If the exciting 2007 college football season has you wanting more, here is a look at the early projections for next season. I have compiled top 25 polls from The Sporting News (Matt Hayes) Rivals.com, ESPN (Mark Schlabach) CNN/SI (Stewart Mandel) and College Football News. Once a team is mentioned they are in. If they are not included in someone else’s poll I give them a rank of 30 and then average out the results.

LSU, Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan, Texas Tech, USC, Georgia, West Virginia, Kansas, RutgersTulsa have all technically posted wins in 2008 already. It is no surprise then to see the nine of those teams who are in BCS conferences ranked in the top 25. and

Perhaps also proving how much analysts are creatures of habit, 19 teams were listed by all five sources. I have included their high, low and average score with a piece of my own analysis. The term “OOC” reflects opponents the teams play “outside of conference” and I have indicated a key game for most teams. At the bottom are 12 OOC games which will shake up the rankings.

The 34 team field is led by the SEC (7) and Big Ten (6) although the Big XII’s 5 entrants are all in the top 15. The other conferences in order of teams included are the ACC (5) Big East (4) Pac-10 (4) Mountain West (1) and WAC (1).

#1 Georgia: High (1) Low (2) Average (1.60): This year they will have no excuses for not making the BCS title game with a lofty ranking to start out the season.

#2 Oklahoma: High (1) Low (7) Average (3.40): A ton of offensive talent returns, but the Big XII will be a minefield. At least this year they avoid Missouri in the regular season, but instead get Kansas.

#3 USC: High (1) Low (5) Average (3.60): I’m not sure a team with a new starting quarterback should carry a high preseason ranking, but with their reputation it is to be expected as Mustain battles Sanchez for the job.

#4 Ohio State: High (1) Low (7) Average (3.80): If there is such a term as an “almost dynasty” the Buckeyes fit into that category. Their season hinges on an early meeting at USC. Winning could set them up to be the college version of the Buffalo Bills if they lose another BCS title game.

#5 Missouri: High (3) Low (8) Average (5.00): Chase Daniel is back to go after a Heisman and national title. If they can win their opener against Illinois in St. Louis then look out. Texas Tech and Oklahoma are off the regular season schedule while the finale against Kansas will again be played in Kansas City meaning with a potential Big XII title game three neutral field tilts determine their fate.

#9 Texas: High (5) Low (15) Average (11.20): There are at least five very good teams in the Big XII which isn’t just them meeting Oklahoma for the conference title any longer. If hosting Arkansas early wasn’t enough they also draw Missouri, Oklahoma (in Dallas) and road games at Texas Tech and Kansas.

#10 Wisconsin: High (7) Low (15) Average (11.60): All the Badgers do is pile up wins, but at some point I’d love to see them take the next step for a national title run. Their notoriously weak OOC contains only one minor hurdle, a trip to dangerous Fresno State.

#11 Clemson: High (8) Low (20) Average (12.00): The ACC needs a dominant team after an awful bowl season. With Cullen Harper at quarterback this might be their best shot in 2008, but it hinges on winning at Alabama in a high profile early season opener.

#12 Auburn: High (8) Low (16) Average (12.40): Somehow the Tigers never really live up to the hype, but here they are again with a high ranking to begin the season. Their opener at West Virginia will define their year.

#13 Kansas: High (11) Low (17) Average (13.40): Was 2007 a fluke? Now that Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech are on the schedule we’ll find out. They also visit South Florida which won’t be an easy trip.

#14 Virginia Tech: High (11) Low (17) Average (14.00): The defense and special teams have carried this team a long way. With Wisconsin bailing on their meeting the Hokies don’t have much to worry about outside of the ACC.

#15 Texas Tech: High (10) Low (23) Average (14.40): Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree will be hooking up for a lot of touchdowns, but how good can they be in the deep Big XII? Their early OOC should prepare them as they host Tulsa and visit Nevada, a pair of bowl teams, to start.

#16 Penn State: High (11) Low (20) Average (15.80): JoePa has them going well again. Their OOC is ridiculously easy with three of four at home. The only decent opponent is Oregon State who won’t be as good as they have been the past two seasons.

#17 BYU: High (12) Low (22) Average (17.40): This is your BCS buster out of the Mountain West. If they can handle a pair of Pac-10 teams (at Washington. vs. UCLA) in their OOC they might go undefeated.

#18 Arizona State: High (10) Low (NR) Average (17.60): Rudy Carpenter is back and as long as he doesn’t bad mouth any defenses they should make noise in the Pac-10. However, beating Georgia is probably too much to ask in September, even if it is at home.

#19 Oregon: High (16) Low (19) Average (17.80): I don’t know if I can go along with this given that Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart are gone from the backfield. Their OOC isn’t as tough as it was last year, but they do travel to Purdue and host Boise State.

