team in tackles but the rest isn't experienced. Secondary is definitely an issue for this team allowing 220 passing yards per game last year. Against teams like Oklahoma and West Virginia that could kill them. Heisman Hopeful: Casey Pachall Big 12 Rank: 3rd

College Football Preview: 14. Clemson Tigers

14. Clemson Tigers Returning Starters: 14 Returning Star: WR Sammy Watkins Key Loss: TE Dwayne Allen Player to Watch: DE Malliciah Goodman Clemson started off last season 8-0 and then cooled off. Significantly. If they play like they did in the first half of 2011, this team could win the ACC. Junior quarterback Tajh Boyd could be one of the best players in the ACC if he can cut down on his turnovers. Boyd has a great arm that can throw deep but he isn't very accurate and will occasionally telegraph his passes. He is also a very athletic QB that has a great receiver in Sammy Watkins. Watkins had an outstanding freshman year and ended up an All-American. Watkins has terrific speed and great field vision. He can be effective at short range but can also be Boyd's top "home run" target. Junior DeAndre Hopkins often gets overlooked due to Watkins but could be an All-ACC wide out in 2012. Senior Jaron Brown also returns along with sophomore Adam Humphries, both will help Boyd continue to mature. The backfield got a big boost when senior Andre Ellington decided to return. Ellington is pretty athletic and can catch the ball out the backfield. Sophomores D.J. Howard and Mike Bellamy should also get carries. The offensive line is an issue due to the fact that three starters are gone. Center Dalton Freeman was an All-ACC center last year and should continue to mature. The defense is hoping to improve considerably this season and it needs to (who let up 70 points in the Orange Bowl last season). The defensive line is one of the worst in the Atlantic Coast. Malliciah Goodman had just two sacks last year but should have a big year without Andre Branch stealing sacks. Sophomore DeShawn Williams should improve in his first year as starter. Linebacker Corico Hawkins is big and hits hard. Hawkins is also a decent coverage man and can apply pressure. In short, he is an all around monster. Senior Jonathan Williard is also a reliable tackler. The secondary is more experienced thanks to the return of seniors Xavier Brewer and Jonathan Meeks. Kicker Chandler Catanzaro's return helps a lot. If the Tigers can play defense this team will win the ACC. Heisman Hopeful: Sammy Watkins ACC Rank: 1st

College Football Preview: 13. Michigan Wolverines

13. Michigan Wolverines Returning Starters: 14 Returning Star: QB Denard Robinson Key Loss: DT Mike Martin Player to Watch: TB Fitzgerald Toussaint Are the Wolverines back? This 2012 season will prove if they are or not. Much of last year's squad is back including Heisman canidate Denard Robinson. Robinson is faster than most receivers and backs in the nation. His running game is superb, of course, but Brady Hoke hopes his passing game will greatly improve in his senior year. If he can, he will likely win the Heisman. As good as Robinson is, the Wolverines have an athletic junior quarterback in Devin Gardner. They'll likely design plays to include both Robinson and Gardner. The backfield takes a backseat to Robinson but it will be very strong this season. Back Fitzgerald Toussaint had an amazing end to his 2011 season and will continue to improve in 2012. Senior Vincent Smith is more of a natural back and will be used a lot. A big weakness for the Wolverines is the receivers for Robinson to throw too. Senior Roy Roundtree will be Michigan's top target. Juniors Jeremy Gallon and Jeremy Jackson are athletic and will make plays. The offensive line should be decent thanks to the retirn of junior Taylor Lewan. Lewan will have success despite the fact that he has to face strong ends in the Big Ten. Guards Michael Schoefield and Patrick Omameh should also have good years. Tight end Brandon Moore should also help in the blocking game. With Hoke the defense should keep on improving. The defensive line lost a true talent in gritty tackle Mike Martin. He leaves a big gap that will be tough for the Wolverines to fill. Senior Craig Roh is the only returning starter on the line and should have a breakout season. The linebacker core is good with sophomore Jake Ryan and and senior Kenny Demens. Demens makes plays all over the field and should lead Michigan in tackles. The secondary is probably Michigan's strength. Back are sophomore Blake Countless, J.T. Floyd, Thomas Gordon and improving senior Jordan Kovacs. Kovacs is the most experienced and likely the most talented. Special teams is not an issue either thanks to the return of kicker Brendan Gibbons and punter Will Hagerup. With the return of Robinson and this talented secondary a Big Ten championship is in reach. Heisman Hopeful: Denard Robinson Big Ten Rank: 2nd

