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Ka’Deem Carey was able to burst onto the scene last season as a sophomore, leading the nation with over 1,900 rushing yards and totaling 23 touchdowns on the ground.  Now, being a year older and entering his second year in Rich Rodriguez’s spread attack, Carey will look to stay atop the leading rushers in the country and cement himself as a Heisman trophy contender.

At 5’11, 203 pounds, Carey is a nightmare for defenders in the open field.  He has the ability to run through arm tackles and can also take a defender for a ride if tackled up high.  Though his top-end speed isn’t great, Carey’s vision is what separates him.  Once he spots a hole, he’s able to hit it as fast as any running back in the country.

Looking at Rich Rod’s running backs he’s coached in the past, evidence points for an improvement for Carey in 2013.  

At West Virginia in 2001, running back Avon Cobourne rushed for 1,298 yards during his first season.  Fast forward a year and you’ll see his numbers jumped by nearly 500 yards, increasing his total amount to 1,710.  This can be seen for Steve Slaton as well, who jumped from 1,128 yards in 2005, to 1,744 in 2006.  An increase of over 600 yards.

If this trend carries over to Carey, he could be in for a season that sees him eclipse well over 2,000 rushing yards.  If that’s the case, how could you leave him out of the Heisman discussion?  You couldn’t.  Heck, it was a shame there was no mention of him last season in the discussion.

Naturally, teams in general make a noticeable leap when entering a coach’s second season.  Yes, the Cats lost their QB to the NFL, but they have others with a year’s experience under their belts.  The receivers and the offensive line will naturally improve now that they know what to expect with the new coaching staff, and because of this, Carey will benefit greatly.  

The schedule isn’t too daunting, either.  With the first three games consisting of Northern Arizona, UNLV, and UTSA, Carey should be able to rack in huge numbers depending on how much playing time he actually receives.  Arizona also misses Stanford and Oregon State on the schedule, who were two of the top three defensive teams in the conference last season.   

This is shaping up to be another incredible season by Ka’Deem Carey, and the funny thing is, most of the nation still doesn’t know who he his.  If he is able to elevate his game even more than last season, the Tucson native should receive serious Heisman consideration.  No one can predict injuries, but if Carey is able to stay healthy all season, he will, again, be the leading rusher in college football.  

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ka ’Deem Carey was able to burst onto the scene last season as a sophomore, leading the nation with over 1,900 rushing yards and totaling 23 touchdowns on the ground...

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The University of Alabama has been a factory for producing NFL talent since head coach Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa, and after the Crimson Tide won their 15th national title in January, that tradition continued in the 2013 NFL draft.

Nine Alabama players were selected in the draft, with several other players either agreeing to free-agent contracts or finding jobs that match their newly acquired degrees. Their absences will be felt in the locker room and on the field next season for Alabama, but the Crimson Tide must rebuild and reload like they have in the past.

Several positions are up for grabs with the departures of the former starters, and it will be up to the remaining and incoming players to fill them. However, Saban and Co. recruited well and have more-than-capable veterans on the 2013-14 roster.

Here we break down the biggest personnel losses that Alabama suffered this offseason and which players will step in to fill those voids.

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It's easy to focus on whether Notre Dame's defense will step up this season in the absence of Manti Te'o, Zeke Motta and Kapron Lewis-Moore, but many are ignoring an offense that has the potential to make up the difference.

To say Notre Dame's success won't be heavily predicated on its defense is silly, but there is reason to believe the Fighting Irish could put more points on the board in 2013-14.

First of all, you can't talk about Notre Dame's offense without talking about evolving quarterback Everett Golson. Golson had a breakout year last season, finishing in the top 10 in Notre Dame history in passing yards for a single season (2,405). More importantly, he took care of the ball, tossing 12 touchdowns to six interceptions (we all know what not taking care of the ball looks like in South Bend). 

That's not all. Golson also rushed for 298 yards and six touchdowns on the season, displaying his dual-threat ability. Keep in mind, this was in his first year starting.

