The Seminoles return 17 starters and an amazing 68 lettermen, which means Fisher and company must once again try to live up to huge expectations. This team is determined to erase the sour taste of the disappointing season they had the last year. They are the most experienced team in the ACC and certainly have the potential to play for a national title at season’s end.

Offense

Florida State is excited about what they will send to the field on the offensive side of the ball. They have eight starters returning to a unit that averaged 30.6 ppg and 396 yards of total offense.

The key to the entire offense is senior quarterback E.J Manuel, who threw for 2,666 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first season as the full time starter. He enters the season with 121 consecutive passes without an interception.

Leading rusher Devonta Freeman is returning and they welcome back James Wilder and Chris Thompson as well. They have some depth at this position as they also bring in talented freshman Mario Pender for the spring.

Their receiving corps is littered with experience as their top four pass catchers all return. These are sophomore Rashad Greene, senior Rodney Smith, sophomore Christian Green and junior Kenny Shaw. Sophomore TE Nick O’Leary is also expected to play a more prominent role in the offense this season.

Three starters and 50 career starts return up front, led by senior LG Jacob Fahrenkrug, junior C Bryan Stork and sophomore RT Bobby Hart. Talented JUCO transfer Daniel Glauser will take over at one of the tackle positions as well.

Defense

While Florida State held their own offensively last year, their success came from one of the top defensive units in the nation. They have nine starters coming back to a defense that allowed just 15.1 ppg and 275 yards of total offense.

The Seminoles’ defensive line looks to be even better than they were last year as they return all four starters and add in three of the most talented D-line recruits in the country. All three DE’s coming back combined for 20.5 sacks last year. Bar-none, this team will easily be one the best D-lines in the nation.

The linebacker corps lose NFL draftee Nigel Bradham, however, this unit returns four of its top six, and it should be the most experienced group of linebackers FSU has had in a long time. Leading the way are junior WLB Christian Jones and senior MLB Vince Williams.

Three starters return in the secondary, and sophomores FS Karlos Williams and CB Nick Waisome should have bigger roles in 2012 after gaining valuable experience as freshmen last year. The returning starters are senior CB Greg Reid, junior CB Xavier Rhodes and junior SS Lamarcus Joyner.

Head over to Football Free Picks this season. You will be able to follow the odds on your favorite team, plus get expert advice on who to take agains the spread.

ACC Atlantic Division Prediction – 1st Place

The Seminoles are definitely in a league of their own in the ACC in 2012. Fisher has been able to recruit as well as any other coach in the country, and FSU is set to contend for the national title for years to come. The ACC Title is theirs for the taking as their talent and experience will outshine all the other contenders in the conference. A 12-0 record is definitely within reach as they get Clemson at home and their only true road test will come at Virginia Tech after a bye in November.

Jack Jones will provide his expert college football picks at Betfirms this season. Be sure to visit our site today for a more detailed Florida State football preview.

Florida State Football: Seminoles Expected To Win ACC And Contend For National Championship is a post from: WiredWriter

Head over to Football Free Picks this season for all your LSU betting needs. Follow the odds for every Tiger game, plus get free expert advice on who to take against the spread.

No. 3: Tommy Casanova, DB, (1969 – 1971)

Tommy Casanova is the only player in LSU history to earn the All-American title in all three years he was at LSU. Sports Illustrated regarded him as the best player in the nation in 1971. He played multiple positions at LSU, including running back, punt and kick returner, as well as his primary position of defensive back.

No. 2: Patrick Peterson, CB, (2008 – 2010)

Patrick Peterson could very well be the best player to suit up for the LSU Tigers. Peterson got better and better with each season at LSU.. In his sophomore season, he gave a glimpse of what was to come. His junior season was an absolute breakout year for the player, and by time he was ready to leave and go to the NFL, he had become known for shutting down opposing threats on offense. During the 2010 season, Peterson was named the SEC Player of the Year, 1st Team All-American, and winner of the Thorpe and Bednarik awards.

No. 1:Bradie James, LB, (1999 – 2002)

Bradie James is only the 2nd player in LSU history to record over 400 tackles, the other being Al Richardson, who played for the Tigers from 1979 to 1982. James’ impact at LSU was immediate: In his freshman year he recorded 41 tackles, 3 sacks and an interception. He was named second team All-SEC that said year. By his junior year, the LSU defense was called the “James Gang.” He led the team on defense that year and recorded 113 tackles. His final year with LSU was even bigger, recording 154 tackles, the first LSU player to make more than 150 in a single season. He was named All-American and to the All-SEC team for the second time.

LSU has been long known for stellar defense and all three national titles that the Tigers have won have been because of the major role the LSU defense has played over the years. Bradie James led one of the most physical and feared units on defense across the country and established himself as one of the best linebackers in collegiate history. Bradie James is the greatest player in LSU football history.

Jack Jones will provide his college football picks at Betfirms again this year. Be sure to visit the site today for a detailed preview of LSU’s upcoming season.

The Top 3 Players In LSU Football History is a post from: WiredWriter

New head coach Bill O’Brien has the difficult task of trying to replicate last year’s success, but it definitely won’t be easy as they return only eight starters from last year’s team.

O’Brien was given free rein to build the program as he sees fit and he wasted no time putting his stamp on all facets of it. He overhauled the strength and conditioning program and retained just two coaches from the previous staff.

Offense

O’Brien will try and get the offense headed in the right direction, but first he must decide who will be his starting quarterback. Neither Matt McGloin or Rob Bolden impressed a whole lot last season. The two would lead the team to a disappointing 11th (110th nationally) in the Big Ten in scoring with just 19.3 points/game last season.

