Six games against teams currently ranked in the Top 25. Three road games against teams currently ranked in the Top 15. Among ESPN’s cavalcade of “experts,” just one has Georgia winning the title, and that guy, Mark Schlabach, is a noted Georgia homer who spent plenty of time at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and, as the tale goes, lived in Atlanta for a bit while working at the Washington Post.

The brutal schedule, the bevy of suspensions, playing in a division with Florida … what are we thinking?

Not sure. We fell hard for this team as it steamrolled the competition late last fall, trouncing Florida, Auburn, and eventually dismembering Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl to finish up with a No. 2 ranking. Seven months ago, we proclaimed Georgia our No. 1 team, and we’re not backing off that.

Knowshown Moreno seems to have a little Marion Barber in him – maybe it’s just the number, but it could be the trucking and stiff-arms – and the offense seems to succeed with ease. But gone is Moreno’s wingman, RB Thomas Brown (779 yards, 10 TDs), and for the early part of the season, FB Brannan Southerland. The rebuilt offensive line is a major cause for concern, too. Like the QB Stafford. Don’t love him like Mel Kiper does. Florida has a better offense.

The best way to sum up the defense: It’s not otherworldly, but it should be as good or better statistically than LSU, and much better than Florida’s.

As you’ll certainly hear more than once this season: LSU won the title last year despite two losses. Play a difficult schedule, and the computers love you. If the Bulldogs get caught napping in Tempe a week after traveling to South Carolina – ugh: Remember when ASU randomly stunned No. 1 Nebraska a few years back, 19-0? – that will mean there is little or no room for error against LSU and the Gators.

Georgia’s landmark game is against Florida – win that, and the division should belong to Georgia; it likely will mean an SEC title game against LSU. But Mark Richt makes us a bit nervous. Nothing in particular – just don’t know if he can pull this off. At some point he’ll break through and pull off the National title. We just don’t know if it’s this year.

After reading more college football previews than we can count in the last few weeks, we’re actually picking Oklahoma to beat USC in the National title game. But part of us will be secretly (ah, hell – openly) pulling for Georgia.

10. Tennessee
9. BYU
8. Clemson
7. LSU
6. West Virginia
5. Ohio State
4. Florida
3. USC
2. Oklahoma