Then you look at the losses Notre Dame took on offense.

Losing tight end Tyler Eifert and running backs Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood hurts, but, then again, the Fighting Irish have some promising breakout candidates.

There is George Atkinson III, who averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season. Atkinson not only added seven pounds this offseason to deal with a bigger workload, coaches have also been impressed with his ability to catch balls in the slot, per Matt Fortuna of ESPN.com.

You also have top recruits Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston, both top-10 running backs in the 2013 class, according to 247Sports. Bryant—a compact, strong, surprisingly elusive back—could be productive right away for the Fighting Irish.

In the receiving corps, T.J. Jones and DaVaris Daniels have the potential to break out in the absence of Eifert. Jones posted 50 catches for 649 yards and four touchdowns last season. Daniels added 31 catches for 490 yards. Both have big-play ability.

It's not out of the question that the Fighting Irish offense surprises in 2013-14. Golson has a season under his belt. With an extra offseason, he should be better. The backfield should be fun to watch. And Jones and Daniels aren't slouches. Coach Brian Kelly said he thought Jones was "an elite player" ready to bust out, via NBCSports.com.

With all the attention placed on Te'o's departure, a promising group of players on the offensive side of the ball is going largely unnoticed. 

It's a promising group of players that could boost the Fighting Irish back to a BCS bowl.

 

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Though the Big Ten has existed since 1896, the conference first used its current name in 1953. Therefore, I will rank what I believe have been the 10 greatest running backs in the Big Ten since 1953.

When coming up with the players for this list, I strongly considered national individual honors, such as Heisman Trophy votes and consensus All-America team selections. These awards allow us to compare the backs not only to their in-conference peers, but also to running backs throughout the country. I considered statistics to a lesser extent, but the numbers do carry a lot of value in this list.

This list includes five players who won the Heisman Trophy a combined six times, as well as the FBS career leaders in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns. Eight of the 10 players are members of the College Football Hall of Fame, including a Class of 2013 inductee.

The conference has had some record-setting runners over the past 60 years, so choosing 10 was difficult. Feel free to debate the list, or to add players who you feel I have missed, in the comments section below.

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Early college football rankings are great hype material and provide good discussion points, but are they worth the consequences?

Computers can't see everything that's happening on the field, so there is a valid place for human opinion in the process that determines the best teams in the country. However, computers are completely unbiased, so they also have earned their seat at the table.

Ultimately, there are issues with the human polls, and most of the issues occur before the season ever kicks off. Here are the reasons that college football rankings should come out no sooner than Week 4.

Enjoy, and feel free to add some reasons of your own (or completely disagree) in the comments.

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The Big Ten has been widely viewed as a "down and out" conference for the past several seasons. With the College Football Playoff taking the place of the BCS after this season, 2013 will be the Big Ten's last opportunity to win some much-needed street cred before an as yet undisclosed selection committee process takes the place of the current "win and you're in" BCS system.

We all know what the conference has to do: win early-season nonconference matchups and postseason bowl games. But what about each individual program?

Where does each team stand, and what's the best fans can hope for in 2013? What about the other side of the coin—what's the worst we can expect?

We'll help you out with an early guide to the best- and worst-case scenarios for every team in the Big Ten heading into 2013.

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Ohio State's football program, which isn't known as a great quarterback producer, has had a string of solid quarterbacks recently. Since Craig Krenzel led the Buckeyes to the 2003 National Championship, quarterback play in Columbus has been at worst exciting and at best electrifying.

OK, the handful of starts from Justin Zwick and the three starts for Joe Bauserman provided more moments Ohio State fans want to forget than remember. But even the year and a half of Todd Boeckman brought a Big Ten Championship and a trip to the BCS National Championship Game.

Terrelle Pryor had a heck of a run for three seasons in this stretch as well. But in the coming years when "Ohio State" and "quarterback" are mentioned in the same sentence two names will come to mind: Troy Smith and Braxton Miller.