College Football Preview: 12. Michigan State Spartans

12. Michigan State Spartans Returning Starters: 13 Returning Star: DE William Gholston Key Loss: QB Kirk Cousins Player to Watch: QB Andrew Maxwell Yes Kirk Cousins is gone along with B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and Keith Nichol the top three receivers on 2011's squad. But with the return of junior back Le'Veon Bell and much of last year's stellar defense. Junior Andrew Maxwell is going to take Cousins' place. Maxwell is highly touted thanks to his accurate, strong arm. And he is also a very mobile and agile quarterback. Bell ran 948 yards in limited time and could have one of the best seasons in Michigan State since Javon Ringer. He has speed but also can take on the role of a bruiser. Sophomore Niko Palazeti will start at the fullback position and will head the way for Bell. The receivers aren't experienced at all but have talent and will give Maxwell reliable targets. Junior Bennie Fowler is fast and a good wingspan. Sophomores Keith Mumphrey and Tony Lippett are the other options for Maxwell. Tight end Dion Sims is an effective short range option and is a good blocker. The offensive line is now a lot more exprienced after many started last year. Junior Dan France and senior Fou Fonoti are fantastic tackles and senior Chris McDonald will head the way for Bell. Though the offense is not the best of this Spartans team. The line has one big talent in junior end William Gholston, an All-Big Ten end. Gholston is speedy and has good moves and could become even better in his third year. He is also huge at 6 feet 7 inches and 275 pounds. Sophomore Marcus Rush is back and will likely start at the other side. Though the loss of Jerel Worthy may hurt as much as Cousins. The linebacker core may be one of the best in the Big Ten thanks to the return of junior Denicos Allen and Max Bullough. Allen is a good tackler and a strong pass rusher after having 11 sacks in 2011. Bullough and Chris Norman are sure tacklers. Depth is also no issue for the Spartans linebackers thanks to Kyle Elsworth and sophomore Taiwan Jones. The secondary is also a formidable unit thanks to the return of senior cornerback Johnny Adams. Adams sticks to receivers like their shadow and can hit hard. Junior Darqueze Dennard will probably start on the other side and has talent. Juniors Dana Dixon and Isaiah Lewis are hard-hitting safeties who are also decent coverage men. Special teams is also one of Michigan State's strengths with senior kicker Dan Conroy back and sophomore Max Sadler back. The loss of Keshawn Martin's stings in the return game. Yes Cousins is gone but if Maxwell can have a good year these Spartans should win the Big Ten. Heisman Hopeful: Le'Veon Bell Big Ten Rank: 1st

College Football Preview: 11. Oklahoma State Cowboys

11. Oklahoma State Cowboys Returning Starters: 13 Returning Star: CB Brodrick Brown Key Loss: QB Brandon Weeden Player to Watch: RB Joseph Randle One of the most dangerous passing attacks last season, the Cowboys lost Brandon Weeden, Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper the three reasons why it was so dominant. Now, it appears Mike Gundy's team will rely heavily on the ground game this year. Junior back Joseph Randle returns after an under the radar sophomore season. He has speed and is very strong and is an option to pass too out of the backfield. Junior Clint Chelf will likely replace Weeden. He is a dual threat and is arm is getting better. Confidence is an issue for any first-year starter but Chelf will be helped by the fact that Randle can take the pressure off him. Fullback Kyle Staley is underrated and will help Randle significantly. Without huge Blackmon or speedy Josh Cooper the receivers are a lot less limited. Seniors Isaiah Anderson and Tracy Moore will likely be Chelf's top two options. Senior Justin Horton is also a valuable target. The offensive line lost three starters all very valuable. Senior Michael Bowie and senior guard Lane Taylor are the two starters back on the line. Not only are the three starters missing depth is a real issue. The defense will continue to improve under Gundy but it still has weak spots. The line lost both starting ends but is a force up the middle thanks to returning starting tackles Anthony Rogers and Nigel Nicholas. Senior Ryan Robinson will likely start and is experienced. The linebackers aren't very good but has some talent. Junior Shaun Lewis disappointed in his sophomore year after a fantastic freshman season. Junior Caleb Lavey and Alex Elkins also are back. The secondary is a very good overall unit even with the loss of safety Markelle Martin. Senior Brodrick Brown is an All-American and is a coverage master. Many quarterbacks will be forced to throw to the other side where junior Justin Gilbert awaits who may be just as strong as Brown. The special teams is a force thanks to kicker/punter Quinn Sharp who returns for his senior year. Heisman Hopeful: Joseph Randle Big 12 Rank: 3rd

