Sorting Through the Pigskins

While the end of the last millenium featured bruising, star running backs like Ricky Williams and Ron Dayne, 2000 should be the year of the quarterback. Several quarterbacks have an excellent chance of walking away with both the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship. At the top of the list is last year's hero Michael Vick. In 1999 Vick single-handedly made a very good Virginia Tech team into a national title competitor, and he'll look to work his magic again in 2000. Vick's main competitor for the Heisman will probably be precision passer Drew Brees of Purdue. Other notables include Georgia's Quincy Carter, the Tommie Frazier-like Eric Crouch of Nebraska, and the veteran of the group, Florida State's Chris Weinke. Each of these quarterbacks has his team near the top of my pre-season top 25 list:

  1.  NEBRASKA - Nebraska may have been the best team in the nation in 1999. With 20 starters back, they definitely are the most talented entering the 2000 season.
  2.  FLORIDA STATE - I am going way out on a limb here and predicting FSU to repeat as ACC champs.
  3.  ALABAMA - After a few down years, Alabama once again finds themselves in the national title picture.
  4.  WISCONSIN - As if losing RB Ron Dayne was not bad enough, the Badgers must travel to Ann Arbor this year, where they have not won since 1962.
  5.  KANSAS STATE - They have questions at key positions (QB, RB, Defensive front 7), but they are still stacked.
  6.  TEXAS - A trip to the Big 12 Title Game is likely.
  7.  MIAMI - A national championship sleeper.
  8.  MICHIGAN - QB Drew Henson holds the key to the Wolverine's chances.
  9.  GEORGIA - With Florida and Tennessee rebuilding, it's do or die time in Athens.
  10.  FLORIDA - A QB must step up.
  11.  TENNESSEE - This is a rebuilding year, but then again so was the year they won a national championship.
  12.  VIRGINIA TECH - They lost a lot but I hear that Michael Vick guy is not too shabby.
  13.  USC - This should be the year that they finally get over the hump in the Pac-10.
  14.  WASHINGTON - Too bad Washington doesn't play USC this year. That game would have had huge BCS implications.
  15.  PURDUE - The Drew Brees-led offense will once again give Big 10 coaches headaches.
  16.  CLEMSON - Imagine the hype surrounding the battle of the Bowdens if Clemson and FSU are each 9-0 when they meet on November 4.
  17.  TCU - A solid team whose toughest game is against Fresno St. Could be this year's version of 1999 Marshall and 1998 Tulane.
  18.  MISSISSIPPI - Heisman hopeful RB Deuce McAllister leads a stacked offense.
  19.  OHIO STATE - On paper they have the talent to do great things, but so did last year's disappointing 6-6 team.
  20.  OKLAHMOMA - The new wide-open attack has Sooner fans excited.
  21.  SOUTHERN MISS - Pencil them into the Liberty Bowl.
  22.  ILLINOIS - Last year's Cinderella could be a Rose Bowl sleeper in 2000.
  23.  PENN ST. - Obviously, the big question is QB Rashard Casey's legal situation.
  24.  NOTRE DAME - A brutal open to the schedule (Texas A&M, Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan State, Standford) could finally spell doom for coach Bob Davie.
  25.  TEXAS A&M - The Aggies have some good players, but probably not enough to compete with the super powers in the Big 12.

Submitted 8/22/00 by Cleveland lawyer Brad Sobolewski.

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