 

Different Paths to Stardom

Miller was a household name, at least in the state of Ohio, before he ever signed to play at Ohio State. Smith wasn’t a low-rated recruit by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn’t the 5-star recruit that Miller was.

However, both made their way to stardom for the Buckeyes.

Smith was the last member of the 2002 recruiting class. He went to the Elite 11 QB Camp but was brought into Ohio State as an athlete. That was largely because Zwick was in the same class and it was Zwick, not Smith, who was touted as the next great Buckeyes quarterback.

In his first season in Columbus, Smith redshirted while the Buckeyes went 14-0 and beat Miami in the BCS title game. In year two Smith was used to return kicks (five returns for 83 yards) and ran some in garbage time (three carries for 14 yards). 

Then in 2004, in the midst of a three-game losing streak Smith replaced Zwick as the starter. With Smith sparking the offense the Buckeyes won four of their last five regular season games including an upset of No. 7 Michigan.

In Smith's 27 starts the Buckeyes went 25-3. Smith also became the first Big Ten quarterback to ever win the Heisman Trophy.

Miller was supposed to come in and learn from the sidelines as the Buckeyes won a National Championship with Pryor at the helm. But those plans failed. Pryor and others got suspended, Tressel resigned and Miller was thrust into a starting role in Week 4 of his freshman season. The team struggled to a 6-7 finish.

But in his sophomore year Miller led the team to a 12-0 record and was a top-five finisher in the Heisman voting.

 

Comparing Miller to Smith: Passing

This is a tough comparison because Miller has had two years of college, while Smith was in his fifth when he threw his way to a Heisman Trophy.

By the time Smith took over as Ohio State's quarterback his mechanics were solid. However, Miller was forced into action immediately and the time to focus on his mechanics hasn't come until this offseason. I expect improvements and Miller to close the gap on these stats, but maybe not catch Smith.

Smith was clearly a more accurate passer than Miller has been. Smith completed 62.7 percent of his passes while Miller has completed 56.7 percent of his thus far.

It should also be noted that in Smith's three seasons he was throwing to three future first-round picks in the NFL draft. Miller has some talent around him, but not to the level of Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez and Santonio Holmes. 

Those three bolstered Smith's 8.5 yards per attempt, especially in the 2005 season when Smith had all three and averaged 9.6 yards per attempt. Miller is averaging 7.8 yards per attempt, but with the weapons coming to help him, that number should increase.

Smith's extra time to learn and grow is likely a reason his 4.15 touchdown/interception ratio is better than Miller's 2.8 ratio.

As evidenced by his Heisman Trophy and 25-3 record, Smith was a great college quarterback. While I expect Miller to improve I do not expect him to surpass Smith as a passer at Ohio State.

 

Comparing Miller to Smith: Runner

Miller may not be the most talented or polished passer, but he also doesn't have many peers as a runner. Smith was a good runner, especially in his sophomore and junior seasons. But Smith's running ability isn't on the same level as Miller's. 

Smith's running ability was almost his secret weapon. Smith was a pocket passer that could run if forced to or if given a wide open opportunity. But he preferred to throw the ball, especially as his career wore on. In his junior season, Smith carried the ball 136 times for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns. But in his senior season he only ran 72 times for 204 yards and one touchdown. 

Those numbers are decent for a runner. But it was Smith's ability to scramble to find a receiver that made his feet special. That skill was on display in 2005 against Michigan when he escaped Michigan's pass rush countless times to extend Ohio State's drives.

Miller has shown the ability to extend plays and find receivers downfield, but it's when he takes off that he is special. In two seasons Miller has compiled 386 carries for 1,986 yards and 20 touchdowns. All of those numbers dwarf those of Smith's. Despite being the Buckeyes' main runner in 2012, Miller was able to average 5.6 yards a carry.

That includes the 28 sacks he took, too.

