Fall is almost here, which means football season is just around the corner. Both the NFL and the NCAA have a lot of teams ready to start the season off strong.
NFL: ESPN has recently released their power play rankings for 2011/2012. The top four contenders are no surprise to the fans as they have a lot to offer and will be great teams throughout the season.
1. Green Bay Packers: The Packers had a great season last year and were able to top it off by winning the Super Bowl. They had many injured players last season that are now fully recovered. They have also received a number of good players from the draft.
2. New England Patriots: The Patriots have both young and veteran players that unify the team. This year they added Albert Haynesworth and Andre Carter, which solidifies the roster. This team also has great defensive speed and will be tough to beat this season.
3. New Orleans Saints: The Saints have both a good offense and defense, with a nice mix of new and older players. The spots of their injured players have been filled, which makes them a strong contender for the Super Bowl. They won the Super Bowl in 2010, so they are expected to bring the heat again this season.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: This team has experienced a really nice off-season defensively. With Michael Vick as their quarterback, one of the best in the league, they will certainly be a tough team to beat. DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy will also be players to watch out for.
I personally think that the Patriots will come out strong this season. They were looking very good towards the end of last year, and I think they have a lot to show this coming fall.
Other contenders this season: the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts.
College: USA today and AP recently released their rankings for the top 25 NCAA football teams this season. There are many teams that are looking well rounded, and ready to start off the college season.
1. Oklahoma Sooners: The Sooners are as strong offensively as they are defensively; they also have a good coach, Bob Stoops. Landry Jones is a key contender for the team, who completed over 65% of his passes last season. Defensively they are going to rely on Travis Lewis, a senior linebacker.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide: Their main game strategy is to win offensively. They have some great running backs, with Trent Richardson leading the pack. Their strong receivers will make for a great offensive line this season.
3. Oregon Ducks: The Ducks will most likely focus on defense this season; their offense is already one of the strongest in the nation. Oregon lost a lot of players on defense last year, so they need to work on rebuilding particular element this year. Chip Kelly, however, could definitely lead this team to victory this year, as they are favored to win the Pac-12.
4. LSU Tigers: While they still do not know if Jordan Jefferson is their QB this year, the Tigers still have one of the best defensive teams out there. They have many potential NFL players who will solidify the team. They also have a strong offense consisting of Michael Ford and Spencer Ware to correspond with the defense.
The Sooners and Crimson Tide will both do well this season. Both teams are solid and have great players and coaches. This is going to be a great fall for the NCAA.
Other contenders this season: Stanford, FSU, Boise State and OSU.
Quick and Easy Ways to Stay Updated on Sports News:
Turn on the TV: Turn on ESPN once in a while. It’s humorous and informative to watch sports center and other sports interviews. Although many girls may not be able to watch ESPN all day (like some guys), 15 minutes will give you sufficient information. If I want to know what is going on in sports, I just turn on sports center and in five minutes I have a basic recap for the week.
Watch the games: Sporting event are constantly being broadcast on TV. Just tuning into these games for five or ten minutes could give you a basic idea of what teams are good and what the rankings are for the season.
Check the sports websites: ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, rivals.com and Fox News Sports are just a few clicks away on your computer. These websites make things simple and easy to follow, with labels for each sport that give rankings, rosters and statistics. If you don’t know where to look on the television, I suggest you start here.
Have conversations with your guy friends: Chances are if he is a guy then he will most likely know about sports. Guys love it when girls get involved in sports conversations and actively ask questions. If you really want to know what is going on in the world of sports, asking your guy friends is a great way to get good information.
Sources: ESPN.com for statistics
All photos: Google images