This year's sleeper team...

[EddieIrvine13]

Purdue Boilermakers.
In my opinion, they were a top 10 team LAST year. They led the Big 10 in Offense AND Defense. Why such a mediocre record you ask? Well, they lost every game by a TD or less. And in all of them were leading in the 4th quarter. They were that close to having a perfect season. They just lacked that fiery instinct in the fourth quarter that you can blame on our Fins as well. They almost beat the likes of OSU, Michigan, Iowa, and Notre Dame. They beat up Washington pretty bad in the Sun Bowl as well.

Why will they win this year?

9 of 11 returning defenders on the #1 D in the Big 10. Of the 11, 9 are seniors and are playing for all the marbles. Each game will be HUGE to them. They will have that fiery instinct.

All skill players returning. And with the competition between Kyle Orton and Brandon Kirsch, both QBs are stepping up their play. Both QBs are top 5 in the Big 10 and their #3 RB could start on any Big 10 team. They have a very deep receiving corps that includes Taylor Stubblefield and John Standeford, probably the #2 and #3 WR in the Big 10 behind Lee Evans. The TE and FB will be back as well.

Better kicker. Kicker lost a few games alone last year for the Boilermakers. Their new kicker is a new and improved transfer from Butler.

Joe Tiller. He is getting old and this is his year.

OSU will be good in the Big 10 as will Michigan. Look for all 3 to be top 10 teams in NCAA football.

 

[Angneli]

Purdue will be good. I don't know about top 10. I like Tiller as a coach.

I think Oklahoma State could be a sleeper. They returned a ton of talent.

 

[brech10]

Good call on both OSU and Purdue. the great thing about those teams is that they play in a conference where they will be given the chance at the big upset and be able to make the jump sometime during the season. Look at USC too. I know that they don't seem like much of a sleeper coming off a BSC bid and a Heisman winner, but when the polls come out, they will not be top 10. That could change easily with all the young, RETURNING talent outside of Palmer we saw, especially late last season. Also, watch out for Mizzou. They have a big-time QB in Smith and the kid is only going to be a sophomore this year. They win a few early and we'll start hearing more come September/October.

 

[harmonkoz]

I am with Brech on the Mizzou call. Tigers are beginning to finally get their **** straight after all these years...

Anyone remember Woody Woodenhoffer?

 

[Angneli]

Smith's production will be down. He doesn't have Justin Gage anymore and he isn't going to sneak up on anybody.

 

[harmonkoz]

I disagree Angneli. Gage was good, but he was not THAT good. I agree they will not sneak up on anybody this year. But hell they did not sneak up on anyone halfway through the season last year.

Mizzou is deep at WR, someone will settle out. They have a lot of redshirt freshman from last year, which represents alot of talent, I like Coffey quite a bit at WR too.

Mizzou has a WR/DB by the name of Greg Bracey coming in this year from Vincent HS in Milwaukee. Granted he is going to be a freshman, but watch out for this kid he is got some serious wheels and great hands.

The big thing about Mizzou is that they are finally beginning to win the recruiting battle, getting more and more St.Louis and Kansas City HS college bound ball players to stay at home. In addition to getting kids from outside of the state. (Like Bracey... Someone that I know Wisconsin, Purdue, and Minnesota were after.)

Bracey currently holds the Wisconsin HS record in the 200 @ 21.6
Last summer at the Junior National Olypmics he ran it in 21.2

Nash should be back as well. It all looks good.

 

[SMadison29]

Maryland, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Miami(OH), & Tulane are my sleeper picks. All 5 teams are returning their top players(aside from Oregon St on defense).

 

[Jaydog57]

The sleeper team this year is.......

MIAMI HURRICANES:rocker:They're gonna put all the whiny bitches they play this year to sleep.:evil:

 

[Angneli]

Re: The sleeper team this year is.......

Originally posted by Jaydog57
MIAMI HURRICANES:rocker:They're gonna put all the whiny bitches they play this year to sleep.:evil:

Just like they did to to Ohio St right?