 

Comparing Miller to Smith: The Michigan Game

There isn't a more important game in Ohio State football than the annual showdown with Michigan. Smith always rose to the occasion of facing the Buckeyes' hated rival. 

In 2004 against the No. 7 Wolverines, Smith threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He added 145 yards and another touchdown on the ground. His 386 yards of total offense output is fourth all-time in Ohio State history.

The next season Smith ran up 337 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in another win. In his senior season in the legendary game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan, Smith piled up 328 yards and four touchdowns.

All together in Smith’s three games versus Michigan, Smith had 1,051 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns.

Despite losing his first game against Michigan, Miller was able to compile 335 yards and three touchdowns in 2011. He didn't put up huge numbers in 2012, but his 246 yards and two touchdowns were enough to grab the victory over the Wolverines.

 

Miller Still has Time

Miller has obviously shown he is a great talent. Right now he isn't on the same level as Smith, Rex Kern and Art Schlichter as Ohio State's most legendary quarterbacks. But that's to be expected.

Miller still has two years to add to what he has already accomplished. Not many players have become top-five Heisman finishers, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and their school's all-time single-single total offense record holder.

Ohio State's record books will likely be rearranged a few more times before Miller leaves Columbus. And he just might leave the school as its best quarterback ever, but as for now Smith still deserves that title.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

It's lonely at the top.

Alabama coach Nick Saban—fresh off three national championships in four years—is currently experiencing the ugly side of being a winner.

It started when Vanderbilt coach James Franklin called Saban "Nicky Satan." Franklin later said it was a joke (h/t Yahoo! Sports), but it certainly wasn't a very pleasant one if it was.

Of course, Saban didn't take it that way.

Saban's former assistant coach Tim Davis, now the offensive line coach for Florida, recently called Saban "the devil himself" while comparing him to Gators coach Will Muschamp, according to ESPN.com.

Saban responded, via the report:

Twice. On two occasions. It's just disappointing. If somebody has a problem with me, I'd appreciate it if they'd tell me. If I'm doing something to offend somebody, I'd certainly like to do whatever I have to do to fix it. It's not our intention. It's not what we try to do.

We're in a tough business. It's very competitive. Sometimes you've got to demand that people do things that maybe they don't want to do, but it's not personal.

Jealousy. It tends to turn folks against one another.

This is simply the result of coaches either licking their wounds or trying to steal Saban's thunder. It's disgraceful, and if Davis didn't enjoy coaching under Saban's wing for three years, he should have never been there in the first place.

Saban may not be the most genial character in the world (media members know this more than anyone), but you can't deny that what he's doing is working. I don't doubt it's difficult to work for him, whether you are an assistant coach or a player, but winning three national titles in four years isn't supposed to be easy, either.

I admire Saban for taking the high road and not firing back at his detractors. They don't deserve his attention anyway. Heck, he even made sure to say he didn't connect the Gators coach's words to Muschamp, "because I'm close enough to Will to know that," per the ESPN.com report.

Saban has never rubbed his success in the face of anyone, despite being hailed as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) coaches in the history of college football. He wins with class.

Unfortunately, some individuals don't have the ability to lose with class.

 

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

The coaches on this list are some of the best in the nation, with excellent coaching track records and performance to back it up.

They also know how to handle themselves both on and off the field.

"Swag" is a word that is overused in our society, but it has a meaning that can be applied to every coach on this list.

The word is a derivative of "swagger" and is usually used in reference to how a person carries themselves or presents themselves.

When it comes to swag, the coaches on this list have it figured out.

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Jim Mora and his staff haven't been shy about heading outside of California in order to lure top talent to UCLA. 

In 2013, the Bruins signed 25 prospects from seven different states. Not only did UCLA sign prospects from Western states such as Hawaii, Arizona and Washington, but it also was able to ink players from as far as Tennessee and Florida. 

