Dodd's Preseason Football Rankings

Dennis Dodd, a CBSSports.com Senior Writer, has released his preseason college football rankings. Here are some relevant highlights:

1. Ohio St: "Thirteen juniors explored the draft, only one declared -- Vernon Gholston. That should tell you that the Bucks are absolutely loaded. Mix in the roll of baby-soft Charmin known as the Big Ten schedule and this is the team to beat."

9. West Virginia: "Is there a more elusive quarterback than Patrick White? Is there a faster breakaway runner than Noel Devine? The Mountaineers remain the class of the Big East in Bill Stewart's first season."

12. Illinois: "Heart-and-soul guys J Leman and Rashard Mendenhall are gone. Few in Champaign are sweating, though. The Illini will know where they're heading by early October. By then they will have played Missouri and taken trips to Penn State and Michigan."

15. Wisconsin: "Spring ended with the quarterback situation unsettled. But who needs a rocket arm with the Badgers' running game and tight end Travis Beckum?"

16. LSU: "Perrilloux leaving will cost Les Miles the SEC West. A schedule that includes eight home games will soften the blow. The season opener against Appalachian State just became huge with an inexperienced quarterback playing against the defending I-AA champions. Don't laugh. Ask Michigan."

23. Michigan St.: "The Spartans seem to be everyone's sleeper for '08. This is a program ready to turn the corner. All six of Michigan State's losses were by a touchdown or less. Tailback Javon Ringer was held out of the spring because of shoulder surgery."

Don't read too much into this... it's Dennis Dodd's preseason rankings. But still, this hurts. Not only has Michigan dropped out of the Big Ten, but they are apparently ranked well below Illinois, as well as below Michigan St. and possibly Penn St. Again, this is according to Dennis Dodd. But the team that Rich Rod leaves is ranked in the top 10, Michigan is viewed as a team which won't finish in the top four/five (depending on where you have Penn St. ranked... I personally have Michigan ranked as the #4 team in the conference behind Ohio St., Wisconsin, and Illinois in that order), and Appalachian St. jabs are gonna keep coming.

I'm mostly just curious what everyone else thinks of these rankings... is Dodd crazy? Is Michigan St. a legitimate threat in the Big Ten? Is Michigan going to surprise everyone and ride a weak schedule to a two-loss season? Who knows? But we might as well rant and rave as if we do.