Once the Heisman Trophy winner was announced the discussions began for the favorites for the next season.  As we approach the upcoming season it is a good time to take a look at the early favorites.

The Favorites (Alphabetical Order):

Montee Ball, Senior, Running Back, Wisconsin:
Ball rushed for 1,923 yards, and 33 touchdowns while adding 306 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns giving him a total of 39 touchdowns for the season tying Barry Sanders record. Ball will be carrying the offensive load with the departure of Russell Wilson.  The Badgers also will have a new offensive line, but that shouldn’t worry Ball as Wisconsin always seems to have one of the best offensive lines in the country. The stats he put up a season ago are going to be very difficult to repeat, but he should be able to have another great season and be a potential finalist for the Heisman.

Matt Barkley, Senior, Quarterback, USC:
Barkley is by far the best quarterback coming into this season.  Barkley is a complete quarterback and would have been the second overall pick in the NFL draft had he decided to leave school early.  However, the NFL teams will be lining up for him after this season.  Barkley threw for 3,528 yards with 39 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions.  The Heisman Trophy could be sitting there waiting for him as he is the clear favorite.  The Trojans did not lose many players to the draft and they will be returning Robert Woods who was Barkley’s favorite receiver hauling in 111 catches last season as a sophomore.

Marcus Lattimore, Junior, Running Back, South Carolina:
Lattimore is an interesting candidate for the Heisman as he is going to be bouncing back from a knee injury that ended his year last season.  Lattimore rushed for 818 yards and 10 touchdowns before his season ending injury.  He is the most talented running back in the SEC and possibly the entire country.  The offense of the Gamecocks will run through him and if he comes back 100% and remains healthy he could see himself in New York as a Heisman finalist.

Aaron Murray, Junior, Quarterback, Georgia:
Coming off a great sophomore season throwing for 3,149 yards with 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions Murray is set to be the best quarterback in the SEC this coming season.  The Bulldogs could be serious contenders for the national title this season because of Murray.  He is a very talented quarterback and he has experience since this will be his third season as Georgia’s starter.  If Murray continues to improve he could be not only a Heisman finalist, but a hot NFL prospect as well.

Denard Robinson, Senior, Quarterback, Michigan:
Back to back 2,000 yard passing and 1,000 yard rushing seasons have Denard Robinson as the top contender to beat Matt Barkley.  He his electric and creates havoc for opposing defenses.  Michigan is returning a number of starters and they look to be favorites for the Legends Division in the Big Ten with possible National Championship discussions.  Denard Robinson looks to complete his career with both a Heisman and National Championship.

Geno Smith, Senior, Quarterback, West Virginia:
Smith’s 407 yard and 6 touchdown performance in the Orange Bowl victory against Clemson put his mark in the Heisman discussion.  He threw for 4,385 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 7 interceptions last season.  Geno Smith has the Mountaineers back in the National Championship discussions.  He also has a talented receiving group returning which creates an arsenal of weapons for him to succeed and potentially win the Heisman Trophy.

On the Outside Looking In:

Tajh Boyd, Junior, Quarterback, Clemson

Rex Burkhead, Senior, Running Back, Nebraska

Landry Jones, Senior, Quarterback, Oklahoma

Logan Thomas, Senior, Quarterback, Virginia Tech

Robert Woods, Junior, Wide Receiver, USC

The Heisman Trophy race this season is set to be a great one.  There are a number of potential contenders that have not been named and the greatest thing about sports is that they are unpredictable.  So as we can discuss the favorites, it is unknown what will happen during the season.

The end of May has arrived, and College Sports Feed’s Preseason Top 5 is finally here. The five teams listed here are 2012’s best of the best, the toughest and most talented, and the greatest in the game. They came a long way in 2011, but even more will be expected of them in the fall. Kicking off our final week:

5. Oregon

“Oh, Oregon. If you ask most people, they have no clue where Oregon even is on a map, but they can tell you that they have a damn good football team. Oregon has been working hard these past few years to get where they are today, and they won’t give that up. My prediction is that they are determined to prove that they are the best and are going after that number one spot. I don’t think that they will get it this year, but if they can continue to do better over the next few years, it could end up being theirs.”

Allie Balog, CSF Associate Editor

“The loss of LaMichael James will be difficult, but Oregon is persistent. They are strong recruiters and look for the best newcomers, and they promise wins and are pretty consistent in their claims. Plus, Oregon has the potential to have one of the best defenses in the Pac 12. Look for them to place in one of the top bowl games in January.”

Elizabeth Garabedian, CSF Writer/Contributor

4. Oklahoma

“The Sooners’ high-powered offense will dominate once again in 2012. Senior QB Landry Jones will have a shot at following in Sam Bradford’s footsteps as a Heisman winner. The loss of WR Ryan Broyles, Jones’ favorite target, will hurt, but four returning wideouts and a standout recruiting class will help fill the void. The defensive side of the ball will carry more question marks into the season, but solid play coupled with an explosive offense will carry Oklahoma to the Big 12 title in 2012.”