In this current recruiting cycle, Mora is yet again hitting the trails hard, going to all depths of the country in order to sign another stellar recruiting class.

Here are some out-of-state prospects that UCLA is heavily pursuing. 

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Jim Mora and his staff haven't been shy about heading outside of California in order to lure top talent to UCLA. In 2013, the Bruins signed 25 prospects from seven different states...

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Less than a month after being given a release from the University of Arkansas, quarterback Brandon Mitchell has decided that he will enroll at North Carolina State for his senior season. 

The news comes from ESPN's Joe Schad:

Mitchell, a former 3-star recruit out of Amite, La., appeared in 21 games during his three years with the Razorbacks. 

He completed 58.1 percent of his throws for 332 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for a solid QB rating of 141.4. In 2012, he showed potential as a receiver, pulling in 17 catches for 272 yards. 

Once he was officially beaten out by sophomore Brandon Allen for the right to fill Tyler Wilson's large shoes in 2013, Mitchell decided it was time for new scenery.   

Arkansas' loss is NC State's gain. 

The Wolfpack finished 7-6 last season after losing to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl, but with the hiring of former Northern Illinois miracle-worker Dave Doeren, expectations for 2013 were still high. 

With the departure of Mike Glennon to the NFL, however, the Wolfpack were left with quite a bit of inexperience under center.

Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas and sophomore Manny Stocker were the only incumbents expected to compete for snaps. 

But now Mitchell, who has the experience and versatility to serve as an intriguing fit in Doeren's up-tempo offense, will likely step in as the starter. Because he graduated from Arkansas, he is eligible to play immediately. 

There are still plenty of question marks surrounding Doeren's squad in his first season as head coach, but the addition of Mitchell has the Wolfpack suddenly looking like a much more intriguing pick in the ACC this year.  

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Now that spring practices are over, college coaches should have a good idea of where their roster is at for the 2013 season. Positions of strength have been identified where talent and depth is good. However, there are those positions that lack both qualities and are weaknesses for the roster.

That is where college coaches let their eyes wander to the 2014 recruiting board and think "what if" about committed prospects being able to help right now. This piece features Quin Blanding, who Mike London would kill to have in Charlottesville now. Plus players like Tennessee commit Jalen Hurd, Arizona commit Cameron Denson and even an Iowa State commitment.

Here are some committed recruits with teams wanting them to come help in 2013, not 2014. 

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High school coaches are lucky to have just one college prospect on their team in a season. Those with two or more bona fide college prospects probably should play the Lotto. This year, schools like Mansfield Timberview in Arlington and Miami Central feature multiple college prospects.

However, Edward Paris and Brandon Simmons are not going to continue their unity in college. Dalvin Cook and Joseph Yearby also will embark on separate college paths. However, Yearby and fellow Miami Central teammate OT Trevor Darling will both play at Miami.

For this read, the focus will be on those prospects who are high school teammates now and may choose to continue playing together in college. Teammates like Michiah Quick and Tashon Smallwood, Speedy Noil and Gerald Willis, plus Erick Smith and Marshon Lattimore are just a few who could be on this list.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

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Will Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny "Football" Manziel repeat his 2012 college football performance? Or will he suffer the dreaded sophomore slump? 

That's the question on everyone's mind with 100 days left until the first FBS college football game kicks off on August 29. The odds of Manziel winning the Heisman this year are astronomically high because there has only been one back-to-back Heisman winner: Ohio State running back Archie Griffin, who accomplished that feat in 1974-75.

Not many Heisman winners get to challenge for more than one Heisman. They either won it in their last year of NCAA eligibility or declared early for the NFL draft the following year.

In the past 20 years, only four Heisman winners played another year of college football following their Heisman-winning season: Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, USC quarterback Matt Leinart and Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. 

All failed to win another Heisman.