#20 Illinois: High (16) Low (23) Average (19.40): I guess getting crushed by USC and losing Mendenhall to the NFL hasn’t turned anyone off of the Illini. The neutral site opener in St. Louis against Missouri should do the trick.

#21 Tennessee: High (12) Low (NR twice) Average (21.00): Obviously opinions vary on the Volunteers who like many teams on this list lose their starting quarterback in Erik Ainge. An early visit to UCLA shouldn’t trip them up, but they open SEC play against Florida (home) and Auburn (road) while later traveling to Georgia. Those three games take place inside of 22 days.

#22 Virginia: High (20) Low (NR twice) Average (25.00): The Cavaliers are building something in the ACC and taking advantage of slumping Miami, FL and Florida State’s demise. In an early bird opener against USC we’ll see how far they have come.

#24 Michigan: High (21) Low (NR twice) Average (26.20): There is more uncertainty for the Wolverines than any time in recent memory. They have huge holes to fill on offense where several players have taken their game to the NFL. After losing to Appalachian State I don’t think they can take their OOC lightly, even if it is Utah, Miami OH, Toledo and Notre Dame.

#25 South Carolina: High (23) Low (NR twice) Average (26.40): Is time running out for Steve Spurrier to get this team into an SEC title game or at least close? The schedule is fairly back loaded, but the opener against N.C. State is a game they can’t overlook.

#26 Pittsburgh: High (22) Low (NR twice) Average (27.00): This seems to be the surprise darling pick for the Big East that produced Rutgers in 2006 and Connecticut in 2007. Perhaps it was kick-started by the upset of West Virginia. There is a chance this team will start 6-0 with home games against Bowling Green, Iowa and Buffalo while traveling to Navy, Notre Dame and Syracuse. 

#27 Fresno State: High (20) Low (NR three times) Average (27.20): Now that Hawaii has lost Brennan and head coach June Jones the WAC has an opening for a BCS buster. The Bulldogs are capable of filling that role, but it boils down to beating Wisconsin when the Badgers visit them early. 

#28 Alabama: High (22) Low (NR three times) Average (27.80): Nick Saban can’t feel great about a 7-6 season in which his team struggled in a bowl over an ordinary Colorado team and lost to Louisiana-Monroe.

#29 Boston College: High (19) Low (NR four times) Average (28.00): Most of the panel feels the loss of quarterback Matt Ryan will doom the Eagles even in a weak ACC. However, other than a post-Kevin Smith Central Florida and Notre Dame, both at home, their OOC should get them off to a good start. 

#30 Wake Forest: High (25) Low (NR three times) Average (28.20): Another totally disrespected team that has quietly won 20 games over the past two seasons.

#31 South Florida: High (21) Low (NR four times) Average (28.40): Getting bombed by Oregon without Dennis Dixon likely turned most of the voters away from them, but they will get another opportunity to knock off a highly ranked team when Kansas visits. 

#32 Oregon State: High (22) Low (NR four times) Average (28.60): I’m surprised to see them mentioned even once considering their front 7 is gone. An early season trip to Happy Valley (Penn State) should put them out of the rankings to stay.

#33 Cincinnati: High (23) Low (NR four times) Average (28.80): It is amazing how overlooked the Bearcats are considering their recent success. Oklahoma is fantastic at home, but early next year the Sooners better be ready for this team. 

#34 Michigan State: High (24) Low (NR four times) Average (28.80): The Big Ten should be improved next year and the Spartans will be one of the reasons why. They can get off on the right foot before the calendar even hits September by winning at California.

A few other teams to watch out for: 

Purdue: Coming off an 8-5 season buoyed by a 4-0 record against the MAC this could be a dangerous team with Curtis Painter entering his senior year at quarterback. 

Arizona: Last year’s schedule featured 8 bowl teams and a 2-6 record in those games doomed them, but they lost three times by a field goal or less and 20-13 at USC. Tuitama was ninth in the nation with 3,683 yards passing.

California: Their OOC features Michigan State (home) and Maryland (road) so we will find out quickly how the Bears respond to losing their top three wide receivers, starting tight end and leading rusher. Talent remains including speedy tailback Jahvid Best and Kevin Riley might beat out senior Nate Longshore at quarterback. 

A dozen games outside of conference play which could shape the bowl season:

8/30     USC @ Virginia
8/30     Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis)
8/30     Clemson @ Alabama
8/30     Michigan State @ California
9/6       Cincinnati @ Oklahoma
9/6       Auburn @ West Virginia
9/6       Oregon State @ Penn State
9/13     Ohio State @ USC
9/13     Arkansas @ Texas
9/13     Wisconsin @ Fresno State
9/13     Kansas @ South Florida
9/20     Georgia @ Arizona State