Bolden has the stronger arm, but McGloin is the more accurate passer. He completed 54.1% of his passes to Bolden’s 39.3%. McGloin also had eight touchdowns and five interceptions while Bolden had only two touchdowns to seven picks.

The Nittany Lions are set at running back with Silas Redd, who had 1,241 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground last season. 2012 could be tougher for him as he will be running behind a line that returns only one starter.

With the loss of leading wide out Derek Moye, the Nittany Lions are hoping the senior duo of Justin Brown and Devon Smith will emerge into a big time threat this season.

Defense

If it wasn’t for one of the best defenses in the country, Penn State would have lost a lot more games in 2011. They led the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing just 16.8 ppg. With only four starters returning in 2012, it seems that the Nittany Lions will be unable to duplicate such impressive numbers.

The loss of Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Devon Still, will especially be missed. With him gone, all the pressure is now on Jordan Hill to hold down the fort on the interior.

The returns of end Pete Massaro and outside linebacker Michael Mauti might is timely as both endured ACL injuries last season. Mauti looks to pair up with Gerald Hodges and Glenn Carson to form a formidable linebacker unit. Hodges returns as the team’s top returning tackler.

The defensive backfield is a major concern for Penn State heading into the season. They lose all four starters from last year. A number of new faces must emerge quickly, or teams are going to throw all over them.

If you plan on betting Penn State football this season, be sure to visit College Football Free Picks. Find the best odds available for every game and get expert advice on who to take against the spread.

Big Ten Leaders Prediction: 4th Place

Penn State could endure a transitional period of bad games before they get better.

They still have enough talent on the defensive end to be competitive, but their offense is problematic and their main area of concern.

Penn State also faces a tough schedule where they face Ohio State and Wisconsin at home, and face tough road contests against Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. They may win just four games in conference play, perhaps only three.

Penn State has enjoyed seven straight seasons with at least seven wins, and they can still do enough to keep that streak alive in the new season.

Expert college football handicapper Jack Jones will be posting his picks this season at Betfirms. If you are looking for a closer look at Penn State football, be sure to visit our site today.

Penn State Football: Nittany Lions Won’t Contend For Big Ten Title is a post from: WiredWriter

Offense

The Commodores may have finally found an answer at quarterback in Jordan Rodgers, who took over for Larry Smith at the middle of the season. Rodgers led the team with 1,524 passing yards and rushed for another 420 yards and four scores, despite not starting until the 7th game of the season. . If Rodgers is able to live up to the hype, the Commodores are going to continue to surprise teams in 2012..

Vanderbilt’s ground game last year was very successful and the emergence of Zac Stacy was the main reason for the team’s success. Stacy had a single-season school record carrying the ball 201 times for 1,193 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stacy had his chance after Warren Norman was forced to redshirt following a devastating knee injury. Warren will come back in 2012 and his ability to stay on the field and produce will be a key factor for the team’s continued success moving forward.

Big things are expected out of junior wide out Jordan Matthews and sophomore Chris Boyd coming into 2012. Matthews became the first Vanderbilt wide out in school history with three straight 100 yard performances (151, 170, 131). Meanwhile Boyd was second on the team with 31 catches for 473 yards and a team-high 8 touchdowns.

The fact that Vanderbilt was still able to rush for 164 yards/game last year, despite losing left guard Jabo Burrow after only a game and starting center Logan Stewart after five, is a testament to the team’s depth on the line. Both Burrow and Stewart have graduated along with guards Kyle Fischer and Mylon Brown. Despite that, Vanderbilt is still in good shape because of the good amount of experience coming back (four with starting experience) and should at the very least match last year’s numbers.

Defense

Defensively, the Commodores took a huge step in the right direction last year. The defense went from giving up 31.2 ppg in 2010, to only allowing 21.6 ppg last year.. Offenses managed just 323 yards of total offense, which was a major improvement from 2010 (419 ypg).. They get back seven starters on this side of the ball, but lose a number of key players, including their top three tacklers from last season.

On the defensive line, the Commodores must find a way to replace their best pass-rusher in defensive end Tim Fugger. They do bring back three starters in talented defensive tackle Rob Lohr, defensive tackle Colt Nichter and defensive end Walker May. They should continue their strong play against the run as they as have both tackles returning as well.

While the Commodores return starting middle linebacker Chase Garnham and starting weak-side linebacker Archibald Barnes, it might still be difficult to replace strong-side linebacker Chris Marve, who was considered by many to be the heart and soul of the entire defense.

The secondary will also miss a couple of key players in 2nd Team All-American corner Casey Hayward and starting strong safety Sean Richardson. A drop off in production is to be expected from this unit in 2012, especially since a huge reason for their success was due to Hayward and the pressure applied by Fugger and Lohr last year.

Head over to Football Free Picks for all your Vanderbilt betting needs. You will find the best odds available for every Commodore game, plus get expert advice on who to take against the spread.

SEC Prediction – 6th SEC East

While their offense will most likely keep them afloat for most games, their defense has taken such a hit that it will be hard for them to win. Vanderbilt will more than likely be a middle of the pack in the SEC East standings, but they still have a great shot of making it back to a bowl game. Winnable road games against Kentucky and Mississippi will likely dictate the outcome of their bid for a back-to-back bowl berth in 2012.

Jack Jones will be posting his college football plays at Betfirms all season long. Be sure to check out our site today for a mroe detailed preview of Vanderbilt football.

Vanderbilt Football: Commodores Headed For Bottom Half Of SEC East is a post from: WiredWriter