Roundtable: Which fallen power will rise? | Rivals.com Preseason Countdown

July 28, 2008

Mike Huguenin
Rivals.com College Football Editor

We're a week away from the start of fall drills (in case you're wondering, seven days equals 168 hours), so here's a cleaning of the plate, as it were, as we continue to count down the minutes (and in case you're wondering, 168 hours equals 10,080 minutes):

? Let's say there's a team that returns 20 starters, including all its skill-position players on offense, one of whom is a leading Heisman contender; four-fifths of a big and physical offensive line; one of the best defenders in the nation; and all four members of the secondary ? including one of the nation's top three or four cornerbacks. Further, the team has lost just three times in the past two seasons, has won three consecutive conference titles and is the prohibitive favorite to win a fourth. A no-brainer to be preseason No. 1, right? Well, that's Ohio State's résumé, and not only are the Buckeyes not going to be preseason No. 1, I think it'll be hard for them to ascend to No. 1 during the season unless they're the only unbeaten team in the nation. Don't get me wrong: This is a tremendous team. Indeed, this season's Ohio State team may be better than the past two. The problem, of course, is the past two were drubbed in the BCS Championship Game, and I just think there's going to be a backlash of sorts. If the Buckeyes happen to lose at USC on Sept. 13, I think it will be well-nigh impossible for them to get to No. 1 during the regular season unless there are a whole lot of elite teams with two losses. And, hey, maybe I'm wrong; that certainly has been the case before. But I think this is a case where the "perception is reality" idea will carry the day. And right now, the perception is that Ohio State can't hang with the true big boys.

? The ACC announced last week that its schools have agreed to provide an NFL-style injury report. Every Monday, schools will disclose the names of players who are having surgery or sitting out the rest of the season. The next injury announcement will come after practices on Thursday, when schools will list players as probable, questionable, doubtful or out. If there's a Thursday game, the final injury announcement comes after Tuesday's practice. The idea is that coaches won't have to answer injury-related questions during the week. One potential sticking point: ACC teams that fail to follow the new rules aren't subject to any type of penalty. Still, ACC officials are expecting the schools to comply. The idea is a good one - so good, in fact, that the NCAA should make it mandatory for all its member schools. Injury reports obviously are fodder for gamblers. Given the NCAA's stance on gambling, you'd think the organization would be all over this idea.

? Last weekend, Penn State coach Joe Paterno, 81, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Asked how long he planned to continue coaching, he said, "the way I feel right now, four, five, six years." You wonder if Penn State president Graham Spanier cringed when he heard that. Paterno's contract is up at the end of this season, and it doesn't appear as if Spanier wants to extend the deal. Things could get mighty interesting later this year. If Penn State wins nine or 10 games, you wonder if there would be a groundswell of support to let JoePa keep coaching. Anything less than nine wins, though, and you wonder if Penn State is going to have to do something that could be considered unseemly ? force Paterno to retire.

? If we're this close to the start of the season, it means it's time for all the announcements about who's on what award's "preseason watch list." Frankly, those lists are ? bottom line ? stupid. The awards are for what happens on the field during the season, so why in the world do the organizations that sponsor the awards think it's necessary to put together a preseason list?

? So, in April, Army safety Caleb Campbell is drafted by the Detroit Lions ? thanks to an Army rule that, basically, lets athletes play professionally if they are good enough. Campbell goes to mini-camp and numerous stories are written about how Campbell has a shot to make the team and also serve as a quasi-recruiter for the Army at the same time. Last week, though, saw the Army do a complete 180 on the subject. Now, Campbell can't play pro football and instead must start his military obligation, as with all other recent West Point graduates. If you're going to have a rule saying all grads must immediately fulfill their military obligation ? as the Navy does ? then make that rule known up front. Don't do the 180. It's poor form.

? Marshall has booted starting cornerback J.J. Johnson off the team for what was termed continuing selfish behavior. Johnson would've been in his third season as the starter this fall, and it obviously puts a crimp in the Thundering Herd's depth at cornerback. This is a big season for Herd coach Mark Snyder. Marshall has a devoted fan base, and they won't be happy with a fourth consecutive bowl-less season. And get this schedule: After the opener with Division I-AA Illinois State, Marshall plays five consecutive games against teams that went to bowls in 2007, including contests with Wisconsin, West Virginia and Cincinnati.

HOOP TALK

? Last week, we wrote about the pending demolition of the Spectrum arena in Philadelphia and reminisced about how the arena had hosted three memorable NCAA tournament events. Well, the Spectrum actually has hosted four NCAA tournament events: the 1976 and '81 Final Fours, the 1992 East Regional final ? the three events we mentioned ? and the 1980 East Regional final. We got the three from the official NCAA tournament record book, but it turns out the record book is wrong. A reader wrote and said he was at the 1980 East Regional final in the Spectrum. And that was quite a memorable game, as well. Iowa advanced to the Final Four with an 81-80 victory over Georgetown. The Hoyas shot 68.2 percent from the field in the second half ? and still lost. Iowa made 17 of its final 21 shots from the floor and was 15 of 15 from the line to give then-coach Lute Olson his first trip to the Final Four.

? Fran Dunphy took Temple to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001 this past season, and the school rewarded him with a two-year extension, through 2013-14. Dunphy and the Owls should be back in the NCAAs this season. Star swingman Dionte Christmas returns, as do three other starters from a team that went 21-13. And expect a more prominent scoring role for sophomore power forward Lavoy Allen, a former three-star prospect who averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds this past season. Dunphy slowly is starting to make this his team, which is tough considering the legacy his predecessor, John Chaney, created at the school.

? Staying with Temple, in a way: The Owls' league, the Atlantic 10, announced that league teams again will play a 16-game conference schedule this season, which means teams will face each league opponent once and three teams twice. Likely league preseason favorite Xavier will play Charlotte, Dayton and Fordham twice. Temple gets La Salle, Rhode Island and Saint Joseph's twice.

Mike Huguenin is the college sports editor for Rivals.com. He can be reached at mhuguenin@rivals.com.