Sleepers for 2007

[FSUNOLESGUY]

Any players or teams that you coming out of really nowhere to make a name for themselves like what Rutgers, Wake Forest, and even what Boise State did last year. Even teams that overachieve like Wisconsin did. Here's who I think jumps out at me this upcoming season with their records from last yr in ():

Kentucky (8-5) 8 wins this year in the season would not surprise me by any means, yet there are pre-season magazines that only have them winning 6-7 games. I would go as far as saying they can go 9-3 (5-3) and play in an upper-tier bowl game though I think that would be overachieving big time. Their defense needs to step up and get pressure on the QB, something they did not do a good job until late in the season vs Clemson (Music City Bowl).
Their LB's will be very solid and their secondary should not be as bad as some may think.
Thats the defense, the offense will be among the SEC's best. Best QB in SEC- Andre Woodson? They have a 'il Reggie dynamite in the backfield and some solid WR's like Keenan Burton and TE Jacob Tamme.


Nebraska (9-5) Even I am not sure you can call them a sleeper, but if they go 10-3 in the season and get a win in their bowl game to finish 11-3, I think that would be pretty impressive. They should not have any realy problems on offense b/c they have the wideouts to spread the field and backfield with Marlon Lucky who is going to have a breakout year along with a QB that people forget how he once and still is able to thread the needle.


Oklahoma State (7-6) Another Big 12 team, yet I am just pumped up to see this Larry Fedora and Mike Gundy offense to explode. I expect their QB Bobby Reid to have a monster year and to possibly become a Future NFL 1st rd pick. They have probably have the most underrated stable of backs and a group of speedy wideouts that will have no problems stetching the field. Like Kentucky, they need their defense to step it up a notch to win 9 games. I think 8 is almost money in the bank, but if Nathan Peterson and the D-Line can wreck some havoc, then the offense will take it from there. I see them possibly upsetting UGA in the opener (though I have them losing), but I think they will not lose again until they play Nebraska/Texas. The season finale in Norman is one of my top 10 games of the year in which I see the Pokes stealing a game where OU cannot lock it up like they did last yr (I have AM beating Texas 2 days earlier on Thanksgiving wk)

Here are some other teams from different conferences that I see possibly surprising people:

ACC: Georgia Tech
Pac 10: UCLA
Big Ten: Penn State
Hawaii assuming they run the table and go 12-0 and into the BCS Fiesta Bowl

[Ma_Gric]

I agree with Kentucky and OK State being sleeper teams this year. Both teams will be a thorn in the side of their opponents, likely knocking off a few national title contenders in their respective conferences.

ACC: Georgia Tech (9-5)
Tech will definitely surprise some people this season. GT returns virtually all of its defensive starters from last season, which had its ups and downs due to youth. The loss of Calvin Johnson will be neutralized with the emergence of Demaryius Thomas and several other blue chip receivers. As far as QB is concerned, Taylor Bennett played with tremendous poise and awareness in the Gator Bowl, leading the team down the field as if he had several years of experience behind him. Do not be surprised if Tech is in the picture for the BCS Title game come December. A trip to Miami and a home game game against VT are what separate them from a Coastal Division Title.

Pac 10: Oregon (7-6)
The Ducks will return the bulk of their offensive line and senior quarterback Dennis Dixon should revive the offense after a poor finish to the season. They need to establish a consistent ground game with Jonathan Stewart, which they were unable to do in the final four games. The schedule works in their favor with Pac 10 favorites Cal and USC coming to Eugene. I expect them to give Michigan a run for its money at the Big House, as the Wolverines tend to struggle against Pac 10 competition. This may not be a BCS-caliber team, but it wouldn't surprise me if Oregon finished the regular season with a 9-3 or 10-2 record.

[HellYeahHokie]

I'm interested in why you think GT is going to surprise people. Georgia Tech's success was because Calvin Johnson made a bad quarterback look mediocre. But even with a mediocre QB, his talents were enough to carry the team. But he's gone now, so what about GT do you think is going to help them this year?

[Hubbs]

The talent is there and Jimbo Fisher will organize that offense. Seems to me that the FSU offense hasnt been innovative since Richt left. That will be back and if Fisher can get Russell to do it Lee will be right there as well.

When I say sleeper I mean NC contender. ACC is deep but not top heavy. FSU could run the schedule in the ACC.

[GatorGrad]

Watch out for USF to possibly win the Big East...

[copycat]

I'm interested in why you think GT is going to surprise people. Georgia Tech's success was because Calvin Johnson made a bad quarterback look mediocre. But even with a mediocre QB, his talents were enough to carry the team. But he's gone now, so what about GT do you think is going to help them this year?

I think GT got rid of more bad parts than lost good parts. Reggie Ball + Patrick Nix == The Bad; Calvin Johnson == The Good.

Taylor Bennett will be an upgrade at QB, and if he falters we have enough talent remaining to be effective there.

While nobody will be able to replace Calvin Johnson, our WR corps will not disappoint. In fact it may be more dangerous since we have good talent to spread the ball around and not focus so much on one receiver.

The running game will be one of the best in the country since Choice, Cox, and most of the O-line return.

I also believe that we have a much better offensive coordinator than before. While Bond may not be perfect, his offenses looked much better than the Playstation offense that Nix ran.

The defense returns mostly intact, and so far nobody has too many questions about it...

[FSUNOLESGUY]

The talent is there and Jimbo Fisher will organize that offense. Seems to me that the FSU offense hasnt been innovative since Richt left. That will be back and if Fisher can get Russell to do it Lee will be right there as well.

When I say sleeper I mean NC contender. ACC is deep but not top heavy. FSU could run the schedule in the ACC.

I sure hope Jimbo is our Savior for now. The similarities between Russell and XLee are eerily the same. I hope he can turn the super 5 star player into a star that we all expected to to be a year ago. If he becomes a star this yr or ministar, which I can see happening what happens to Weatherford. I think they still use him just only a bit in mop up duties and normal situations in a game that he would do. He did a great job his RS Frosh yr especially in the Orange Bowl, tho that safety ultimately was costly. I think they can run the ACC up until the BC-VA Tch weekend in early November on the road. I think 2-3 losses is expected from me, a veyr optimistic fan. If they go to Jacksonville which they should, a re-match w/ VT is likely.

Dido w/ copycat about the Yellow Jackets. There defense should be among the conf's best and prob a top10-15 overall. Their secondary will not be weak, plus their Front 7 looks to be very stout. We will see them face adversity when they play on the road in the opener vs the 'Irish who should be favored for sure.

[EvilVodka]

The talent is there and Jimbo Fisher will organize that offense. Seems to me that the FSU offense hasnt been innovative since Richt left. That will be back and if Fisher can get Russell to do it Lee will be right there as well.

When I say sleeper I mean NC contender. ACC is deep but not top heavy. FSU could run the schedule in the ACC.

So I'm not the only one who sees similarities between Russell and Lee?? I hope you're right, but I think the schedule is too tough

For my sleeper, I like Rutgers...IMO there are still alot of non-believers out there, but Schiano is for real, and Rutgers is going to be really good this next year...if things fall right, I could see them getting to the National Championship

[Hail to the Victors Valiant]

I'll go with Nebraska. I thought the same last year but maybe I was 1 year too early.