College Football Preview: 10. West Virginia Mountaineers

10. West Virginia Mountaineers Returning Starters: 15 Returning Star: QB Geno Smith Key Loss: DE Bruce Irvin Player to Watch: WR Stedman Bailey Dana Holgorsen leads one of the most prolific passing attacks that we have seen in a while. Senior Geno Smith is back to lead the attack after a dream junior season. He has a good arm that can throw deep balls and is also pretty accurate. He also has good mobility that comes in handy for the time of offense Holgorsen has. He will enter this year as one of the favorites to win the Heisman. The backfield is decent but must improve if the Mountaineers are to win the Big 12. Sophomores Dustin Garrison, Vernard Roberts and Andrew Buie will likely share the load. Garrison will probably get the most carries. It helps Smith that he has such great receivers to throw too. Junior Stedman Bailey was an All Big East wide out last season and senior Tavon Austin was an AP All-American. Bailey fast and lethal deep. If he doesn't have any off-the-field problems he can have an even better junior year. Austin is a constant target for Smith and will once more be one of the best at his position in the nation. Junior Ivan McCartney and senior J.D. Woods are often overlooked due to Bailey and Austin but are reliable. The offensive line is still pretty solid despite the loss of tackle Don Barclay. Junior Pat Eger will have to step up without Barclay. Center Joe Madsen is probably the best center in the Big 12. Much like many Big 12 teams the Mountaineers have a prolific offense but the defense is weak. The line lost Bruce Irvin one of the best pass rushers in the nation. Junior Will Clarke will have to step up in order for West Virginia to have any type of a pass rush. Linebacker Najee Goode made play all over the field and will be a tough loss. Junior Doug Rigg is a sure tackler and Jewone Snow is inexperienced but has true talent. The secondary is the best unit on defense thanks to Terence Garvin. Garvin is fast and a ball-hawking safety. Cornerbacks Ishmael Banks and Pat Miller are underrated pieces of the puzzle. The special teams is headlined by kicker Tyler Bitancurt and punter Mike Molinari. Even with a move to a tougher Big 12 the Mountaineers will still contend for a BCS bowl. Heisman Hopeful: Geno Smith Big 12 Rank: 2nd

College Football Preview: 9. South Carolina Gamecocks

9. South Carolina Gamecocks Returning Starters: 14 Returning Star: Marcus Lattimore Key Loss: CB Stephen Gillmore Player to Watch: RB Marcus Lattimore South Carolina was almost there last season. Now with the return of improving quarterback Connor Shaw and Marcus Lattimore hopes are high for the 2012 season. Shaw had a strong sophomore year and may have a breakout junior year. I think he has a good accurate arm and is very mobile. When Marcus Lattimore is healthy he is one of the top backs in the nation. But if he isn't 100 percent the Gamecocks go from a top 10 team to a top 25 team. Lattimore is super athletic and fast that can run over defenders also. Though sophomore Brandon Wilds did play strong replacing Lattimore when he was injured last year. Senior fullback Dalton Wilson will help lead the way for Lattimore and is underappreciated. The loss of Alshon Jeffrey severely hurts the improving passing game. Jeffrey had a lethal mix of speed and size. Now it appears South Carolina's top receiver will be junior Ace Sanders. Sanders is maturing and will be a speedy target for Shaw. Sophomores Bruce Ellington, Nick Jones and Rory Anderson must step up in order for this offense to be one of the SEC's elite. The offensive line is one of the SEC's worst. It is very inexperienced and talent is definitely an issue. The defense is menacing and the line is especially strong. Ends Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney form a lethal pass rush. Taylor is more experienced but Clowney is more talented and is tougher to stop. Without Melvin Ingram the tackle position is a little bit weaker. The linebackers are strong thanks to senior Shaq Wilson. Wilson is intimidating and hits hard. Reginald Bowens is also a senior and like Wilson makes plays. The secondary would have been a strength. But, then Steve Spurrier lost cornerback Stephen Gillmore and Antonio Allen. Now its a pretty weak unit. Sophomore Victor Hampton might be able to make plays and DeVonte Holloman return. The special teams lost both their kicker and punter but Ace Sanders is a strong returner. Heisman Hopeful: Marcus Lattimore SEC Rank: 5th