Sam Bradford, quarterback, Oklahoma

Bradford won the 2008 Heisman as a redshirt sophomore. He had the option to declare for the 2009 NFL Draft but instead decided to return for his fourth year. Bradford hurt his shoulder in the first game of the season against BYU and missed three games as a result. Bradford returned to play against Baylor but re-injured his shoulder in the following game against Texas and underwent season-ending surgery. 

Tim Tebow, quarterback, Florida

Tebow won the 2007 Heisman Trophy in his sophomore year. The following year the Florida Gators beat the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS Championship game. Despite receiving the most first-place votes, Tebow finished third behind Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Heisman-winner Sam Bradford. 

What happened? Tebow's passer rating of 172.5 in 2007 was almost identical to his 172.4 in 2008. But his outspoken religious views and awkward throwing motion made him a polarizing figure. 

Matt Leinart, quarterback, USC

Leinart won the 2004 Heisman as a junior. The following year someone else on his team would steal the spotlight—running back Reggie Bush. Although Bush did win the 2005 Heisman, he returned it to the Heisman Trust after an NCAA investigation determined he had received impermissible benefits and was an ineligible student-athlete.

Jason White, quarterback, Oklahoma

White won the Heisman in 2003 after rehabbing two knees from ACL surgery the previous two seasons. He received a medical hardship waiver and was granted an extra year of NCAA eligibility. His grit and determination impressed Heisman voters but his stats in 2004—3,205 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions—didn't match his numbers in 2003—3,846 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions. 

Manziel is now on the clock. Last year he threw for 3,706 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. If he can repeat those numbers and propel his Aggies into the SEC Championship, he should be a Heisman finalist. 

Can he win it? As long as Manziel doesn't do anything to hurt his reputation—and that is certainly not a given—he's the front-runner. Playing in a high-profile conference with nearly 350,000 twitter followers means all eyes are on him. 

It'll be fun watching him try for a repeat. 

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Louis Nix became a household name last fall by helping to anchor the Notre Dame defensive effort that led to a national title game berth.

Heading into his senior season, he is Mel Kiper’s No. 1 DT (subscription required) in the 2014 draft and there are a few keys to his game that make him the best college has to offer this season along the line.

His first step is his biggest asset, especially considering his 340-pound frame. He is patient in the pile and trusts his instincts. Nix’s most elite quality is his hustle, never quitting on plays and always ending up near the pile.

 

Penetration

As a nose tackle, Nix is intent on plugging the center for the defense and getting penetration through the center of the line.

How Nix is able to accomplish this is with his explosive first step. For a guy that plays in the 340-pound range, beating a center and guard combo off of the football is impressive. He was able to get past the best last year’s schedule had to offer, including national champion Alabama.

In this clip, you will see him pushing through the talented Alabama front line:

He finished the national title game with a season-high five solo tackles and played his best game on the biggest of stages.

His penetration and explosive first step are what made it possible.

This is one more look at Nix deep in the Tide backfield:

 

Instinctual Player

At nose tackle, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle when a pile forms close to the line.

Nix is only 6’3”, but he is able to use his body and eyes to maneuver successfully through large piles up front.

Finding the right pursuit angle on a running back is the difference between a touchdown and two-yard loss. Nix is very good at pushing through traffic and picking the proper approach on the ball-carrier.

There will be times when Nix gets lost with lack of speed, but he always finishes plays and ends up around the football.

 

Hustle and Finish

The unique part of Nix’s game is his hustle. For a big man, he runs out every single play and at times makes back-side stops.

Plays can be drawn out when a player is looking for extra yards, but rarely do defensive linemen travel the length of the field and kill the ball-carrier. Nix is one of the few players capable of that.

This is a clip of Nix against the Tide where he finishes the play 10 yards downfield:

The original line of scrimmage was the 25, and after forcing A.J. McCarron out of the pocket, Nix finishes the play.

Here is another look at Nix ending up 15 yards downfield in pursuit of a receiver who has caught a screen pass:

When you have a talent like Nix who possesses a never-give-up attitude, championship teams are built. He will be a leader for the Irish defense this fall, but he will also carry the national spotlight at his position. 