Anthony Manzella, CSF Writer/Contributor

“The Sooners will yet again dominate on offense as Landry Jones, and a solid receiving core is returning. The loss of playmaker Ryan Broyles will hurt, but they should be able to overcome his departure. The defense had a number of questions last year and they are hoping to be answered by the arrival of Mike Stoops, Bob Stoops’ brother, as the defensive coordinator. Okalahoma is the easy favorite in the Big 12 this season with Texas still trying to figure itself out and Oklahoma State losing its two biggest playmakers in Weeden and Blackmon.”

Garrett Mayers, CSF Writer/Contributor

3. LSU

“Les Miles’ squad had by far the toughest schedule in the nation. Their only loss came against a loaded Alabama team that had six full weeks to prepare. The Tigers lose some stars on defense, most notably Jim Thorpe award winner Morris Claiborne, but they are still absolutely loaded. Tyrann Mathieu could be the most dynamic playmaker in college football, and he returns with another LSU defense that will be one of the best in the country. The only knock on LSU last season was the lack of production on offense, but former Georgia QB Zach Mettenberger is a much better passer than Jordan Jefferson. Look for the Tigers to win their second straight SEC West title.”

Jeff Dunbar, CSF Senior Editor

“The LSU Tigers will try and rebound from getting blown out by Alabama in the BCS National Championship in January. It will not be an easy road for them with star receiver Rueben Randle and 6th overall pick Mo Claiborne going to the NFL.  With enough talent returning on offense and the returning stellar defense, the LSU Tigers should be near the top of the SEC and national ranks again this coming season.”

Garrett Mayers, CSF Writer/Contributor

2. Alabama

“Bama, Bama, Bama. There’s not much to really say about it. They have always been good and they probably always will be good. Look at their players – they’re huge. They’re the southern boys that have been playing football since they could walk and have always known that they would play in college. Bama is definitely not a team to think you can beat easily. They will make you fight for a victory over them – hard. They are a team to watch out for this season, they do have the potential to take the #1 spot.”

Allie Balog, CSF Associate Editor

“Coach Nick Saban has transformed Alabama into arguably to most consistently great team since his arrival in Tuscaloosa, with two BCS titles in five years. Expect the same this year, even with the high number of losses on both sides of the ball.  QB AJ McCarron will shoulder more of the offensive load, and RB Eddie Lacy should provide a more than acceptable replacement for Trent Richardson. The defensive will benefit greatly from the top recruiting class in the country, and will be tough enough for the Crimson Tide to compete for another National Championship in 2012.”

Anthony Manzella, CSF Writer/Contributor

1. USC

“Matt Barkley’s decision to return for his senior season took USC from a top 20 team to the team to beat in 2012.  Barkley’s favorite targets, Robert Woods and Marqise Lee combined for an astounding 2,435 yards receiving and hauled in 26 touchdowns.  Oregon and Stanford lost a lot of talent to the NFL, but the major playmakers (excluding LT Matt Kalil) all came back for the Trojans.  Expect Barkley to make a run at the Heisman, but more importantly, expect him finish what he started, by hoisting the crystal football at season’s end.”

Jeff Dunbar, CSF Senior Editor

“The Trojans may not have snagged Su’A Cravens yet, but they have multiple other factors that have contributed to their #1 spot in CSF’s Top 25. QB Matt Barkley is still there, and he has enough skill to lead the offense even with the loss of LT Matt Kalil. And with an experienced defensive line, USC is double the trouble. They could very easily snag a spot in the BCS title game, mainly because they have a handful of talented returnees while many other Pac 12 teams do not. This could very well be the year for the Trojans.”

Elizabeth Garabedian, CSF Writer/Contributor

What was supposed to be a ho-hum weekend of college football turned out to be the biggest upset weekend of the season. CSF breaks down the national championship update and the current state of the Heisman from the week that reshaped the 2011 season and put the BCS picture into a tizzy.

Upset Weekend: The weekend got off to a crazy start on Friday, when #2 Oklahoma State, who controlled their own destiny to a Big 12 Title and BCS National Championship game, was stunned in Ames to the Iowa State Cyclones.  The loss took OSU out of the national title hunt all together and severely jeopardized quarterback Brandon Weeden’s chance at the Heisman Trophy.

On Saturday, Oregon looked to take advantage of the Oklahoma State loss and jump to at least 3rd nationally, but those hopes were dashed on a missed field goal at the end of regulation to Matt Barkley and USC.  The Ducks fought their way back into the game (USC led 38-14 at one point) but ultimately fell short 38-35.  Oregon’s second loss officially puts them out of the BCS Title hunt as well.