College Football Preview: 8. Florida State Seminoles

8. Florida State Seminoles Returning Starters: 18 Returning Star: DE Brandon Jenkins Key Loss: LB Nigel Bradham Player to Watch: CB Greg Reid Last season the hope that the Seminoles had returned to old form seemed to disappear in a flash. But, with a healthy E.J. Manuel and 18 starters returning this could be the year Florida State returns to its old dominance. Manuel is athletic, smart and will be confident as he begins his senior season. Sophomore Clint Trickett played in Manuel's absence. As any freshman pushed into a slot he had little confidence and struggled. Though with that experience he is a very valuable second option for the Seminoles. The backfield is deep and has loads of talent in it. Senior Lonnie Pryor is experienced and is underrated and tailback Devonta Freeman is still learning the ropes. Senior Chris Thompson is speedy and tough to tackle. With the loss of Bert Reed, Manuel's options are a little more limited but still has talent. Sophomore Christian Green and senior Rodney Smith are reliable targets and junior Greg Dent has good hands. The offensive line is improving but is still a weakness. Senior guard Jacob Fahrenkrug is gritty and tough and sophomore tackle Bobby Hart is a beast. The defense returns 9 starters and is the ACC's best. The defensive line is big and experienced. End Brandon Jenkins had a big junior year and is back for his senior season. He constantly gets past linemen thanks to his superior size and speed. Senior tackle Everett Dawkins is a monster that can add pressure and stuff up backs. Anthony McCloud is an underrated tackle to add to Dawkins. The linenbackers lost leader Nigel Bradham but is still a formidable unit. Senior Vince Williams and junior Jeff Luc aren't given much credit for how much big plays they make. The secondary is strong also headed by junior Xavier Rhodes and Lamarcus Joyner. With some coverage improvement Greg Reid could become one of the most talented all-around players in the nation. The special teams is solid thanks to the returns of returner Reid and kicker Dustin Hopkins. The punter position is a question mark. Heisman Hopeful: E.J. Manuel ACC Rank: 1st

College Football Preview: 7. Arkansas Razorbacks

7. Arkansas Razorbacks Returning Starters: 13 Returning Star: QB Tyler Wilson Key Loss: LB Jerry Franklin Player to Watch: QB Tyler Wilson No, their wasn't a big dropoff in the Razorbacks' success after losing Ryan Mallett and Knile Davis. Headed by Tyler Wilson and Dennis Johnson the Razorbacks kept alive and stayed right along with powers such as Alabama and LSU. Now both Wilson and Johnson are back and the Razorbacks once more have a team that compete in a tough SEC. Wilson is back for his senior year after a productive first year as starter. He has a strong accurate arm and is mobile. Senior Johnson is athletic and speedy and can help in the return game. He is a valuable return for Arkansas. If former All-SEC back Knile Davis can make a return the Razorbacks will add talent and depth to the ground game. Greg Childs and Joe Adams both are gone leaving the receiving game a lot weaker. Senior Cobi Hamilton is back and adds a big play receiver for Wilson to pass too. Other than Hamilton it appears the other top targets will be junior Julian Horton and sophomore Marquel Wade. The offensive line is definitely a weakness for the Razorbacks. Senior tackle Jason Peacock is talented and guard Alvin Bailey is one of the most talented in the SEC. But other than that the line is weak and doesn't have much depth. The defensive line is also a question mark. The talent is there but they have trouble putting it together. Tackle DeQuinta Jones is back for his senior season and is improving. Linebacker Alonzo Highsmith is a true talent that has good speed and is a good coverage linebacker. Though the loss of experienced middle linebacker Jerry Franklin will be significant. Senior Terrell Williams will likely replace him. The secondary is an improving unit headed by senior Darius Winston and junior safety Eric Bennett. Johnson is a great returner and All SEC punter Dylan Breeding returns buffing the special teams. Heisman Hopeful: Tyler Wilson SEC Rank: 4th