 

Follow @ShugJordanPkwy

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The expectations for Texas A&M have skyrocketed since last season. With a Heisman winner at quarterback and 11 victories in year one, many are quick to hop on the bandwagon and pick this team to win the SEC this year.

Let's not jump the gun just yet.

Texas A&M has a great team returning and a head coach in Kevin Sumlin who will keep his squad motivated. However, every team needs to have reasonable goals. Even the best and most talented teams in the country don't always produce as expected.

Here are the reasonable goals for the 2013 Aggies.

 

Top 25 in Points Per Game

There is a good chance the offense could finish in the top 10 like it did last season, but now is not the time to put pressure on the returning group. The object is to plan reasonable goals and there is no reason a top 25 finish in points per game shouldn't happen. Judging by last season's statistics, anything at 35 points or more should get the job done.  

This should be no problem with Johnny Manziel returning for a second season. The quarterback that no defense has been able to figure out yet is good for at least half those points with his dual-threat abilities. Responsible for 21 rushing and 26 passing touchdowns, Manziel is an elite playmaker who will continue to find the end zone.

But this offense is much more than the reigning Heisman winner. Mike Evans has proven to be one of the best receivers in the SEC, while a backfield of Ben Malena, Brandon Williams and Tra Carson is scary. Expect to see more touches for the running backs and less pressure on Manziel to do it all.

There are also elite wide receiver prospects in JaQuay Williams and Ricky Seals-Jones, who will add even more weapons for Manziel. This offense has the potential to be better than it was last season, which should result in a lot of points.

 

An Improved Defense

The defense remains the huge question mark with this team. After finishing last season ranked ninth in the SEC and losing key guys like Damontre Moore and Sean Porter, there is plenty of room for concern with this unit.

Don't worry Aggies fans, there will be improvement made from last season.

The defensive line is lacking in experience, especially with 2013 recruits expected to play significant roles, but there is plenty of speed and athleticism up front. This should help in the sack department and keep the pass rush consistent like it was last season.

The secondary does feature one of the better cornerback tandems in the SEC in De'Vante Harris and Deshazor Everett, while the linebacker corps has a lot of youth to be excited about. Linebacker is the biggest area of concern with this unit, but recruits Tommy Sanders and Brett Wade have looked sharp and should be able to slide in and make an immediate impact.

Expecting a top five defense in the SEC may be asking for a bit much, but the defense will take steps forward from what we witnessed last year.

 

10 Victories

Regardless of how potent the offense may be or how much the defense improves, the bottom line is that this team still plays in the toughest division in college football. The Aggies will likely be the underdogs when Alabama comes to town and a trip to Death Valley is another game that could result in a loss. Remember, the Tigers defense did a relentless job of harassing Manziel last year. 

Although both of those games could result in victories, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Texas A&M fall short in both. LSU and Alabama are two proven SEC powerhouse programs and will be eager to show that life isn't as sweet in this conference as it appeared to be last season. The honey moon is over and this will be the year for the Aggies to prove that they are legitimate contenders.

Texas A&M shouldn't have a problem with the rest of the schedule on paper, but those two games against LSU and Alabama could cause trouble.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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It's never too early to start picking Week 1 games, and luckily for us, the good folks at Beyond The Bets pointed out over the weekend that BetOnline.com has point spreads for 44 Week 1 games.

With a lineup filled with stellar out-of-conference matchups and one SEC game on the docket, there's plenty of intrigue in these point spreads for fans of SEC schools.

Who's overvalued, who's undervalued and what games could move between now and the time toe meets leather? Let's take a look at each of the games listed in this slideshow.

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The Georgia Bulldogs have a roster loaded with talent, as star players like quarterback Aaron Murray and running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall come back, but some key contributors fly under the radar. These players are important to the success of the team, but some fans may not even know their names.

Here are five Georgia Bulldogs who deserve more appreciation.

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