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.

Finally, a playoff system for College Football.  Everyone may be cheering, but is it enough?  It is a commonly known fact that the complaining will begin for teams ranked five through eight once the top four are selected for the playoffs.

This past season it was clear who the top four teams were so it would have been an easy selection.  The questions will arise when there are more than four legitimate championship contenders.  Everything comes down to money.  The amount of money for the bowl games compared to the playoff and bowl game combination is a major difference.

What the average fan forgets to realize is the amount of time that the playoff system would take.  Teams that are in the later bowls miss class time as it is.  So an eight or ten team playoff is out of the question because it would take too long and the athletes would miss too much class time.

Personally I think a six team playoff would be the best option.  The one and two seeds would get a first week bye and three would play six and four would play five.  The winner of those will play one and two.  This would create a total of five games which would make it perfect for the big game to be on New Years Day which every college football fan wants.

The National Championship being on a Monday at 8:30pm is a waste of time.  If they moved it to New Years Day at 6:00pm like the Super Bowl then I firmly believe there would be a large increase in viewers.  It is early enough where viewers don’t have to be worried about being up super late and getting to work and school early the next morning.

The five games that would come from the six team playoff would be the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and finally the National Championship.  This way those major bowl games hold an even larger importance then they did without the playoff system.

Another positive for the six team playoff is that there is less chance of discrepancy from the number six team compared to the number seven team in relation to the number four team compared to the number five team.

No matter what there will be complaining from the teams that just miss the cut, but if there is a way to minimize the complaints it would be by increasing the number of teams in the playoff without making it too many where it becomes an inconvenience to the student athletes.

Regardless, it is about time a playoff system will take over and it is certainly a step in the right direction.  I can see some changes being made after the first few seasons to improve the system but at least every fan can be relieved that the BCS era is arguably over.

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

It is a rare occasion that the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team loses by 15 points, or 20 points, or, in this case, 33 points.

A team filled with multiple national championships from years past and numerous collegiate players who have moved on to successful careers in the NBA, it was probably a shock to all who tuned in last Monday night to see them get annihilated by the Florida State Seminoles. What turned out to be an even bigger surprise, however, was Roy Williams’ inability to lead five of his players off the court at the end of the game before the Florida State fans rushed it.

ExtremeSkins.com reports from ESPN that while making the precautious choice to flee the area with his benched players twelve seconds before the game ended, Williams neglected to remember the five remaining, leaving them to dig their way out against the raging students quickly approaching like fire.

What does it say, however, about Williams? It appears that when down 33 points to a team the Tarheels should beat, he forgoes the safety of his players coming off the bench. That is not to say he purposely put them in danger, but it is remarkably obvious that he cares deeply for the safety of his starters and even those who come off the bench but record more points.

You have to feel bad for the remaining five; after being utterly humiliated through a loss of 33 points and being the ones left on the court to face the embarrassment, they also have to deal with rejection from their very own coach who put them on the team. On small athletic teams, such as basketball, there will inevitably be the favorites, the elites, the “chosen ones.” But in Williams’ case, if you are going to completely disregard the others and show them no compassion, why take them under your wing anyway? Watching the clip was like watching a pack of abandoned puppies pushed out of their home and into the street; the players were left to fend for themselves among a sea of untamed college students ready to show them no mercy.

It is one thing for Williams to keep them on the bench most of their college basketball career, but to leave them to face the shame that they had not even caused in the first place is despicable. Williams has since apologized, but that is not to say an incident like this will not happen again, especially for other college basketball teams trying to uphold their prestigious athletic traditions.

Photo courtesy of Phil Sears/U.S. Presswire