COTTRELL COLUMN: Three sleepers not to sleep on

Heading into the 2008 season, there are numerous teams that could rise out of the doldrums for a big year.

Teams like North Carolina, Nebraska and Ole Miss immediately come to mind for me, but there are three teams that could make a big splash.

Sure, all three have been good for the better part of this decade, but none are what you would call a traditional power.

And all of them — barring upsets or unforeseen injuries — have two games they have to get past to possibly reach the ultimate prize.

We’ll go in alphabetical order.

South Florida
The Bulls are coming off a year in which they first served notice that they’ll be a player with their wins over West Virginia and Auburn, but bigger things still could be on the horizon in 2008.

Everyone of any relevance from last year’s 9-4 squad is back, including quarterback Matt Grothe, running back Mike Ford and defensive end George Selvie.

And with Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville and Rutgers all looking like they’ll be taking steps back in 2008, only two obstacles stand in USF’s way.

The first is Kansas.

The Bulls will get them at home on a Friday night, and as West Virginia found out last year that’s not a fun combination.

Kansas should still be good, but we never really had any idea how good the Jayhawks actually were last year.

The second — and biggest — obstacle will be a Dec. 6 road trip to West Virginia.

As fans of the Miami Dolphins or Tampa Bay Buccaneers will tell you, a Florida team going on the road in December is a recipe for heartbreak.

The Mountaineers might have their best chance yet at a national championship, but the Bulls have beaten them two years in a row.
If they can do it again there’s no reason to think they won’t be undefeated.

And wouldn’t that be interesting?

Texas Tech
Red Raider head coach Mike Leach has his best team yet in Lubbock, and their best chance to get over the hump in the Big XII.

Eighteen starters are back from last year’s 9-4 squad, including a whopping 10 on offense.

Can you imagine what a Leach-led offense with this kind of experience might do?

Quarterback Graham Harrell will keep throwing the ball to Michael Crabtree, and with eight starters back from a defense that ranked 45th in the country last year they should be able to stop some teams on occasion.

The Red Raiders big obstacles are pretty obvious: Oklahoma and Texas.

They have a great shot at unseating Texas with the game at home and the Longhorns looking a little down this year.
Oklahoma will be another story.

The Red Raiders did beat them last year after they knocked Sam Bradford out of the game early, but that was just a hair fluky.

This game will be on the road against what will potentially be a Sooner juggernaut.

But if the Red Raiders can find a way to win it, they could also possibly be undefeated.

Wake Forest
And here is quite possibly the most intriguing team of 2008: the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Fifteen starters return from last year’s 9-4 team, and they have a good chance to make their big move with the rest of the ACC (non-Clemson division) still treading water.

Quarterback Riley Skinner was solid last year, and he has most of his targets back. And nine starters are back from a solid defense.

The Demon Deacons are nowhere near the most talented team in the ACC, but they are by far the best coached. Jim Grobe makes up for much of what they lack, so 10 games seem like solid wins.

The first will be a September trip to Florida State. The Seminoles will still be missing a few players from their academic scandal, but will also be getting a few back. They will also be coming off two games against FCS schools, so will be unfamiliar with competition that can fight back.

The second one — and you should really mark your calendar for this — is a Thursday night game at home on Oct. 9 against Clemson.

Both could very well be coming in undefeated and at least one will be in the Top 10. And it’ll be played under the lights in Wake’s newly-remodeled stadium. We are talking a game ripe for an upset right here, especially with Tommy Bowden and Clemson involved.

And can you imagine a world where Wake Forest goes undefeated? You’d better think about it, because you might be living in one come December.

Next Week
A look at preseason polls and the BCS formula.

Tim Cottrell is sports designer of the Opelika-Auburn News. He will write a weekly column on college football during the season. You can also read him on the O-A Sports Blog at oanow.com. He can be reached at 737-2511 or at .