About an hour later, Oklahoma, who had trailed most of the game to Robert Griffin III and his Baylor team, also found themselves in great position to make a push for a BCS title run.  OU quarterback Landry Jones battled his team back into the game and forced an apparent overtime, but Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops got greedy.  With Baylor conceding overtime, they attempted to run the clock out, but Oklahoma opted to use a timeout in attempt to get the ball back with less than a minute to go.  Griffin III showed the Sooners that when you play with fire, you get burned.  The junior QB led his team down the field by running and passing and capped off the game’s final drive with a touchdown pass to Terrance Williams with 8 seconds left on the clock to regain a seven-point lead, and the Bears beat Oklahoma for the first time in 21 tries by a score of 45-38.

Heisman will come down to the wire: All season, the Heisman front-runners have changed more frequently than Charlie Sheen’s roommates.  Here’s the recap.  Stanford’s Andrew Luck is up.  Okie State’s Brandon Weeden is down.  Baylor’s Robert Griffin III has worked his way back in the picture after being forgotten for the last month.  Bama’s Trent Richardson is back in the hunt, but Oregon’s LaMichael James dropped significantly.  Boise State’s Kellen Moore is all but forgotten.  Meanwhile, Houston’s Case Keenum has 38 TDs and only three interceptions, while Wisconsin’s Montee Ball has continued his record-setting season with 31 total touchdowns, respectively.  Oh, yeah….and Kansas State’s Colin Klein has 36 total touchdowns for the surprising Wildcats.  But don’t worry.  The major rivalry games take place this weekend, so all of this is likely to change in a week.  Confused yet?  Just wait until the conference championship games happen in two weeks.

Editor’s Note: This was filmed Oct. 4, 2011.

Week 4 of the College Football season is officially in the books, and the dominant players and teams are beginning to separate from the rest of the pack. CSF breaks down last weekends action in the Week 4 Recap.

Sooners fall out of #1 spot: Once a Heisman front-runner, Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones has been very average the last two weeks, throwing for 4 TD’s and 4 picks. The Sooners still won, but they didn’t exactly get the payback they were looking for against Mizzou, who upset OU last season in Columbia. Wins against Florida State and Mizzou, who are both 2-2 with no big wins against major programs, along with LSU’s dominance against top-tier competition allowed the Tigers to jump ahead of the Sooners in the AP Poll. Luckily for Sooner fans, LSU and Alabama square off in Tuscaloosa in a month, so one of those teams will drop a few spots.

LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu may be the best DB in the country: LSU and Alabama have the two best defenses in the country–and it’s not even close. The Tigers have forced 12 turnovers against top-flight competition, all away from Death Valley. Their defense is full of elite talent that will be playing on Sundays in the near future, but the guy that always seems to make the biggest plays on the biggest stages is cornerback Tyrann Mathieu. In last weekend’s bigtime match up against West Virginia, the sophomore DB had a key interception and a forced fumble, in which he literally ripped the ball right out of the hands of WV wideout Brad Starks. That makes twice that Mathieu has brought his A-game to a national television audience–in week one, he stripped the ball from Oregon punt returner Kenjon Barner and promptly took the fumble in for a touchdown, and the Ducks never recovered.

Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden continues to light it up: We anticipated a shoot out, and that’s exactly what we got last weekend, when Oklahoma State traveled to Texas A&M. Weeden threw for 438 yards (a new school record) and two TDs against the Aggies. The senior quarterback completed a whopping 47 passes in 60 attempts and spread the ball around nicely–he had three different receivers with ten or more catches, led by dynamic wideout Justin Blackmon, who had 11 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. Weeden currently leads the nation in passing yards per game with 398.0 per contest.

Florida could be back: After a disappointing 2010 season, first year head coach Will Muschamp has the Gators off to a 4-0 start, 2-0 in SEC play. Quarterback John Brantley looks much more comfortable in Charlie Weis’ pro-style attack versus Urban Meyer’s spread attack that made Tim Tebow a household name, although they didn’t need much passing last weekend against Kentucky, as both Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey rushed for over 100 yards a piece. More importantly, Muschamp has brought his attitude to the Gator defense, who created four turnovers last weekend. We’ll see just how far Florida has come very soon–the Gators host Alabama this weekend and travel to LSU next weekend.

The ACC is not good at tackle football: I’m not sure how the intramural flag football programs in the ACC are, but several programs proved their conference still isn’t ready for big boy football. After giving then #1 Oklahoma all they could handle, Florida State’s defense was gashed by the Clemson QB-WR combo of Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins. The ‘Noles gave up 455 yards to the Tigers, 366 coming through the air. FSU was supposed to be the ACC’s hope for a title-contender in 2011, but that’s not going to happen. Miami lost to Kansas State, NC State was destroyed by Cincinnati, and Maryland had the ugly knocked out of their uniforms by Temple 38-7. Until the ACC can beat quality out of conference opponents, they will not be taken seriously in the BCS title talk.